So Dylan “snubbed” the Britain’s “Music Hall of Fame” the other day. They had purposely scheduled this year’s event to coincide with his tour dates in England. Nevertheless, not only did he not show up, but he didn’t even provide a video acceptance speech. As the Independent puts it:

Instead, the actor Woody Harrelson, a vague acquaintance, accepted it on Dylan’s behalf. He gave a sheepish speech saying that he’d pass it on in the unlikely event that the great man decides to come and watch his forthcoming West End play.

I was previously aware that Harrelson was “a vague acquaintance;” being reminded of it disturbs my stomach anew, but there you go. Dylan is entitled to his acquaintances and friends wherever he makes them, and I guess if I travelled in celebrity circles I’d have some funny acquaintances too. Harrelson seems at least to have had a consciousness of the presumption he was showing in accepting the award on Dylan’s behalf, but he obviously went ahead and did it anyway.

The organizers of the bash made no secret of their displeasure towards Dylan for not personally accepting this award - one which he didn’t ask for and clearly doesn’t need.

How many countries have musical “Hall of Fames,” or rather, “Halls of Fame?” Or equivalent honors to give out? And how many countries does Dylan visit in an average year? You do the math, and imagine the torture for a guy who, more than anything, hates having to show up at events and “be somebody,” as he himself has said.

The singer’s spokesman blames prior tour commitments. “I don’t know about a video message, but I know he’s thrilled to be in the hall of fame,” he says.

Thrilled!

Reminds me of an exchange Dylan had in a 1995 interview with the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.

Q: Your performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in Cleveland earlier this month drew a lot of great notices. Is that important to you? What’s your feeling about that institution?

A: I never visited the actual building, I was just over at the concert, which was pretty long. So I have no comment on the interior or any of the exhibits inside.

Q: But how do you feel about the idea of a rock hall of fame itself?

A: Nothing surprises me anymore. It’s a perfect time for anything to happen.

Aside from his amusing evasion of offering an opinion on the “building” itself, I like how he describes the concert: “pretty long.” That’s it.

I think that Dylan’s clearly never been comfortable with self-congratulatory pop and rock music stars and their gaudy celebrations, even if at times graciousness and/or his human desire to be recognized and appreciated has allowed him to be cajoled into participating.

His ultimate statement on the matter was obviously delivered when he received his Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 1991 (isn’t he about due for another one now, by the way?):

“Yeah, well, my daddy, he didn’t leave me too much, you know he was a very simple man and he didn’t leave me a lot, but what he told me was this, he did say, ‘son,’ he said, uh,” … pause … “he said so many things y’know?” … audience laughter … “he said, ‘you know it’s possible to become so defiled in this world that your own mother and father will abandon you, and if that happens, God will always believe in your own ability to mend your own ways.’ Thank you.”

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