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Tech Support to the Stars
Carl Bialik writes "The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Prince, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Bon Jovi, and U2 all have used technical support when on the road, when their Wi-Fi or Xbox or Sidekick needs servicing. The Journal takes a look at the lives of the essential, if overlooked, members of the entourage, the support tech. Joshua Kapellen, of Best Buy's Geek Squad, has been on the road with U2 since 2004. From the article: 'Last March, lead singer Bono needed his Xbox connected while the band rehearsed in Canada. Mr. Kapellen got a call. He hooked up the contraption and a few minutes later was playing videogames with Bono. "It was one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me," says Mr. Kapellen.'"
It's bad enough having good natured people on the other end of the phone line, can you imagine what it would be like with a total ego-maniac? For sanity's sake son, run like hell.
I bet that there were strings attached when Bono played Xbox with that guy:
Bono: It'd be pretty cool if you could play this with me, right?
Kapellen: Yeah.
Bono: Alright, then we'll play -- but you have to promise to cure AIDS as soon as we're done.
Kapellen: (mulls it over for a minute) Yeah, okay.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a socially constructive application of the power of celebrity. I bet that Kapellen guy is half way to a bachelor's degree in Biology by now.
... turning to the 3-D map, we see an unmistakable con
...dull, unhappy, and filled with gold?
Note to mods: I'm probably being sarcastic.
Why should Bono have to perform such a menial task? His time is far better spent criticizing various Western governments for not giving enough financial aide to developing nations, while at the same time he is pulling in millions upon millions of dollars from his music dealings.
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
Oh, that's why we created HDMI... just one plug, only goes in one way. But you know someone's going to try and force it in backwards and then complain that it won't work.
How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
Can't Bono afford a TV with inputs on the front?
I will laugh so hard when one of these celebs have to call the Geek Squad because he/she gets locked out by the DRM on his/her own songs, movies, etc.
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Tech Support to the Stars
Damn, and I thought outsourcing to India was bad enough!
Totally.
I don't understand why they do that, either.
Obviously they have never had a REAL technology problem or the Geek Squad guy would be in way over his head.
First you don't want to provide the camel and now you want to get his goat!? *shock*
:)
My oh my life must be hard in Prince World (formerly known as lala-land)
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Prince, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Bon Jovi, and U2 all have used technical support when on the road
Used tech support? With all their money you'd think they could afford new tech support.
"Grab them by the pussy" -- President of the United States of America
That just happened, IIRC. I think it was Spielberg over in Europe for one of the film festivals. The movie review samples they were distributing failed to work on the reviewers' machines because of the DRM. They had to order a whole new batch without the DRM.
Many bands are pissed off that their fans can't play their music on their iPods or whatever. A couple of them have stood up to their labels and said, "No DRM on our stuff!"
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To be pedantic, Joshua Kapellen is Canadian, not American.
Don't you mean North North Dakota?
Yeah, yeah... listen to you...
"I work with celebrities--but I don't like it. No, sirree. I don't like working with celebrities... Like Nicholas Cage. I don't like working with Nick. He's kind of clingy and he keeps asking for my autograph. Did I mention I work with celebrities?"