If Bob Dylan happened to tune into the Oscars last night—though we wouldn’t bet on it—he would have heard himself become the target of some lighthearted jabs from the show’s host, a legendary rocker, and even a firefighter.
Dylan Biopic Comes Up Empty-Handed
A Complete Unknown, the much-anticipated biopic starring Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, entered the night with high hopes. It earned eight nominations, including Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Director. But when the final award was handed out, the film walked away with nothing.
One of the ceremony’s most memorable moments came when Mick Jagger made a surprise appearance to present the award for Best Song. The Rolling Stones frontman had the audience on their feet before playfully teasing Dylan’s absence.
Mick Jagger Steps In for Dylan
“The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do this,” Jagger joked. “Bob didn’t want to do it because he said the best songs this year were obviously in the movie A Complete Unknown. Bob said, ‘You should find somebody younger.’ I said, ‘OK, I’m younger, I’m younger than Bob! I’ll do it!’”
For the record, Dylan is 83 (turning 84 in May), while Jagger, at 81, is only slightly “younger.”
As it turns out, there was some truth behind Jagger’s remarks. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Dylan had indeed been invited to present and even perform at the ceremony but ultimately declined.
Conan O’Brien and an L.A. Firefighter Join the Fun
Host Conan O’Brien kept the Dylan jokes coming in his opening monologue, quipping, “Bob Dylan wanted to be here, but not that badly.”
Later in the night, he brought out a group of L.A. firefighters to deliver jokes he claimed he was “not brave enough to share.” One of them, LAFD helicopter pilot Jonith Johnson Jr., got in the sharpest jab:
“To play Bob Dylan, Timothée Chalamet learned how to sing. In fact, his singing was so good, he almost lost the part.”
The audience erupted in laughter, capping off a night where Dylan—despite not attending—was very much a part of the conversation.
Watch the segments in the videos below: