Kevin Myers: I don’t deserve this stigma for Jewish comments Kevin Myers has been accused of reinforcing anti-Semitic stereotypes following his first British radio broadcast since the controversial journalist was […]

Kevin Myers has been accused of reinforcing anti-Semitic stereotypes following his first British radio broadcast since the controversial journalist was fired as a columnist at the Sunday Times Ireland.

“I am a great admirer of Jews . . . They make the most of what they are” Kevin Myers The i newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

In an interview with BBC 5 Live presenter Emma Barnett, herself Jewish, the former columnist Kevin Myers began with an unreserved apology, before stating “I am a great admirer of Jews . . . They make the most of what they are” Mrs Barnett described the comment as a slur that reinforced stereotypes.

The former columnist originally prompted anger after attributing the pay packets of the two highest paid female BBC presenters, Vanessa Feltz and Claudia Winkleman, to their Jewish religion in his Sunday Times Ireland column.

Reinforcing stereotypes

Kevin Myers has since apologised but has not made direct contact with either presenter. In an earlier interview with The Jewish Chronicle, he stated he was “not inclined” to offer personal apologies. Mr Myers later stated that he “understood why she [Mrs Feltz] didn’t get it”.

Mr Myers described his career as one in ruins. He told the JC: “A stigma has been placed on the name Kevin Myers which I don’t deserve.”

“Irreversible damage has been done to me and I’m going to suffer for the rest of my life.”

He also revealed that as a boy he struggled with the concept of being Jewish. Mr Myers said:

“People used to ask when I was young about the name Myers, which they said was unusual, I would say, ‘That’s because I’m half-Jewish.’ I’m not though. I just like the notion of being Jewish.”

‘Living human beings’

He said: “I didn’t know Jews were living human beings. I thought they belonged to the Bible. My parents didn’t discuss Jews, there wasn’t any reason.”

The journalist stated: “I met Jews and they were a little bit more watchful, a little bit more intelligent than the others boys around.”

“One of the reasons people do dislike Jews is because they are so talented. You know this?”

“You don’t speak it, you don’t say it – but you know it is true.”

Questions were raised over if Kevin Myers should be allowed further air time. Social media users were initially critical of the interview, believing that providing Myers with airtime offered a platform for further anti-Semitism.

https://twitter.com/Toshho/status/892671827083919360

Mr Myers was previously unknown to most in the UK but since the controversy has conducted a series of interviews in national media on both sides of the Irish Sea, becoming a regularly discussed figure.