--- description: Paul McCartney has finally addressed the conspiracy theory that he died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike. title: Paul McCartney Addresses 'Paul Is Dead' Conspiracy Theory image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf6ad985f17c2b8d9/698938400a4a2267539d37e0/james-corden-paul-mccartney-jail.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Paul McCartney Talks to James Corden About That 'Paul Is Dead' Conspiracy Theory in the Best Way  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:04 PM CUTPublished: Aug 21, 2018 4:24 PM CUT  Paul McCartney joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke in London on The Late Late Show with James Corden Paul McCartney joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke in London on The Late Late Show with James CordenCraig Sugden/CBS via Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Updated: Dec 12, 2023 6:04 PM CUTPublished: Aug 21, 2018 4:24 PM CUT After nearly 50 years of dealing with a [conspiracy theory](http://time.com/5356851/what-is-qanon/ "undefined") that he died and was secretly replaced by a look-alike, [Paul McCartney](http://time.com/5367945/paul-mccartney-james-corden-office-tour/ "undefined") has finally addressed those [“Paul is dead”](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871%5F1860876%5F1860997,00.html "undefined") rumors. During an [extended cut](https://www.cbs.com/shows/late-late-show/video/Ug3KP0we6TbNX1qCj1qFah8IOaZJEe%5F6/carpool-karaoke-when-corden-met-mccartney-live-from-liverpool/ "undefined") of his “[Carpool Karaoke](http://time.com/5319699/paul-mccartney-carpool-karaoke/ "undefined")” segment that was filmed in his hometown of Liverpool and aired on Monday’s episode of _The Late Late Show_, the former Beatle revealed his reaction to the far-fetched fan theory. “We just kind of let it go,” he explained. McCartney also discussed the time he spent nine days in a Japanese prison after getting caught with marijuana at the Tokyo airport in 1980\. “I still am hazy as to how that happened, but it did,” he said. “And in my suitcase, yes, there was some marijuana in the suitcase. And I ended up in jail.” In addition to these fascinating anecdotes, McCartney gifted viewers with renditions of Beatles classics such as “Lady Madonna,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Drive My Car.” Watch the original version of McCartney’s “Carpool Karaoke” segment below. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5373174/paul-mccartney-paul-is-dead-james-corden/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5373174/paul-mccartney-paul-is-dead-james-corden/"},"headline":"Paul McCartney Talks to James Corden About That 'Paul Is Dead' Conspiracy Theory in the Best Way","datePublished":"2018-08-21T16:24:05.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T18:04:51.000Z","description":"The former Beatle revealed his reaction to the rumors","url":"https://time.com/5373174/paul-mccartney-paul-is-dead-james-corden/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","Paul McCartney","TV","Late Night Television","The Late Late Show","james corden"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf6ad985f17c2b8d9/698938400a4a2267539d37e0/james-corden-paul-mccartney-jail.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf6ad985f17c2b8d9/698938400a4a2267539d37e0/james-corden-paul-mccartney-jail.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"The Late Late Show with James Corden","caption":"The Late Late Show with James Corden","creditText":"Craig Sugden/CBS via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5373174/paul-mccartney-paul-is-dead-james-corden/","name":"Paul McCartney Talks to James Corden About That 'Paul Is Dead' Conspiracy Theory in the Best Way"}}]}] ```