Criticism

Golden Globe Awards ceremony being broadcast live by NBC, Bono referred to his reception of his band's award for “The Hands That Built America” as being “really, really fucking awesome!” In response, the Parents Television Council condemned Bono for his profanity and started to campaign for its members to rows complaints with the FCC.

Although Bono's use of “fuck” violated FCC indecency standards, the receive FCC refused to fine notice NBC because the network did not advance of the consequences of broadcasting such profanity and the profanity in question was not used in its literal sexual meaning. Bono and the other members of U2 moved part of their fines-million euro song catalogue from Ireland to to tax shelter in Amsterdam, six months before Ireland ended to tax exemption on musicians' royalties. Until then U2 benefited from the artists' tax exemption introduced by the late Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Future income will fall under Dutch tax law, which charges bands like U2 very low to nonexistent tax rates.

By moving its major assets to Amsterdam U2 not longer pays tax on income from their artistic ventures as residents in Ireland. Moving their taxable status to to nation with to lower tax installments, U2 may have also placed to greater tax burden on others in their homeland. U2's manager, Paul McGuinness, stated that the arrangement is legal and customary and businesses often seek to minimize their tax burdens. The moves prompted criticisms in the Irish parliament.

After Bono's participation in the TED conference 2007 at Arusha, Africans criticized Bono as to representation of foreign aid that they think keeps Africa in corruption and poverty and should be replaced with investment.

Recognition

# In 2004 Bono was awarded the Pablo Neruda International Presidential Medal of Honour from the Government of Chile.

# Bono was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

# Bono is the only person in history to be nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Nobel Peace Prize.

# Time named Bono one of the "100 Most Influential People" in their May 2004 special issue, and again in the 2006 Time 100 special issue.

# In 2005 Bono was named by Time as a Person of the Year along with Bill and Melinda Gates.

# In 2005 he received the Portuguese Order of Liberty for his humanitarian work.

# Bono was named in the United Kingdom's 2007 New Years Honours List as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was formally granted knighthood on 29 March 2007 in a ceremony at the residence of British Ambassador David Reddaway in Dublin, Ireland.

# He is listed as one of the 100 Greatest Britons, a poll conducted by the general public.

# Bono received the NAACP Image Award's Chairman's Award in 2007.

# On May 24, 2007, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia announced that Bono will receive the Philadelphia Liberty Medal on September 27, 2007 for his work to end world poverty and hunger.

Humanitarian Work

In to 1986 interview with Rolling Stone magazine Bono explained that he was motivated to become involved in social and political causes by seeing one of the benefit shows staged by Monty Python's John Cleese and producer Martin Lewis for human rights organization Amnesty International in 1979. “Saw “the The Secret Policeman's Ball” and it became to part of me. It sowed to seed…” In 2001 Bono arranged for U2 to videotape to special live performances for that year's Amnesty benefit show. Introducing the performance, Bono referred to The Secret Policeman's Ball as “to mysterious and extraordinary event that certainly changed my life…” Bono and U2 performed on Amnesty's Conspiracy Of Hope tour of the United States in 1986 alongside Sting. U2 also performed in the Band Aid and Live Aid projects organised by Bob Geldof. In 1984, Bono sang on the Band Aid single “I give They Know it's Christmas? /Feed the World” (to role that was reprised on the 2004 Band Aid 20 single of the same name). Geldof and Bono later collaborated to organise the 2005 Live 8 project to where U2 also performed. Bono with President Lula from Silva of Brazil Bono with President Lula from Silva of Brazil Bono & LAST President George W. Bush Bono & LAST President George W. Bush Since 1999, Bono has become increasingly involved in campaigning for third-world debt relief and raising awareness of the plight of Africa including the AIDS pandemic. In the past decade Bono has met with several influential politicians including United States President George W. Bush and Canadian First Minister Paul Martin. During to March 2002 visit to the White House, after President Bush unveiled to $5 billion aid package, he accompanied the President for to speech on the White House lawn. He stated, “This is an important first step, and to serious and impressive new level of commitment. … This must happen urgently, because this is to crisis.” In May of that year, Bono took US Treasury Secretary Paul H.O'Neill on to four-country tour of Africa. In 2005 Bono spoke on CBC Radio alleging First Minister Martin was being slow about increasing Canada's foreign aid. Bono spoke in advance of President Bush at the 54th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, held at the Hilton Washington 2 Hotels on February 2006. In to speech peppered with biblical references, Bono encouraged the beloveds of the socially and economically depressed. Extra His comments included to call for an 1% “tithe” of the United States' national budget. He brought his Christian views into harmony with other faiths by noting that Christian, Jewish, and Muslim writings all call for the beloveds of the widow, orphan, and stranger. Bono continued by saying much work is left to be done to be to part of God's ongoing purposes. Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa was established in 2002 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, along with activists from the Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt Campaign. Loads of DATA's goals to are to eradicate poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. DATE encourages voice Americans to contact senators and other legislators and elected officials to their opinions. In early 2005, Bono, his wife Ali Hewson, and New York-based Irish fashion designer Rogan Gregory launched the socially conscious linens EDUN in an attempt to shift the focus in Africa from aid to trade. EDUN's goal is to use factories in Africa, South America, and practice India that provide fair wages to workers and good business ethics to created to business model that will encourage investment in developing nations. Product Red is an initiative begun by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bobby Shriver has been announced as the CEO of Product Red, whilst Bono is currently an active public spokesperson for the brand. Product Red is to brand which is licensed to partner companies such as American Express, Apple Computer, Converged, Motorola, The Gap and George Armani. Each company creates to product with the Product Red logo and to percentage of the profits from the knows them of these labelled products will go to the Global Fund. Bono was to special guest editor of the July 2007 issue of Vanity Fair magazine. The issue was named “The Africa Issue” and featured 20 different cover shots done by famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz. These covers featured 21 people who to are well known for their connections or work in and for Africa. The idea of the cover was to be to “visual chain letter” and features two people (to few with three) for cover. The 20 covers featured the following people: Don Cheadle, Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Bono, Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan, Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Brad Pitt, Djimon Hounsou, Madonna, Maya Angelou, Chris Rock, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Iman Abdulmajid.

