Jesus fucking Christ, Loncon3. This is why we can’t have nice things. (cache)

I don’t even know what else to say.  After all the discussions over the last year (and more) we’ve had about sexism, racism, and harassment in fandom, you–the Chairs, Steve Cooper and Alice Lawson–have decided that a man who was suspended from the BBC and who has, essentially, made a career out of punching down is the perfect person to host the Hugo Award ceremonies.

This basically says everything:

@wasteofpaint absurd. I’ll happily buy the ticket off you and give it someone less stupid.

— Jonathan Ross (@wossy) March 1, 2014

Seriously, what the actual fucking FUCK, Loncon3? Was everyone else you asked already booked for the evening? Was Jonathan Ross the literal best you could do?

You took people’s labor–Farah Mendlesohn’s in particular–and waited until they were so invested that they couldn’t completely walk away. You waited until after people bought memberships before the deadline for the Hugo nomination period. And this is what you do with all the goodwill you’ve accumulated over the last year by promising that this year’s Worldcon would be different?  You’ve pissed it away because the chance to have an actual celebrity host the Hugos was too good to pass up.

We very much appreciate all of the feedback we’ve gotten about our Hugo host this morning, please continue talking to us about it.

— Loncon 3 (@loncon3) March 1, 2014

I don’t even. I just don’t.

Update. And Ross has withdrawn.

We regret to announce that Jonathan Ross @wossy has graciously withdrawn from his role as Master of Ceremonies for @TheHugoAwards #loncon3

— Loncon 3 (@loncon3) March 1, 2014

Good.

Update 2. Mendlesohn has taken her original post down.