Late night talk show host James Corden got called on in October for his rude behavior while dining at the New York restaurant Balthazar, engaging in a back-and-forth narrative with the restaurant’s owner after being banned for his “abusive” behavior. Now The Late Late Show host has been name-dropped again, and this time it’s a Spice Girl who’s got the tea. Mel B called Corden one of the “biggest dickhead[s]” she’d ever met, and she provided a specific explanation as to why.
The former America’s Got Talent judge made an appearance on the British program The Big Narstie Show, where she was asked about the “biggest dickhead” she’d ever met. Mel B seemed OK with admitting her own bad behavior, as she listed off a few names that came to mind: “James Corden, Geri Halliwell, Jessie J and me.” Interesting how she included herself and fellow Spice Girl Halliwell in that list (she called Ginger Spice “really fucking annoying"), and in regards to the Cats actor she said (via The Wrap):
I think you always have to be nice to the people that you work with whether it be production, camera guys, sound, lighting. We all work for the same thing, so you should always be nice and he hasn’t been very nice.
Mel B’s issues with the late-night host — who announced that he will be leaving The Late Late Show after eight years — seem to revolve around his treatment of crew members, as she called out a handful of specific behind-the-scenes responsibilities on a production. The Spice Girl appeared on James Corden’s talk show in 2016 and 2018, so is it possible she saw some interactions that rubbed her the wrong way?
If true, this supposed "not nice" treatment of a crew does seem like it would line up with what New York restaurateur Keith McNally described, when he called James Corden “a tiny Cretin of a man” and “the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago.” The owner detailed two separate occasions — in June and October — in which the actor reportedly berated his staff, once for hair in or around his food and another time when his wife’s order was prepared wrong twice.
While James Corden did call Keith McNally to apologize, he was then quoted as saying he did nothing wrong. The restaurateur maintained that if Corden apologized to his waitstaff, the actor would be welcomed back to Balthazar to eat for free. He did just that, addressing the situation on The Late Late Show, and though he said he never raised his voice or called anyone names, he did admit that his behavior was rude and unnecessary.
No word on whether or not the actor has attempted to return to Balthazar, but the men are no longer trading barbs. We’ll have to see if this recent call-out prompts any kind of response from James Corden toward Mel B. For now, fans of The Late Late Show can continue to watch the host at 12:37 a.m. ET on CBS ahead of his exit in the summer of 2023. Also, check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what else is headed to the small screen in the new year.
