Author Daniel Handler apologizes again for remark he calls racist, pledges money for diversity

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Daniel Handler apologized again for a racial comment he made while hosting the National Book Awards and promised to back up his words with his wallet.

The bestselling author also known as “Lemony Snicket” was widely criticized for joking Wednesday night that black author Jacqueline Woodson was allergic to watermelon.

He tweeted Thursday that his humour “clearly failed” and tweeted Friday that it was “monstrously inappropriate and yes, racist.” He pledged $10,000 to a campaign for diversity in publishing and for 24 hours will match donations up to $100,000.

Woodson won in the young adult category for “Brown Girl Dreaming.” In a statement issued Friday through her publisher, Penguin, she said she wanted to continue in a “positive light” and bring about “understanding across lines of race.”

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