"New Yorker" Writer Made Up Dylan Quotes: Can You Spot the Fakes?
Who doesn't love a good plagiarism story?
Now-former New Yorker writer Jonah Lehrer admitted he fabricated Bob Dylan quotes in his recently published book "Imagine: How Creativity Works," which devoted an entire (half-true) chapter to discussing the process behind Bobbo's classic "Like a Rolling Stone" and how that song exemplifies the creative process.
Why take that risk in such a public fashion, you ask? Did this guy take some time out of his mind? Maybe Lehrer was hoping since Dylan has said so many crazy things ("chaos, watermelon, clocks!") over the years, a few mash-up quotes and outright fabrications would pass unnoticed. But Lehrer didn't account for the legions of Dylan apostles—including journalist Michael C. Moynihan, who uncovered the ruse—who love Zimmerman and can smell falsity a mile away on Highway 61. (The incident has even inspired a Fake Bob Dylan Twitter.) But can YOU spot the fakes?
Below are 10 quotes. Seven of them are from Dylan, and three are them are from "Dylan" in Lehrer's book. Find all three fakes and you get a free harmonica! (Not really). Click on the highlighted portions of the sentences below to see the original source, be it true or false. For the explanations behind the faked quotes, scroll down below the video of Dylan singing "It Must Be Santa," just because that video is never not funny.
(Friendly tip: Don't look at the links before clicking unless you're a dirty cheater who likes to win at everything no matter the ethical cost.)
1. "I’m glad I’m not that."
2. "A new world of art was opening up my mind."
3. "Give the anarchist a cigarette."
4. "I just write them. There’s no great message. Stop asking me to explain."
5. "I’m trying to break free."
6. "Performers are people who perform for other people. Unlike actors, I know what I'm saying."
7. "I never would have written a song if I didn't play all them old folk songs first. I never would have thought to write a song, you know?"
8. "The more you act the further you get away from the truth."
9. "It’s a hard thing to describe. It’s just this sense that you got something to say."
10. "I do whatever comes naturally."
21m
20m
21m
1h 25m
21m
2m
3m
41m
20m
44m
1m
1m
3m
20m
1m
1m
20m
42m
43s
6m
9m
30s
24m
22m
20m
3m
24m
1m
22m
46m
46s
20m
21m
20m
20m
44m
46m
1m
20m
46s
1h 42m
11m
20m
45m
56s
2m
3m
21m
1h 21m
2m
1m
1h 39m
44m
2m
1m
21m
1m
21m
2m
22m
1h 21m
7m
5m
22m
5m
3m
9m
1m
6m
1m
1h 2m
1h 45m
2m
1m
1h 21m
1h 20m
1h 27m
1h 34m
23m
44m
45m
20m
21m
5m
3m
1m
21m
5m
2m
1m
24m
46m
1h 23m
21m
20m