Bono Headlining American Idol Charity Show

[CTU2fan]

Well that wasn't predictable at all.

Tell me, because I'd love to hear...don't you think Bono's helping folks out by doing this? Or do you just not give a shit about that - it's more important that he stay "cool"?

Oh and bonus points if you can tell me who that "sell out" sign in the picture was directed at.

 

[BVS]

BonoVoxSupastar...I admitted I wasn't proud of my not wanting Bono to appear on AI, and added that I was just being honest. I do hope Interference is a place where we can all share our thoughts without being judged.

No judging, it was just like corianderstem said, the quote didn't really make any sense, it actually comes off very contradictory.

Even with your explanation now it seems like you don't quite understand the purpose. It's not about "AI has such a huge audience so they will already raise the funds they don't need Bono". This is about awareness and education more than anything, and Bono wants to reach outside his own audience. Let's face it, Bono is one of the faces of this cause. Any rockstar with a conscience can preach to their own audience, but if they actually want to accomplish something they are going to have to step out of their own comfort zone and reach out to others...

 

[BVS]

Well that wasn't predictable at all.

Tell me, because I'd love to hear...don't you think Bono's helping folks out by doing this? Or do you just not give a shit about that - it's more important that he stay "cool"?

Oh and bonus points if you can tell me who that "sell out" sign in the picture was directed at.

Ponkine thinks anyone who doesn't give him his music free or give him multitracks, or whatever else he desires, is a sellout.

 

[Val]

No judging.

Feels like it.

Even with your explanation now it seems like you don't quite understand the purpose.

I understand it fully. Thanks anyway.

 

[Val]

Peace out!

 

[U2isthebest]

^That's great, but it is difficult to discuss something with someone or to even assert your point of view properly if it's presented in such a way that makes it confusing to others trying to understand what your opinion and reasoning is.

 

[BVS]

Peace out!

Nice talking to you...

 

[Val]

Nice talking to you...

The truth is, it wasn't nice for me. Look, I just posted my thoughts, and then explained them when It was pointed out my message wasn't clear. To have to continue to explain, or listen to another preach just isn't my bag.

Let's just let it be.

 

[BVS]

The truth is, it wasn't nice for me. Look, I just posted my thoughts, and then explained them when It was pointed out my message wasn't clear. To have to continue to explain, or listen to another preach just isn't my bag.

Let's just let it be.

I just think you are taking it way too personally.

I'm not sure what you mean by "it wasn't nice for me".

No one is preaching. You believe because it's such a big audience is reason for Bono not to be there, whereas most of us understand that's the exact reason why he should be there. If the show didn't have an audience that has a larger voting turn out than a presidential election, Bono wouldn't bother, but it does. It's a great platform for the cause, it really has nothing to do with U2.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Oh and bonus points if you can tell me who that "sell out" sign in the picture was directed at.

Was it Damon? "Trader" was better

Seven pages about this-his appearance on AI will probably be shorter than it takes to read this thread.

 

[CTU2fan]

Was it Damon? "Trader" was better

Seven pages about this-his appearance on AI will probably be shorter than it takes to read this thread.

Yes it was Johnny Damon. And I think the thread about this was even longer last year so at least Interference is coming to terms with this little by little.

 

[U2isthebest]

Yes it was Johnny Damon. And I think the thread about this was even longer last year so at least Interference is coming to terms with this little by little.

We had to move on to a second thread last year, and there was one in PLEBA too, I think.

 

[corianderstem]

Let's face it: Bono doesn't care if you think he's "cool" or not.

Good for him.

 

[U2isthebest]

Let's face it: Bono doesn't care if you think he's "cool" or not.

Good for him.

QFMFT

 

[CTU2fan]

I dunno. Yeah AI is kind of lame (and yeah I do watch it, sue me). I think people have to understand that the Bono of the 80s who went around painting statues, cussing on stage, and openly calling out governors in the states he played in is gone. Yeah 80s Bono was cool as hell, no argument there...but the kind of people who have millions of dollars who might be willing to give said dollars to something like ONE aren't going to respond to that guy. So he does stuff like this, for the good of others.

I was thinking about it a bit...and I realized that Bono himself probably realizes that AI is lame, but he does it anyway. And he doesn't get anything out of it, so you can't really call him a sellout. It just seems like he figures this is the way to do the most good for what he believes in. So he does it. Not sure about everyone else but I'm willing to cut him some slack.

 

[U2isthebest]

I dunno. Yeah AI is kind of lame (and yeah I do watch it, sue me). I think people have to understand that the Bono of the 80s who went around painting statues, cussing on stage, and openly calling out governors in the states he played in is gone. Yeah 80s Bono was cool as hell, no argument there...but the kind of people who have millions of dollars who might be willing to give said dollars to something like ONE aren't going to respond to that guy. So he does stuff like this, for the good of others.

I was thinking about it a bit...and I realized that Bono himself probably realizes that AI is lame, but he does it anyway. And he doesn't get anything out of it, so you can't really call him a sellout. It just seems like he figures this is the way to do the most good for what he believes in. So he does it. Not sure about everyone else but I'm willing to cut him some slack.

Well put! I would also think that Bono is simply not the Bono of the 80s or the Bono of the 90s anymore. He's grown and matured as a person, I think, and I would hope we all do that as we move through life.

 

[corianderstem]

Exactly. I find it curious why anyone would expect someone to act the same way at (almost) 50 than they did 20 or even 10 years earlier.

