That is, Sir William Schwenck Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan who wrote (among other things) H. M. S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado.

There is a story about when Gilbert hired George Grossmith to take the parts with the patter-songs ("When I Was A Lad", "Modern Major General", etc.). George, who did not have a traditionally good singing voice, asked why he was hired.

"I would think you would want a fine man with a fine voice," George commented.

"No," said Gilbert, "that's exactly what we don't want."

True G&S fans know Gilbert and Sullivan didn't get along too well, knowledge probably not shared by most fans of Howard Stern or avid watchers of Spike TV.