Sunday, August 16, 2009

A Question Bob Dylan Would Never Ask: "Don't You Know Who I Am?"


Tip of the hat to my cousin for the pointer.

While reading this story, I had the voice of Entourage's Johnny Drama in my ear when, in an effort to console his brother, Vincent, he says: "Ah, forget it, bro. The whole county's on meth!"

Bob Dylan was pulled over by, as Michael Chabon-inspired Grady Tripp would put it, the 'puberty police,' while he was innocently walking around a low-income neighborhood before a conference.

Bob Dylan needs to get inspired too, folks.
I was embarrassed for the policemen while reading this. Dylan is one of the strongest cultural signs of our times. I would very much doubt that the police would have resorted to the same tactic had Dylan been, oh, I don't know, Britney or some such pop culture sign. Somehow, I don't quite see Britney and some such artists looking for inspiration in the underbelly of America, however.

So, the tip of the BR hat goes to Dylan this morning for having a small ego and taking it all in stride.

A bit says: " A 24-year-old police officer apparently was unaware of who Dylan is and asked him for identification, Long Branch business administrator Howard Woolley said Friday.

"I don't think she was familiar with his entire body of work," Woolley said.

The incident began at 5 p.m. when a resident said a man was wandering around a low-income, predominantly minority neighborhood several blocks from the oceanfront looking at houses.

The police officer drove up to Dylan, who was wearing a blue jacket, and asked him his name. According to Woolley, the following exchange ensued:

"What is your name, sir?" the officer asked.

"Bob Dylan," Dylan said.

"OK, what are you doing here?" the officer asked.

"I'm on tour," the singer replied.

A second officer, also in his 20s, responded to assist the first officer. He, too, apparently was unfamiliar with Dylan, Woolley said.

Read more here.

Johnny Drama would sigh in disbelief here. As would many of us.





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8 comments:

Sean said...

Ah, Dylan!
They don't make him like him anymore!!
How could someone not know the name Bob Dylan? I mean, have they been living in a hole?!
Good Jove!!!

Sean said...

And it's stories like this that make me agree with Johnny Drama!

Anonymous said...

insane!

Sra said...

That's it, how didn't they know the name? There's a good chance I wouldn't recognize Dylan either, but I'd know the name!

Dana said...

And that's why Dylan has so much more work ahead of him. Can you blame him?! He's got so many to educate! Good heavens!!

Liam said...

read this monday:

"So what the hell was Dylan doing in that front yard, anyway? ABC News guesses that he might have been looking for the house that Bruce Springsteen lived in when he wrote Born to Run."

http://pitchfork.com/news/36237-bob-dylan-picked-up-by-cop-in-jersey/

Liam said...

ps. 99% sure the actor in your yahoo article link is the polygamist prophet in big love.

B.R. said...

I don't know why he was wandering around there but it's a free country and if that's how he gets in the groove before his shows, what of it?