Bono and Bobby Shriver have been making the television rounds today to continue the promotion of RED. They were spotted on CNN earlier today, as well as FOX News. To watch their interview on FOX, click here. To watch the interview on CNN’s Your World Today, click here.
Bono has been quite busy over the past 24 hours. As we all know, he went shopping with Oprah yesterday. Then he was invited onto Air Force One for a 10 minute meeting with President Bush and his buddies Christy Turlington and Bobby Shriver to discuss the work of DATA.
This morning it was announced that he and Bob Geldof lost the Nobel Peace Prize to another worthy poverty-focused initative headed up by Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank Yunus founded.
Also this morning, he’s also been asked to help fund the FIFA World Cup along with former President Clinton too. According to The Swazi Observer:
“Mankhenkesi Stofile has advised the National Football Association (FA) to approach international organisations in order to secure funding for football squads ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“He cited some of these organisations as the former President of the United States of America (USA) Bill Clinton’s Foundation and that of U2 Rock Group member, Bono.
“Stofile said although the two funds were established to fight poverty and HIV and AIDS prevalence in the African continent they could also be accessed for the funding of football projects as it was another way of fighting poverty.
“The minister, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, made these remarks during an official dinner which was hosted at the South African High Commissioner Mzolisi Mabude’s residence at Dalriach on Wednesday night.”
There is no word from Bono’s camp about offering funding at this time.
As part of the apparent Product Red launch, Bono and Oprah went shopping along Michigan Ave. in Chicago late this morning.
An atU2 stringer reports Bono and Oprah visited the GAP store (which was decked out in red), then took a walk down Michigan Ave. (possibly stopping at Armani) to the Apple store.
After leaving the Apple store, Oprah shook some hands with on-lookers, then the two got into a red Ford Thunderbird. Always the gentleman, Bono opened the car door for Oprah.
Camera’s were everywhere following the two-some, so I assume you’ll see footage of the trip on tomorrow’s Oprah show. In fact, as you entered the area on Michigan Avenue, signs were posted saying that by entering the area, you gave consent to be filmed.
Bono, Oprah, Kanye West, and Penelope Cruz appeared shortly thereafter at the Motorola store. The celebrities posed for pictures outside the store. Oprah left first (waving to her fans). Followed by Bono in an SUV, and Kanye. Penelope stayed behind.
Check back later, we may have videotaped footage of part of the event.
…there’s been a full semester course on U2 at a university? Check out this description for Theology, Culture and U2 at Fresno Pacific University (Division of Biblical and Religious Studies):
The rock band U2 has delivered a consistent message of Christian faith and social justice since its 1980 debut album. The band members, heavily influenced in their early years by living in war-torn Ireland and belonging to a Christian community called Shalom, fill their music with rich biblical imagery. Lead singer Bono has become a political activist addressing global issues of poverty, inequity, fair trade, AIDS, and debt relief. In this course students will explore how U2’s message and theology interact with culture to create a unique expression of Christian faith. The course will critically examine the works of U2 and will challenge students to think theologically about current cultural issues.
Tim Neufeld, who is teaching the class, has been talking about this course on his blog Occasio. He’s posted class notes and a power point presentation from the first session.
One of the options for his students’ first assignment was to write about five or ten songs and how they are spiritually significant for them. Visitors to the blog have been commenting up a storm on this topic…it’s kind of a fun one to think about. The other option was to interview people who’ve been fans for twenty years or more. If you’re in that category, you might want to drop Tim a line…maybe the class still needs volunteers as interview subjects!
Tip o’ the hat to Beth.
If you live in the New York City area, watch your inbox today as U2.com has sent out a special email only to fans in the area:
=====
Bono and Edge will be appearing on a new HBO Music Series to be
broadcast in November.
The interview is being filmed in New York City this Thursday,
October 5th, and we have 50 invitations to the recording available
exclusively for our New York subscribers.
If you can be in New York City this Thursday from 11am until 4pm,
please enter our draw by clicking the link below.
We will select 50 of the entrants at random, and we’ll let the lucky
winners know by 6pm on Wednesday evening.
====
This is probably the taping for the new Dave Stewart musicians-themed show.
Good luck to those who enter - if you’re lucky to get in, please share your experience with us on the blog!
Hockey fans, now’s your chance.
The NHL team the ‘Colorado Avalanche’ are asking fans to vote on the song that will become their official goal song.
The choices?
2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready For This”
2 Unlimited’s “Twilight Zone”
Joe Satriani’s “Crowd Chant”
U2’s “Elevation”
Click here to vote for the obvious best choice. (Thx Lee)
