Saint Bono
Monday, November 26, 2007
"This is a polarized and very divisive environment these days," former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle says somberly. "The one person who's brought us together is Bono."
Later, he added: Unfortunately, Ozzie Osborne quickly returned Congress to its usual practice of partisan bickering.
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Posted by DOTDOT (anonymous) on November 26, 2007 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
One man in the name of love.
Posted by chewyfally (Falestine Afani Ruzik) on November 26, 2007 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
all i can say is thank goodness for south park.
Posted by OtherJoel (anonymous) on November 26, 2007 at 6:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am always conflicted on the whole activist-celebrity thing. On one hand, I think Bono is sincere and wants to make a difference by taking advantage of his position in the public eye; but at the same time it kind of cheapens the issue by association. To his credit, he has some decent ideas, though.
And he hasn't made any decent music in twenty years, so he's gotta do something to pass the time.
Posted by OtherJoel (anonymous) on November 26, 2007 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Off-topic: we need to go bowling again. Besides, don't you owe me a prize from a contest thingy a while back? I'll accept booze as payment.
Posted by godjilla (Jill Ensley) on November 26, 2007 at 11:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bono is a tool.
Posted by OtherJoel (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And then there's that...
Posted by DonQuipunch (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 7:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jilla nailed it.
Posted by Joel (Joel Mathis) on November 27, 2007 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I admit that I once loved U2. But even as a 15-year-old, when Bono is giving that speech about apartheid on the "Rattle & Hum" album, I felt a little embarrassed for him. Especially when he did the: "Am I buggin' ya? Don't mean to bug ya."
Posted by Joel (Joel Mathis) on November 27, 2007 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Um, scenebooster, mind taking it down a notch?
For what it's worth, I don't agree with the "tool" assessment -- seems a smidge overblown -- but I think even Bono's aware that he has a reputation for being ... Bono.
In any case, scenebooster, I notice a similar theme between this and your arguments the Damien Hirst thread on Jill's blog, that theme being:
"The guy who has made millions (if not billions) of dollars, sold millions of records, toured the world" etc. etc.
You occasionally seem to suggest that success mitigates criticism, at least where artistic endeavours are concerned. I had a friend who used to argue that Celine Dion had sold millions of albums, therefore she was good, and that seems to be what you've been saying, too.
Successful doesn't necessarily equal good. If it were, we'd still be celebrating the music of Vanilla Ice and Spin Doctors, instead of remembering their hits with a wry and embarrassed half-grin, wondering what the heck we were drinking in 1991.
Your turn.
Posted by monkeywrench (Tim vonHolten) on November 27, 2007 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i wish he'd take off those fucking sunglasses.
Posted by OtherJoel (anonymous) on November 27, 2007 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!
Posted by godjilla (Jill Ensley) on November 28, 2007 at 12:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey everyone! Sceney's bakin' up some I'm Right, Your Wrong Cookies again! Mmmm, with Holier Than Thou frosting.....
"Bono has affected more positive change in the world than every person on this blog combined" Huh. That's really not for you to decide, OR something you can be absolutely sure about.
Seriously, Joel, don't bother. Someone has a giant chip on their shoulder and likes to make circular arguments, lambasting people for the very thing he's doing.
Just sayin'.
Bono, (if I MUST explain something, and therefore making it a serious remark and not an off-the-cuff, internets remark) is a tool, in MY opinion, because trying to do good by joining up with The Gap cancels that good out. That said, I do like me some older U2.
Posted by DOTDOT (anonymous) on November 28, 2007 at 2:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Effected? Anyway.
Sensitivity to judgment seems to increase with the invocation of the word 'tool'. Don't know why, but there it is.
Posted by jochan (Jocelyn Craft) on November 29, 2007 at 4:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps sensitivity to judgment increases with the use of <em>ad hominem</em> attacks?
Posted by godjilla (Jill Ensley) on November 29, 2007 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps some people have no sense of humor.
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