Bono got a little carried away.....

[angel_of_L.A.]

Calling himself "the little lord Jesus" as he was leaving the stage at the end of 40?

I think he is the equivalent of a modern day prophet for sure....

But this really turns people off when he goes over the top.


Thoughts?

I was at this show. He said it with a chuckle.

 

[Laura M]

Am I the only one who has friends that are not big on the band because of Bono's slightly inflated ego?

My Mum hates U2 because of Bono. I've never liked him really either, he was always my least favourite U2 member, I find him really irritating (sorry).

 

[joyfulgirl]

I was there and didn't even catch him saying that thanks to the crappiest acoustics I've ever experienced in an arena (note to self: never attend another opening show, and never attend any show at the SD arena again). But I would agree that it sounds like classic Bono self-deprecating humour, just like in "One" when he sings "Did you come here to play Jesus? I did." A smirk usually accompanies that.

The endearing thing about Bono's enormous ego is that (1) he is the first to admit it and (2) it is balanced by an equally enormous heart.

 

[BAW]

Re: Re: Bono got a little carried away.....

I was at this show. He said it with a chuckle.

Indeed he did. Nothing to get worked up about IMO.

 

[2Hearts]

I just hope he doesn't call himself that during every show. He will make a lot of enemies out of people that should be his friends. I would really be turned off by the comment if I hadn't read tons of interviews where Bono's true faith is shown. Calling himself 'the little lord Jesus' is bound to be misinterpreted by pretty much everyone (not just Christians), so I don't see the point in saying it.

 

[Dreadsox]

The endearing thing about Bono's enormous ego is that (1) he is the first to admit it and (2) it is balanced by an equally enormous heart.

Awesome way of putting it!

 

[sallycinnamon78]

It was clearly a joke, and a reference to Springsteen's mention of his messiah complex in the HOF induction speech.

Yes.

My Mum hates U2 because of Bono. I've never liked him really either, he was always my least favourite U2 member, I find him really irritating (sorry).

I used to find him very irritating.

I learned to look past the noise and the bombast to realise that he is a fundamentally good man, pushing hard for what he believes is right. Revelling in his own insecurities and basking in his own faults, while simultaneously learning to deal with who he is deep down... and trying to do the best he can, in some pretty fucked up circumstances.

Same as the rest of us. The difference is, he's doing it under public scrutiny and has been for the best part of 25 years.

The endearing thing about Bono's enormous ego is that (1) he is the first to admit it and (2) it is balanced by an equally enormous heart.

Well said.

 

[yolland]

um, a little more context would be helpful....

Are you referring to deep's post?

Christ you know it ain't easy/You know how hard it can be/The way things are going/They gonna crucify me (The Ballad of John & Yoko)

This isn't the first time Bono's jokingly referred to himself as God. Remember his wry characterization of U2 as 'insufferable little Jesuses' during the JT/R&H period? It's mostly a self-effacing way of acknowledging: his own megalomaniac tendencies; the band's "mild'n'green'n'squeaky-clean" image straitjacket; and maybe also the tendency of some fans to go overboard in their veneration of U2.

Or maybe he just meant he was tired and in need of a place to lay down his sweet head...

Have you come here to play Jesus?/I did -- Bono, ad-libbing during 'One' at a ZooTV show (from the 'Interference' video).

 

[beegee]

I was there and didn't even catch him saying that thanks to the crappiest acoustics I've ever experienced in an arena.

i didn't hear it either.

 

[verte76]

Bono does have a king-sized ego, but I love him to pieces anyway. I think I'd hate him if he were perfect, he'd be a complete bore and pretty damned irritating.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Yep. Irritating as he may sometimes be (goddam sunglasses ), he's certainly interesting, undeniably talented and - it would appear - thoroughly good at heart.

 

[susanp6]

I certainly am not turned off by Bono in the slightest!

He's a wonderful, caring, genuine&talented intelligent man.

I'm sure most people have an ego to a certain extent and i think that considering that Bono is meant to have this HUGE ego, he remains to be very humble and down to earth it would appear to me! I just can't understand how ANYONE can hate or dislike this utterly gifted human being!

We are indeed very lucky to have Bono alive and well on this planet

 

[2Hearts]

Let me just say once more that I hope he does not get in a habit of saying that. Besides the blasphemy aspect, it just sounds pyschotic. At least on the mp3 it does.

I thought the comment during One was understandable, it even fits the context of the song. I also see a good bit of humility in Bono. For example, "Some people have way to much confidence baby", the lyrics of Yahweh, and 'Bono the Rat' in the deluxe booklet. That's why I do not consider him an ego-maniac. I just wish he wouldn't give people such easy fodder.

 

[PurpleSeven]

You can hear him laugh as he says it on the bootleg. The first person to rip apart his own ego is himself - in almost every article/interview/etc., he rips apart his own persona.

Good Lord - I fear the reaction to this community had they been around when John Lennon called the Beatles 'bigger than Jesus.' Sarcasm folks, sarcasm.

