Bono

Tim Robbins · 21-01-2009 4:55pm #1

Well PrimeTime went to a lot of effort last night. On inauguration day, one political analyst they went to interview was none other than Bono.

Bono, with his deep insights into geo - politics, poverty and just about everything else was preaching his usual simplistic dumbed down catchy rhetoric.

I can't stand anyone who spouts off opinions and excuses themselves from rational criticism. When has Bono ever had his opinions questioned are argued with? Why should we lower our intellectual standards for such serious issues?

Bono goes to Labour conferences, G8 submits, Primetime says a few catchy phrases. He never debates or has his views questioned.

He seems his on one big ego trip. Why do people put up with it?

He's comes across as nothing more than a sanctimonous, arrogant idiot. Should a millionare pop twat be given so much time in political discourse?

No.

Your comments...

mike65 · 21-01-2009 5:09pm

He had the cheek to name check the Prez as Obama!

OhNoYouDidn't · 21-01-2009 5:09pm

My main issue with Bono is that he lectures the Irish taxpayer while being an exile. Its an untenible position.

However, he got the Justice for Palestine line in and in the process drove the right wing US bloggers mental, so good action sir.

Rock stars have always been political actors. Dylan, Lennon etc. Nothing new here.

lostexpectation · 21-01-2009 5:13pm

hes says let freedom reign, when he really means let capitalism and consumerism reign

Raiser · 21-01-2009 5:23pm

Here's his social conscience in evidence as he mentors two young girls.

http://www.briansolis.com/2008/10/where-streets-have-names-learning-from.html

fatherbuzcagney · 21-01-2009 5:26pm

Whats the difference bono and god?...........God doesn't think he is bono:eek:

deadhead13 · 21-01-2009 6:36pm

His rock speak is toe curling.

sceptre · 21-01-2009 8:53pm

If there's a fault in Primetime interviewing Bono as an interested party, expert, whatever for the show they broadcast on the night of the US Presidential inauguration, then such a fault lies with Primetime, not with Bono. They make their own choices as to who they have on the show.

Whiskey Devil · 22-01-2009 12:33am

What a hypocritical little twit that man is. U2 are sitting on a 400 million in the Netherlands. How can he justify that while lecturing the world on poverty? It's disgusting.

He'll never speak out about Palestine in the US because it's unpopular and would damage the money machine that is U2.

Great talent. No time for him as a person.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 22-01-2009 12:40am

Whiskey Devil wrote: »

What a hypocritical little twit that man is. U2 are sitting on a 400 million in the Netherlands. How can he justify that while lecturing the world on poverty? It's disgusting.

He'll never speak out about Palestine in the US because it's unpopular and would damage the money machine that is U2.

Great talent. No time for him as a person.

Talent my arse. People must also realise that U2 arent talented musicians, they have done absolutely nothing for the progression of music, with the exception of guitar effects, which were moreso popularised by dave evans as opposed to pioneered by the same man.

pigeonbutler · 22-01-2009 1:35am

OhNoYouDidn't wrote: »

My main issue with Bono is that he lectures the Irish taxpayer while being an exile. Its an untenible position.

However, he got the Justice for Palestine line in and in the process drove the right wing US bloggers mental, so good action sir.

Rock stars have always been political actors. Dylan, Lennon etc. Nothing new here.

Not true.

I don't really want to weigh in on the substantive points in the debate but could we at least try base it on fact.

tomcosgrave · 22-01-2009 1:53am

Tim Robbins wrote: »

He goes to Labour conferences

Not to any that I've ever been at, he doesn't.

ejmaztec · 22-01-2009 2:13am

With delusions of grandeur, minimal qualifications and an air of hypocrisy, I'm surprised that he hasn't entered Irish politics. There's no doubt that he would be successful in his attempt to join the rest of them.

Tristram · 22-01-2009 2:52am

80 Courics ffs, credit where credit is due!

Phototoxin · 22-01-2009 2:58am

The problem with bono is that there's a topic about him in the politics section despite him being a 'musician'.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 22-01-2009 3:15am

exactly, mind you, he is nothing, but a load of courics

OhNoYouDidn't · 22-01-2009 11:34am

pigeonbutler wrote: »

Not true.

