Neil Gaiman interview--Media Funhouse

[kemalettinkamu]

sandman is one of the few cool things that the hipsters could not ruin

[RobingdfelowsLady]

I have a friend who is a literary goth who would likely agree with him. I remember seeing all three listed on his bookcase. I don't blame them. Of the two of the three I've read, they're very good.

[Urkalla]

Neil Gaiman is an idiot scientologist who funds Scientology to the tune of a hundred grand.

[Filmguy297]

You people really piss me off. I mean seriously, quit griefing with all this non-sense.

[Urkalla]

Gaiman is a hypocrite. He funds the Scientology cult to the tune of six figures

[RobingdfelowsLady]

@Urkalla Do you have any physical, or internet proof from a reliable source, or is this more the kind of thing you might hear at 2 am on the radio? 

[thebeatlesrock1960s]

great accent

great books

lol

[journeymanjim]

He has an interesting accent, you can just hear a slight American twang in his voice, since he's been living in the US for quite some time.

[Pollllypocket]

woah you are right, i can hear it now :0

[slackerbrain]

Coming from a more artistic point of view, sandman was completely genius. Sandman did things visually that was never being done at that point in graphic novels. Plus it had the plot to back it up. And Mirrormask is a visual trip man. Dispite all the arguments about his writing on here, you've got to give the guy kudos for having the ideas. Words and pictures.

[violentjustviolet]

Oh Neil, you know you're One of Us...

[kermit9978]

Nice. Good stuff....Thanks, man!

[mediafunhouse]

The inteview was shot in NYC in late 1999, when Gaiman was promoting the release of the film "Princess Mononoke," for which he had done the English translation script.

[kermit9978]

What year was this vid taken?

[endlessNights]

x x x Gaiman is right, Lady Death and Lord Dream influenced us (well at least a bit). A goth x x x

[burlearth]

Anybody who believes Goths are interesting needs to grow up.

[LaDracul]

Well, I don't find you interesting. I'm a perky goth and I don't care what YOU think of me.

[Duckenheimer]

I think he means there's nothing interesting about being a 'Goth'

[archer1949]

Are you talking about Gaiman? ANYONE who had anything to do with the creation of Sandman has a blank check to say whatever he damn well pleases.

STFU.

[bluegreenwasabi]

damn straight, besides he wasn't slagging off the goth culture...just making a fairly accurate observation.

[jeroid]

Transatlantic poseur.

[RatheadSyndicate]

Oh yes. You've written so many fantastic novels and comics, jeroid. You're clearly qualified to make blanket declarations about best selling writers.

Just so you know, everyone now thinks you are smart, flippant, AND provocative. You can stop trying so hard now.

[zurask]

Haha

[kalindoscopy]

the fact he's got stacks of best sellers is, unfortunately, damning. Bread&circuses is vulgarity. He writes charming things in a cool, reserved style. He won't last though.

[RatheadSyndicate]

How do you figure it's damning?  I'll admit, I'm a little mistified by that statement. What about being a best selling author relegates one to forgetability?

[kalindoscopy]

that's because you're one of those people. Enjoy Gaiman.

[RatheadSyndicate]

Ooookay... Let's break this down... You made a claim, an interesting one, that Gaiman's "stacks of best sellers" would ultimately lead to him being forgotten by the literary community. I asked a question about the logic behind this claim. If you'd like to stop being snotty and high-falutin' and actually answer that question, I'm all ears. Me being "one of those people" (people who enjoy Gaiman's writing, I assume) wouldn't necessarily preclude me from understanding your logic, would it?

[kalindoscopy]

bread and circuses.

aiman panders and all those printed pages are proof.

[RatheadSyndicate]

Okay. Sure.

[seth7684]

I'm not so sure I agree with your assertion that Gaiman, as a bestselling novelist, panders to simplicity and vulgar ideas. For example, Shakespeare wrote vulgar literature: cheap, bawdy plays for the common masses that lampooned the aristocracy and morality. Dickens wrote newspaper serial novels, much akin to a comic book. I don't think that writing for common people will diminish one's legacy; I think the opposite.

[kalindoscopy]

...who thinks highly of Dickens? Or Shakespeare for that matter (though i love lear). Honestly, the appreciation of literature is entirely subjective, pulp trash (gaiman) or canonical trash (dickens), regardless.

[kalindoscopy]

Discernment is rare though and I think a discerning eye and ear can see through Gaiman's entertaining pastiche to what is a pretty bland mix-match (a lot like Tarantino's done with film). We live in a fragmented time, on the cusp of something larger (I think). If shit is what they want, shit is what they shall have.

[seth7684]

I don't agree with your assessment at all, nor do I believe storytellers must do anything more than tell stories that capture my interest, awaken my imagination and reveal something new. I believe Gaiman greatly succeeds. Apparently we have different standards of measurement for fiction.

[kalindoscopy]

Yep...I think it's got to be good, as well as a novelty. Tc.

[cha5]

"Who thinks highly of Dickens?"

That would be me, I recently bought

'The Complete Oxford Dickens' set on e-bay,

I started with 'Sketches By Boz' and have worked my way up to 'The Old Curiosity Shop',

As far as Shakespeare goes it's hit and miss with me, Lear being a favorite, The Taming Of The Shrew boring the holy hell out of me.

As far as Gaiman goes I'll take Sandman over most of his novels,

Not that I didn't get a blast out of The Eternals.

[wakingribbons]

uhhh, ALOT of people think highly of Shakespeare! What on earth do you read then?? Yes, there are thousands of different choices, but, really, are you just a fan of Non-fiction?? Everything you say is subject to opinion, but, seriously, can you fault Neil Gaiman for opening people up to worlds of magic and wonder? besides, if you don't like it, DON'T WATCH IT.

[kalindoscopy]

i've since revised my opinions... I read plenty of fiction, including speculative fantasy. It's great that Gaiman brough the idea of myth bending to a wider audience, in such an provocative and commercially viable way. I agree (and said so above) that everything is subjective, especially literary taste. So lets agree to disagree!

[wakingribbons]

lol, my bad. I guess I didn't look at the time. sorry about that. and yeah, agree to disagree...we can do that :)