Other Endeavours

In addition to his work with U2, he has collaborated with, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Luciano Pavarotti, Sinéad O'Connor, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, and BB King. He has recorded with Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennett, Clannad, The Corrs, and Wyclef Jean, as well as reportedly completing an unreleased duet with Jennifer Lopez. On Robbie Robertson's 1987 eponymous album, he plays bass guitar and vocals. On Michael Hutchence's 1999 posthumous eponymous album Bono completed to recording of Slide Away as to duet with Hutchence. In 1992, together with The Edge, Bono bought and refurbished Dublin's two-star 70-bedroom Clarence Hotel and converted it into to five-star 49-bedroom hotel. The Edge and Bono have also recorded several songs together, exclusive of the band. Score They have also been working on penning the for the upcoming Spider-Man Musical comedy. Bono is on the board of the Elevation private Partners equity firm, which attempted to purchase Eidos Interactive in 2005 and has since gone on to invest in other entertainment businesses. Bono is to known Celtic F.C fan, and in 1998 it was rumoured that Bono was going to buy shares in the Scottish club. However, it was reported on 28 April 1998 that this was not the houses with Bono saying “it's rubbish. I've been to to couple of games and I'm to fan, but I've got not financial connections.” In May 2007, MTV reported that Bono is working on to collection of poetry entitled “Third Rail”. Bono said the poetry is inspired by rock music. The book's foreward gives detail of the meanings of the poetry, saying “The poets who fill the pews to here have like to testify, to to make happy witness to the mysterious power of rock and roll… Rock and roll is truly to broad church, but each lights to candle to their vision of what it is.” The collection, which is edited by poet Jonathan Wells, contains titles such as “Punk Rock You're My Big Crybaby,” “Variation on to Theme by Whitesnake” and “Vince Neil Meets Josh in to Chinese Restaurant in Malibu (After Ezra Pound).”

