(04-07-2008) Why Bono is the 'master manipulator' - The Ottawa Citizen*

[hippy]

Why Bono is the 'master manipulator'

Donna Jacobs, The Ottawa Citizen

"It is absurd, if not obscene, that celebrity is a door that such serious issues need to pass through before politicians take note." -- Bono

Bono, lead man for the famous Irish U2 rock band, took his name from a street sign -- the Dublin hearing aid company "Bono Vox of O'Connell Street." He shortened it first to "Bono Vox" and then to just "Bono."

Since then, he's gone beyond a "good voice" to pro bono -- Latin for "in the public good."

In 2003, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and in 2005, he shared the cover of Time magazine with Bill and Melinda Gates as Persons of the Year .

Bono (Paul Hewson), at 47, has become the billion-dollar charity man. The singer/songwriter's trademark leather jacket and vividly-tinted wraparound sunglasses (for his light-sensitive eyes and a bit for his vanity) give him a distinctive presence as he twists the arms of the mighty to fight poverty.

Many celebrities, for example Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, give their own money; the Jolie Pitt Foundation donated $8 million in 2006, including $1 million to Doctors Without Borders. Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation aims to rebuild New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward from Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

Bono doesn't give his own money, says University of Waterloo political science professor Andrew F. Cooper. What the musician gives is time and work, his fame and, he says, his "stubbornness" -- digging money out of other people's pockets and out of national treasuries to help Africa and to forgive Third World debt.

Mr. Cooper, in his recently-published anecdote-and quote-rich book Celebrity Diplomacy, has made an excellent study of Bono, the world's No. 1 example of celebrities-turned-diplomat or, in the author's phrase "the Bonoization of diplomacy."

While announcing a $5-billion foreign aid package in 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush said of Bono, who was sitting behind him: "Bono, I appreciate your heart, and to tell you what an influence you've had -- Dick Cheney walked in the Oval Office, he said, '(ultra-conservative Republican Senator) Jesse Helms wants us to listen to Bono's ideas'."

Former president Bill Clinton tells a similar story: "I'll never forget one day during my administration. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers arrives in the Oval Office to announce: 'You know, some guy just came in to see me in jeans and a T-shirt and he just had one name, but he sure was smart. Do you know anything about him'?"

Mr. Cooper, professor and distinguished fellow of the Waterloo-based Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), has studied celebrity diplomats from the early pacesetting Audrey Hepburn and Danny Kaye to dozens of stars and public figures, who include George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey and, of course, Diana, Princess of Wales.

For Bono, it all started in 1984 when U2 played during rocker Bob Geldof's 1984 Band Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief efforts.

Bono, then 24, and his wife, Ali, went further than those concerts. They went all the way to Wello, Ethiopia, and worked for six weeks at an orphanage.

"You'd wake up in the morning and as the mist would be lifting, you'd see thousands and thousands of people who'd been walking all night to our food station," Bono recounted.

"You'd walk out of your tent and you'd count bodies of dead and abandoned children. Or worse, the father of a child would walk up to you and try to give you his living child and say, 'You take it, because if this is your child, it won't die.'

"My experience there was very hard to forget, but ... I did.

"We went back to our daily life in Ireland and me being in a band, but we'd always hoped we might be able to look at the structure of the problem. There's a certain kind of poverty that is structural, not just misfortune, and so when I heard about this plan to use the millennium as an opportunity to give the poorest countries a chance to start again (with their international debt forgiven), I thought, 'This is major, and it's the right thing to do'."

Bono's charity work is inspired partly from his own story. He grew up in Ireland during "The Troubles" with a Roman Catholic father and a Protestant mother. She died of a brain hemorrhage at her father's funeral when Bono was 14.

Religion drives and sustains him along with a healthy dose of "Catholic guilt." (He, guitarist David Evans "The Edge," and drummer Larry Mullen belonged to a charismatic Christian group called Shalom in their early years.)

He has added skills. "Bono stands out as a master manipulator, unlike his counterpart, Bob Geldof," says Mr. Cooper. The two have often teamed up on world leaders using Bono's smooth-talking good-cop approach to Geldof's rough-edged, scruffy and irreverent bad-cop style. Mr. Cooper calls Mr. Geldof "the antidiplomat."

Brilliantly successful in raising money, Mr. Geldof commandeered a global audience of 1.5 billion who tuned 93 per cent of the world's TVs to one of his benefit concerts. The 15-hour concert and recording raised $100 million.

Mr. Cooper analyses Bono's success.

