James Corden (kinda) apologizes for kissing Sean Spicer on cheek at Emmys

James Corden knows you weren’t a fan of his Sean Spicer cheek-kiss at the Emmys, and he’s (sorta) trying to make amends.

On Monday’s Late Late Show, Corden somewhat acknowledged the backlash he’s received for kissing former White House press secretary Sean Spicer on the cheek at Sunday’s Emmy Awards. (Spicer, of course, made waves for his appearance on the broadcast, in which he rolled onstage via press room lectern during Stephen Colbert’s monologue and poked fun at his own “inauguration crowd size” gaffe.)

After jokingly denying the kiss ever happened (“I know you think that’s a picture of me kissing Sean Spicer, but in the spirit of Sean Spicer, no, it isn’t”) and suggesting he was just really drunk when the kiss took place, Corden then set aside the comedy routine… for a second, at least.

“Understandably, some people have been disappointed by this photo. In truth, I’m disappointed by it as well,” he said. “I’ve been reading a lot of harsh comments on Twitter today, and I hear you loud and clear. Truly, I do. So much so that I’m starting to regret that Carpool Karaoke that we’ve taped with Steve Bannon. Feels like a mistake today.”

After showing a series of photos of himself smooching other celebs, Corden ended on a self-aware note: “Basically, what I’m saying is, I need to learn how to shake hands.”

Spicer’s appearance on the Emmys — and celebrities’ interaction with him at the after-parties — has been the cause of much debate, with critics saying this behavior normalizes a major player from the polarizing Trump administration.