Lola Cashman and the Stetson - from Irish Sunday Independent

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Party Boy

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Taken from Sunday Independent in Ireland -

Personally, I think all these court proceedings over a stetson etc. does seem a wee bit absurd. Then again, there is a new greatest hits album to promote.. call me cynical...


Tell Lola we love her in Bono's stuff

Lola Cashman faces financial ruin

DANIEL McCONNELL

and LARISSA NOLAN

IRISH people have thrown their support behind U2's former stylist Lola Cashman, who faces financial ruin if she has to hand back Bono's Stetson and other memorabilia collected during her time with the band.

Two months after it emerged that U2 were turning their backs on Ireland by moving some of their financial operations to Holland, it now appears that Ireland is turning its back on U2.

A nationwide poll conducted this weekend reveals that only one in four believe Bono was right to go to court to recover "an Aladdin's cave" of personal items. Most of those contacted thought the U2 legal action was "farcical".

In a nationwide poll, 74 per cent of people surveyed by the Sunday Independent said Bono was wrong to take the cash-strapped stylist to court. Ms Cashman, who is based in London, is already paying off her legal bills from last year's Circuit Court action which she lost.

Ms Cashman revealed last week that she is currently paying stg£1,000 a month to the band, after costs were awarded against her in a defamation action taken by her in

ANALYSIS


London. She said if she lost this case she would be facing bankruptcy.

She has already told the Sunday Independent: "If I lose the High Court case, it will cost me a hell of a lot of money. I am fighting to protect my reputation, to fight off accusations that I was a thief and a liar."

In court last week, Bono admitted the case is about money, power and control. He referred to a book Ms Cashman had written about her time with the band and said: "The book is reprehensible - that is why I am here. She took advantage of the band for remuneration. I am very annoyed about the book."

Many said the continued pursuit of the Stetson was bordering on ridiculous. Few said they could understand how a man, who won respect worldwide for his efforts in fighting Aids, hunger and Third World debt, would become obsessed with something so trivial and worth so little money.

His actions were "small minded and foolish", said one of those surveyed.

"It would be like the office hunting you down and dragging you through the courts over a staple or Biro. It's not even entertaining bad behaviour from a rock star," said one female respondent.

Last August, the Sunday Independent revealed that U2 were moving part of their commercial empire to Holland to avail of tax breaks.
 
I like how the newspaper failed to mention the fact it was Lola that dragged this case into court, twice, no less.
 
U2girl said:
I like how the newspaper failed to mention the fact it was Lola that dragged this case into court, twice, no less.


Yes! thank you. She could have given back the items and avoided the second court case. Shes out for more than proving shes not a liar and theif. I think its horrible how the country would back a low life like her and not people that bring so much to their country.

I say take her to the cleaners Bono, just because of all the crap in her book.:madspit:
 
Party Boy said:
She said if she lost this case she would be facing bankruptcy.

She has already told the Sunday Independent: "If I lose the High Court case, it will cost me a hell of a lot of money. "

Then why did she file suit in the first place and bring it BACK into court again?

I guess I'm not really understanding why this whole thing started in the first place. Usually dragging millionaire people into court when you're strapped for cash and then pissing them off over and over again is not a good idea...
 
So what, she should just have let it go, just because U2 are richer and more powerful than she is? That's a dangerous precedent for anyone.
 
blueeyedgirl said:
So what, she should just have let it go, just because U2 are richer and more powerful than she is? That's a dangerous precedent for anyone.

Let what go? She filed the suit and brought the appeal.
 
Dangerous precendents or not, in the whole scale of things it does seem a little bit ridiculous, whether Cashman is at fault or not. its a hat and a few other bits and pieces, its not the end of the world and for it to be dragged through to where it currently is now - well .. no one looks good - U2 or Cashman.

I dunno if its an Irish thing where there is less of a blame culture and more of a just get on with it kind of thing. As an Irish person and as a U2 music fan, its mildy amusing.
 
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Party Boy said:
Dangerous precendents or not, in the whole scale of things it does seem a little bit ridiculous, whether Cashman is at fault or not. Irish people in general, being Irish, we tend to view things like this with a lot of mild amusement - its a hat and a few other bits and pieces, its not the end of the world and for it to be dragged through to where it currently is now - well .. no one looks good - U2 or Cashman.

Agreed. Honestly I'd let her have the "item" and do what she'd like with them. If they hadn't missed them until now, they can't be THAT important. I'm almost embarrassed for Bono. I think the problem is that they aren't just fighting over the stuff, there's the defamation suit. No one wants to give up and walk away from a defamation suit, and I don't blame them.
 
Liesje said:


Agreed. Honestly I'd let her have the "item" and do what she'd like with them. If they hadn't missed them until now, they can't be THAT important. I'm almost embarrassed for Bono. I think the problem is that they aren't just fighting over the stuff, there's the defamation suit. No one wants to give up and walk away from a defamation suit, and I don't blame them.

True - I suspect there is also an element of payback for Cashman's unauthorised book from a few years ago. Reading reports on the case over the last few days, Bono does not come across very well - neither does Cashman either, but you would hope in Bono's case, he would just let it go and go fry bigger fish.
 
Party Boy said:
True - I suspect there is also an element of payback for Cashman's unauthorised book from a few years ago. Reading reports on the case over the last few days, Bono does not come across very well - neither does Cashman either, but you would hope in Bono's case, he would just let it go and go fry bigger fish.

Yeah, if I were U2, it seems like at this point it would be better to just rewind a year or so, give her back the stuff if she will withdraw the suit and everybody can get over their egos and their pride. Reading the parts of their testimony from the past few days, they both sound rather fed up with the whole thing. Although, the media can frame those comments in whichever direction they choose. I'm wondering why this has become Bono v Cashman, when it really involves U2 as a whole? Also, must be a slow newsweek if a civil case over items only E5000 in value is getting this much attention. I can't wait for the tour to start up again....
 
Liesje said:


I'm wondering why this has become Bono v Cashman, when it really involves U2 as a whole?

It makes for catchy newspaper/tabloid newspaper titles. "Bono wants his Stetson back, drags ex stylist into court!"

I don't think anyone can walk away at this point - how do you drop a defamation suit without saying you were lying all along? And this case is all about who is truthful on how Lola got those items.
U2 probably thought this was all over once they won the suit they started. :shrug:
 
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I think U2 would have been a lot smarter just to have essentially ignored it. If they didn't miss the damned items for so many years they should have just let that go. As far as the book -- all they had to do when asked about it is smile, roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders and make some offhand comment such as "Oh, you know how people are sometimes" and then move on to something else.

This way they're acting like overbearing, spoiled brats.
 
indra said:
I think U2 would have been a lot smarter just to have essentially ignored it. If they didn't miss the damned items for so many years they should have just let that go. As far as the book -- all they had to do when asked about it is smile, roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders and make some offhand comment such as "Oh, you know how people are sometimes" and then move on to something else.

This way they're acting like overbearing, spoiled brats.

:up:
 
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