Bono accused of hypocrisy, again

Former Talking Head David Byrne is calling out Bono, and pointing out the irony of U2's extravagant world tour. David writes on his journal, (found via the Daily Swarm)

"Those stadium shows may possibly be the most extravagant and expensive (production-wise) ever: $40 million to build the stage and, having done the math, we estimate 200 semi trucks crisscrossing Europe for the duration. It could be professional envy speaking here, but it sure looks like, well, overkill, and just a wee bit out of balance given all the starving people in Africa and all. Or maybe it's the fact that we were booted off our Letterman spot so U2 could keep their exclusive week-long run that's making me less than charitable? Take your pick — but thanks, guys!"

Professional envy? Perhaps. But Byrne wouldn't be the first to observe the U2 frontman's apparent hypocrisy.

In 2006, when he moved his music publishing business from Ireland to the Netherlands, critics like Slate's Timothy Noah couldn't help pointing out that leftist celebrities' "embrace of progressivism almost never includes a wholehearted embrace of progressive taxation," while Bloomberg's Fergal O'Brien stated, "Bono, the rock star and campaigner against Third World debt, is asking the Irish government to contribute more to Africa. At the same time, he's reducing tax payments that could help fund that aid."

Also in 2006, there was much eye rolling and head shaking when Bono's company Elevation Partners bought up 40 % of Forbes Publishing, whose flagship publication bears the motto, "The Capitalist Tool." The Daily Mail ran an article titled St. Bono the Hyocprite, detailing, "How U2's frontman built a £1billion business empire ... while bullying the rest of us to make poverty history."

Yep, so, nothing new here. And, as one Daily Swarm commenter pointed out, those 200 trucks have to carry Bono's ego. Ha!