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An African 'Idol'
By Liz Smith
'SCANDAL IS not like bread. There is never any shortage," goes the old African saying.
Speaking of Africa, here's a scoop! "American Idol" will soon go to the continent to become its usual sensation there. This news dropped from the lips of the one and only Bono.
Asked if he watches America's hottest TV show, Bono laughed, "No, but I will now!"
THE rock king of U2, one of the world's most active philanthropists, fighting AIDS, poverty and injustice all over the world, was the guest last week at a fabulous symposium put together by Time Warner.
The audience was stellar - director/actor Sydney Pollack, stars par excellence such as Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Hutton, Christine Baranski, Roberta Flack, Jane Seymour, Russell Simmons, Steve Buscemi and Meryl Streep's "find," the fabled performance artist Sarah Jones of "Bridge & Tunnel" fame.
Lots of other type "stars" as well - Jonathan Alter, Richard Cohen, Ron Delsener, Kenneth Cole, Maria Cuomo, Campbell Brown, Terry George, Chris Blackwell, Jeff Greenfield, Agnes Gund, Charlie Rose, Jeff Koons, Ray Kelly, David Lauren, Sheila Nevins, Lou Reed, Jeff Bewkes, Rick Stengel, Moby, Billy Norwich, Marshall Rose, Faye Wattleton, Elie Wiesel, Roger Waters, Brian Williams, Sherrie and David Westin of Sesame Workshop and ABC. And many more I probably didn't see.
TIME'S Jim Kelly interviewed Bono, who came out wearing possibly the worst set of garments I've ever seen on a superstar. This guy gets down, seriously! But he is a brilliant talker and an inspiration. He was asked what motivates him to do all that he does, and he answered simply, "It's not charity, it's justice."
Among Bono's pearls of wisdom was this one - that America is an idea. "Ireland, where I come from, is a country, not an idea . . . But America is an idea!" Bono made excellent arguments for his dealings in trying to convince the president of the United States and the leaders of other nations, some of them dictators, to help in his various crusades. He refuses to be an ideologue, and he works with those with whom he disagrees, trying always "to find the one thing I have in common with them."
He cited Desmond Tutu as his greatest inspiration, saying he asked this incredible leader how he had time to accomplish all he does and still maintain time for prayer and meditation? Tutu rebuked Bono, pointing out, "If we did not take time for prayer and meditation, we could not accomplish anything."
There was an amusing exchange when reporter Kelly put up a photo of Pope John Paul II trying on Bono's sunglasses. Bono said the pope kept looking at him during the meeting. He felt perhaps his glasses were rude and a distraction, so he took them off. "The pope then kept looking at my glasses, so I gave them to him."
Later, when Bono asked for a copy of the photo, someone from the Vatican told him, "That photograph will never see the light." But there it was - and it was very appealing. Bono said he especially liked it because it shows the pontiff in an unguarded, charming moment - "almost devilish, if you will!" The audience laughed.
Asked about his own religious convictions, Bono noted he had been raised by a Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He cited his admiration for and the appeal of the Christian ideal - "You know, someone born in a manger, laid on the straw!" But he didn't claim any special devotion, merely noting that the pope had given him several rosaries, "which I wear."
Time Warner's Dick Parsons introduced this seminar, as he has in the past offered up Bill Clinton, Karl Rove, Steven Spielberg and Al Gore. It was a great event, and bravo to the company for making it possible!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03042007/gossip/liz/an_african_idol_liz_liz_smith.htm
By Liz Smith
'SCANDAL IS not like bread. There is never any shortage," goes the old African saying.
Speaking of Africa, here's a scoop! "American Idol" will soon go to the continent to become its usual sensation there. This news dropped from the lips of the one and only Bono.
Asked if he watches America's hottest TV show, Bono laughed, "No, but I will now!"
THE rock king of U2, one of the world's most active philanthropists, fighting AIDS, poverty and injustice all over the world, was the guest last week at a fabulous symposium put together by Time Warner.
The audience was stellar - director/actor Sydney Pollack, stars par excellence such as Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Hutton, Christine Baranski, Roberta Flack, Jane Seymour, Russell Simmons, Steve Buscemi and Meryl Streep's "find," the fabled performance artist Sarah Jones of "Bridge & Tunnel" fame.
Lots of other type "stars" as well - Jonathan Alter, Richard Cohen, Ron Delsener, Kenneth Cole, Maria Cuomo, Campbell Brown, Terry George, Chris Blackwell, Jeff Greenfield, Agnes Gund, Charlie Rose, Jeff Koons, Ray Kelly, David Lauren, Sheila Nevins, Lou Reed, Jeff Bewkes, Rick Stengel, Moby, Billy Norwich, Marshall Rose, Faye Wattleton, Elie Wiesel, Roger Waters, Brian Williams, Sherrie and David Westin of Sesame Workshop and ABC. And many more I probably didn't see.
TIME'S Jim Kelly interviewed Bono, who came out wearing possibly the worst set of garments I've ever seen on a superstar. This guy gets down, seriously! But he is a brilliant talker and an inspiration. He was asked what motivates him to do all that he does, and he answered simply, "It's not charity, it's justice."
Among Bono's pearls of wisdom was this one - that America is an idea. "Ireland, where I come from, is a country, not an idea . . . But America is an idea!" Bono made excellent arguments for his dealings in trying to convince the president of the United States and the leaders of other nations, some of them dictators, to help in his various crusades. He refuses to be an ideologue, and he works with those with whom he disagrees, trying always "to find the one thing I have in common with them."
He cited Desmond Tutu as his greatest inspiration, saying he asked this incredible leader how he had time to accomplish all he does and still maintain time for prayer and meditation? Tutu rebuked Bono, pointing out, "If we did not take time for prayer and meditation, we could not accomplish anything."
There was an amusing exchange when reporter Kelly put up a photo of Pope John Paul II trying on Bono's sunglasses. Bono said the pope kept looking at him during the meeting. He felt perhaps his glasses were rude and a distraction, so he took them off. "The pope then kept looking at my glasses, so I gave them to him."
Later, when Bono asked for a copy of the photo, someone from the Vatican told him, "That photograph will never see the light." But there it was - and it was very appealing. Bono said he especially liked it because it shows the pontiff in an unguarded, charming moment - "almost devilish, if you will!" The audience laughed.
Asked about his own religious convictions, Bono noted he had been raised by a Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He cited his admiration for and the appeal of the Christian ideal - "You know, someone born in a manger, laid on the straw!" But he didn't claim any special devotion, merely noting that the pope had given him several rosaries, "which I wear."
Time Warner's Dick Parsons introduced this seminar, as he has in the past offered up Bill Clinton, Karl Rove, Steven Spielberg and Al Gore. It was a great event, and bravo to the company for making it possible!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03042007/gossip/liz/an_african_idol_liz_liz_smith.htm
Loved the article
