James Corden has sparked controversy after making a crude joke about Dame Judi Dench and Dr Anthony Fauci at the Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The 46-year-old comedian, hosting the prestigious event for the fourth time, left the audience stunned with his risqué remark.
“Tonight is the one night that Hollywood and science come together, other than, of course, that one magical evening where Dr. Fauci had a one-night stand with Dame Judi Dench,” Corden told the crowd.
The joke, which implied a sexual encounter between the 90-year-old British acting legend and the 84-year-old American medical advisor, received a reportedly cold reception.
Cameras panned to the audience after Corden’s comment, capturing visible shock on celebrities’ faces.
Olivia Wilde, star of Don’t Worry Darling, was seen open-mouthed and raising her eyebrows at the sexual joke.
The star-studded crowd, which included A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Lizzo, responded with nervous titters rather than laughter.
Overall, the joke fell flat with the assembled guests, who had gathered to celebrate scientific achievements rather than listen to risqué humour.
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The Breakthrough Prize ceremony, often dubbed the “Oscars of Science,” honours top scientists in fields including life sciences, fundamental physics and mathematics.
The prestigious event was held in a space aircraft hangar in Los Angeles.
It attracted an impressive guest list including Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, Kate Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Zoe Saldaña, Christina Aguilera, Will.i.am, Alicia Keys and Jodie Foster.
Each year, winners receive top prizes of $3 million across various scientific categories.
The Breakthrough Prize was created by tech moguls, including Mark Zuckerberg, his wife Priscilla Chan, computer scientist Sergey Brin, entrepreneur Anne Wojcicki, and investors Yuri and Julia Milner.
This year’s ceremony recognised scientists making remarkable discoveries in gene editing, human diseases, and fundamental physics.
This is not Corden’s first brush with controversy at award ceremonies.
In 2017, he made a poorly timed joke about Harvey Weinstein at the amfAR gala, just as multiple sexual assault allegations against the disgraced movie mogul were emerging.
“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 told an audience that included Tom Hanks and Kate Hudson.
The remark was met with audible groans.
Corden later apologised after facing significant backlash, including criticism from actor Rose McGowan, who was among Weinstein’s accusers.
“To be clear, sexual assault is no laughing matter,” Corden said in his apology.
Dench was fortunately not present at the ceremony to witness the awkward moment.
Mark Zuckerberg, one of the prize’s founders, highlighted the importance of the event, saying: “This year’s Breakthrough Prize laureates have made amazing strides – including treatments for major diseases affecting millions of people worldwide – showing once again the transformative power of curiosity-driven basic science.”
The ceremony honoured scientists making discoveries in fields including gene editing, human diseases, and the mathematical principles underlying our universe.
