Bob Geldof Is Shocked

The Con

The Ethiopian famine 1984-85, which actually began in 1973-74, wasn’t necessarily one of the worst in recorded history. However, it was the first major global calamity to be covered by the 24/7 Cable News Media. The images of starving Ethiopians were the watershed moment in the lives of many do-gooders in the English-speaking world.

Bob Geldof, lead singer of a second rate Irish punk group called the Boomtown Rats was one of those well meaning souls. Although never having a hit on the US charts, he managed to put together a super session of UK musicians calling themselves Band Aid to record a one off single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ All the funds from the sale of this record went to Ethiopian Famine relief and culminated in the Live Aid concerts in the summer of 1985.

Geldof was hailed as a philanthropic hero. He was nominated by for the Nobel Peace Prize and was made an honorary Knight of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. Predictably, Geldof became a major wanker in the mold of fellow Irish rocker Bono. Since 1984, Geldof has lectured the world on its moral shortcomings, including insulting New Zealand’s foreign aid in 2006. All this from a man whose major musical contribution to the rock and roll pantheon was the insipid ‘I Don’t Like Mondays.’

Yesterday, the BBC released a report claiming at least ‘some’ of the money given to the NGO’s for Famine relief was routed to buy weapons for the some of the warring parties in Ethiopia. It has been reported that Geldof was ‘enraged’ by this BBC piece. However, as early as 1986, it was reported the some of the relief money had been routed from the NGO’s to the Derg Communist Rebels.

On the other hand, Geldof’s net worth is now reported to be over 30 million pounds.

Shocked, shocked I say. Sir, your winnings.