Harlan Ellison turns down Cleveland Arts Prize
Jeffry L. Johnson
Harlan Ellison turns down Cleveland Arts Prize
by Julie E. Washington/Plain Dealer Reporter
Friday May 08, 2009, 6:18 PM
Nominated several times over the years for a Cleveland Arts Prize, celebrated
author and Cleveland native Harlan Ellison finally was awarded a prize for
lifetime achievement this year. But he turned it down.
Ellison objected to having to pay for his and his wife's travel and lodging
expenses from their Los Angeles home to Cleveland for the awards event in
June.
He also objected to an unsigned letter he received from Cleveland Arts Prize
Executive Director Marcie Bergman, which stated he would have only three
minutes for his remarks.
Calling the Cleveland Arts Prize a fraud and a sham, Ellison said he didn't
want to be associated with it.
"This is so unfortunate," Bergman said. "I'm not sure what to say because I
don't understand it."
Cleveland author and past arts-prize winner Les Roberts had submitted
Ellison's name a few times for the Cleveland Arts Prize literary awards,
Roberts said. "I thought he was a perfect candidate," Roberts said.
Ellison has been called one of the great living American short-story writers.
He has written or edited 75 books and more than 1,700 stories, essays and
teleplays for "The Twilight Zone," "The Outer Limits" and other television
series. Among his most recognized works are "Deathbird Stories" and
"Shatterday."
This year, Ellison's name was approved by the literary panel. When Roberts
appeared before the entire jury for the final vote, some members said they
had never heard of Ellison, who will be 75 this month, Roberts said. The jury
voted to give Ellison the lifetime achievement award anyway.
Ellison had been talking to the arts prize organizers about who could accept
the award on his behalf, but he later changed his mind and turned the prize
down entirely.
The list of winners, including jazz musician Ernie Krivda and author Thrity
Umrigar, was announced this week.
When Bergman called Ellison to tell him about the honor, she asked if he knew
anyone in Cleveland who would like to take an ad in the program book.
"I confess to being startled by it," Ellison said.
He also wondered privately why there was money for a cocktail party honoring
the winners, but none for travel expenses. The reason, Bergman said in
response to The Plain Dealer's question, is that the party is being donated.
Bergman said she wishes the nonprofit had the budget to pay travel expenses,
but it doesn't. She said she apologized to Ellison for the form letter, which
originally was an e-mail sent to other winners. It was printed and mailed to
Ellison because he doesn't use e-mail, Bergman said.
Roberts thinks Ellison's refusal was a loss for the Cleveland Arts Prize. He
said he doesn't plan to nominate anyone again.
thang ornithorhynchus
wrote:
Crass and sad. The ravages of age have afflicted a once-great man.
Why he doesn't use email I cannot for the life of me understand.
thang
Warchild
thang ornithorhynchus <th...@spitzola.com.org.net> wrote:
The so called 'arts prize' was a form letter and a request to buy
advertising in their flier.
Big fucking deal.