I don't really want to weigh in on the substantive points in the debate but could we at least try base it on fact.

Has he or has he not moved most of his business empire overseas to avoid tax?

Ludo · 22-01-2009 12:19pm

Great to see good old Irish begrudgery is alive and well 'round these parts.

ejmaztec · 22-01-2009 12:31pm

Ludo wrote: »

Great to see good old Irish begrudgery is alive and well 'round these parts.

I agree. Bono shouldn't begrudge paying Irish tax.

Irlbo · 22-01-2009 12:44pm

Just some egotisical ar*se hole musician,who thinks because of his popularity with his band,he has right to an opinion on absolutely everything,if I met him I'd tell him 'hey d*ckhead,we dont care what you have to say about the third world,now f*ck off to your mansion in Killiney which you pay on tax on because you claim you dont live here,w*nker)an embarrassment to this country and for the record,U2 are a sh*te band

ejmaztec · 22-01-2009 1:48pm

If he kept his trap shut and went about his business, then people wouldn't have so much contempt for him.

When he starts telling world governments to help the poor, write off third-world debts etc - that's when the hypocrisy kicks in.

Correct me of I'm wrong, but foreign aid is paid for out of taxation collected from tax-payers in the various benefactor countries. If the tax take in those countries is reduced, then the funds available for foreign aid are also reduced.

All of the tax-avoiders around the world must be doing the third-world out of mind-boggling amounts of foreign aid.

Permabear · 22-01-2009 2:21pm

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ejmaztec · 22-01-2009 3:01pm

donegalfella wrote: »

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Both Gates and Soros have charitable foundations set up with their funds. Where's Bono's charitable foundation?

Permabear · 22-01-2009 3:09pm

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ejmaztec · 22-01-2009 3:29pm

He certainly does raise awareness.

http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1822

Item: Flying a hat first class
Cost: $1,700
Poised to play a charity show for Iraqis with Luciano Pavarotti in 2003, Bono realised he’d forgotten his favourite trilby, so he arranged to have it flown from London to Italy by British Airways. Amid fears it might get squashed, lost or stolen, the hat was upgraded from its first-class seat and got to ride up front with the captain.

Permabear · 22-01-2009 3:33pm

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Tim Robbins · 22-01-2009 3:43pm

I've no problem with Bono, or any musician, having an opinion. What I do have a problem is someone putting themselves above and beyond rational criticism. A number of times, I have seen Geldof have his views challenged and he has detabed them back.

Bono just preaches, in this really stupid drolling accent.

He simplifies incredibly complicated issues as if he has all the answers. People spend ages studying development economics and they still can't agree such is the complexity of the subject matter.

Bono doesn't even realise the irony of his position. He is part of the problem. If you concentrate wealth in small finite pockets, of course it's going to affect wealth distribution.

But that's also the poor's problem.

If you dumb problems down, you're never going to solve them you just make them worse. Again that's what he does. It's just about raising awareness, it's abuot making people think more. How can someone who excuses himself from rational debate mean that people think more?

I'd have no problem if he was prepare to argue his points and take the tough questions, rather than just preach them as if he was Jesus or something.

lostexpectation · 22-01-2009 3:47pm

what if bono is making the world worse

Permabear · 22-01-2009 4:00pm

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marcsignal · 22-01-2009 4:13pm

I've said it before, Bono is a steaming turd, and his 'hangers on' are like the flies one would see feeding off that turd.

Tim Robbins · 22-01-2009 4:15pm

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I have never once seen him in any sort of challenging debate. Either have you. Doesn't matter who he meets or who he shakes hands with. George Bush did all that.

What George, also never did was debate his views. Once he got a few challenging questions he'd end the interview. Bono doesn't even wait until the challenging questions come.

He has:
1. No philosophical training.
2. No political qualifications.
3. No economic qualifications.
4. Nothing except for a connection to a rock band. Other than that, he's Joe Average.

It would be better if real experts got the political and media time that Bono was wasting.

What he's doing is patronizing and egotistical. There are more constructive ways of helping out, paying tax would be a good place to start.

Bono

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