Boston Native Conan O’Brien Once Fired Staffer Who Was Rude to a Waiter, Says Writer

As you may have heard, late night host James Corden was under fire recently due to allegations that he had been rude to the waitstaff at the New York City restaurant Balthazar.

Somehow, the restaurant’s owner, Keith McNalley, managed to avoid any scorn, even though he took the unusual step of airing it out on Instagram.

Within 24 hours, however, Corden had apparently offered his apologies, and the restaurant its regrets. It was likely that people then remembered that, in terms of celebrity scandal, this wasn’t quite the O.J. chase. There are more pressing issues with which to be concerned.

But the national discourse over restaurant etiquette raged on. It found its way back to yet another late night host: Brookline, Massachusetts, native Conan O’Brien, only, the narrative in O’Brien’s case is vastly different.

According to former “Conan” writer Todd Levin, O’Brien once fired a staff member after the host witnessed him behave rudely to a server. Having worked in late night for nearly a decade, I find it hard to believe one would be fired just for that, unless it was truly unforgivable, “go to HR” behavior. But, I can see it being the breaking point for Conan.

On his podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” the former “Late Night” and “Tonight Show” host has talked openly about his distaste for snobbery. He has also discussed his awkward in-between period after college, where found himself with a Harvard degree and a job at a leather store in Los Angeles.

So, it isn't surprising if rudeness to someone just doing their job was the final straw.