James Corden explains why he called out Bill Maher for fat-shaming: ‘You cannot forget how f***ing hard it is’
James Corden has explained why he called out comedian and TV host Bill Maher for making fat-shaming comments, stating that you “cannot forget what most people’s lives are like”.
In September 2019, a clip from The Late Late Show with James Corden was released on YouTube in which the talk show host addressed derogatory remarks made by Bill Maher the previous week.
Speaking on Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher said “being fat isn’t a birth defect”, saying: “Nobody comes out of the womb needing to buy two seats on the airplane.”
Maher also stated his belief that fat-shaming “doesn’t need to end”, adding that “some amount of shame is good”.
In Corden’s response to Maher, the Cats actor outlined how there is a “common and insulting misconception that fat people are stupid and lazy”, affirming that fat-shaming “never went anywhere”.
In a new interview with The New Yorker, Corden explained why he felt obligated to condemn Maher’s attitude towards body-shaming.
The 41-year-old worked with Late Late Show writers for three days while they finetuned his statement, which they wanted to make sure was “funny” and not just a “rant”.
“I just think it’s out of touch with actual people,” Corden said with regards to the comments made by Maher.
“You cannot forget what most people’s lives are like. You cannot forget how f***ing hard it is.
“And maybe the only slice of joy in your life is that cheeseburger. And it’s cheap. There are no chubby kids at my son’s school, because it’s a private school on the Westside of LA.”
Corden explained how years ago, while playing a college janitor on soap opera Hollyoaks, he was dismayed to discover that the set for his character’s bedroom had been decorated with posters of junk food.
“I thought that they were just being really nasty about anyone that’s overweight,” he said.
There are some who believe the depiction of Corden as Bustopher Jones in Cats is an example of a “fat joke“.
However, in the opinion of the Into the Woods star, this isn’t the case.
“Oh, but he’s revelling in it,” Corden explained. “He’s going, ‘I’m the greatest! I’m big and I’m fat and I live the best life! I eat everything! It’s incredible.”
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