AIBU as the mother of mixed race children to be furious that Giles Coren’s article in The Times included the phrase “fuzzy-wuzzies”?

[unitedcolorsofbattersea]

Why did The Times even allow this to be published? I can remember when I heard this derogatory term being used as a racist insult in the playground during the late 80s. It makes me want to weep. I know Giles Coren has form where racism is concerned but FFS 🤦🏼‍♀️, it’s 2022, not 1922. This is not funny, arch satire and could have horrific consequences. He may as well have used the n word and no doubt people like him do in private company. I really fear for my young children and what they might be subjected to if this is acceptable in print.

(This is my first time posting here on Mumsnet so please be gentle! I know this issue is being discussed a lot of Twitter though and several anti-racism campaigners have commented.) Here is a link to the full article, which is behind a paywall: www.thetimes.co.uk/article/call-yourself-british-ill-be-the-judge-of-that-dwl3qp53w

his racism, antisemitism, misogyny

Isn't he Jewish?

I read the article as an attempt at satire, like @theyetijumpedoverthemoon - he's taking the piss out of the types of people who would answer A (or C). Obviously there's a school of thought that terms like this shouldn't be used even satirically- that they are intrinsically offensive even where they're being used to satirise the sort of person who might use them. I don't agree with that approach but it's arguable.

I’m perfectly able to understand satire, but I still think the use of that phrase was unnecessary. I think it is probably the editors at The Times give Giles Coren absolutely free reign, or rather enough rope, that eventually he’ll end up hanging himself - and I’m using this phrase metaphorically before all you Coren apologists accuse me of not only not understanding satire, but of encouraging his suicide.

I think it’s good that people are starting threads about Giles being racist. He definitely has form. And I’m happy not to see his sneering little face on TV. He had to leave Twitter after mocking Dawn Foster’s death, but Giles Coren being vile is also a very active discussion topic on there. I think he’s being slowly cancelled as he doesn’t seem to be getting much TV work of late, which I for one am jolly pleased about. He should stick to writing nasty restaurant reviews.

He is Jewish @DiamanteDelia. He set up a sock puppet account as a polish builder to tweet himself/his wife, antisemitic messages. The guy is ugly on a meta level.

But you called him racist in your op, suggesting that you do think he holds those views (ie that it's not satire)?

He is a racist. That's why it's not satire. It a racist columnist being racist, again, in his column in plain sight.

I am no particular fan of GC, and he does sound like a jerk generally, but pps calling him racist based on the piece linked in the op are just making themselves look a bit thick.

I think Giles Coren is racist because of what he said about fried chicken - equating black people with it in an extremely offensive and pejorative way.

Nadine White, the race correspondent for The Independent had some interesting things to say about it:
twitter.com/nadine_writes/status/1482457675208212483?s=21&t=WUWhykEcAe-gkMyMyRtzlw

Thanks. What a strange and horrible thing to do.

@KentishTowner I think you’re right that all the threads suggesting Giles Coren is racist must have had some effect, hence him not being on TV any more. My daughter’s friend did work experience at one of the big production companies and one of her tasks when she was there was to compile dossiers about what people were saying about various hosts and presenters on Twitter, Tattle, Reddit and most importantly Mumsnet. So every thread counts, folks!

The point of the article seems to be that there’s no one way of being British. We encompass everything from racist little Englanders to snowflakes who perceive racism to be everywhere. Both groups are the butt of the joke (if there is one).

Completely unnecessary and very offensive to use a racist term to make this point.

I don't think it's ok to ever use that phrase. It's derogatory and racist. Either GC is too stupid or too nasty to not know that it's not ok to use that phrase.

I really dislike him. I think he is pompous, arrogant and just plain nasty. He is a weasel'y bitter man . It's such a shame that nepotism is alive and kicking in publishing.

Oh the man's an idiot, he's only got a career because his dad was a personable chap, very funny, an excellent writer and deservedly admired in media world. No wonder GC grew up feeling inferior. Tiresome with a fragile ego. He and Laurence Fox are in competition for most obnoxious sprog of the famous. Would be hard to pick a winner.

He's clearly parodying the looney right and the woke left. Context.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/1060c1a2-f96b-11ec-84c1-32e852e780b0?shareToken=7dc52828a4b0b59f89c4244af2333034

Admittedly he's a stirring tosspot best grey rocked

Omg - definitely NOT being unreasonable. That's abhorrent!

Giles Coren has always been an obnoxious, vile wart - how the hell is he still getting work?

Oh my god! My eyes, my eyes! Thanks to a deep dive on Twitter I’ve just found an Esquire article in which Giles Coren writes about his wanking addiction in graphic, disgusting detail and confesses to “fucking” his unsuspecting family’s sofa! The man is a total perv as well as a racist.

Link to article (with a massive trigger warning!):
t.co/LK6tbWAISR

I really shouldn’t click that link should I? 🤯

No.

No. It’s properly creepy and revolting. The fact he wanked into the sofa and then his unsuspecting family sat on it.

"The fact he wanked into the sofa and then his unsuspecting family sat on it."

For me the worst points are, calling his dick, his Japs eye. Talking about going for a wank at 8.20, when he's got to leave to take his child to school at 8.30 and "calling from the shower to the wife to get the kid ready". Then the abusive porn he watches. If you've defended him on this thread, then read that article.

Would not bother me but I am not in any way woke

🙄🙄🙄

Oh, I pity your cleaner, kewgirl. Are you the lucky Mrs Coren by any chance?

It reads to me like a bad Philip Roth pastiche. There's a whole section in Portnoy's Complaint in which the main character masturbates with a piece of liver which his mother then cooks for dinner. The difference is that Portnoy's Complaint is fiction, and funny.