There was a bit of a hullaballoo when Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. First, from authors and haters of Dylan’s work who didn’t think he deserved to be awarded in the Literature category (poppycock), then, from the Nobel academy itself when Dylan wouldn’t return their phone calls or acknowledge the award in any way. It’s almost like… these people haven’t paid any attention to Dylan’s behavior for the last half a century?
One Nobel member called him “arrogant” for not immediately getting back to them and fawning over his award, which looked even more gauche when Dylan’s eventual response to receiving the award was so humble and unabashedly excited.
Anyway, things are all smoothed out now because Dylan has agreed to let the Nobel Academy meet with him and will eventually deliver the required lecture to accept and receive his Nobel Prize — along with the cool $900,000 — even if he didn’t attend the ceremony itself.
“The Swedish Academy is very much looking forward to the weekend and will show up at one of the performances,” Nobel spokesperson Sara Danius wrote in a statement released today titled “Good news about Dylan.” “The good news is that the Swedish Academy and Bob Dylan have decided to meet this weekend. The Academy will then hand over Dylan’s Nobel diploma and the Nobel medal, and congratulate him on the Nobel Prize in Literature. The setting will be small and intimate, and no media will be present; only Bob Dylan and members of the Academy will attend, all according to Dylan’s wishes.”
Pretty sure everything in this entire process went according to Dylan’s wishes. But, when he does finally deliver that taped lecture at a later date, as the Academy rules allow, I will be thrilled to see what he comes up with.
