Jeremy Paxman in ageism storm after describing old age as ‘incontinence and idiocy’
Mature Times publisher hits back saying presenter is in denial about his age
FORMER Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman has been accused of insulting the elderly after describing old age as "incontinence and idiocy"
The 66-year-old TV personality said the older generation are ''virtual corpses'' in a newspaper column.
Paxman made the remarks after picking up a copy of Mature Times - a free publication aimed at people over 50.
He wrote in the Financial Times that "mature" means being ''on the verge of incontinence and idiocy''.
Paxman also labelled the magazine ''cheeky bastards'' for describing anyone his age as ''mature''.
But Andrew Silk, the publisher of the Mature Times, has hit back - saying Paxman is clearly in denial about his age.
Mr Silk said the University Challenge presenter's remarks have insulted Britain's 21 million over-50s.
He believes the political presenter is turning from ''Jeremy Paxman into Jeremy Clarkson - without the charisma''.
In his column, Paxman, wrote '''At the reception desk of a hotel to which I checked in this week was a pile of free copies of Mature Times, which calls itself 'the voice of our generation'.
''Oh God, I thought, the cheeky bastards are including me. Back off.
"For this must be the most unfashionable publication in Britain. Who wants to be called mature, like an old cheese?
"We all know that mature means on the verge of incontinence, idiocy and peevish valetudinarianism."
He went on to add: "The paper is adorned with advertisements for hearing aids, recliner chairs, copper insoles, stairlifts, devices to help you in and out of the bath, and Your Life After Death, a book written by someone called Joseph who, apparently, is dead.
"I should rather be keeping company with Joseph than looking forward to any of these products."
Hitting back, Mr Silk said: '"He is 66, so he obviously does not see himself as one of the people he wants to poke fun at, which is irrational."
He continued: "I see similarities between him and Jeremy Clarkson. He could be Clarkson without the money - Clarkson has made a living from being offensive.
"Paxman tries to be the intellectual one but he's lacking the charisma of Clarkson."
In the editorial column in Mature Times Mr Silk added: "I suspect that with the high media profile enjoyed by Mr Paxman, comes a massive ego as well - but perhaps it's time for that ego to contemplate a little.
"Mr Paxman, you have just insulted over 21 million people (yes that's how many over 50s there are in the UK), you have called them 'cheesy and on the verge of incontinence' and I'm sure, on reflection you may regret such a statement."
He went on to describe Paxman's words as "downright insulting and unprofessional" and called on him to write a more reasoned article for the Mature Times' next edition.
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