Hey,

I don't understand what Neil alludes to in Speak of the Devil... I did see the Simpsons Movie but I don't remember Neil being mentioned in it. Can someone refresh my memories?

It looks like he was recognized while out in public with his daughter. He's been fortunate up til now with not being a 'celebrity' and being able to live a fairly normal 'hometown' life.

I had to read that through twice too because he's deliberately being vague about what happened. He seems to be following his daughter's suggestion that he jinxed himself by talking about it.

Here's the bit on the blog his daughter referenced: linky about going from cult famousness to being-recognised-in-delicatessens famousness.

On the surface, I'm pretty sure he means that someone (or someones) recognised him and began talking to him about... well, himself, when he just wanted to go to the movies with his daughter and relax. I think the ambiguity is just diplomacy, so as not to offend the fan if they happen to read his blog (which they probably do).

HOWEVER...

Inside sources tell me that he was actually drawn into a vast arcane conspiracy involving a secret organisation who claim to have found the true descendants of Christ after deciphering a message hidden in a typo in Neverwhere.

I know which situation sounds the most likely, and it definitely isn't the former.

if you scroll down to the bottom in this bit of his blog - from a few days ago he met Matt Groening and said he doesn't want to be Simpsonized - he'd rather be a head in a jar on Futurama.

And I don't live anywhere near him, but if I ever did see him or any celebrity in public I'd prolly squeak, ramble something incoherent and then leave them alone.

I felt sort of sad for Neil after reading that blog entry. I hope this doesn't signify the coming of a time when he is no longer blog friendly, etc....i would understand why, if he took that route but it would make me sad.

I had a sudden epiphany of what it must be like to be Neil during those moments of signings and such, in the tiniest most microcosm-y way: I am a 6th grade English teacher and am fairly popular with my students--I'm goofy, youngish, I'm not a silence freak, I like Harry Potter and The Simpsons and have long blond hair (it doesn't take much to make 6th graders like you)--and the last two or three days of school the kids hang on me. I end up with a crowd of kids sitting around my desk, sweetly chattering at me while I desperately attempt to sign 100 yearbooks with something more personal than "Have a fun summer, you earned it!" I usually have one or two kids that assign themselves my handler and manage to clear a path out of my desk so that I don't have a nervous breakdown.

This only happens for about three days a year. I can't imagine what it would be like going to a movie and having that happen

Yeah, I remembered the bit about him not wanting to be in the Simpsons, and that just added to the confusion

I'd like to think I'd be pretty cool should I ever meet someone like Neil Gaiman on the street. I'd probably say something like "what the hell are you doing unannounced in Germany" and then leave him alone.

Although I have to admit it would be pretty cool

I have a feeling I would be rather mellow. I mean it would be kind of awkward to me if someone knew my name and I didn't know theirs.

i saw neil unexpectedly at the london opening night of wolves, unespected in that i don't think he said he was going on the blog, not like it was completely random or anything. and it seemed well laid back and like most people didn't know who he was, which was cool cos it meant we could go and say hi. I think it is good for him that way, he just got to hang out with the cast and stuff. Because fanjism is not very interesting conversation. I guess he is a bit more famous in america tho.

He has so many fans and so many that read his blog and know what he looks like. I wonder if that fan did more than say hello.

If I met him expectedly in a public place I guess it would be hard not to nod and say hi if he happened to look at me, because I feel that I know him and it would be rude not to say anything. But I wouldn't try to get into a conversation and abuse his time.