Why does Bono always wear glasses? U2 celebrated at 45th Kennedy Center Honors
WASHINGTON, DC: The 45th Kennedy Center Honors provide recognition to living individuals who throughout their lifetimes have made significant contributions to American culture. The Honors Gala was recorded, and were aired on December 28, Wednesday at 8 PM ET on CBS and was available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Bono and The Edge, who penned the score for Julie Taymor's 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark', are among those receiving the 45th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements.
Apart from U2, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, composer-conductor Tania León and George Clooney were the rest to receive the honor. Several actors like Matt Damon and Julia Roberts were in attendance too. President Joe Biden was accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and their respective spouses. In respect to U2, Biden said, "U2 has spoken and sung about the unspeakable costs of hate and anger and division. The pain, the suffering, the denial of freedom, the senseless loss of life and the inhumanity we inflict on one another as nations, as people, and in our own lives. All flowing from division, that for all of us, its physical manifestations lie first and foremost in our hearts." He then called the band "four sons of Ireland, poets in their own right."
READ MORE
'They did it!' Joe Biden chants 'USA, USA' after USMNT's first World Cup win, leaves Internet amused
The band collectively made a statement upon the announcement saying, "In December 1980, we made our first trip across the Atlantic to America. Our first show was at The Ritz in New York City, the second, The Bayou in DC We had big dreams then, fueled in part by the commonly held belief at home that America smiles on Ireland. And it turned out to be true, yet again. But even in the wilder thoughts, we never imagined that 40 years on, we would be invited back to receive one of the nation’s greatest honours…It has been a four-decade love affair with the country and its people, its artists, and culture. We consider America to be a home away from home and we are very grateful to the Kennedy Center Honors for welcoming us into this great clan of extraordinary artists."
Why does Bono always wear sunglasses?
Imagining Bono without his signatures sunglasses is almost impossible. Only because we have seen him like this ever since the beginning of time. While it looks fashionable on the singer, it's mostly present due to medical reasons. Once appearing on The Graham Norton Show eight years ago, Bono thought it was the perfect platform to share the reason behind his persisten fashion statement. He said, "This is a good place to explain to people that I’ve had glaucoma for the last 20 year. I have good treatments and I am going to be fine. You’re not going to get this out of your head now and you will be saying, ‘Ah, poor old blind Bono.’"
Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve, which is a part of the eye that is necessary for good vision. It's usually caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma can develop suddenly and cause intense eye pain, nausea and vomiting, a red eye, a headache, tenderness around the eyes, seeing rings around lights, blurred vision and more. NHS explains that even though the damage to the sight caused by the condition is irreversible, treatment can stop the sight from getting worse.