However, Costello's reputation wasn't all good. It was tarnished in 1979 when Costello, in a drunken conversation, referred to Ray Charles as a "blind, ignorant n*****" This conversation made itself into the media, and a few days later, Costello publicly apologized in a press conference a few days later. He noted that he was drunk and was purposefully trying to be obnoxious in order to end the conversation.
Charles actually invited Costello to a meeting with him, but Costello declined out of guilt and embarrassment. Charles still forgave Costello though, and said that "drunken talk isn't meant to be printed in the paper." Before and after this incident, Costello was very active in Britain's Rock Against Racism campaign.