One, Bono is a wordsmith -- from his musical lyrics to the media sound bites that are music to the journalist's ears.

For example: "It is absurd, if not obscene, that celebrity is a door that such serious issues need to pass through before politicians take note," Bono said. "But there it is. The idea has a force of its own. We're making it louder. Making noise is a job description, really, for a rock star."

(It took Diana, Princess of Wales, to catalyze interest on a treaty to ban landmines. Canada's then-foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy had championed the cause with U.S. activist Jody Williams. She and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines shared the Nobel Peace Prize.)

Two, Bono does his homework -- seeking out, for one, Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University economy professor and one-man NGO, who gave him a crash course in international debt.

Mr. Sachs was "amply repaid," says Mr. Cooper, when Bono wrote the forward to Mr. Sach's bestselling book The End of Poverty. Mr. Sachs also travelled to Kenya with Angelina Jolie -- another fact-getter in her job as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which helps 20 million refugees in 120 countries.

Bono joined the London-based group Jubilee 2000 to support "the idea of the poorest countries having their debs to the richest ones cancelled out" and then launched his own foundation, DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa.).

Three, he targets pivotal people and (judiciously) throws their words back at them. He also speaks their language. With Jesse Helms, he quoted scripture, describing AIDS as "the leprosy of our age." With U.S. legislators, he talks security and terrorism: "Africa is not the frontline on the war -- but it could be soon."

Four, he mentors other celebrities.

Five, he praises and criticizes. In 2003, he showed up to celebrate Paul Martin's win at the Liberal leadership convention. Two years later, he washed his hands of prime minister Martin for backing down on his promise to raise Canada's foreign aid to 0.7 per cent of GDP.

Where would Mr. Cooper -- if he were a celebrity -- direct his star power?

"Clean water," he answers instantly. "I'm always amazed celebrities don't choose it." One exception is actor Matt Damon, main champion and co-founder of the H2O Africa Foundation (www.h2oafrica.org) whose network of NGOs and corporations builds clean water projects across Africa. Despite Mr. Damon's star status and water's crucial tie-in to poverty, disease and degraded environment, the Damon campaign has had only small-scale accomplishments, says Mr. Cooper. The foundation has found it "hard to translate its work into big clout." Clean water needs "new and more celebrity advocates," he says "diligent and committed personalities to act as its champions." Thus Ottawa-based WaterCan (www.watercan.com), whose honorary president is Margaret Trudeau, "does seem to be filling a gap." Each day, dirty water and lack of sanitation kill 5,000 children in the Third World. Globally, pathogen-infested water infects one in every three people with diseases. The diseases kill 2.2 million of them.


http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...56e92d7aa8&p=1

[JCOSTER]

Nice article, but I think they got one thing wrong, Bono has given some of his own money.

[mikeuk]

two things wrong - the Live Aid concert was 13 July 85

Mike

[Carek1230]

"the Bonoization of diplomacy" I love that!

And I know that Bono HAS in fact given his own money. Not to mention, WHO foots the bill for his travels and his TIME?

I'd like to know what if anything the author of the article has done giving of time or money to any of the same or similar causes?

[last unicorn]

The article has a couple of inaccurancies, but is overall very interesting. Still, it's not telling us anything new.

[Butterscotch]

Band Aid was Christmas season 84 but Live Aid was July 13 '85. Inaccuracies hurt credibility! You think somebody would proofread and get it right before it gets published!

[Shuey]

I think Mr Cooper is A Wee Bit Off

I Guess i will View it Point form

1. Does Mr Cooper Have any idea what it costs to Fly Back and
Fourth , To A - Keep the Collection of Money Going for Africa
B, Meet with the Politicians wherever they Be , and C , Get Back
On Track with U2


2 Bono is not the Master Manipulater , you May think that because
Hes Everywhere at Once and The Tail End of Your Information on
Him ,Doesnt Have a Conclution, In Other Words, You Statements
are Made on Trying to Create Fact out of a Rock Star , How does
One Do that , The Answer , You Cant ,

3 To Run U2 Inc , is Huge , and There is So Much Involved that
The Amount of Time and Money spent By Bono Doing what he does Counts for Alot, Because If You Factor in what is Cost to
Run U2 inc ( So to Speak ) It has to Be Massive ,

So THAT IS , Bonos Money at Work ,, That is U2s Money At
Work and Let Me Ask You a Better Question , Who Else in the World Can do what he Does , Nobody ,

I will Bet , That Bono and His Wife , in the Past Few years have
Probably Sat Somewhere ,and said to Each other , We Did it

They Got the Solution for A Problem that they Saw In Africa
over 20 Years Ago .

