MILLION DOLLAR REVIEW – YOU GIVE BONO A BAD NAME
The Million Dollar Hotel opens in Australia today. So it’s no surprise publications around the country are sharing their thoughts by reviewing the film. The ‘Hit’ section of Melbourne’s Herald Sun successfully managed to bad mouth the film in three different areas of it’s publication. Such wacky and disfavourable comments include:
“Mel was right. It is as boring as a dog’s a….”,
“Gibson is absolutely right: this is a shocker”,
“Based on a story hatched by U2 lead singer Bono, who has, thankfully, since retreated to his day job.”,
“Pretentious, precious, pointless and a poor excuse for accommodating audience enjoyment.”

Furthermore, this review in Beat magazine calls Bono a bad name that we cannot and will not repeat here.

WALKING, SLEEPING, TALKING, SHAGGIN’ DOLL
Bono is asked in Perth, 1998, if there were plans for U2 action figures…

PS. They weren’t real.

NAME THAT BABE
Here are some of the suggestions we received on our call for baby names:

• John Trimble Friday W. Bush Hutchence-Hewson
• Aretha Abdula Noxema Tapioca X Hewson
• for a boy: Beautiful Ray
• for a girl: Beautiful Faye
• The Edge Part II or The Edge: The Sequel
• Isaiah Kareem Abdul Phil Mullen Jr. Hewson
• John Paul George Hewson… if it’s a girl, Jeanette Paulette Georgette Hewson… we all know Ringo didn’t count 😉
• Boy: Jeremias, Girl: Anne Louise

Like Hot Press before them, WENN, ‘showbiz gossip press agency’ has fallen for our ‘Promo Bono’ prank.

[ click for a closer look ]

Now available for this item, a $12,99 vocal upgrade. New promo speak includes: ‘We have 11 good reasons to tour’, and ‘I am a spoiled rock star. I am overpaid, over-nourished and overdressed.‘

SHALL WE MAKE THAT PADDY AWARDS?
U2 will receive an ‘outstanding contribution to music’ award at the 2001 Brit Awards (Feb 26), as a group committed to creative excellence, integrity and rock ‘n’ roll.

A SHORT FILM ABOUT A SHORT MAN
Obsessed with U2? Think you’re seeing Bono everywhere?

Starring the man himself, ‘Sightings of Bono’ is a new short film “about a Dublin girl called Ellen (played by Marcella Plunkett) who sees Bono everywhere until she eventually meets him in the shop where she works.”

HE’S IN FASHION
Greek website thea.gr publishes an article called ‘Steal the… Bono look’, which was translated for us by Dimitris:

“Here is Mr Bono Vox or Paul Hewson- as written in his passport. Bono had get us used, when we were still young, in tone on tone or totally black look. The major element of his look, after “Achtung Baby” and “The fly” is his bulky but still nice glasses. This Year, when black is so trendy, (Armani, Costume National, YSL)as well as thr graffiti on t-shirts (Gaultier, Moschino), we could not help making a special reference to the “Bull with the black”. Bono says ” I don’t find some special gift on being a pop star. It is not always easy to cope with what people demand, and thus playing the role of the pop star.” Despite this, the sexy hitech Irish, adjusts himself to fashion, accordingly mixes his voice and performs shows which satisfy the demands of his fan club, consisting of millions of youngsters (that usually reach the age of 40. At least 40…)
He is the singer of the most selling band in the last 20 years. U2 are part of the pop culture, already from “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, a song that is always performed in their concerts. Bono himself lately avoids total black and, when in big music events (i.e. Grammy) appears wearing noir pinstriped suits Boggy style or one-coloured (always with extremely long sleeves), in concerts selects more “rock dressings” like jeans and eccentric t-shirts. And when in luxury occasions wears his transparent/red square glasses with the black frame, in concerts he prefers the full-red. Also leather (the leading guy every winter) is the top-tip of his look, together with his glasses. Don’t mention the fact that he never attempts strange stylistic cocktails, with the danger of humiliation. Steal him. No preverts!

We’re not sure what preverts are…

BRAZIL TV APPEARANCE
Shortly after receiving the translation below we were also contacted by Valdenir Vanalli Filho, who is actually mentioned in Globo’s article.

He’s made some nice real mp3s for us all. These are the songs that were broadcast on Brasilian television: Beautiful Day and Elevation. The page also includes an interview The Edge and Adam did for MTV Brazil.