By Drew Grant 5/16/12 8:00am

Racism

dunces

To Slur, With Love: ‘Ironic Racism’ is More Than Just Taki

Two weeks ago, Phil Mushnick, a respected veteran sports writer for The New York Post, published a column about the Brooklyn Nets’ new brand identity, as designed with the help of Jay-Z. The team—previously known as the New Jersey Nets—had switched their colors to black and white. “Why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?” Mr. Mushnick suggested, referring to the team’s part-owner. “Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s. The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—hes or Hoes …” Read More

By Drew Grant 4/23/12 12:13pm

New Media Conservatives

John Derbyshire, happy man (JohnDerbyshire.com)

John Derbyshire Still Writing for Taki Mag

Despite the media brouhaha that led to his “parting ways” from the National Review over charges of racism, John Derbyshire is back blogging at the Taki Mag. The online ‘zine, owned by Taki Theodoracopulos, is where Mr. Derbyshire posted the original offending article, The Talk: Nonblack Version. Less than 72 hours after we discovered the piece, he was out of a job.

But no worries! Mr. Derbyshire doesn’t stay down for long, and according to his new post on Taki, he’s become very interested in the study of happiness. (Which, obviously, knows no color boundaries). Read More

By Drew Grant 4/09/12 2:24pm

Media and Race

Taki Theodoracopulos with 'Greek Pudding' Arianna Huffington (PcM)

Taki’s Mag Founder Speaks Out on John Derbyshire Race Controversy: ‘It’s Nice to Be Light Sometimes’

“I don’t think he did anything that extraordinary, to point out what Blacks themselves point out,” Taki Theodoracopulos told The Observer over the phone this afternoon.

He was talking about National Review journalist John Derbyshire’s controversial article, “The Talk: Nonblack Version,” written for Mr. Theodoracopulos’ namesake webzine, Taki’s Mag.

Within 72 hours after its publication, the Review announced that it was “parting ways” with Mr. Derbyshire, saying that the author was using the conservative publication’s name to “to get more oxygen for views with which we’d never associate ourselves otherwise.” National Review‘s Editor-In-Chief Rich Lowry said the piece “lurches from the politically incorrect to the nasty and indefensible.”

Mr. Theodoracopulos, who called himself a “great fan” of Taki’s Mag (which is actually edited by his daughter, while dad plays the role of curator, pulling in big names from his thick Rolodex), had his own opinion of why Mr. Derbyshire was let go. Read More

By Drew Grant 4/05/12 2:23pm

Media and Race

John Derbyshire, expert on the Blacks (Getty Images)

John Derbyshire’s Advice on How to Talk to Your Children About Black People

We’re still a little confused about the spirit in which to take articles written in Taki’s Magazine, socialite/journalist Taki Theodoracopulos “politics and culture” website. With long, often  provocative essays by everyone from Pat Buchanan to Jim Goad to Gavin McInnes, we’re not sure how seriously the ‘zine takes itself.
For instance, how tongue-in-cheek is this John Derbyshire essay, The Talk: Nonblack Version, in which the National Review journalist lays down several points on how he plans on discussing race with his children. It’s…well…bold, we guess you can say. Read More

By Nate Freeman 4/19/11 11:53pm

Nightlife

The Wee Hours: ’70s Stud Turns 70

In a back nook of Elaine’s someone had placed a blown-up old cover of Quest magazine featuring the chiseled features of Chuck Pfeiffer. “CHUCK,” the headline read, “MYTHICAL MADMAN WARRIOR.”

“Seventy, it’s an odd age,” Mr. Pfeiffer told The Observer, staring at the younger version of himself, a decoration for his birthday party last Read More

By Spencer Morgan 3/31/09 9:11pm

Lock Up Your Daughters! Is the World Ready for Taki Jr.?

“He’s the only man I know,” said international playboy and Greek shipping heir–slash–journalist Taki Theodoracopulos of his 28-year-old son, J.T., “who is a painter who refuses any kind of publicity, when completely talentless people, like Basquiat and all the rest of these—”

“No, not Basquiat,” J.T. said. “He painted a lot, he painted a Read More