Author Daniel Handler (pictured), who is best known for his Lemony Snicket series of children’s books experienced an ‘unfortunate event’ at a ceremony announcing the winners of the National Book Awards on Wednesday night. When the writer was presenting the award for young people’s literature to Jacqueline Woodson, a black woman and author of “Brown Girl Dreaming,” he referenced a racist trope that blacks have an affinity for watermelon but then wound up apologizing for his verbal faux pas according to The Guardian.
“I told you! I told Jackie she was going to win. And I said that if she won, I would tell all of you something I learned this summer, which is that Jackie Woodson is allergic to watermelon. Just let that sink in your mind.
And I said you have to put that in a book. And she said, you put that in a book. And I said I am only writing a book about a black girl who is allergic to watermelon if I get a blurb from you, Cornell West, Toni Morrison, and Barack Obama saying,”This guy’s okay. This guy’s fine.”
Woodson was the only person of color in her finalist category. Woodson is a three-time National Book Award finalist, prestigious Caldecott Medal recipient and winner of a host of other accolades for her writings. “Brown Girl Dreaming” is about growing up as a black girl in the turbulent 1960s told entirely in verse.
After Handler made the troubling misstep, the backlash was immediate. After a reported few jittery attempts at laughter from the audience, the author then made the comment, “We’ll talk about it later.”
Earlier in the evening, Handler, who considers himself to be a secular humanist (someone who embraces the fact that humans can be ethical or moral without bringing God into the mix), also joked about not being awarded a Coretta Scott King Award, a prize given to black writers of young adult fiction.
Predictably, Daniel was taken to task via social media for his offensive joke and wound up issuing a very well-deserved apology to Woodson on his Twitter page. He later tweeted a donation of $10,000 to raise money for an organization devoted to diversity in literature, and is matching any other funds raised in the next 24 hours up to $100,000:
My remarks on Wednesday night at #NBAwards were monstrously inappropriate and yes, racist. -DH
..and not to overshadow their achievements with my own ill-conceived attempts at humor. I clearly failed, and I’m sorry. -DH
My job at last night’s National Book Awards #NBAwards was to shine a light on tremendous writers, including Jacqueline Woodson… -DH
Let’s donate to #WeNeedDiverseBooks to #CelebrateJackie. I’m in for $10,000, and matching your money for 24 hours up to $100,000. -DH
The money is a good move, but keep those offensive jokes to yourself Lemony Bigot!
Oh Say It Ain’t So! ‘Lemony Snicket’ Author Daniel Handler Sorry For Racist Watermelom Joke At National Book Awards was originally published on newsone.com