Last time I checked, people changed as they got older. Whether it's a change for the better or the worse is obviously up for debate, but too many people seem to forget that rock stars change as they age the same as everyone else.

 

[CTU2fan]

That's the thing. I probably have a lot of the same social/political opinions that I had 15 or so years ago, but I'd probably not express them in the same ways as I did then. I see a lot of consistency with Bono, but instead of those old angry rants we now get meandering soliloquies. But in a lot of ways the message hasn't changed at all.

 

[corianderstem]

I don't need or want to see a 50-year-old Bono spray-painting some slogan on some concrete and pissing off some mayor.

He knows nowadays he can get the message across by talking up a storm about it. Which he does, to great and often too-lengthy extent.

 

[BVS]

Bono doesn't care if you think he's "cool" or not.

Why doesn't Bono care if I think he's cool? Damnit Bono care.

Everyone should care if I think they are cool or not. Because I know things. I know cool.

 

[JCOSTER]

The truth is, it wasn't nice for me. Look, I just posted my thoughts, and then explained them when It was pointed out my message wasn't clear. To have to continue to explain, or listen to another preach just isn't my bag.

Let's just let it be.

I myself am not crazy about Bono being on American Idol, but lets not forget the threshold this show has on the american people. More people vote for AI contestants than for the President of the US.

Last years performances on the Idol gives back show were pretty good, I think the show was done very tastefully and got across to alot of people.

And last but not least Bono has said the following on the as for mentioned subjects;

"Selling out is doing something you don't really want to do for money. That's what selling out is. " - Bono

and

"I would lunch with devil if I had to."

Bono's smart when it comes to these types of functions...if he were going to be judge I would scream bloody murder, but basically they guy knows what he is doing and who are we to say what he is supposed to do and not do.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

More people vote for AI contestants than for the President of the US.

That's a sad indictment on US society, which is a thread for FYM I s'pose. I'm glad I don't live there, or watch American Idol. At least I don't have to see Bono "sell out" .

 

[beegee]

More people vote for AI contestants than for the President of the US.

Where did this statistic come from? People under a certain age can't even register to vote so how is this even a comparison?

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Well, Bono attending American Idol obviously is much more important than recording a new album with the band and/or writing elaborate lyrics.
That's the part of shit, we haven't had in the 80ies and early 90ies. And that's the reason why, the albums seem to be clustered together now: You have a session in Fez, a half year break, then you have recordings in Dublin, then a break, then you have a recording somewhere else, with an ending who knows – you don't get an album as a single rock out of such behaviour ... Yes, I'm on fire – but without a guitar ...

 

[last unicorn]

Yes, because you know everything U2 does all the time so very well.

 

[chrissybaby]

Well, Bono attending American Idol obviously is much more important than recording a new album with the band and/or writing elaborate lyrics.
That's the part of shit, we haven't had in the 80ies and early 90ies. And that's the reason why, the albums seem to be clustered together now: You have a session in Fez, a half year break, then you have recordings in Dublin, then a break, then you have a recording somewhere else, with an ending who knows – you don't get an album as a single rock out of such behaviour ... Yes, I'm on fire – but without a guitar ...

I have to say that i kind of agree here. Most great albums throughout the modern times have taken place in an environment cut off from the outside world. I am a huge Bowie and Iggy Pop fan and their records from the 70's are exceptional because they existed in their own world, creating their own world. I feel that U2 did something similar with all their albums up to ATYCLB. I accept that they're older, so what?

Also, I don't care if Bono doesn't care whether I think he's cool or not... It's hardly the point. Bono used to talk about U2 having the smartest audience in the world, I think that means having all of your critical faculties in tact and not thinking every move they make is godlike. I'm not Bono's friend and never will be, I don't want him to know me, recognise me or talk to me. But I reserve the right to have an opinion...

 

[neatperson42]

Where did this statistic come from? People under a certain age can't even register to vote so how is this even a comparison?

yeah you're right, and you should also take into account that you can vote multiple times for AI and not for president. but I think I read that the total votes for AI's season finale (in the 2004 election year) outnumbered votes for Bush and not the total cast in a presidential election. the number of votes for the winner was less than the number of votes for Bush or Kerry.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

More people vote for AI contestants than for the President of the US.

According to a news story I saw recently that's not true. Don't know who started that rumor, probably AI producers. You can vote multiple times for AI, you can be a convicted felon, and you don't have to be 18. You can probably vote from other countries too for AI, I have never seen them say that you can't.

122 million people voted in the 2004 Presidential election.

 

[CTU2fan]

Well, Bono attending American Idol obviously is much more important than recording a new album with the band and/or writing elaborate lyrics.
That's the part of shit, we haven't had in the 80ies and early 90ies. And that's the reason why, the albums seem to be clustered together now: You have a session in Fez, a half year break, then you have recordings in Dublin, then a break, then you have a recording somewhere else, with an ending who knows – you don't get an album as a single rock out of such behaviour ... Yes, I'm on fire – but without a guitar ...

Oh come on. He's going to record a 2 minute blurb for AI, he might not even physically be there. If you truly honestly think that this AI appearance will effect when the album comes out...well then there's really no point discussing it further, it's so ludicrous.

 

[Liesje]

That's a sad indictment on US society, which is a thread for FYM I s'pose. I'm glad I don't live there, or watch American Idol.

Actually, that stat is not true so it's a moot point.