‘Boo-F*cking-Hoo’: Liberals Roast James Patterson For Saying White Male Writers Face ‘Another Form of Racism’
Rob Kim/Getty Images
Author James Patterson trended on Twitter on Monday for all the wrong reasons. The prolific author, who has published over 200 books and sold some 400 million copies, lambasted the alleged difficulty White male writers are now having getting jobs, a sentiment which landed him in hot water online.
Patterson, 75, made the controversial comments in an interview with The Sunday Times. “[It’s] just another form of racism,” Patterson said. “What’s that all about? Can you get a job? Yes. Is it harder? Yes. It’s even harder for older writers. You don’t meet many 52-year-old white males.”
The comments came in response to the interviewer noting that one of Patterson’s most famous characters was a Black man: Alex Cross.
“I just wanted to create a character who happened to be black,” he said. “I would not have tried to write a serious saga about a black family. It’s different in a detective story because plot is so important.”
“I get it. How could we run through that period, especially in Hollywood, where there was all this talent and nobody got hired?” Patterson asked.
Patterson also discussed Woody Allen’s publisher dropping his memoir.
“I hated that,” Patterson said. “He has the right to tell his own story.”
“Do I know what went on between Allen and the Farrows?” Patterson notes. “Nope. And neither do you.”
Reactions from Twitter were not kind to the writer, as many blasted Patterson as lacking self-awareness given the immense success he has achieved:
I’m a 50-year-old white writer. And, to James Patterson I say, warmly, boo-fucking-hoo https://t.co/IwBQMpWrh6
— Jeff Pearlman (@jeffpearlman) June 13, 2022
Live footage of James Patterson… pic.twitter.com/XvRnD1iGuv
— Kalynn Bayron (@KalynnBayron) June 13, 2022
James Patterson thinks white men are facing racism in publishing. From a Black man who has had over 50 rejections of books (all of which are now bestsellers) because white editors don’t understand them or “already have Black male authors”… shut up. Also, James has a ghostwriter. https://t.co/PSoiffvAHT
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) June 13, 2022
I’m still mad about James Patterson clumsily trying to talk about race so I checked this week’s bestseller list and huh, he’s right there are so few white dudes and so many people of color.
LOL, not really.
Hardcover Fiction Books – Best Sellers – Books https://t.co/zLeENmkvWh
— Justina Ireland (@justinaireland) June 14, 2022
to be fair, older white men do experience another form of racism, wherein a lot of people assume that they’re stuck in whatever years their prime was, and generally just kind of think of them as being dickweeds, like james patterson
the other form of racism, “actual,” is worse! https://t.co/9b1gx3foB1
— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) June 14, 2022
The funny thing about James Patterson crying that the book industry is racist against rich, old white men, is that most of his ghostwriters aren’t even rich, old, white men.
— Tasia Bass (@GroovyTasia) June 13, 2022
If we’re being honest, James Patterson and his exorbitant multi-figure advances for books he doesn’t write are 90% of the problem with publishing.
— Lisa Braun Dubbels (@lisadubbels) June 14, 2022
