[Zippy]

smug, greedy, self-obsessed, hypocritical twat?

well somebody clearly does(besides me) as direct action group Art uncut are planning a visually spectacular protest at U2's Glastonbury performance. This is a protest against Bono and his groups tax evading antics which deprive the Irish people of millions which could fund public services.

Considering he's always running his mouth about poverty and how we should all give to help the starving I think its utterly outrageous that he has over £400mill just sitting in various shifty global accounts just accumulating even more millions. How the hell does he live with being such a fcking hypocrite? Why does he need that much money himself if he's so concerned about the starving millions in the world? As it not occurred to him how many lives his money could save?

Normally I wouldn't say rich or famous people have a duty to save the world but he uses the whole charity schtick to promote himself and grandstand with world leaders. He obviously doesnt even believe that charity begins at home.

What a douche.

Do you think he's a hypocrite?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/u2-face-pro...pphu-container

[Niamh.]

yeah, he's just not living in the real world I think, he's forgotten what normality is

[Kerry]

Don't know much about him anymore. Detested him years ago and doubt my view would change from the bits and bobs I've heard

[patsylimerick]

No, I don't agree. What he does with his own finances is nothing different from what most millionaires and billionaires do all over the world to avoid giving the taxman half of what they have. It's probably not commendable, but who of us would give the taxman more than we actually have to?
In relation to using charity to promote himself; well he doesn't have to promote himself, does he? He was HUGE before he ever became vocal on world poverty. He is admirably well versed on global economics and geo politics which is very refreshing in the general run of celeb charity divas. The man has a brain.

Finally, if he was just a rockstar and didn't lobby for action on global poverty, would anyone give a shoite where he holds his bank accounts? Erm, no. They wouldn't. He is the perfect example of someone who doesn't have to do this. He has an incredibly successful international music career, a family (a wife he's been with since he was 17, by the way, how refreshing) and a hell of a lot of friends who universally speak highly of him. He doesn't have to give a ****, but he does. How he can be the subject of such vitriolic criticism in a celebrity world almost completely peopled in 2011 by self-serving, vacuous, greedy, greedy superficial numpties, it baffles me how HE is the target.

The logic appears to be; if he was an abjectly stupid and avaricious celebrity - as so many of them are, that would be fine - because then he wouldn't be a hypocrite. Once more, I feel like I inhabit an alternate universe.

Also, as I mentioned his wife Ali, she has been a tireless advocate for the sick and abandoned children of Chernobyl for some 25 years. She's a stunningly beautiful woman married to a superstar who is only ever seen in public when she is advocating, eloquently and modestly on their behalf.

Would that all the 'smug, hypocritical twats' of the world were like these two.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by patsylimerick

No, I don't agree. What he does with his own finances is nothing different from what most millionaires and billionaires do all over the world to avoid giving the taxman half of what they have. It's probably not commendable, but who of us would give the taxman more than we actually have to?
In relation to using charity to promote himself; well he doesn't have to promote himself, does he? He was HUGE before he ever became vocal on world poverty. He is admirably well versed on global economics and geo politics which is very refreshing in the general run of celeb charity divas. The man has a brain.

Finally, if he was just a rockstar and didn't lobby for action on global poverty, would anyone give a shoite where he holds his bank accounts? Erm, no. They wouldn't. He is the perfect example of someone who doesn't have to do this. He has an incredibly successful international music career, a family (a wife he's been with since he was 17, by the way, how refreshing) and a hell of a lot of friends who universally speak highly of him. He doesn't have to give a ****, but he does. How he can be the subject of such vitriolic criticism in a celebrity world almost completely peopled in 2011 by self-serving, vacuous, greedy, greedy superficial numpties, it baffles me how HE is the target.

The logic appears to be; if he was an abjectly stupid and avaricious celebrity - as so many of them are, that would be fine - because then he wouldn't be a hypocrite. Once more, I feel like I inhabit an alternate universe.

Also, as I mentioned his wife Ali, she has been a tireless advocate for the sick and abandoned children of Chernobyl for some 25 years. She's a stunningly beautiful woman married to a superstar who is only ever seen in public when she is advocating, eloquently and modestly on their behalf.

Would that all the 'smug, hypocritical twats' of the world were like these two.

Bang on.

He seems like a great bloke. If people want to interpret a man shouting aloud about causes as him being smug than they will find a way. Maybe because they are insecure about their own apathy, I don't know.

He hasn't really put much of a foot wrong in his career. This 'Bono is a wanker' thing is completely the invention of the celebrity world to waste up some column inch and fill time on popcorn brained countdown shows and gossip updates.

I'd rather direct my attention to the many other cultural cancers/nations sweethearts. It's indicative of the type of world we live in that more young people probably care about thinking Bono is a wanker than about the great albums he has put out with the rest of the lads.

'Nah I don't know what the Joshua Tree is, but that Bono is a right egotistical **** lol'

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by patsylimerick

Finally, if he was just a rockstar and didn't lobby for action on global poverty, would anyone give a shoite where he holds his bank accounts? Erm, no. They wouldn't.

Yes they bloody would.

