Anthony Bourdain labels James Corden a 'pandering tool' for making jokes about Harvey Weinstein's sex abuse scandal

Anthony Bourdain has fiercely criticised James Corden for making jokes about Harvey Weinstein’s sex abuse scandal while hosting a charity gala.

Corden, who hosts The Late Late Show, sparked a backlash on social media after making gags about Weinstein at the annual amfAR gala on Friday.

The comedian joked: “It’s been weird this week watching Harvey Weinstein in hot water. Ask any of the women who watched him take a bath, it’s weird”.

Corden also said: “It’s a beautiful night here in LA. So beautiful, Harvey Weinstein has already asked me tonight up to his hotel to give him a massage”.

Bourdain, the globe-trotting TV chef who is famed for his acerbic critiques of food, hit out at Corden for joking about the disgraced Hollywood producer who is facing rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment allegations.

The veteran chef branded Corden an “a**hole” and a “pandering tool” in a series of angry tweets and argued his jokes showed “snickering Hollywood in all its grotesquerie”.

“James Corden reveals snickering Hollywood in all its grotesquerie. It's not about masturbation, asshole. It's about rape,” he said.

He continued: “James Corden gonna have trouble booking ‘talent’ at a methadone clinic after this. #TurdDumpling”.

“Mr Corden is free to tell whatever jokes he likes. As he should be. I'm free to suggest he's a porcine, pandering tool. #lowhangingfruit.”

“Thing about James Corden when he was sweatily dribbling out rape jokes, no one stood up and said, ‘f**k you, Pop'n'Fresh!’”.

Corden’s jokes on stage at the HIV/Aids fundraiser were met with a mixture of groans and nervous laughter from the audience which included Tom Hanks, Chris Martin, Julian Roberts, Sean Penn, Fergie and Kate Hudson.

Hanks is on the 54-member board of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences that expelled Weinstein in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment that span back over almost three decades.

Corden’s jokes prompted fury from a number of other high-profile figures on Twitter including Rose McGowan who alleges that Weinstein raped her.

“You motherf***ing piglet,” she tweeted with a clip of Corden making his speech.

Asia Argento, who also claims she was assaulted by Weinstein, shared a clip of Corden’s speech and wrote: “Shame on this pig and everyone who grunted with him #amfARLosAngeles.”

Corden has since apologised for his comments and insisted he does not think sexual assault should be the butt of jokes.

“To be clear, sexual assault is no laughing matter," he said in a statement. "I was not trying to make light of Harvey’s inexcusable behaviour, but to shame him, the abuser, not his victims. I am truly sorry for anyone offended, that was never my intention.”

The Weinstein fallout exploded last week when The New York Times published a bombshell story about Weinstein's numerous settlements with women and included Ashley Judd accusing Weinstein of sexual harassment. This was followed by a 10-month investigative piece in The New Yorker that included three women who accused him of rape.

More than 40 women have accused the Hollywood A-lister of sexual misconduct. Police forces in both the US and the UK have announced that they are investigating allegations made against the film mogul.

Weinstein denies any accusations of nonconsensual sex. "Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein. Mr Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances," his spokesperson told The Independent in a statement.