Neil Gaiman's Journal

Both myself and a tall friend of mine are fans of your writing and general story telling ability. However, of late said friend seems to have progressed from being a mere admirer to believing implicitly everything you say, or which you say on behalf of a friend of yours. Now I would like to know, honestly, are you using some sort of mind control ray on James (aka the friend)? I don't really mind, it's just that I'd like to know.
Do you know where the Gilbert quote "no funnier than if you sat on a pork pie" comes from and who he was saying it to? And is the line in 'Dream Country' a reference to that?
Finally, do you agree with the rewriting of Gilbert and Sullivan to make them, and particularly the humour, more accessible for modern folk? Or do you think that these great works should be performed as Gilbert intended. I would never dream of touching the music, but I think the libretti can often do with a tweaking (or in Ida's case, an overhaul).

1) no.

2) Yes, yes and yes.

3) Up to a point. Gilbert and Sullivan tend to be pretty resilient, and I think the problems with Princess Ida were problems when Gilbert wrote them.

Why don't you exist? I tried Who is the author of Neverwhere? Then who wrote American Gods? even desperately Who created Vertigo's The Sandman? (The top suggestions were Will Shakespeare, Dave McKean and Matt Groening.) I then got silly and tried Who is the author of Neil Gaiman's journal? William Morrow, Lisa Gallagher and Dave McKean were the first three choices. You don't exist do you?

Obviously not.

That's a weight off my mind. Good night.