- 1997 Nobel Laureate in Literature who emulates the jesters of the Middle Ages in scourging authority and upholding the dignity of the downtrodden.nobelprizes.com/nobel/literature/1997a.html
- Italian playwright Dario Fo has won the Nobel prize for literature. The Swedish Academy cited the 71-year-old writer and actor for using laughter to open our eyes to injustices in society. His controversial works were denounced by the Vatican and barred from the United States. Two theater experts discuss his contribution to world literature, and his capacity for "epic clowning."www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec97/fo_10-9.html