Famed English author Neil Gaiman has been accused of sexual misconduct by eight women, with some alleging violent sexual assault. These accusations first surfaced in the Tortoise Media podcast Master last summer and have been elaborated upon in a recent exposé published by New York Magazine.
While these allegations can hardly be deemed unimportant or unrelated to actual concern, they have also energised quite a debate regarding Gaiman’s previous participation in media, including his cameo on The Simpsons. Especially all fans are pinning Season 23 of the show, which is focused on the story of the episode ‘The Book Job’, including Gaiman.
‘The Book Job’ is a heist theme, fleshed out by Ocean’s 11, in which Homer becomes a part of a team responsible for writing a best-selling, yet worthless, fictional young adult novel. Here, the primary characters of the cartoon are Bart Simpson and Patty, Moe, Principal Skinner, and others. Gaiman is actually an uninvited man who tries to become the author’s consultant and takes the manuscript from them, pretending to be their friend. As a final punch line, he claims he cannot even read.
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Gaiman denies any sexual harassment allegations
A similar precedent exists in the case of ‘Stark Raving Dad,’ the Season 3 episode featuring Michael Jackson. That episode was removed from circulation after allegations against Jackson gained renewed attention. Al Jean, a longtime Simpsons showrunner, explained to The Daily Beast in 2019 that Jackson’s episode was particularly problematic due to rumours that the singer used his guest role to “groom boys.”
However, there are notable differences between the two cases. Jackson’s alleged actions were directly tied to his appearance on the show, as his guest role was central to the plot. In contrast, Gaiman’s role in ‘The Book Job’, while substantial for a guest star, is secondary to the episode’s main story.
New York Magazine reports that Gaiman covered his tracks with his public persona and even presented himself as some kind of smiling teddy bear who is harmless. This persona is on full display in his Simpsons appearance.
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However, The Sandman author denied all allegations, saying he has “never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever” in Tuesday’s blog post.