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James Corden is the host of The Late Late Show, which features many entertaining segments for fans to get to know their favorite celebrities. One such segment is called “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts.” The segment has celebrities answer uncomfortable questions or eat unusual foods.

However, the segment has received widespread backlash as fans are complaining about it promoting anti-Asian racism. Corden responded to the criticism.

James Corden sitting at a table with food on 'The Late Late Show'
James Corden plays ‘Spill Your Guts’ on ‘The Late Late Show’ | Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images

James Corden’s ‘Spill Your Guts’ segment was accused of anti-Asian racism

The foods featured on “Spill Your Guts” are seen as disgusting by many Americans, but some of the dishes are actually common in other countries. In particular, Asian Americans viewers decry the inclusion of balut, century eggs, chicken feet, beef tongues, and pork blood curd—which are delicacies in East and Southeast Asia.

In early June, influencer and activist Kim Saira launched a petition calling for the removal of the segment from The Late Late Show. According to Saira and the petition’s supporters, the segment promotes ignorance about Asian cultures.

“During these segments, [Corden has] openly called these foods ‘really disgusting,’ and ‘horrific,’” Saira said in the petition’s description. “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 added, “So many Asian Americans are consistently bullied and mocked for their native foods, and this segment amplifies and encourages it.”

James Corden says the segment will change after the backlash

Corden addressed the controversy during an interview with Howard Stern and shared that he will change the segment.

“We heard that story, and the next time we do that bit, we absolutely won’t involve or use any of those foods,” Corden said. “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.”

As for what foods he will present to celebrity guests going forward, Corden said it might be something like what Anna Wintour got. He shared, “In the same way that when we played it with Anna Wintour, we gave her a pizza covered in cheeseburgers.”

“We completely understand,” Corden continued. “It’s not for us to determine whether somebody’s upset or hurt about something … All we can do is go, ‘All right, we get it, we won’t do that.’”

James Corden previously acknowledged the foods on his show are delicacies

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Criticism of “Spill Your Guts” has existed for years now, and Corden previously talked about the foods on the show back in 2019 and acknowledged they are delicacies in other countries.

According to People, he told Stern about a conversation he had with Cher about her hesitancy to do the segment, “I said, ‘Look, all of these things are delicacies around the world. They’re just odd to us – they’re not odd. And a lot of it doesn’t taste bad. it really doesn’t. It’s just your psyche of something being new.”

Corden also said, “‘I promise you, all of these things are all fine and you don’t have to worry about anything. You just gotta have a good time.’”

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