My Best Friend's Devotion to U2 is in Question

[rihannsu]

Actually, when I thought about it I remembered that even Bono will deny himself at times. There are several instances that are fairly well known after the fact such as the Greenbelt Christian Festival that Bono attended one year and helped direct traffic. When people commented this was around the time of JT I think when he was wearing the Ray-Ban style sunglasses and when people commented that he looked like Bono he said "Yeah, I get that a lot so I got the sunglasses to complete the look". It was only long after the fact that it was revealed he was there. Bono has talked in interviews about other times when people thought they recognized him and he shrugged it off in a similar manner. There can be many reasons to do that, all of them making perfect sense but that we have no way of knowing. Another one that Bono talked about in an interview was in Dublin actually when he had to go to a local store to get a passport photo and as he was standing looking at the photo someone came up behind him and said "Wow, you look just like Bono." and Bono just laughed it off.

My feeling though is that if asking for an autograph straight off is definitely not the approach to take with the band member who is most vehement about hating the whole autograph, celebrity trip. Larry is definitely not into the idea that he himself is something great but rather the music is what is great so the idea of wanting him to sign his name is putting the focus on the wrong thing in his opinion.

What I don't understand is if someone is so much a fan of Larry then shouldn't they know how much he hates the whole celeb thing? In my view it would be a whole lot more upsetting to get that from Bono or Edge than from Larry.

Dana

 

[Val]

We are speaking of a 16 yr old girl.

I would take it as he was just not in the mood to speak with fans, and get on with enjoying their music. Who knows, the next time your cousin runs into Larry, he might gracious to her.

 

[U2FloridaFan]

Come to think of it I remember hearing an interview that Edge did where he said that he was at a huge Halloween festival/party in Malibu a few years ago and he dressed as The Edge, with a guitar and everything. He thought it was funny cause people were coming up to him saying that he looked like Edge but he looked shorter than the real Edge, etc. and he never gave himself away until this interview. He said "so in case you were there and thought you saw me, it really was me." A little bit different than the Larry story but cute none-the-less

 

[gman]

I wonder how much age may have played a part in this. I reckon Larry is much more likely to feel obliged to chat or whatever to say a fan in their 30s-40s. Its a lot easier to diss a teenage girl.

 

[rihannsu]

I wonder how much age may have played a part in this. I reckon Larry is much more likely to feel obliged to chat or whatever to say a fan in their 30s-40s. Its a lot easier to diss a teenage girl.

Unfortunately the reality is that it is probably wiser to diss the teenage girl. In the early days of U2's emerging fame Bono made a cryptic comment in an interview that "you put your arm around someone for a photo and suddenly you're in paternity court." Sadly there are those that make a living out of setting people up for law suits and it is well known that most celebrities will pay hush money even when totally innocent just to keep the press from getting wind.

Don't get me wrong, I am not in any way suggesting that this girl was a problem, just that you have to acknowledge that once you reach a certain level of fame any encounter can be a danger in many, many different ways. Bono is freakishly unusual among celebs for the way he is so open and approachable, but even he has had to learn how to read situations and know how to handle them. Larry had only moments to make a call on what to do and he picked the safest solution which is totally in character for him. I understand that the girl's feeling were hurt at the moment but she should be able later to realize that it wasn't anything personal and that Larry could have very good reasons to react that way.

Dana

 

[OrARoundabout]

Excellent point

 

[Rachel D.]

^^ That is a good point. Maybe he was afraid that if he was seen, alone, talking to a teenage girl, that it could be misconstrued. Just look at what happened with Bono when he posed for pictures with those bikini girls!

And it could be that he doesn't want it to be widely known that he lives in that town. I remember in an interview I listened to once, Larry said that he was calling from "Upstate New York," but I had no idea that he actually lives there. He probably wants as few people as possible to know where he is and what he does.

Nevertheless, it is too bad that your friend had such a negative experience. But it is important to keep in mind that Larry is very secretive and introverted. In a situation like that, it would probably be better to just say "Hi, Larry," and keep walking.

 

[bonoz]

Why bother meeting the band.. here's what I say.

Instead of following/stalking the band around.. might as well create your own destiny and follow/stalk it.

 

[Dulce de Leche]

Yeah, this doesn't surprise me. That's why when I randomly saw the Edge in Dublin whilst out and about I didn't bother (well ok I was completely shocked as well)....because I didn't want to intrude and risk the disappointment I might face if it didn't go how I hoped it would. There's something to be said about keeping requests for autographs and pictures to gigs when they expect it.

 

[Rarry]

is brenda sure it wasn't kevin bacon? i mean, has she seen frost/nixon? the man could get behind the kit for GOYB and in that red light even we may have been fooled.

i met larry. he was generous and kind and super polite. i very much doubt this audi-driver was yer man.

 

[MissEno]

is brenda sure it wasn't kevin bacon? i mean, has she seen frost/nixon? the man could get behind the kit for GOYB and in that red light even we may have been fooled.

you are so right! I knew Larry reminded me of someone

 

[OrARoundabout]

is brenda sure it wasn't kevin bacon? i mean, has she seen frost/nixon? the man could get behind the kit for GOYB and in that red light even we may have been fooled.

i met larry. he was generous and kind and super polite. i very much doubt this audi-driver was yer man.

KEVIN BACON IS LARRY MULLEN JR!


Footloose

 

[Larry's girl]

So Larry's a jerk. There are lots of good bands that have one or more jerks as members. You just ignore them and focus on the ones you do like. The good thing is Larry's a drummer, so he's easy to ignore.

Ignore? Why? Just because man had a bad day, perhaps? Just because he's famous doesn't mean he has to be in the mood for talking with his fans all the time. Give man a break! He's just human too...not somekind of hero. I love him just the way he is...and because he is like that.

 

[U2BROTHR]

I'm sad to read this too. Larry is the only one I've never met. I worry about how smooth that meeting will be.

But if I can just add....and these are my own observations.....and perhaps stereotypes.

I have friends and I guess you can almost call them family who are Irish.

Most of my Irish friends are hilariously funny, witty, jokey and fun loving.

However.....when an Irishman is in a bad mood.....watch out....grumpy...serious....and tempermental. The tongue can be a sharp sword. Everyone in the band claims that unless Larry gives it the ok.....

So...take it with a grain of salt. I hope your friend meets Larry again and the encounter is much better.

 

[solemole]

You think Larry could assume an online alter ego? If so, would he be the same person as in real life?

 

[OrARoundabout]

I'm sad to read this too. Larry is the only one I've never met. I worry about how smooth that meeting will be.

But if I can just add....and these are my own observations.....and perhaps stereotypes.

I have friends and I guess you can almost call them family who are Irish.

Most of my Irish friends are hilariously funny, witty, jokey and fun loving.

However.....when an Irishman is in a bad mood.....watch out....grumpy...serious....and tempermental. The tongue can be a sharp sword. Everyone in the band claims that unless Larry gives it the ok.....

So...take it with a grain of salt. I hope your friend meets Larry again and the encounter is much better.

So true, ya...we kind of laugh about it now.