Despicable, but everyone pretends not to remember, and kisses his ass.

-Bubba

Ellison has largely made himself a pseudo-celebrity by his outrageous actions. He intentionally recruited fans to harass Palmer at SCIFI Conventions in the 60s and 70s, intentionally distorted and took out of context what the man said, and did everything he could to ruin him. Palmer, of course, was the one-time editor of Amazing Stories who started the whole “Shaver Mystery” rolling. In addition to being a legendary force in early scifi and fantasy publishing, he was a kind-hearted gent who loved the fans and also committed the Harlan-ordained ‘sin’ of having an interest in exploring the paranormal, UFOs, and other strange phenomena.

Yep, Palmer is laughing somewhere, and given Ellison’s history, it’s probably a lot more pleasant somewhere than Harlan will end up.

-Bubba

Of course, you don’t actually have to *be* a great artist to have the Ubermensch-worshipping aristocratophiles kissing your ass and insisting that everyone else do it, too– Harlan Ellison was an overrated – and viciously sexist – hack back in 1967.

Some assholes grow up and become decent human beings. Some hacks grow up and become decent artists.

And some – felicitous third! – do neither.

and he did.

In his initial statement Ellison wrote that what he did was “intendly-childlike grabbing.” Also, “IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE FOR A MAN TO GRAB A WOMAN’S BREAST WITHOUT HER EXPLICIT PERMISSION.” Lastly, “For me to grab Connie’s breast is inexcusable … ”

In his second response Ellison wrote, “NO grab … NO grope … NO fondle … ” Also, “there was the slightest touch.” Finally, “How about it Mark: after playing straight man to Connie’s very frequently demeaning jackanapery toward me … ”

So which is it? A “grab” or “the slightest touch”? Obviously there’s a difference. One thing about which there is no doubt is Ellison’s keen sense of resentment toward Willis. My guess is that he felt it was time to even the score and so he did it in a way that left him looking the fool.

Would you be slightly less self-righteous and chiding if I told you there was

NO grab…

there was

NO grope…

there was

NO fondle…

there was the slightest touch. A shtick, a gag between friends, absolutely NO sexual content.

Would you, and the ten thousand maggots who have blown this up into a cause celebre, be even the least bit abashed to know that I apologized WAY BEYOND what the “crime” required, on the off chance that I HAD offended? Let me ask you, Mark:

1) Were you there?
2) Did you see it?
3) Are you standing on your soapbox to chide me via 3rd/4th-hand reportage by OTHERS who weren’t there?
4) Do you also buy the infinite number of other internet brouhahas that turned out to be misreported?

Here it is, Mark; and for any others who fit the shoe:

In the words of that great American philosopher, Tony Isabella,
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.”

Does not anyone READ WHAT I WROTE within fifteen minutes of learning of this? Does not anyone wonder why, if it was such a piggish thing I did, as one of those jerkwad blogs calls it, Connie Willis hasn’t, after twenty-five years of “friendship,” not returned my call on Monday … or responded to the Fedex packet of my posting here on Monday, which Fedex advises me she received at 2:20 pm on Tuesday?

Can the voluble and charismatic Connie not even pick up a phone to tell the man whose work she “admires deeply” that he has gone a bridge too far? Is she so wracked by the Awfulness of it that she is incapable of saying to his face, you went too far? No one EVER asked her to “bell the cat.” She decided that was her role toward me, long ago. And I’ve put up with it for years.

How about it, Mark: after playing straight man to Connie’s very frequently demeaning public jackanapery toward me — including treating me with considerable disrespect at the Grand Master Awards Weekend, where she put a chair down in front of her lectern as Master of Ceremonies, and made me sit there like a naughty child throughout her long “roast” of my life and career — for more than 25 years, without once complaining, whaddays think, Mark, am I even a leetle bit entitled to think that Connie likes to play, and geez ain’t it sad that as long as SHE sets the rules for play, and I’m the village idiot, she’s cool … but gawd forbid I change the rules and play MY way for a change … whaddaya think, Mark, my friend, am I within the parameters of brutish pigginess to suggest if she WAS offended, then I apologize … even if you and a garbage-scowload of asinine pathetic internet wanks get up on their “affront” and tell me how to behave?

I’ve sat here for four days, quietly, having done as much forelock-tugging and kneeling as I feel — as I — I — not you — not fan pinheads in far places who jumped and bayed and went after me in a second — but I –who is responsible for my behavior — as I feel is proper. And for four days I’ve waited for Deeply Outraged and Debased Connie Willis — an avowed friend and admirer of my work for more than a quarter century –to get up off her political correctness and take her pal off the gibbet.

I spent more hours traveling this benighted country, for eight years, state after state after state, lecturing in defense of women’s rights and passage of the ERA than any of you have spent mouthing your sophomoric remonstrances.

As the Great American Philosopher Tony Isabella has said, “Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.”

My last word on this clusterfuck. If Willis wants in, she knows where you all are. She knows where I am.All the rest is silence.

Harlan Ellison

P.S. Including Mark’s post that precedes this one, I URGE YOU all to post this everywhichwhere, and let the poison drip where it will. Gloves come off now, onlookers.

The bigger problem –how to make SFF a less sexist place and one where such actions are either inconceivable or met with immediate and universal condemnation– still needs addressing. I’m glad to see people continuing to discuss the issue.

I wasn’t there. I don’t want an apology. But in re-reading, I think the post contains one. Just because it doesn’t say “I”m sorry. I apologize.” does not mean it ISN’T an apology either. He is, after all, a writer, who can find far more interesting and elaborate ways to say he was wrong. And he did. What do you think “For me to grab Connie’s breast is in excusable, indefensible, gauche, and properly offensive to any observers or those who heard of it later.” means? (Yes, I know he is attributing the statement to those who posted about being enraged by his actions, but he follows by agreeing wholeheartedly with the statement.)

From this statement of Harlan’s, I can tell he is properly ashamed and probably beating himself even more than any of you could over showing himself in actions contrary to everything he’s fought for in the cause of feminism over the years. It was a failure in judgement, and he admits it. We should all be so willing to admit our mistakes as soon as they come to our attention.

-Salome

He then found out that other people had done his thinking for him and realized it was quite wrong. AND HE AGREED. He stated that what he did – grab a woman’s breast without permission – was WRONG.

You, and other fen, deserve no apology from Harlan. He has admitted he was wrong. It is Connie he called to apologize. And that apology is none of your business.

I find it hard to believe that you think that Harlan doesn’t feel like utter shit if he truly upset Connie, as I’m sure that was not his intent.

This kerfuffle may show one kind of line…

Ick.

Doesn’t make his apology any less self-serving, but at least let’s stick to the ways in which he’s actually a screw-up.