Did Bono really say this to a fan?

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I think the fellow's timing was off, and Bono apologized-once he found out the guy was not chatting and it's really all over then-end of story.

The trouble w the net is there is information, disinformation and ppl who demand to be heard and w their demands expect everybody to acquiesce to *their* view.

I can see both sides of the discussion here. I have had to put my camera down at times when Bono awkwardly glanced at me (like my timing was off) and smiled when he has smiled at me. I've had a lot of eye contact w him over 25 years of going to U2 shows.

I do think one would be able to be more camera/cell ph happy at a VH, or Bon Jovi show; take that as sage advice.
;)

Next thread please.

<>
 
I was at this show with a friend. The two of us became friends because we sat next to each other in a college guitar class in 1993, and discovered we were both Edge fanatics. But we never saw a U2 show together. He was living in NYC by '05, so I gave him my extra ticket for that show, and it was fantastic. Two old friends finally getting to see a U2 show together after all those years.

And then Bono pulls that phone nonsense. And not only did he swear at this person, he took the time to be condescending toward them, to mock them. That was even uglier than just saying 'put away the fucking phone'. It was like hitting someone with your car, and then backing over them. From where we were standing, a serious line was crossed, and it cast a pall over the proceedings for a good 20-30 minutes. My friend even said, 'when's he gonna say something that person?'

Then, when he finally apologizes, it's because he knows the next part of the show is the cell phone set-piece, and he now looks like a hypocrite in front of thousands of people who saw how he's acted. Some may see that as conjecture on my part, but the fact is, he never tried to smooth things over until he pretty much HAD to - when he was going to have to retract his 'no phones' edict. And that pretty much sucks.

I've seen the band 15 times since 1992. I've seen Bono get momentarily pissed about stuff before - mostly at the other band members missing cues, or lighting guys messing up, but I've seen some hurled water bottles and beer cups. And, I remember the performance of 'Spring Hill Mining Disaster' on a Joshua Tree bootleg where he says 'shut the fuck up while I'm talking' - and where he almost immediately apologized for using bad language on a fan.

But, this was different. His mocking tact with that fan - over a camera phone - was mean-spirited, and unnecessary, as his 'point' had already been 'expressed'. And his failure to address it until later in the show, when it was arguably done out of necessity, makes it a surprisingly ugly moment for at least some of the people who witnessed it in person.

For people saying he earns the right to be a jerk once in a while, I can say only this: Bono is not working at McDonalds or at the DMV; he's in a band, playing concerts, living a big, fat dream. Whatever problems he may or may not have been having that might have put him in a bitchy mood - that's not the problem of his fans/paying customers. It just isn't. And browbeating the clientele is bad business.
 
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So, people that are upset at Bono getting upset.. Can I ask you, have you ever been mad, upset, said something you regret, blew your top at anybody?

For some reason people here in this thread think Bono should never be allowed to get upset because apparently he's Bono or something.

That's silly.
 
david said:
So, people that are upset at Bono getting upset.. Can I ask you, have you ever been mad, upset, said something you regret, blew your top at anybody?

For some reason people here in this thread think Bono should never be allowed to get upset because apparently he's Bono or something.

That's silly.
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Everyone gets upset but far fewer people mock and humiliate a person in front of others. That's the real difference.
 
Dude - it isn't so much about him getting upset, it's about how he handled the matter. I work in an office, and there's no shortage of people I'd like to I'd like to throw down an elevator shaft on a daily basis. But, I don't cuss 'em out or humiliate them in front of the rest of the staff. And I would certainly not give a ration of shit to a client, no matter how rotten they behave. Being a rock star does not give Bono a get-out-of-jail-free card. Maybe to some fans it does, but to some of us it does not.


david said:
So, people that are upset at Bono getting upset.. Can I ask you, have you ever been mad, upset, said something you regret, blew your top at anybody?

For some reason people here in this thread think Bono should never be allowed to get upset because apparently he's Bono or something.

That's silly.
Click to expand...
 
IndyShade said:
For people saying he earns the right to be a jerk once in a while, I can say only this: Bono is not working at McDonalds or at the DMV; he's in a band, playing concerts, living a big, fat dream. Whatever problems he may or may not have been having that might have put him in a bitchy mood - that's not the problem of his fans/paying customers. It just isn't. And browbeating the clientele is bad business.
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I don't know who is saying he earns the right to be a jerk, that's ridiculous, no one earns the right to be a jerk. But all humans slip, and someone's job doesn't change that... We're all human and we've all taken things out on the wrong people or at the wrong time, those of you who are holding this one event as somehow unforgivable are just being self righteous.
 
I think when we don't accept an apology, or view an appoogy as contrived causes us bad karma.

I mean if Bongo's apology was forced or contived-that will be between Bongo and his maker.

Cell phone Chris already has forgiven him w no strings, shouldn't we?

<>
 
Wow...I had to prepare myself to watch this...damn Bono, I love you...but that was MEEEEEEEEEEEEAN!

But I still love you
:hug:


But srsly that was shitty
 
Well, that was pretty damn nasty and unprofessional on Josh Homme's part but I also didn't see what that particular fan did! Still, he needn't have been so nasty to a fan... wow! Compared to some of these guys, I'll definitely give Bono the benefit of the doubt and assume that he is nowhere near this unprofessional. But the thing in this case that is still bothering some people is I think the fact that the U2 fan didn't even do anything wrong! He was taking pictures, not talking on the phone. Oh well.
 
