Yes, You Can Look Bob Dylan in the Eyes

In the strange and outlandish world of rock & roll, certain backstage legends refuse to die: The band that only wanted certain colored M&Ms or specific kinds of tea in their dressing rooms. Or eight packs of “sugar-free gum” (we’re looking at you, Killers).

Alas, one of those myths, which bemuse those of us who chronicle such things, may have just been dispelled: the artist who demands that no one look directly at him or her in any backstage capacity.

That order was largely associated with Prince, whose former associates would generally confirm it. (According to one story, a crew member was fired for daring to do so.) But this legend has also been attached for decades to Bob Dylan. And, it turns out, it may not be entirely true, at least according to the Bard himself.

On Wednesday, Dylan, who is suddenly in the running to replace the late David Crosby as the chattiest classic-rock social media dude of his generation, posted about seeing a Nick Cave show in Paris. In response, Cheryl Henry, an astrologer who has also worked as an actress, standup comic, and model, replied to his post with a story about having “my joy taken away” when she was hired as one of the backup dancers for Dylan’s performance of “Lovesick” at the 1998 Grammys (also known as the “Soy Bomb Incident” after the guy who crashed the stage). Henry wrote that she passed Dylan backstage and he said to her, “Now don’t you go cutting that long red hair of yours before tomorrow night.” But, according to Henry, she was then told “not to return” to that area by her boss, who “told us all before NOT to make eye contact with you!”

Under anything resembling normal circumstances, even in this increasingly abnormal world, Dylan would not have taken the time to reply. But in a post verified by his camp to Rolling Stone, Dylan decided to fact-check Henry’s account with his own X response: “Saw your reply. Just want you to know I’ve never told anybody not to make eye contact with me. That is just ridiculous. And the next time you see me please look straight into my eyes.” (“I knew it wasn’t coming from you!” Henry replied. “I look forward to it! XXX OOOO.”)

It should be noted that this myth has already been dispelled at least once. In 2014, Jeff Tweedy recounted to Esquire that he had heard the same story and then found himself in the same backstage area when Wilco opened a show for Dylan. Tweedy said he “figured I was just supposed to avert my eyes” but instead heard Dylan say, “Hey, Jeff, how’s it going, man?”

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So, the moral of the story: Next time you Dylan on the street or as he’s walking from his bus to the stage, feel absolutely free to approach him and chat him up. He’d love it.

Well, maybe.