Why is Harold Bloom such a dog in the manger?

Though, of course, the fact that he's such a Joyce fan should be warning enough, I am still shocked by the fact that the news agencies seem to think his petty and mean-spirited reaction to Doris Lessing's Nobel prize is almost more newsworthy then the award itself. I'm not Doris Lessing's biggest fan, but she has made a serious contribution to 20th century literature. What a pity it has upset the old boys so much!