Why didn't anyone recognize or photograph U2's Bono when he crashed his bicycle in Central Park on Sunday November 16? One of his bandmates told a Los Angeles radio station the rock superstar went unnoticed because he was in costume, dressed as a Hasidic Jew.
That story quickly went viral. However, it was just a joke, nothing more. That's the word from the spokesperson for U2 guitarist The Edge.
Credit: AFP/Getty Images
How did an off-the-cuff comedic aside end up spanning the globe in under 24 hours? The answer is fairly simple -- nobody seemed to question it.
During a radio interview Wednesday with KROQ radio's Kevin and Bean, The Edge was asked why there were no photos of the accident. After all, it happened in the most crowded city in America, in a town obsessed with celebrities, and yet there we no photos, not even a cellphone shot.
The Edge instantly replied, “You know, Bono likes, when he's going cycling, he likes to dress up as a Hasidic Jew." Adding, "I think that probably helped."
The radio hosts did not question the veracity of The Edge's statement, instead they dug deeper into the details of the surgery needed to repair Bono's shattered elbow, and then announced band's 2015 tour, which slated for May of next year.
Several media outlets in America and around the world picked up the story of the Hasidim costume and it started to gain traction on Twitter.
Vertigo: #U2 singer @BONO_VOX_ was disguised as a Hasidic Jew when he had his bike accident https://t.co/ChPdXVSAYv— U-T entertainment (@UTnightday) December 4, 2014
The story appeared to be gaining momentum until the Times of Israel reached out to the press office for U2 and the rumor was debunked.
You can listen to the entire interview with The Edge here:
__
Follow Mike Opelka (@Stuntbrain) on Twitter.
