James Corden Faces Backlash for Risqué Joke About Judi Dench and Anthony Fauci at Gala

The comedian’s remark at the Breakthrough Prize event left the audience in stunned silence, reigniting criticism of his history with edgy humor.

At the 2025 Breakthrough Prize gala in Los Angeles, James Corden joked about a fictional one-night stand between Dame Judi Dench and Dr. Anthony Fauci, shocking attendees.
The audience reacted with awkward silence, with visible discomfort captured on camera, including a stunned Olivia Wilde.
The gala, celebrating scientific achievement and attended by Hollywood and tech luminaries, underscored the tension between celebrity humor and the event's tone.
This incident adds to Corden's history of controversial jokes, including past remarks about Harvey Weinstein and an onstage clash with Sir Patrick Stewart in 2010.
Representatives for Corden, Dench, and Fauci have not commented, while a recording of the event is set to stream, keeping the controversy in the spotlight.