Dean Koontz: Racist?

A group of mystery writers is upset about comments that Dean Koontz made in a recent speech. You can catch up here.

I’ve read most of Koontz’s output. If the man’s a racist, he certainly hides it well.

What I actually think happened here is something I can identify with. It’s a syndrome we’ll call “I Thought It Was Funny At The Time”. Anyone who has ever spoken in public has probably succumbed to ITIWFATT at least once. You’re facing an audience. You want them to like you. Or, at the very least, you want them to respond to you. So you dredge up a joke, a comment, an expression, a sound, that you hope will elicit laughter. Sometimes it works. Other times you cut bait and move on as quickly as you can.

I’ve fallen prey to ITIWFATT dozens of times: on the air, while hosting events, at parties. It aint pretty, but it comes from a flop-sweat inducing desire to entertain, rather than a need to promote a personal creed or value.

According to Koontz, the joke had worked before.

Maybe.

Most audiences are very generous when it comes to celebrities. I think it’s safe to assume that most of the people who show up to hear Koontz talk are fans, eager to show a little love for Their Guy. So I have no trouble believing they laughed at the Mr. Teryaki line.

That doesn’t mean it’s especially funny.

See, while I ‘ve read nearly all of Koontz’s novels, I do think he – like all writers – has a few flaws (we don’t have the bandwidth to discuss my feelings on Koontz insistence on using obscure words, though he seems to have eased up in the last couple of books). For example, he’s not as funny as he seems to think he is. Much of his attempted humor falls flat or seems forced.

Still, he gets points for attempting comedy. And it certainly sets him apart from most horror/thriller writers.

Oh, yeah. And he still sells a gazillion books, so somebody likes what he does. I personally find a lot to recommend in Koontz’s books. That’s why I buy them in hardcover.

But is he a racist? Nah. Not from where I’m sitting.

This is another case of overreaction in action. Besides, look at who’s complaining. Is it the general public venting over the bad joke made by the prolific and phenomenally successful writer?

Nope.

ITIWFATT doesn’t have a telethon or a charitable foundation. But many of us suffer from it. Dean Koontz is one.

Controversy seekers and Koontz detractors will keep this alive for a while, until most people who care enough to follow the story see it for what it is.

A bad joke.