Legislator Makes Apology To Neil Gaiman

nytimes.com:

A Minnesota legislator who ridiculed the fantasy writer Neil Gaiman has apologized for his intemperate remarks, but is standing by his criticism of the author for receiving a speaking fee from the state that the lawmaker deems excessive, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[Max Shaw]

04:38 PM on 05/09/2011

Respect yo momma son! She raised you better than that! Anyone in public office should be screened for a potty-mouth such as his...

[Young Grandma Ben]

12:08 PM on 05/09/2011

Looks like free market capitalism at it's finest to me. The author worked hard, produced a sought-after product, sold a lot of books, became famous and people wanted to hear him speak. He set a price for the engagement and the fee was agreed upon and paid by the consumer. Classic supply and demand. It's not his fault someone out of the loop thought the fee was too high. It's not his fault the fee was paid out of public funds - those funds are also subject to the whims of the market.

Now, giving a fee he earned fair and square to charity? Come on, Neil! Buy yourself something nice! At least use that money to sub out your next speaking engagement so you can stay home and write! Hire Dan Gutman or Andrew Clements. Maybe Jeff Kinney? He'd be good for a laugh. Spread the wealth around to other working (writing) stiffs!

[WebParis]

05:20 PM on 05/08/2011

Good book

[WebParis]

05:19 PM on 05/08/2011

Good book..

[heroine addict]

11:01 AM on 05/08/2011

Gaiman is worth every penny.

[shutterbabe]

08:43 PM on 05/08/2011

Agreed, ha. His work is "other worldly" and unique.

[heroine addict]

10:09 PM on 05/10/2011

Totally.

I don't think any author since Nikolai Gogol has nailed the subterranean mind as perfectly.

F&F Shutterbabe

[piperson]

08:40 PM on 05/07/2011

$45,000 for Neil Gaiman speaking doesn't sound like much when you consider that Snooki charges $32,000 and Sarah Palin about $100,000.

[shutterbabe]

08:44 PM on 05/08/2011

Good point considering the amount of blood, sweat and tears that goes into writing a novel, especially a fine one.

[ProfWagstaff]

11:36 AM on 05/07/2011

I sure that Rep. Dean(R) would have found the speaking fee to be quite acceptable if the speaker had been Sarah Palin (aka Winky McQuittypants).

[Secularist]

10:50 AM on 05/07/2011

Gaiman did not force anyone to pay that much, and certainly most of us would take 45 grand if it was offered to us. However, these giant fees have always bothered me. How do people arrive at the number offered? Is it worth to pay half a mil, which is what some people can get, for a speech that is no more insightful than a speech you can hear at a graduation ceremony?

[Chris Harriman]

10:20 AM on 05/07/2011

from Gaiman's FAQ: "Q. How can I get Neil Gaiman to make an appearance at my school/convention/event?
A. Contact Lisa Bransdorf at the Greater Talent Network. Tell her you want Neil to appear somewhere. Have her tell you how much it costs. Have her say it again in case you misheard it the first time. Tell her you could get Bill Clinton for that money. Have her tell you that you couldn't even get ten minutes of Bill Clinton for that money but it's true, he's not cheap.

On the other hand, I'm really busy, and I ought to be writing, so pricing appearances somewhere between ridiculously high and obscenely high helps to discourage most of the people who want me to come and talk to them. Which I could make a full time profession, if I didn't say 'no' a lot."

[peegan]

10:02 AM on 05/07/2011

I wonder how many moms of republican politicians are looking at their friends and shaking their heads while swearing they didn't raise him/her that way. Most of these moms are probably in their senior years and watching their child be party to trying to destroy things like medicare and S.S.

[Skyhawk]

12:27 AM on 05/07/2011

Mom should also make her naughty boy increase funding for the arts.

[Father Jerusalem]

10:27 PM on 05/06/2011

Son of a SHOULD apologize to Neil Gaiman. Mr. Gaiman is one of the most talented authors alive today.

Whenever somebody asks me what my favorite book is, I always respond with "Whichever Neil Gaiman work I've most recently read."

[Jake Thomas]

08:31 PM on 05/06/2011

I wonder what the alternative was to an apology, a spanking?

[LuLou Murder]

07:01 PM on 05/06/2011

AHAHAHAHAHAHA! That guy got slapped down by his MOM! Go Mom! Love you, Neil!

[getoffmyside]

06:12 PM on 05/06/2011

I do not know Mr. Gaiman but met him once. He was a very congenial man.