More on our "Mr. Yeats" (sic)


Elizabeth Platt ([email protected])
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 17:04:30 -0800 (PST)


Flog that dead horse! --

On Wed, 9 Dec 1998, [email protected] wrote:

> Subject: The art of words
>
> Second, I really do think Bono is a beautiful person through out. And I do
> believe that he did post on Wire. Reading the last set of posts made me want
> to cry. How can some of you be so judgemental? I had the same problem with
> the audience that surrounded me at the Columbus Popmart. U2 and Bono are just
> four men trying to make music, trying to give a little color to this world,
> and I can't believe that so many people complain about it.

That wasn't Bono. Period. (And a tip of the hat to the Wireling who did
some time-zone sleuthing to prove that the post was a fraud!) If you want
to believe it was really the man posting, so be it, but trust me, I've
been on Wire for years now, and there's always going to be someone who
isn't as clever as they think they are, and they're going to try to post
something as being from someone in the band. Happens on the usenet news
lists, too. It's about as clever as the frat boys who try to sub the list
to "Swedish porno sites", etc. And about as annoying...

> So what if Bono
> referred to himself as our "leader". Please, how many of you out there in
> casual conversation talk so admirably about him? I mean, some of you can be
> so arrogant. He's just trying to get a point across, he doesn't appreciate
> people shitting all over his name.

Those of us who know a thing or two or three saw right through that post
from Mr. Yeats, and frankly, it's our duty (!) to rubbish off forgeries
like that ASAP--if just to prevent any more gullible fans from being
hoodwinked! Does this make us "arrogant", or does it mean that we're
"good citizens" who don't want to see other fans get suckered? Also, I
would say that having some eejit forge Bono's name to his/her post is a
better example of "shitting all over his name" than anything done by those
of us who have no qualms about calling a forgerer on his/her bullshit!

On a similar theme, same digest, [email protected] wrote:

> Subject: U2 not welcome on Wire
>
> You know it is sad that the members of U2 are not welcome on this list.

U2 and all their drinking buddies and all the folks at Principle are
welcome to lurk or post on this list. Fakes, frauds, and phonies are not.

> I
> have never seen a more untrusting and not to mention rude group of people with
> one common interest in mind. I mean think about it. If any member of U2
> wanted to be more interactive with the fans (as if they are not already), and
> posted a message to this list, you all would have him shot down, and requested
> to be kicked off for being an impostor!

Look, if any of the band members were to post to this list, do you think
they'd be so stupid as to call themselves our "leaders"? Or use some
"free mail" account? Or post from a time zone in the US? :) Or use
such an obvious (and recycled) pseudonym? Those of us who have outed "Mr.
Yeats" as a phony are out to give a whack to forgerers, not the band.

Besides, if there were a one-in-a-billion chance that this "Mr. Yeats"
really was Bono...well, I've met the man, he and PM know where I live and
how to find me, ditto to their publicist in LA; my email address is right
at the top of this post, and I'm not using some dumb-ass on-line name or
"freemail" account, etc. If I'm wrong, they can easily find me and
straighten me out. If not, well, then, guess I'm right!
  
> I am sure somewhere in Joel's Rules there is mention of
> hoaxes being untolerated. But is it you people would do anything to get a
> rise, or do you like your panties being so far up your ass that you cannot
> even accept things you can't see?

Joel absolutely has a prohibition on forged email and hoaxes, etc. And
just because you want to be gulled by every frat-boy and prankster out
there on the 'Net, please don't expect that from the rest of us. If
anything, more fans need to be a _lot_ more skeptical about the volume of
bullshit out there--capable of swallowing anything that appears in print.
And it is just this sort of willingness to "buy anything" that lead to so
many fans on the list being willing to "accept things [they] can't see",
namely, allegations that Bono abuses drugs! I think you're being a wee
bit selective about your indignation here...

And oh God, there's more:

Same digest-- "Blue Devil" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Subject: Mr. Yeats
>
> I think it was in Bill Flanagan's book,or maybe a magazine,but didn't
> Bono once use "Mr.Yeats" as an alias when checking into a hotel
> room?
>
> things that make you go hmmm,
> blue

"Mr. Yeats" was indeed once a nom de tour, but it wasn't Bono's....

Things that make you go "hmph!" :P

Slan,

Elizabeth Platt
[email protected]



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