I received an email from him last Saturday so I highly doubt that. If that's your idea of having a sense of humor I suggest you get it checked.
Actually it's a brilliant novella and I recommend everyone read it. Biting social critique of bourgeois values:
I've worn my best a couple of times in the last few months, it's been enough with the Grim Reaper for a while for me, so I'm not too easily amused by the subject.
Charitably, I suspect it's an inside joke?