Some additional input:
[mjg@localhost git]$ git commit --author='"is this<ok@xxxxxx>"
<whats@up>' --allow-empty -m test
[detached HEAD 0734308] test
Author: is thisok@xxxxxx <whats@up>
[mjg@localhost git]$ git show
commit 0734308b7bf372227bf9f5b9fd6b4b403df33b9e
Author: is thisok@xxxxxx <whats@up>
Date: Fri Nov 2 15:45:23 2012 +0100
test
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