More than 39,000 people have signed a petition calling for the cancellation of a game from James Corden's talk show.
The Change.org petition was launched by a woman from Queens in New York City named Kim Saira, who says the so-called "Spill Your Guts" segment of The Late Late Show is racist.
Spill Your Guts typically involves 42-year-old Corden asking his celebrity guests awkward interview questions; giving them a choice between answering or forfeiting and eating an eclectic range of exotic foods instead.
Watch this example of the segment in the video below:However, many of the dishes chosen to gross out the guests are staple dishes of several East-Asian cultures, including balut, tripe, and chicken feet.
These culinary choices have sparked concern among certain viewers that the segment might promote anti-Asian xenophobia amid a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thus, the petition's description reads: "The media holds so much influence: according to Wikipedia, the Late Late show averages over 650,000 viewers per episode.
"That means, 650,000 people are being influenced to think that native foods from Asian countries are 'disgusting' or 'horrifying.' Content like this continually perpetuates and encourages harm and racism against Asian Americans in our daily lives."
Saira added: "We are holding James Corden and The Late Late Show accountable for their actions, and perpetual harm this segment causes to Asian American communities."
The petition demands that Corden should issue a formal apology, and either remove the segment entirely, or replace the foods featured on the show with a non-Asian alternative.
It also calls for the British actor to make a charitable donation to organizations that work to help Asian-owned restaurants and small businesses as an act of contrition.
An event has since been organized to protest the segment after the petition surpassed 38,000 signatures. A follow-up post on the page read: "Attend our #CancelSpillYourGuts event this coming Thursday in LA from 4-8 PM!
"Come by and stand against anti-Asian hate & the Spill Your Guts segment on the Late Late Show, as the show films a few feet away!’
Thus far, neither James Corden nor any representatives from CBS have responded to the controversy.