As For Paul Martin , I have a Good Friend that introduced Him at
Quite A few of the Liberal Launches North Of Toronto , and I can
Tell you that I dont think He Would Have had any of the Milage
He Had , without Bono Coming To Speak at that ACC Meeting

I was there and I Have to say , that i like Paul Martin , but I dont think He Could Have Controlled , What Canada Gave to Africa
Because the Powers Above him that control this Country and
You can Never Be sure who they are it seems , Would Not give
him the Go Ahead ,and hey Hes an Elected Official Working on Behalf of Canada .

I think that in alot of Ways , Canadas System is Complete Bullshit. It rewards all the Boys and Girls Up top , so they can
Play around in their Golfcourses and Ski Hills and The Rest of Canada Has to Battle it out All the Time , Day in and Day out
and Pay 50 percent Tax that , Doesnt Really Do Much ,

I will Bet You That the Amount of Money Spent By Bono on Africa
Has to be in and Around 20,000,000,

The Amount of Revenue that he has Created for Africa though is
the Real Issue, its in the Billions,

Every Company Needs Revenues to Run , Its what people do with the Money that they have in a Business Like U2 inc is what
Counts

Its Not the Other way around, as any business owner will tell you

[' Bleuart]

Always.. the same.
Why they can't see the good things?
he's trying to help, and that's what really matters.

How he should help ?
like them? just thinking that poverty is too sad, but doing nothing?

já.

[Shuey]

I know , My Grandfathers Company Sends about 4 oceanic containers of Paper to Africa , each year for the Schools. it supplies about 180 students with paper for the entire year

My Cousin Brendan is a Priest and he has been in Africa , living
there for 20 years , Helping Out the People There. Its Funny , He
Received the Same Kind of Rosary that Bono did , From the Same
Pope Too. Hes from Ireland as well

I havent done too much , Ive Bought alot of African Made Shirts
from the GAP , but really its A slow start , I Injured Myself Really Good on the Weekend , Ski Training for Racing , Broken Ribs
and Hip , But during the Four weeks i am Down , Im Going to Think of A way i can Help out Africans ,

Maybe , Find a few of them that have just landed in Toronto
on immigration , and Build A House Near My Home , Would Be an
Idea , They Could All Work up here in Landscaping and Construction, That might be a Good Idea, Well , Im a little High
right now from the Tylonol 3s , Its a Good Thing i Had some
Guinness in Me when i Crashed , I think that will Help the Recovery thats for Sure .

[Shuey]

Also , Why Doesnt Canada Take a Cut in Taxes in this Country

Every other industry has to make Cutbacks to compete with the world , Why Doesnt Canada. Ireland Was smart , They Gave
Business owners a 10 year free tax break if they would locate in their country for a that length of time.

Also , They Dont Tax the Corporations they tax individuals, Now
in a Realistic Form , nobody really wins with Taxes , But At the same Time , I cant Beleive that the amount of People Driving High
End Cars and Living in 1,000,000,00 Dollar Homes in this Country
Got to be this way over Tax Breaks.

One Day a Month should be Tax free in All Countries around the World, and take the Money and Give it To Africans , Just to
at Least Balance out the balance of Life ,

As Much as Africa is the Problem though , So is the Environment
and if we Dont Change Soon , Africa is going to be the Least of
Our Worries, Global Change is happening By the Second , And
The Big Producers of Bad things on this Planet have to Reverse
Gears Real Soon

There Can be as much money made Putting Things Back into the
Enviornment as there was Taking things From it . Just have to Come up with New Products ,. The Ideas Man is going to Be the
Man of the Future , and it is Not the Other Way Around ,

Its Going to be Pretty Hard to Drive a Car under Water , and even
Harder to Go and Play Outside if there is no Air to breathe with .

I know Al Gore , was extreme to some , But hey That guy told it the way it is.

