Japan Playboy

[MalignD at aol.com]

The point of this argument seems to me lost beneath the sound of the 
"Pynchonid"'s braying.  

When the translation of the article appeared, a number of people on the list 
-- Rob was one, I was another -- questioned whether the article was genuine 
because why would a major writer make a statement about 9/11 to a rag like 
Japanese Playboy; and, choosing, for whatever reason to do so, offer so little 
(sound like an idiot)?

The issue of translation has been raised, but -- and I don't recall -- was it 
established that the English -- what we read -- was retranslated back out of 
the Japanese into English?  If not, they were his words.  If so, why would he 
allow it to be retranslated and made available without his viewing it?  

These are all entirely valid questions and raise very reasonable doubts.  The 
idea (and I'm elaborating on David Gentle's idea) that the interviewer is the 
culprit:  that perhaps an aquaintance of Pynchon's recorded a telephone 
conversation, say, with Pynchon, then sold it in Japan, seems a possibility.  It 
alllows for the authenticty of it actually being Pynchon; it would be Pynchon 
rambling over the phone, not framing responses to an interview, other than 
questions posed by a friend in casual conversation, explaining its lack of 
intellectual depth.

Why would Pynchon not deny the interview?  Because of his feeling for the 
acquaintance, even though betrayed; because it was in Japan and what was the 
point;  because he's very private and easier to let it go.

And maybe he granted this interview to Japan Playboy, had reasons to address 
his banalities to the Japanese people rather than to Americans, and felt good 
about doing so.  Who knows ...