James Corden finds himself in celebrity jail, but is the joke on us for caring? | Emma Brockes

The TV host's cheeky appeal has been tarnished in the US after a restaurant run-in. But I'm not sure who I'm supposed to feel sorry for in all of this

When it comes to trends, forecasts and fashions, it is widely accepted that where the US leads, the rest of the world follows. In one area, however, it can be said with some confidence that Britain has always been ahead of the pack. For years in the US, James Corden was regarded as a fun personality, a late-night host with a cheeky, undemanding appeal. If David Letterman was creepy, and Jimmy Kimmel was smug, good old Corden, with his giggly persona and wide-eyed interview technique, was a charming presence in an unappetising field. This week, however, he repaired to celebrity jail for being rude to waiters at a restaurant - and there are lots of Brits, with the superiority of a people with literally nothing else to boast about, who could say, we knew. We always knew.

The restaurant in question didn't emerge from the episode exactly covered in glory, either. To recap for those busy having a meaningful life: on Monday, the owner of Balthazar, a New York brasserie beloved by media people, celebrities and tourists, posted a tirade on his Instagram feed detailing two instances of Corden being rude in his restaurant. In June, wrote Keith McNally, Corden was extremely nasty" to the manager after demanding his round of drinks be comped because he'd found a hair in his food.

Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist

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