Handler apologizes again, calls his remark racist

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | November 22, 2014 | HILLEL ITALIE

[artichokegrower]

Daniel Handler apologized again for racial comments he made while hosting the National Book Awards and promised to back up his words with his wallet.

The best-selling author also known as "Lemony Snicket" tweeted Friday that his remarks Wednesday night, centering on a joke about black author Jacqueline Woodson being allergic to watermelon, were "monstrously inappropriate and yes, racist." Handler pledged $10,000 to a campaign for diversity in publishing and added that for 24 hours he would match donations up to $100,000. On Thursday, he tweeted that his humor "clearly failed."

[artichokegrower]

It's fun to watch sanctimonious liberals fall all over themselves to prove the purity of their thought process.

[Sacajaweau]

sorry...it’s damn funny...

[yldstrk]

I am afraid to even say the word watermelon or the words fried chicken. What has this world come to? And how did watermelon come to be associated with being black?

[Jeff Chandler]

Who, in this day and age, makes watermelon jokes about black people? How stupid would you have to be to do so?

[old curmudgeon]

Today’s PC crap never ceases to amaze.

I am alergic to watermelon, although I like it.

And I am an entrenched Southern Rebel white.

And I love chicken.

So what?

[chajin]

I am afraid to even say the word watermelon

call it by its Japanese name, suika (SOOEY-kah). The written version, 西瓜, literally means "Western gourd."

[Genoa]

What this world has come to is that it is allergic to inappropriate. Welcome to lefty fascist utopia.

[MUDDOG]

He needs a class in self defense against fresh fruit.

[Straight Vermonter]

[SoFloFreeper]

I said it twice for emphasis.

Loosen up people.

Hey, GUESS WHAT:

WHITE PEOPLE CAN'T DANCE!! CALL ME RACIST!

[PROCON]

Handler pledged $10,000 to a campaign for diversity in publishing

LOL, it's like buying carbon credits to offset your "carbon footprint" and feel smug and self-righteous about yourself.

[DoughtyOne]

Who hasn’t said something inappropriate at some time in their life, trying to be funny?

We have lapses in judgement. People need to have a thicker skin that this, than to allow something like this to offend them.

And if it does, then a sincere apology should suffice.

As others have said, it’s a hoot to watch a liberal deal with this. As we all know, only Conservatives do stuff like this. /s

[Sacajaweau]

that pretty much tells the tale

[PROCON]

RACIST! RACIST! RACIST! RACIST! RACIST! RACIST!

Whew, now I feel smug and self-righteous...

[DoughtyOne]

It sure is.

[MeshugeMikey]

the butt of his joke...as it turns out, is a free range pervert.

perhaps thats where the ULTRA SENSITIVITY came from.

Mustnt joke about - - - - - - - - people....

[jocon307]

“Who, in this day and age, makes watermelon jokes about black people? How stupid would you have to be to do so?”

Yes, and think of it, he made this “joke” at the National Book Awards!

We conservatives better take back the culture PDQ, these libs just can’t handle it.

[dowcaet]

They love watermelon and especially its seeds as snacks in many Asian nations from China to Vietnam. Maybe Handler ought to apologize to them too. Stupid liberal.

[Dalberg-Acton]

I don't know who complained about that joke, but this would have been my response:

[webheart]

Dammit! I have read all of his books. I was a little concerned when he wrote about la petite mort in a children's book. It translates to "the little death" but is actually a reference to orgasm. Either he really didn't know what it means, or he was sneaking it in.

His books were really funny quite entertaining, with some cute literary tricks tossed in. For instance, you're reading chapter four where he talks about deja vu and then you turn the page and it is exactly the same page. Funny.

Jude Law and Jim Carey starred in the Lemony Snicket movie which comprised the first three books of a series of 13 books.