'DON'T Use Lesbian as a Slur!' and Other Edits to Milo Yiannopoulos's Book

Back in February, publisher Simon & Schuster chose not to move forward with Milo Yiannopoulos's autobiography, Dangerous, after a recording emerged of the far-right firebrand allegedly endorsing pedophilia. Yiannopoulos decided to self-publish the book anyway, but now, thanks to his $10 million breach of contract suit against the publisher, you can read the whole thing for free—complete with his editor's blistering commentary.

Sarah Mei, a software engineer, posted a link to the manuscript on Twitter, along with select screenshots of the editor's comments. As the New York Post points out, the editor, Mitchell Ivers, is no stranger to working with boisterous right-wingers—his imprint, Threshold, has published books by Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and even the Donald—but Yiannopoulos seems to have tested his patience with Dangerous.

In an exchange reminiscent of Gordon Lish and Raymond Carver, Iver's tone grows more curt and increasingly condescending as the book goes on, as if he can't even believe what he's reading. When Yiannopoulos compares the outrage elicited from statements like, "Rates of rape and domestic abuse are far higher in Muslim communities than non-Muslim ones," to "informing cab drivers that curry is not a deodorant," Ivers instructs: "Delete irrelevant and superfluous ethnic joke."

When Yiannopoulos notes how "lesbianic bigotry" is a new and "entirely more toxic and disgusting brand of misandrist" that's "designed to justify the hatred of men," Ivers offers: "No need to drag the lesbians in this! And DON'T use lesbian as a slur!"

And what did he ultimately think about Yiannopoulos asserting the notion that gay men should go back in the closet?

Ivers also remains skeptical of Yiannopoulos's humor, "Three unfunny jokes in a row. DELETE," and harps on his tendency for repetitive language, "You use the phrase 'bathe in the tears of my enemy' on page 232." He's also weary of Yiannopoulos's sourcing: "This whole section is filled with assertions that don't have the weight of fact," and "Paris Hilton is NOT the best authority to quote here."

The whole thing is really worth the read. Here are a few of Ivers's comments, out of context, for your amusement, but feel free to set out and find your own favorites.

• "Smorgasbords don’t have bottoms."
• "This entire paragraph is just repeating Fake News. There was NO blood, NO semen and there was NO Satanism. Delete."
• "Be clear here, don't supercilious. Do you mean that semen is being mopped up? And that the gay men spilling their seed would have produced gay offspring? Because that isn't true."
• "Let's not call South Africa 'white.'"
• "'Autists' sounds like a mental-health slur."
• "Make this point for real not with a obscure British joke."
• "Stop spreading fake news. No couple—gay or straight has EVER wanted to serve pizza their wedding."
• "This is a stupid way to end a terrible chapter."

Alex Norcia is the copy editor for VICE magazine and VICE.com. Follow him on Twitter.

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