Tree Planting is for sure the Best thing you can Do . It will Give
Our Children in the Future a Fighting Chance

[Shuey]

I took a picture of the Bonovox store when i was in Dublin ,

There is alot of Mystical Stores in Dublin just like it , Theres
A Really Cool Mens Clothing Store , Near it , and if you go in there
they Have a Picture of Bono Doing a Camera shot of his own with i guess one of the owners of the shop . But the Store has
Pictures of Pierce Brosnan , and Alot Of American Actors , The
Store just says , Hey When your in Ireland , This is where you
go to dress like an Irishman ,

There somthing about the Messed up , kind of Rough and
Rogue way of Suit wearing in Ireland , Its Really Cool

Its Very Cool , kind of like Harry Rosens in Toronto . I really
Like those little 3 wheeler jaunting Carts that they have in Dublin
The One I Saw had a 7 Up picture on the side of one of them
Good Conservation of Gas , Thats for Sure ,

I Drove a Renault when i was in Dublin , That Car was So Fast
For A 2.8 litre , It could Really Boogy

The City of Dublin Place is right behind the Clarence , and
So is that Magical Temple Bar Distict , I must have walked Up
and down All of Dublin Three Times , It was Amazing , The Night
Life , the Day Life , and Cruising around While you are on the Drink

Great looking women in Dublin , its A Mixture of Kind Of Swedish
and Scottish , and Spanish , It even has a Polish TV Station , I
met one of the Anchors at the Clarence one Night , Wow she
was good looking , Her Friend from Ireland was A real Bitch , Man
She Even Gave it to the Scottish Manager at the Clarence Pretty
Bad too , So as soon as she walked away , I said to Him
Isnt that the Meanest Bitch you Even Met , and he Just Let out
A Laugh like he just went 8 rounds with Sean osullivan .

You know he wanted to comment , But He Was So Professional
that he Didnt , Thats what i was so Impressed with the Clarence
The People in there take their Jobs very Seriously , and They Do
A Great Job .

President Bill Clinton was there , with The Rolling Stones and
Greenday and all of U2 , Two Weeks before i arrived , Ah Well
I could have had some drinks with Bubba and Mick and Bono
and those dudes from Greenday , Well Maybe next time ,

One thing i Couldnt get over was how goodlooking Mrs Edge was
That is one Very Attractive looking Lady , I hope Mr Edge doesnt
Mind me Commenting , but hey , hes a very lucky man . and just
in case hes reading this , Well, your a very attractive man too MR
Edge ( just to even it out so to speak)

Bonos wife is Gorgeous too , I have never met Bono in person , Well Except in Concerts , but i always wanted to sit down and
Have a Guinness with Him , I would bet that with a Few in Him
Him and the Rest of the band would be a Hoot !

While i was leaving Dublin at the Hewston station , Some Young
Guys Stole an entire Truck Load of Guinness right out the Front
Gates of the Guinness Factory at St James Gate , What a Fucking Laugh that was , I Thought that was incredible ,

Speaking of Complete Theft , I was Reading an Article in the Irish
Independent about Paul McCartney and his Divorce while i was on that Beautiful Train Ride South Aside from the
Money which was Pure LEGAL Robbery, Does she Not Realize
that Maybe the Rest of us in the World Would like to Listen to
new and Great Paul McCartney Songs , Then She has the Nuts
to want to appear on the dance show , and then To Top it all off
She Goes back for 70,000 per month , For Support when she has
Just received 40,000,000, , I Mean is it just Me , Or Is there somthing Very Wrong about the Legal systems around the World
Why Do People think they are entitled to Other Peoples money
like that , She was only with him 4 years , and his Money is based on the Beatles , which was done well over 25 years ago

What a Fucking Nutcase Man , Somebody should just Steel it
Back from her and Give it To Africa , That would be the Sensable
Thing

Its Like Bono sings , in All Along the Watchtower , It says somthing like the Guilty Are on the Outside the Innocent on the
Inside / That Man is So Right

I mean Since the Proceedings , He has done the Big Concerts
But i havent Heard any new Material from Him for over 5 years
Its A Good Thing She Didnt Pour that Jug of Water on My Head
I would have Picked her Up , Tossed Her through the First Open
Window i could find and Im a Nice enough guy that i would make
sure there was a Swimming Pool below .

[Shuey]

Okay , Too Many Tylonol Threes Last Night , I will Leave this
Sight alone for a Wee While , I like to say what i think but....

I will Say one more ,

That Andrea Corrs is the Hottest Women In Ireland . I wonder
if she would consider a night out on the Town in Toronto with
An Irish Lad Out Here.

What do you say Baby ?

Tell you what , I will Sing the Duet with You , Stars Go blue , and
I will Show Bono how its Done.

By the Way , I have been Hammered and Sang at over 35 Places
in Ontario U2 Songs , with about 25 bands , Some I sung two
Songs with .

Eat, Drink , and Grab Mary ,

Shuey