Daniel Handler apologizes for offensive watermelon joke at National Book Awards

NEW YORK, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Lemony Snicket author Daniel Handler took to Twitter on Thursday for making a racially offensive remark referencing watermelon at the National Book Awards.

Handler was the host of the awards, which was held Wednesday in New York City.

Jacqueline Woodson won the award for young people's literature for her book, Brown Girl Dreaming.

After she accepted her award, Handler told a story about how he was amazed to learn that Woodson, a black woman, was allergic to watermelon.

"I told Jackie she was going to win," Handler said. "And I said that if she won, I would tell all of you something I learned about her this summer — which is that Jackie Woodson is allergic to watermelon. Just let that sink in your mind."

Handler said he told Woodson she should include that anecdote in a book, but she, in turn, told him to write it in a book.

"I said, 'I'm only writing a book about a black girl who's allergic to watermelon if I get a blurb from you, Cornel West, Toni Morrison and Barack Obama saying 'This guy's okay, this guy's fine,' " Handler concluded.

In response to backlash on Twitter, Handler addressed his comments in two posts.

"My job at last night's National Book Awards #NBAwards was to shine a light on tremendous writers, including Jacqueline Woodson," he tweeted, "and not to overshadow their achievements with my own ill-conceived attempts at humor. I clearly failed, and I'm sorry."

My job at last night's National Book Awards #NBAwards was to shine a light on tremendous writers, including Jacqueline Woodson... -DH [1/2]

— Daniel Handler (@DanielHandler) November 20, 2014

...and not to overshadow their achievements with my own ill-conceived attempts at humor. I clearly failed, and I'm sorry. -DH [2/2]

— Daniel Handler (@DanielHandler) November 20, 2014

For her part, Woodson has not addressed the controversy on her own Twitter account.