Taki

[[File:Taki Theodoracopolous appearing on "After Dark" on 23 February 1991.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Taki in 1991]]
{{race}}
{{distinguish|the spicy chips known as Takis, which are delicious and only very rarely racist}}
'''Panagiotis "Taki" Theodoracopulos''' {{lived|1936}}<ref name=wp>{{wpa|Taki Theodoracopulos}}</ref> is a [[Greece|Greek]]-born journalist of extremely [[right-wing]] and occasionally [[racism|racist]] opinions. Since 1977 he has written the ''High Life'' column for ''The Spectator'' magazine, which may be intended to be a light-hearted diary but is full of score-settling, name-dropping, and bile.<ref name=kington/> He has also written for ''[[Chronicles (magazine)|Chronicles]]'' magazine.<ref>[https://archive.is/wip/dJGLU Search: Theodoracopulos] ''Chronicles'' (archived from 16 Feb 2022 07:54:40 UTC).</ref> More recently he is known for '''''Taki's Magazine''''' which has become a house journal for the [[alt-right]], while Taki has been called a "pioneer" of the reactionary and [[misogynistic]] movement.<ref name=newyorker/> He styles himself a "playboy"<ref name=gold/> although he sold his yacht ''Bushido'' in 2012.<ref name=wp/>

==Bio==
He was born in Greece on August 11, 1936, the son of a shipping magnate.

His ''High Life'' column began in the Spectator in 1977, and still continues as of 2020. It has included bilious comments on many public figures, including calling [[Tony Blair]]'s wife Cherie "not good-looking enough to be a whore" and senior British politician [[Jack Straw]] a "leftwing prick".<ref name=wells/> In the 1970s he was involved in the same raffish but wealthy social circle as businessman and wannabe politician [[James Goldsmith]] and eccentric zookeeper John Aspinall (a man of extremely right-wing politics).<ref name=wheatcroft>''[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=p9jHzn6fRJcC&lpg=PT337&ots=rQT-ONXvj0&dq=taki%20%22private%20eye%22&pg=PT337#v=onepage&q=taki%20%22private%20eye%22&f=false The Strange Death of Tory England]'', Geoffrey Wheatcroft</ref>

In 1984 he spent 3 months in jail for possession of [[cocaine]],<ref name=wp/> although plenty of decent people have been in trouble for drugs offences.

He founded the American Conservative magazine in 2002 with [[Pat Buchanan]] and Buchanan-supporter Scott McConnell.

==Feuds==
He has squabbled with many people in the media. The staff of satirical news magazine ''[[Private Eye]]'' are not fans, frequently referring to his cocaine use and playboy reputation, while Taki called editor Ian Hislop a "dwarf".<ref name=wells/> He used the ''Spectator'' to attack Eye columnist Craig Brown when Brown parodied Taki's diary; according to Miles Kington, Taki lambasted the parodist in 1994 "as an unbearably ugly, jealous, socially undistinguished literary thug who was so undesirable a person that he was actually barred from eating at Annabel's.".<ref name=kington>[http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/browned-off-teased-taki-peeved-perry-harangued-harry-1440875.html Browned off: teased Taki, peeved Perry, harangued Harry], Miles Kington, The Independent, 1994</ref> Taki's friendship with James Goldsmith,<ref name=wheatcroft/> another enemy of the ''Eye'', probably contributed to the feud.

Taki supported [[Neil Hamilton]] in his failed lawsuit against [[Egyptian]] businessman and conspiracy theorist Mohammed Al-Fayed, and fell out with right-wing press baron Conrad Black who had the misjudgement to marry a [[Jewish]] woman, journalist Barbara Amiel.<ref name=wells/>

He's also quite fond of [[Donald Trump]], whom he calls a "friend".<ref>[http://www.spectator.co.uk/2015/10/im-not-surprised-that-my-friend-donald-trump-is-leading-in-the-polls/ I'm not surprised that my friend Donald Trump is leading in the polls], Taki, The Spectator, Oct 2015</ref> This is despite Trump feuding with Taki's brother Harry over $200,000 golf club membership fees.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2018547/The-Donald-v-Greek-shipping-heir-Trump-ordered-pay-200k-golf-club-fees-ousted-member.html The Donald vs the Greek shipping heir], The Daily Mail, 26 July 2011</ref>

==Racism==
Taki has expressed a variety of racist views, directed against targets including Puerto Ricans, [[Kenya]], and Jews.<ref name=gold>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/16/taki-gunter-sachs-playboys The Playboy's Last Hurrah], Tanya Gold, The Guardian, 16 May 2011</ref><ref name=wells>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/feb/28/uk.pressandpublishing1 Where gossip turns to bile], Matt Wells, The Guardian, 28 Feb 2003</ref>