And if you can't see the hypocrisy of him banging on and on about greed and global poverty whilst having hundreds of millions laying idle and finding crafty ways of shirking his responsibilities as a tax paying Irish citizen then I just give up. If he cares so much about people badly off then why is he not happy to pay his share of tax?

Greedy hypocrite whichever way you slice it. Unless you think he actually needs £400 million to live on?

He should put his money where his mouth is.

[patsylimerick]

with thanks to Blozor

The other thing Bono is most criticized for is his charity work. If there's one thing middle class Americans can't seem to understand it's the ability to care about other people who are not, specifically, themselves. The main complaint I tend to hear is that people resent Bono for asking them to give up any of their money for these causes when Bono is, himself, rich. Apparently, the rich are obligated to donate their entire earnings to the poor so that the middle class can continue donating nothing but their arrogant indifference.

Everyone cites how much Bono and U2 are roughly worth, which are figures available to the public, but no one seems to note donations that Bono or the band makes to charity, particularly because there is no real quantifiable evidence. This is because the band demands their donations be kept private, which is how donations are supposed to be made, modestly. If someone flaunts their donation, they're doing it for vanity or recognition. However, when the president of Amnesty International or Careflight says U2's donation was "sizeable," I'm sure they're not just bull****ting us.

The problem with the argument is that Bono could donate his entire net worth to charity, and it would still only make a dent in the campaign, and then Bono would be just as poor as the people he's trying to help. Everyone would regard it as an amazingly stupid move, despite it's pretty much what everyone wants to see him do right now, and he would lose his political clout because no one would respect his judgment anymore. It's easier to ask hundreds of millions of people to give dollars than it is for one person to give several million dollars. It'd be easier to write a check and be done with it; it costs a lot more to give your time for upwards of three decades now. The next time you're brandishing Bono a hypocrite for preaching charity while being rich, ask yourself how much money you've donated to charity lately. Even if Bono donated nothing but his time, it'd still be far more than the majority of his detractors have donated, so shut the **** up.

[Beastie]

Bono is a bellend. Like the rest of us!

[Patrick]

[joeysteele]

Hmmm, I voted no he wasn't but then read all the posts,Zippy has convinced me that I was wrong to do so, very strong and valid points you make on this one Zippy.

[Zippy]

Ughh

if you have to resort to a copy/paste jobby then you should go to bed. Im not even reading all that.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Zippy

Ughh

if you have to resort to a copy/paste jobby then you should go to bed. Im not even reading all that.

Why not? It's a perfectly reasonable argument. Not 'resorting' to anything.

[patsylimerick]

Originally Posted by Zippy

Ughh

if you have to resort to a copy/paste jobby then you should go to bed. Im not even reading all that.

OK, how about a question. Why does his caring about poverty bother you?

Oh, and here's another one. Are all famous people who avoid tax hypocrites? All of them? Because most of them are at it. Footballers, for instance, use all kinds of tax avoidance methods to categorise their income in such a way as to make their taxable income shrink drastically. The BBC's presenters have an advisory service on how pay less tax. Everyone and his or her mother seeks to avoid paying less tax. U2 - and it was all of them, by the way, not just Paul Hewson - were facing a tax bill of 42% and they chose to move a chunk of that money eastward. I said at the very get go that this move is not commendable. However, it doesn't necessarily negate the good that the man does - his charity work or his wonderful music.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by patsylimerick

OK, how about a question. Why does his caring about poverty bother you?

Oh, and here's another one. Are all famous people who avoid tax hypocrites? All of them? Because most of them are at it. Footballers, for instance, use all kinds of tax avoidance methods to categorise their income in such a way as to make their taxable income shrink drastically. The BBC's presenters have an advisory service on how pay less tax. Everyone and his or her mother seeks to avoid paying less tax. U2 - and it was all of them, by the way, not just Paul Hewson - were facing a tax bill of 42% and they chose to move a chunk of that money eastward. I said at the very get go that this move is not commendable. However, it doesn't necessarily negate the good that the man does - his charity work or his wonderful music.

His blatant hypocrisy bothers me. He obviously enjoys hobnobbing with the worlds elite politicians(you can see him jizzing his pants). Seems to me he uses the whole "cumbya lets end world poverty" schtick as a way of making him look like the male version of Mother Theresa.

But did she have £400mill stashed away and a team of accountants(crooks) hiding her wealth? No!

People go to prison for not paying tax. Unless they're wealthy enough to use the very best accountants, clearly.

So he's a crook and a hypocrite.

[patsylimerick]

Originally Posted by Zippy

His blatant hypocrisy bothers me. He obviously enjoys hobnobbing with the worlds elite politicians(you can see him jizzing his pants). Seems to me he uses the whole "cumbya lets end world poverty" schtick as a way of making him look like the male version of Mother Theresa.

But did she have £400mill stashed away and a team of accountants(crooks) hiding her wealth? No!

People go to prison for not paying tax. Unless they're wealthy enough to use the very best accountants, clearly.

So he's a crook and a hypocrite.

