The Meaning of Life: Gay Byrne vs Bono (Tues June 25th, 9.35pm RTE1)

Skid X

Bono gives an interview to Gay Byrne about one of his favourite subjects - what Bono believes.

In order to prepare for the show Bono took some time off to contemplate his interview. The singer took two days off between promoting the new album and the interview to clear his head, as he knew the interview was not going to be a regular run of the mill interview. Bono has recently been in the headlines for the publication of a new book which accuses him of worsening the problems of campaigns he is involved in. A topic which we will see covered in the show.

http://entertainment.ie/tv/news/Gay-Byrne-reveals-no-question-was-off-limits-in-Bono-interview/194125.htm

It seems like a hastily arranged programme where Bono wants to respond to the accusations made by Harry Browne in his recent book.

Hematocyte

I find it very hard to care what a man with dyed hair-plugs and who at 53 years old still calls himself 'Bono' believes about anything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm-uihI3M6Y

jos28

Could be interesting, after all Bono thinks he IS God

NIMAN

Bono: "I am the meaning of life".

goose2005

I heard they had to film them in separate segments; the ego and self-regard radiating from the two of them meant that they couldn't come within 50 feet of each other without some sort of magnetic repulsion happening.

Neeson

Looking well.

Lisha

I know some people will love this but I'm finding this interview so difficult to watch .

Skid X

The cutaway shots to Gay Byrne are very distracting.

Especially when you know they were all filmed after the interview and edited in afterwards.

"Look surprised Gay. Now give us a smile. And a sad face ..."

sarabroderick

Pretty meh so far but interesting. The Bono bashing is so so tedious though. The man has achieved such a massive amount to be fair.

Neeson

Skid X wrote: »

Especially when you know they were all filmed after the interview and edited in afterwards"

How do you know that?

sarabroderick

That's both not true and idiotic

Lisha

Skid X wrote: »

The cutaway shots to Gay Byrne are very distracting.

Especially when you know they were all filmed after the interview and edited in afterwards.

"Look surprised Gay. Now give us a smile. And a sad face ..."

Lol that's it exactly

Not sure if its the editing or not but I get the impression that Gay is a bit bewildered or bored of Bono a bit at times

Neeson

sarabroderick wrote: »

That's both not true and idiotic

What?

Skid X

Neeson wrote: »

How do you know that?

It's fairly standard in Television interviews

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noddy_(TV_interview_technique)

Noddy headshots or noddies are a type of camera shot used in recorded news or current affairs interviews. The noddies consist of nods and other similar "listening gestures" made by the interviewer. If only one camera is available at the interview site, then these shots are recorded after the actual interview takes place. The shots are spliced into the interview during the editing process to mask any cuts that have been made. This editing technique is universally "read" by audiences as expressing realism and therefore creates the illusion of a seamless dialogue in the interview.

It is overdone in this programme, too many cuts back and forward. Gay Byrne would never make so many different facial expressions so quickly in a live interview.

Neeson

I think they have a camera planted on the Gay as well though to capture his reactions.

sarabroderick

They shot two cameras

Lady Chatterton

Every time I hear Bono being interviewed, the following song plays in my head

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
when you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day.
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
but I'm doing the best that I can.

Professey Chin

Gays reactions are definitely re-edited.
Theres too many reactions and a lot are out of sync

Lady Chatterton

Bono can't answer the tax avoidance question :rolleyes:

Neeson

Wait for it.

Skid X

sarabroderick wrote: »

They shot two cameras

Fair enough, you sound like you know for certain. Maybe I have it wrong.

I still think the cuts back and forward are too frequent. They should use a two shot every now and then.

take everything

Neeson wrote: »

I think they have a camera planted on the Gay as well though to capture his reactions.

Does seem edited.
Not sure why but it just does.

syklops

Im not normally this negative about RTE shows, but what a pile of crap. And the program isnt much better.

Lisha

MrsD007 wrote: »

Every time I hear Bono being interviewed, the following song plays in my head

Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
when you're perfect in every way.
I can't wait to look in the mirror
cause I get better looking each day.
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man.
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
but I'm doing the best that I can.

It's Gay Byrne that has that affect on me MrsD

clappyhappy

Totally admire all that he and U2 have achieved and all they have done for charities, but he is painful to listen to.

"Top that Gay" as he tells the story about the cross on his neck. Pompous git.

clappyhappy

Oh dear, bono has pulled the plug on it :-D

Lady Chatterton

Lisha wrote: »

It's Gay Byrne that has that affect on me MrsD

There are two of them in it Lisha

seligehgit

Did not realise Bono brought Google to Ireland!:pac:

Jazzzman

Jaysus he's gotten worse in his old age.

Another mention of the scriptures and this is going off.

Skid X

I much preferred Noel Gallagher's appearance on this show.

It was more about family and what is important in life than theology, that made it a more interesting interview (to me, anyway)

Lady Chatterton

seligehgit wrote: »

Did not realise Bono brought Google to Ireland!:pac:

What a great achievement on his part, it's up there with the time Charlie Haughey won the Tour de France

clappyhappy

He should be a politician, can't answer a question clearly!!!

Lisha

Gay and Fergal Quinn . . Seperated at birth ?

Jazzzman

Bono is gonna be so bummed when he finds out God doesn't exist.

clappyhappy

Has he being drinking vodka throughout the interview instead of water??