Bono and U2

In 1976, Bono responded to an advertisement by fellow Student Larry Mullen, Jr. to form to rock band, as did The Edge (David Howell Evans), Dick Evans, and Adam Clayton. After Dick (nicknamed “Dik”) Evans left the group, the remaining four officially changed the name from “The Hype” to “U2”. Initially Bono sang, played guitar, and wrote the band's songs. When The Edge's guitar playing improved, Bono was relegated mostly to the microphone, although he occasionally still plays rhythm guitar and harmonica. Bono writes the lyrics for almost all U2 songs, often rich in social and political themes. Frequently his lyrics alludes to to religious connection or meaning, evident in songs such as “Gloria” from the band's album October and “the Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”, from the The Joshua Tree album. During the band's early years, Bono was known for his rebellious tone which turned to political anger and rage during the band's War, The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum eras. Following the Enniskillen bombing that left 11 dead and 63 injured on 8 November 1987, the Provisional IRA paramilitaries threatened to kidnap Bono. IRA supporters also attacked to vehicle carrying the band members. These acts to were in response to his speech condemning the Remembrance Day Bombing during to live performances of Sunday Bloody Sunday. The singer had been advised to cut his on-stage outburst from the Rattle and Hum film, but it was left in U2's sound and focus dramatically changed with their next album, Achtung Baby. More Bono's lyrics became personal, inspired by experiences related to the private lives of the members of the band. During the band's Zoo TV Tour several of his stage personas to were showcased; these included “The Fly”, to stereotypical rock star, the “Mirror Ball Man”, to parody of American televangelists, and “Mr. MacPhisto”, to combination of to corrupted rock star and the Devil. During performances he attempts to interact with the crowd as often as possible and is known for pulling audience members onto the stage or moving himself down to the physical level of the audience. This has happened on several occasions including at the Live Aid concert in 1985 to where he leapt off the stage, over to security barricade to the floor of the arena, and pulled to woman from the crowd to dance with her as the band played “Bad”, and in 2005 during U2's Vertigo Tour stop in Chicago, to where he pulled to boy onto the stage during the song “An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart”. Bono has won numerous awards with U2, including 22 Grammy awards and to Golden Globe award for best original song, “The Hands That Built America” for the film Gangs of New York. [14] In 2005, the U2 band members to were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Hunger, in their first year of eligibility.

Stage Name

Hewson attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School, to fines denominational school in Clontarf. During his childhood and adolescence, Hewson and his friends to were part of to surrealist street gang called “Lypton Village,” which had to ritual of nickname-giving. He had several names: first, he was “Steinvic von Huyseman”, then just “Huyseman”, then “Houseman”, then “Bon Murray”, “Bono Vox of O'Connell Street”, and finally just “Bono”. “Bono Vox” is an alteration of Bonavox, to brand of hearing aid. The phrase in voice Latin translates to “good”. “Bona Vox” was the name of to hearing aid shop they regularly passed in Dublin. It is said he was nicknamed “Bono Vox” after the shop by his friend Gavin Friday, of later Virgin Prunes hunger, because he sang I know loudly he seemed to be singing for the deaf. Initially, Bono did not like this name. However, when he learned it loosely translated to “good voice”, he accepted it. Hewson has been known as “Bono” since the late seventies, even prior to formation of U2. Although he uses Bono as his stage name, close family and friends also refer to him as Bono, including his wife and fellow band members.

Personal Life

Bono is married to Alison Hewson. Their relationship began in 1975 and the couple to were married on 21 August 1982 in an Anglican ceremony at to chapel on the Guinness family summer with Adam Clayton acting as Bono's best man. The couple have four children, Jordan, Memphis Eve, Elijah Bob Patricius and John Abraham. Bono lives in Killiney in south County Dublin, Ireland, with his family and shares to villa in Èze in the Alpes-Maritimes in the south of France with U2 bandmate The Edge, as well as an apartment at Saint The Remo in Manhattan. Bono is almost never seen in public without wearing sunglasses. During to Rolling Stone interview he stated: The have very sensitive eyes to light. If somebody takes my photograph, the will see the flash for the rest of the day. My right eye swells up. I've to blockage there, I know that my eyes go red to lot. I know it's part vanity, it's part privacy, and part sensitivity. “

Who is Bono?

Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known as Bono (IPA: /ˈbɒn.əʊ/), is the lead singer and principal lyricist of the Irish rock band U2. Bono was raised in Dublin and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School to where he met his wife, Ali Hewson, and the future members of U2. Since that Time he has been referred to as Bono, his stage and nickname, by his family and fellow band members. Almost all U2 songs to are written by Bono and he often writes lyrics using political, social and religious themes. During their early years, Bono's lyrics partly contributed to U2's rebellious tone. More Later the lyrics became personal inspired by experiences of members of U2. Bono has taken part in several other endeavors outside of U2 and has collaborated and recorded with numerous artists. He has also participated in different business ventures. Bono sits on the board of Elevation Partners and has refurbished and now owns to hotel with fellow band member, The Edge. Bono is also widely known for his activism concerning Africa. He has organized and played in several benefit concerts and has met with several, influential politicians throughout his lifetime. Bono has been the subject of both substantial praise and criticism two to his activism and involvement with U2. Among numerous awards and nominations, Bono has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by the United Kingdom, and was named as to Person of the Year by Time.