He's got more fans than most of them put together, so I think they probably quite enjoy his company too. Not a crime, is it? And he's deeply religious; not my bag and not something he's very vocal about for fear of villification (small wonder, eh?). But his spirituality probably has something to do with his philantrophism. Would it be better, for you, if he kept his books in boy scout order and his mouth shut about the political, financial rape of the third world?

So is every footballer/actor/singer who similiarly employs accountants for the same purpose equally worthy of scorn?

No, people go to prison for evading tax, not for avoiding it. If they did, the prisons would be full of the great and the mere mortal.

No he's not a crook. And he's got a damn lot more about him than some of the legitimately labelled twats who get salivated over on the Internet and couldn't find Uganda on a map.

[InOne]

Bono is one of those I've always loved for the music and never given a thought about his personal life or what he does outside the band, I like it better that way.

[MTVN]

This is a difficult one, I like Bono & have a lot of respect for the charity work that he does do, and which shouldnt be disregarded. I also dont see why you say "he obviously doesn't even believe charity begins at home" as though it's shameful thing to think; if he did believe that then he's right, it doesn't. But it does seem pretty hypocritical of him to preach charity while at the same time avoiding paying much needed tax money. It's hard to defend a thing like that because the only motivation for doing it is greed really, if that money is just sitting there idle

[Stu]

Bono moved the business to Holland at a time Ireland was prospering too, it should be pointed out. Plenty of people here were trying to avoid tax because the government was absoloutely raping it from us. We were rich, greedy bastards.

It's not as if he wanted to bring his own people back to the famine era.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by patsylimerick

He's got more fans than most of them put together, so I think they probably quite enjoy his company too. Not a crime, is it? And he's deeply religious; not my bag and not something he's very vocal about for fear of villification (small wonder, eh?). But his spirituality probably has something to do with his philantrophism. Would it be better, for you, if he kept his books in boy scout order and his mouth shut about the political, financial rape of the third world?

So is every footballer/actor/singer who similiarly employs accountants for the same purpose equally worthy of scorn?

No, people go to prison for evading tax, not for avoiding it. If they did, the prisons would be full of the great and the mere mortal.

No he's not a crook. And he's got a damn lot more about him than some of the legitimately labelled twats who get salivated over on the Internet and couldn't find Uganda on a map.

Yes, he's a crafty crook.

And as I already stated, I do not expect every rich or famous person to save the world with their money. But when you are going to continually stand on platforms preaching about greedy countries depriving the poorer countries then you really should take a look at your own backyard. He's depriving poor people in Ireland of his taxes.

Which also brings me to the point I caught earlier about how him giving money will not change the huge poverty situation much. Well if we all took that attitude then nobody would give anything! Im pretty sure him giving £100mill would make a damn sight more difference than me giving a fiver.

Excuses.

[Stu]

Still though that fiver is also needed.

If we all took that attitude ...

[Omah]

Originally Posted by ~Kerry~

Don't know much about him anymore. Detested him years ago and doubt my view would change from the bits and bobs I've heard

Yeah, he was a pompous and pretentious prig in the '80's - too much money has made him into a complete and utter t**t ..... alongside the equally abhorrent so-called "Sting".....

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Omah

Yeah, he was a pompous and pretentious prig in the '80's - too much money has made him into a complete and utter t**t ..... alongside the equally abhorrent so-called "Sting".....

I agree.
Also as to Sting,now he is so arrogant.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by Omah

Yeah, he was a pompous and pretentious prig in the '80's..

*prick

and 90s and OOs...

One of those earnest religious gonks who fancy themselves as a bit of a Jesus incarnate.

Lose all your wealth, Bono, and we might just fall for it. Jesus with £400mill and a team of crafty accountants doesn't quite work though.

[Scarlett.]

Meh, Bono's alright, his cause is worthy....it's Geldof that irritates me with his global warming crap - When he's the one flying around the world in jets and wasting energy with these 'Save teh werld' concerts

[Shasown]

Bono a crook nah he isnt no way, a hypocrite, nah I dont think so, you dont know how much he has in his bank accounts, you have no idea how much he gave to charity over any financial period, you have no idea of his real worth. You havent got a clue about the way U2's finances are set up.

Talk about lashing out in a blind rage.

However he did manage to persuade Gordon Brown and other political leaders to write off billions yes thats billions not just thousands or millions of pounds of debt owed simply on interest on third world debt. And in some cases writing off the debt totally. To be frank not enough is done but...

If nothing else it was a start. And he went out and done that, not anyone else, he did...

Then there is the One campaign try reading up on it.

He also puts his hand in his pocket when its his round, unlike that twat McGregor

Oh and one other thing he may not be the best singer in the world but he is a fecking great songwriter and he can move an audience to actually do something as opposed to a lot in the pop/rock world.

Work out how many lives he has saved in Central and South America, Africa, Asia etc. how much money has flowed into Amnesty, One, Greenpeace and a good many other organisations he has gobbed off about. Then come back and tell me Paul Hewson doesnt deserve to have whatever wealth he does have (which, and lets face it you dont really know, you assume some gob****e journalist is accurate).

Good luck to the man I say!