James Corden’s late-night talk show has a number of segments and bits that keep it in the mainstream pop culture landscape, but one is apparently looking at changes after complaints about cultural insensitivity. Corden was interviewed by Howard Stern earlier in the month and announced that his show’s “Spill Your Guts” segment would undergo an overhaul after users on social media pointed out issues with the nature of the segment’s use of ethnic foods.
The AV Club spotted the interview where Corden admitted the segment would be changing its perspective. The “Spill Your Guts” segment featured Corden asking celebrities pointed questions that would require tricky answers, with the alternative option of eating an unfamiliar food item instead of answering. But the segment struck many as troublesome, as highlighted by a viral TikTok video posted by Kim Saira, which pointed out that many of the foods described as “disgusting” were actually traditional Asian delicacies. The video featured a reaction to Corden’s segment with fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who said “wow, it all looks so terrible.” That video sparked a Change.org petition that netted more than 45,000 signatures in the days that followed.
“In the wake of the constant Asian hate crimes that have continuously been occurring, not only is this segment incredibly culturally offensive and insensitive, but it also encourages anti-Asian racism,” Saira said in the petition. “So many Asian Americans are consistently bullied and mocked for their native foods, and this segment amplifies and encourages it.”
Corden heard about the petition and responded, telling Stern, “We heard that story, and the next time we do that bit we absolutely won’t involve or use any of those foods. As you said at the start, our show is a show about joy and light and love, we don’t want to make a show to upset anybody.”
Corden said the segment will instead now focus on “fattening, diet-destroying” foods rather than foods from other cultures and parts of the world.
[via AV Club]