Reasons to be Cheerful (1): P-List Archives

[jbor]

David Morris wrote:
 
> 
> For the record, what is it that you agree with 100%?  That translation of
> the Japanese article that Doug passed along?  I suppose it didn't say
> anything too controversial, nor thought provoking.  When someone so renown
> breaks such a studied silence listeners expect more.  And you think Pynchon
> is hiding from journalists to avoid criticism of his boring observations
> recorded in the press?
> 

I'm very surprised that the credibility of the piece is being assumed so
readily, particularly considering the recent saturation assault here (from
some quarters, at least) on media lies and propaganda. I guess the
journalistic integrity of Japanese _Playboy_ must be beyond reproach
(whereas a videotape of Osama's admission of foreknowledge of the 9/11
attacks is dismissed as ... well, let's not bother with that ugly irony.)

Can Pynchon speak Japanese? If not, then there would exist an original
English transcript of the interview, perhaps a tape, which I'm certain would
have been picked up by someone - American _Playboy_ at least - by now. The
fact that it hasn't confirms my doubts about the authenticity of the
"interview".

If they are Pynchon's comments, I would imagine that it is an unauthorised
report of a private conversation, a little bit like the quote about MDMA
attributed to him in that drug book:

http://waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l&month=9910&msg=42220&keywords=MDMA

(Btw it's great that the archives and search-engine are now
fully-functioning. Thanks Murthy, for all your technical efforts, and very
best wishes to you.)

Anyway, if the "interview" is legit. it certainly doesn't appear that the
Japanese (?) journalist (?) has any particular scruples about selling on
what appear to be somewhat garbled, off-the-cuff comments at most, so I'm
sure it'll be officially confirmed and/or denied in due course. Moreover,
"friends" of Pynchon who decide to "kiss and tell" like this don't stay
friends for very long.

best