Skid X

clappyhappy wrote: »

Has he being drinking vodka throughout the interview instead of water??

Sort of, RTE gave him water but he laid his hands on the glass and he convinced himself that he turned it into Vodka.

MagicMarker

I never much understood why people have such a problem with Bono, until I watched some of this. He has his head firmly lodged up his own arse.

take everything

Primetime special on the knackers in Anglo.
Might be good.

murpho999

seligehgit wrote: »

Did not realise Bono brought Google to Ireland!:pac:

They advise each other on tax.

Cagney87

Hes so up his own ass, God apparently "forgave him" for treating his Dad like ****.
Right Bono....if you say so....more drivel Rte shovel out to us

RedPaddyX

Really never understood/understand the hatred towards Bono. Thought it was a really great honest interview from him and really interesting and revealing. He's a great guy - loads of flaws like any of us but mostly honest enough to admit them. Proud of him

syklops

Skid X wrote: »

I much preferred Noel Gallagher's appearance on this show.

It was more about family and what is important in life than theology, that made it a more interesting interview (to me, anyway)

Liam Gallagher was to be interviewed on the Late late when Gay was in charge, and all the talk was going to be how Liam would basically tell Gay to feck off, show him 2 fingers, show 2 fingers to the crowd, "it'll be great craic!" etc.

Gay engaged with him on a human level, something, I think no-one in the media had done with Liam Gallagher before, and by asking questions as a human he got answers from a human.

Having done that, I think Gay earned respect from both families and similarly, when interviewing Noel, he treated him humanely and got humane responses.

He gets a lot of hatred on these boards, but he genuinely is the best presenter and interviewer we have ever had, and there's no-one to replace him.

Didnt think much of the Bono interview, but I blame the production team more than Gay. That joke about the tenor. It looked like Gay was laughing about a different joke.

Duggys Housemate

syklops wrote: »

Liam Gallagher was to be interviewed on the Late late when Gay was in charge, and all the talk was going to be how Liam would basically tell Gay to feck off, show him 2 fingers, show 2 fingers to the crowd, "it'll be great craic!" etc.

Gay engaged with him on a human level, something, I think no-one in the media had done with Liam Gallagher before, and by asking questions as a human he got answers from a human.

Having done that, I think Gay earned respect from both families and similarly, when interviewing Noel, he treated him humanely and got humane responses.

He gets a lot of hatred on these boards, but he genuinely is the best presenter and interviewer we have ever had, and there's no-one to replace him.

Didnt think much of the Bono interview, but I blame the production team more than Gay. That joke about the tenor. It looked like Gay was laughing about a different joke.

Gay is still amazing. he seems genuinely interested in questions, he follows on from themes, he doesn't just ask set questions. He's the best I've seen.

Go Harvey Go

RedPaddyX wrote: »

Really never understood/understand the hatred towards Bono. Thought it was a really great honest interview from him and really interesting and revealing. He's a great guy - loads of flaws like any of us but mostly honest enough to admit them. Proud of him

Couldn't stop myself...

syklops

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Gay is still amazing. he seems genuinely interested in questions, he follows on from themes, he doesn't just ask set questions. He's the best I've seen.

Him, Wogan and Parkinson. Two of whom the BBC got.

Pat Kenny is great at Prime Time stuff where he gets to study some history and ask intelligent questions. He was bad at Kenny Live because it wasnt his thing. He couldn't care less what leaving Dallas felt like. I don't blame him to be honest.

Tubridy is great at charming old dears on the radio. Put him next to Gay on a panel and he looks thinner and thinner than normal, and just giggles like a girl.

annascott

I saw a preview of this but decided not to watch it when Bono started to talk about God is absolute terms. Did Gerry Ryan ever interview Bono? That might have been worth watchig...

syklops

RedPaddyX wrote: »

Really never understood/understand the hatred towards Bono. Thought it was a really great honest interview from him and really interesting and revealing. He's a great guy - loads of flaws like any of us but mostly honest enough to admit them. Proud of him

A minimum wage Polish immigrant pays more tax in Ireland than Bono does. That would start at least some of the hatred.

Duggys Housemate

syklops wrote: »

Him, Wogan and Parkinson. Two of whom the BBC got.

I've seen them. Neither were much good.

Duggys Housemate

syklops wrote: »

A minimum wage Polish immigrant pays more tax in Ireland than Bono does. That would start at least some of the hatred.

Where the f*ck did you get that?

syklops

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Where the f*ck did you get that?

I'm not an economist. Nor is most of the country but however...

Bono gets his income form U2. U2's tax base is in holland. U2's tax is paid to the dutch government.

A Polish or any other kind of immigrant gets a minimum wage job, all their taxable tax goes to the exchequer. Immigrant pays tax in Ireland. Bono does not.

Duggys Housemate

syklops wrote: »

I'm not an economist. Nor is most of the country but however...

Bono gets his income form U2. U2's tax base is in holland. U2's tax is paid to the dutch government.

A Polish or any other kind of immigrant gets a minimum wage job, all their taxable tax goes to the exchequer. Immigrant pays tax in Ireland. Bono does not.

And what happens to the money which U2 pay Bono, who lives in Ireland?

1) Do you think that is taxed?
2)Or, not taxed.

Work into you answer the fact that google employees and shareholders pay tax because they are not google, even if google doesn't.

The number of people who don't understand the difference between a company and person is utterly astounding. I mean, I knew this when I was 12.