Meet the Man Who May Be Britain's Sexist of the Year

Jan. 15, 2008— -- Ted Safran is the most wanted man in England, but not in the way a successful 30-something aspiring screenwriter would wish for. Since his Dec. 11, 2007, article titled "American Beauty?" women across the United Kingdom can't wait to get their hands on him — to wring his neck, that is.

Safran's Times of London article, berating British women for their beauty regimes — or lack thereof — and extolling the "virtues" of the American woman's grooming ordeal, ignited a firestorm of epic proportions, eliciting responses on both sides of the Atlantic.

An American who grew up in England, Safran says that the state of British beauty is a national crisis. After spending four years away, at a university in Philadelphia, he says he returned home with a fresh set of eyes, realizing for the first time that "there are many, many differences between the British and the Americans, but none more glaring than U.K. women's approach to their own upkeep." Ouch.

Safran goes further, writing, "My first assumption was that one half of [these once beautiful girls] had eaten the other half, and washed them down with a crate of lager." Double ouch.

According to Safran, British women live in a fantasy world, or, as he refers to it, the Bridget Jones fairy tale — where the movie's title character, once a slouchy, chain-smoking loner, transforms her life by exercising for a few hours and buying new clothes.

"Women of Britain: 'Bridget Jones's Diary' is not a documentary," writes Safran. "It's a work of fiction, a fairy tale. The fact is that control top granny pants are simply not a substitute for regular exercise, thoughtful grooming and a healthy diet."

Safran goes on to chide British women for spending too much time and money at the pub, and not enough at the beauty salon, the gym or the mall. But he doesn't stop there. Safran also accuses British mothers of not teaching their daughters enough about beauty, and how to maintain it.

In response to his rant, seething women wrote in from all over the world: "Pompous fool!" and "Ridiculous stereotypes" were some of the tamer comments. Not all responses to his article were negative, however; some agreed with Safran's characterization of British and American women.

Whether brave or incredibly stupid, the "American Beauty?" article touched a nerve in Britain, sparking a nationwide debate. Through a series of interviews conducted by ABC News correspondent Gloria Riviera on the streets of London, she found a handful of different reactions.

One British woman sarcastically asked, "Is he single?" And one man wholeheartedly agreed with Safran, "British women have let themselves go," he said. "That's why I'm dating a French girl."

In the end, Safran says British pride is to blame. "There are lots of great things about English girls. They are fun. They are down to earth. I am just saying, if you need help, why is it shameful to ask for help?"

For his efforts, one British newspaper named Safran "Sexist of the Year." His public-enemy-No. 1 status is so pervasive, he can't even buy a girl a cup of coffee anymore. And the public backlash is so intense, he is contemplating fleeing the country once and for all.

Looks like what Safran really needs now is one of those "unflappable," "uncomplicated" British girls — "the best to have a pint and a laugh with," to get him through this rough patch. Guess it's true what they say about karma.

Gloria Riviera and Rebecca Lee contributed to this report.