‘Please look straight into my eyes’: Bob Dylan responds to former backup dancer who was told not to make eye contact with him

Some celebrities are known for their peculiar requests, from requiring a specific temperature in a dressing room to having special water for bathing. It often feels as though they live in a world entirely separate from ours.

For legendary musician Bob Dylan, the request is simple: no eye contact. At least that’s what a former backup dancer claims on X. On Nov. 20, Dylan posted on X about attending a Nick Cave performance in Paris. A woman by the name of Cheryl Henry then replied to the musician’s post, recalling the time when she served as a backup dancer for him in the ‘90s.

In her post, Cheryl said the event was held in 1991, but she later corrected herself and said it was in 1998. The performance she was referring to was Dylan’s appearance at the 40th Grammy Awards where he sang “Love Sick.” Cheryl recalls that a woman named Nadine, who was in charge, instructed the dancers not not make eye contact with Dylan. After one of the rehearsals, however, Cheryl saw Dylan in one of the dressing rooms backstage. As she passed him, she heard him say, “Now don’t you go cutting that long red hair of yours before tomorrow night.”

It was a simple interaction, but before she could leave the venue, Cheryl said she was told not to come back. She figured it was because she made brief eye contact with Dylan as she passed him on her way out. Although petty, it’s not unheard of in Hollywood to be fired for something as trivial as that, especially when dealing with a high-profile individual.

Many have made eye contact with Bob Dylan

Dylan replied to Cheryl and said he had never told anyone not to make eye contact with him. “That is just ridiculous. And the next time you see me please look straight into my eyes,” he wrote. It was an amusing request, but not surprising for someone as poetic as Dylan. Cheryl then replied by saying that she knew the instruction couldn’t have come from him before saying, “I look forward to it,” referring to making eye contact with the legend.

The exchange between Dylan and Cheryl prompted many to comment on Dylan’s post, sharing their experiences of making eye contact with him. One commenter shared that he held a door for the musician back in the ‘90s, adding, “I looked you in the eyes and I think we had a moment.” Another said, “We’ve made eye contact many times. Gets right into my soul.” Yet another posted, “Bob. I looked at you in the eyes at Massey Hall. You looked me right back. I’m still here to this day.”

Dylan has been active on X in recent months, updating his followers about what he’s been up to. It’s a refreshing change from the previous posts on his account promoting his works, which looked like they were done by a social media manager. On Sept. 26, however, the tune of his account changed with the post, “Happy Birthday Mary Jo! See you in Frankfort.” Even his son, Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers, doesn’t know what to make of his father’s recent posts on X.

“I can’t tell you what’s going on with those. I’ve seen those. I can’t tell you what that’s about. I’m not sure,” he told the Boston Globe. Nevertheless, Dylan’s fans are entertained by his musings and they are happy to know that they can reach their idol via the social media platform. And look him in the eye, if they ever meet him.