Before we label throw labels at him like 'blasphemer', take a step back into the 21st century and relax.

 

[all_i_want]

he probably shouldnt say things like that in the US. they switched from macphisto to mirrorball man for a reason in Zoo Tv

 

[joyfulgirl]

Let me just say once more that I hope he does not get in a habit of saying that. Besides the blasphemy aspect, it just sounds pyschotic. At least on the mp3 it does.

Oh please.

 

[Dreadsox]

It is chrystal clear on the bootleg....

and I think it was tongue in cheek.

 

[BVS]

Let me just say once more that I hope he does not get in a habit of saying that. Besides the blasphemy aspect, it just sounds pyschotic. At least on the mp3 it does.

Not a big fan of tongue in cheek are we?

 

[starsgoblue]

he probably shouldnt say things like that in the US. they switched from macphisto to mirrorball man for a reason in Zoo Tv

Wasn't that the reverse?

They did Mirrorball Man IN the US to poke at the televangelists and whatnot they saw on TV.....MacPhisto was geared towards the other countries because they didn't have the same connection to some of the US's creepy televangelists and would not have translated as well.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

I remember loads of newspapers going ape over Bono saying "I am God" - they slated him to hell and back. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain cell that he was taking the piss out of himself. Something he does a lot.

 

[nbcrusader]

Theologically speaking, we call it conviction of the Holy Spirit.



Bono got no where close to a "little Lord Jesus" statement Wednesday night

 

[Golightly Grrl]

Well, he's got "little" right. Lord and Jesus are a bit of a stretch.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

I realise I will probably get bashed left, right, and centre for this, but still. Am I the only person who thinks that those who take Bono's comment ultra seriously either don't know much about Bono's character (if you don't care, then fair enough), or are having a sense of humour bypass?

A question rather than an accusation.

 

[Se7en]

Wasn't that the reverse?

They did Mirrorball Man IN the US to poke at the televangelists and whatnot they saw on TV.....MacPhisto was geared towards the other countries because they didn't have the same connection to some of the US's creepy televangelists and would not have translated as well.

they were both fookin' brilliant! your analysis seems correct.

p.s. i love you

 

[deep]

he could call himself

the 'little lizzard king'




a la Jim Morrison

 

[indra]

I realise I will probably get bashed left, right, and centre for this, but still. Am I the only person who thinks that those who take Bono's comment ultra seriously either don't know much about Bono's character (if you don't care, then fair enough), or are having a sense of humour bypass?

A question rather than an accusation.

I don't think it's that so many people take him so terribly seriously (although I don't pay that much attention to what many other people think), but he's just so easy to take potshots at. So of course, me being me, I'm gonna take them.

 

[all_i_want]

Wasn't that the reverse?

They did Mirrorball Man IN the US to poke at the televangelists and whatnot they saw on TV.....MacPhisto was geared towards the other countries because they didn't have the same connection to some of the US's creepy televangelists and would not have translated as well.

nope, it wasnt the reverse.

In fact, <i>Zoo TV</i> has
featured at least two distinctly different characters - the
televangelist of the black plastic suit and the mirror ball, and
Macphisto, the self-indulgent devil who panders the glories of
shallowness and celebrity. (I do not believe Bono used Macphisto
at all in the US legs of the tour. According to interviews and
radio features he was afraid the American public wouldn't
understand the subtle irony of the character. He should perhaps
have worried the same thing about the televangelist, for it is this
persona which has evoked the hostility of the people with whom I
have spoken.) Macphisto (the reference to Mephistopheles, the Lord
of Lies, is certainly no coincidence) is the sarcastic voice behind
such biting <i>Zooropa</i> numbers as "Lemon" and "Daddy's Gonna Pay For
Your Crashed Car." In the latter, especially, it is hard to fathom
a "sell-out" reading - Macphisto reassures that "Daddy won't let
you weep/Daddy won't let you ache/Daddy gives you as much as you
can take" (U2 1993). Again, the culture of materialism and excess
seems under attack, and one is fully justified in wondering if Bono
isn't taking a fairly contentious swipe at his newer, younger fans,
many of whom have no real sense of the band's history. If this is
the case, as it seems to be, then the older fans' failure to
perceive this subtlety piles another layer of irony onto an already
hefty pile. [/B]

http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~rocklist/other/fly.on.stage

 

[susanp6]

I totally agree with you 110% Sally! Of course he's taking the piss out of himself!

He has an excellent sense of humour&it amazes me how many people on this site have a go at him! Shocking behaviour!

Call yourselves fans? Riiiiiiiight!

 

[Dreadsox]

I totally agree with you 110% Sally! Of course he's taking the piss out of himself!

He has an excellent sense of humour&it amazes me how many people on this site have a go at him! Shocking behaviour!

Call yourselves fans? Riiiiiiiight!

Yes please, we must all toe the line and agree with everything that Bono says and does?



I would rather sit down and have a heated discussion and a pint with him, than be a blind worshipper.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Same here.