In 2003, he and the then ''Spectator'' editor [[Boris Johnson]] were investigated by the Metropolitan Police in London after publishing an allegedly racist article attacking black lawyer and political activist Peter Herbert, which led to death threats against Herbert.<ref name=hopkins>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/feb/28/uk.pressandpublishing Spectator and its Tory MP editor may face charges over Taki race rant], Nick Hopkins, The Guardian, 28 Feb 2003</ref> In the article he also expressed his fondness for anti-[[immigration]] politician [[Enoch Powell]], criticising West Indian immigration to the UK and complaining "The rivers of blood speech by Enoch was prophetic as well as true and look what the bullshitters of the time did to the great man."<ref name=hopkins/>

==Taki's Magazine==
His latest venture is the online publication ''Taki's Magazine'', which was originally called ''Taki's Top Drawer'' but renamed to ''Taki's Magazine'' (''Takimag'' for short) in 2008.<ref name=wpmag>{{wpa|Taki's Magazine}}</ref> It was a spin-off from the original "Taki's Top Drawer" column in the ''New York Press'', a failed right-wing rival to the ''Village Voice'' in New York.

It's a magazine for erudite and witty racists to write against a background of tasteful graphic design. Its only good point is that its writers generally can in fact write well and have senses of humor, if exclusively in the direction of punching down. ([[Neoreactionary|Neoreactionaries]] showed up in the comments - until commenting was, thankfully, switched off - but the editors have the good sense not to put them to work on articles.)

As of 31 October 2016 its most popular articles are "Martin Luther King, Pussy Grabber" by Kathy Shaidle and "Whiteness: The Original Sin" by Jim Goad, which give a good idea of the content. Other articles include "A Woman Should Vote With Her Husband" by [[Gavin McInnes]], and an article by [[Steve Sailer]] on how [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] are attempting to rig every future election by encouraging immigration to the USA.<ref>[http://takimag.com/article/rigging_elections_steve_sailer Rigging Elections], Steve Sailer, Taki's Mag</ref>

Former managing editor [[Richard Spencer]] is a white nationalist who is credited with coining the name "alt-right" for the movement he supports, whose members (in the words of ''The New Yorker'') "wrap together the vicious misogyny and plaintive victimhood of [[GamerGate]] with Prussia-venerating neo-reactionaries".<ref name=newyorker>[http://www.newyorker.com/news/benjamin-wallace-wells/is-the-alt-right-for-real Is the Alt-Right for real?], Benjamin Wallace Wells, The New Yorker, May 5, 2016</ref>

It successfully trolled liberal America in 2012 when ''[[National Review]]'' columnist [[John Derbyshire]] told ''Takimag'''s (white and Asian-American) readers to stop their children from socialising with African Americans and stay away from black politicans.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-news-blog/2012/apr/06/john-derbyshire-firestorm-race-column National Review writer ignites firestorm over 'disgusting rant' on race], The Guardian, 6 April 2012</ref> ''Gawker'' (an object of Taki's hatred) was not pleased, headlining a piece "Racist John Derbyshire Writes Most Racist Article Possible".<ref>[http://gawker.com/5899884/racist-john-derbyshire-writes-most-racist-article-possible-pegged-to-trayvon-martin-case Racist John Derbyshire Writes Most Racist Article Possible, Pegged to Trayvon Martin Case], Gawker, Maureen O'Connor, 04/06/12</ref>

It is currently edited by Taki's daughter Mandolyna Theodoracopulos.<ref name=wpmag/> Its regular contributors have included:
* [[Pat Buchanan]], paleocon and serial Presidential candidate with questionable views on race
* Kathy Shaidle, whose profile boasts "She has been called 'a purveyor of some of the most offensive racial stereotypes I have ever read' by Bernie Farber of the Canadian Jewish Congress."<ref>[http://takimag.com/contributor/KathyShaidle/250 Contributors: Kathy Shaidle], Taki's Mag</ref>
* Jim Goad, who served more than 2 years in jail for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, but is also something of a cult "humorist".<ref>{{wpa|Jim Goad}}</ref>
* [[Gavin McInnes]], hipster supremo at Vice and a regular on [[Fox News]] and [[Glenn Beck]]'s TheBlaze.<ref>{{wpa|Gavin McInnes}}</ref>
* Bunky Mortimer, an upper class buffoon who wrote mainly on alcoholic topics
* Allan Massie, a right-wing Scottish journalist with a fondness for the [[Roman Empire]] who called [[British Empire|Britain's equivalent]] "on the whole a good thing"<ref>[http://takimag.com/article/to_hell_with_safe_spaces_allan_massie To Hell with Safe Spaces], Allan Massie, Taki's Mag</ref>
* Theodore Dalrymple, an [[atheist]] skeptic and anti-liberal pessimist
* "Paul Kersey" (get it?), the nom de plume of Michael J. Thompson, a rabid white supremacist who was evidently too chickenshit to give his real name before being outed by [[Right Wing Watch]] in 2020.<ref>[http://takimag.com/contributor/PaulKersey/262 Contributors: Paul Kersey], Taki's Mag</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Greece]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Racists]]

Categories: Greece, Living people, Journalists, Racists