GibsonGirl said:
He did something similar when QOTSA came to Newfoundland earlier this year.

Man, I wish I'd been at that show. :lmao: Just to laugh at him.
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Man, this guy sure likes to curse! How cool! :|

What fan would throw a shoe at the singer? :doh:

I think it's good U2 has such a clean image as a rock band. That is probably what attracts a reasonably well behaved crowd to their shows. I could be wrong but U2 have probably not had many unruly fan incidents.
 
diamond said:
I think when we don't accept an apology, or view an appoogy as contrived causes us bad karma.

I mean if Bongo's apology was forced or contived-that will be between Bongo and his maker.

Cell phone Chris already has forgiven him w no strings, shouldn't we?

<>
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Who said we won't forgive him? The main discussion in the thread is if if Bono was in the wrong doing it and some people seem to want to cut him slack, which is ridiculous. I'm not saying Bono is a jerk but that was definitely a really jackass moment.
 
Hahahaha! Everyone was groaning and rolling their eyes when this happened, we weren't sure if he was kidding or just totally confused. Now, I think he did it as an excuse to yell about The Troubles during SBS, even though he comes off looking like a dope. The fans with the "SF Loves U2" sign quickly put it down after Bono started pointing at them, wonder how they felt. Glad Joanou left it out of the film and put the Denver rant in there instead!
 
Yeah, this isn't about people forgiving Bono or whatever. Obviously I FORGIVE Bono, I'm still here anticipating the album and I think he's a great guy.

But he did something wrong. And the problem is that there are a lot of people here who don't think what he did was wrong or want to cut him slack simply because he's Bono. THAT, to me, is unacceptable.

And some are saying "he was taking pictures, not talking on the phone". It shouldn't matter if he was talking on the fucking phone. He bought a ticket. He put an extraordinary amount of money into the band's pocket that evening (U2 tickets ain't exactly cheap, folks). He should, as a paying customer and fan, be allowed to talk on that damn phone if he wants to.
 
The John Tree said:
Yeah, this isn't about people forgiving Bono or whatever. Obviously I FORGIVE Bono, I'm still here anticipating the album and I think he's a great guy.

But he did something wrong. And the problem is that there are a lot of people here who don't think what he did was wrong or want to cut him slack simply because he's Bono. THAT, to me, is unacceptable.

And some are saying "he was taking pictures, not talking on the phone". It shouldn't matter if he was talking on the fucking phone. He bought a ticket. He put an extraordinary amount of money into the band's pocket that evening (U2 tickets ain't exactly cheap, folks). He should, as a paying customer and fan, be allowed to talk on that damn phone if he wants to.
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49 dollars allows you to obstruct the persons view behind you? nice.
 
popacrobat said:
49 dollars allows you to obstruct the persons view behind you? nice.
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I'm probably gonna regret getting into this discussion again but anyway...

Aren't you gonna obstruct the person's view even if you are not on the phone? :huh:

I was reading an account on u2tours yesterday from the person himself, who got yelled at. And even he didn't seem too pissed. He was making it clear what happened.. that he was taking pics and by the end of his paragraph says something like I still respect Bono, he is a great man etc. Sometimes I wonder if fans forgive celebrities too easily. :huh:
 
Zootlesque said:
I'm probably gonna regret getting into this discussion again but anyway...

Aren't you gonna obstruct the person's view even if you are not on the phone? :huh:

I was reading an account on u2tours yesterday from the person himself, who got yelled at. And even he didn't seem too pissed. He was making it clear what happened.. that he was taking pics and by the end of his paragraph says something like I still respect Bono, he is a great man etc. Sometimes I wonder if fans forgive celebrities too easily. :huh:
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it doesn't just have to be this one incident. the person i was quoting seemed to think it's okay to do whatever they want on their phone since they paid the money to get into the show. i've been in GA before where there are vertically challenged people begging to get to the front or for people not to have their phones flying through the air or talking on them etc. regardless, i don't really care about this particular incident. i was there and I thought it was pretty hilarious. bono got pissed off, who really cares if he was right or wrong? it was a one time blow up.

that said, i think it's an absurd argument to make that "well, you paid money to get in, you can do whatever you want." that is entirely untrue. people yaking on their cellphones or just shouting in a drunken rage belligerently to others mid concert or on their phone or whatever sucks.
 
Is this still being talked about?!? :ohmy: Get over it.... jeez!

Oh and that "Save The Yuppy" moment - OMG :doh: :reject:

How absolutely cringeworthy.... poor Bono!! Gotta love him though. :lol:
 
I just listened to the concert where Bono scolded the poor fellow, and I have to say it turned out to be a really relaxed performance, and a very good one. All's well that ends well!
 
Val said:
I just listened to the concert where Bono scolded the poor fellow, and I have to say it turned out to be a really relaxed performance, and a very good one. All's well that ends well!
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I agree. I was at this show also, and while the comment was unexpected, by the end of the show is was just a miniscule part of it. I can understand that the person it happened to might have felt differently but for the audience in general I don't think it made much of an impact.

Fast Cars at this show was excellent and bringing up all those girls (I think they were sisters) that he kept sending down and then the sheik guy for WOWY was fantastic.
 
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