Bono calls radio shows under a fake name

Bono calls radio shows under a fake name.

The U2 frontman admitted he likes to "put on a voice" and participate in listener phone-in discussions, but hasn't done so for a while.

He told Q magazine: "I've been known to ring up radio call-in shows, put on a voice and take a position. Not for a while though. Might need to get back into it."

The singer's real name is Paul Hewson, but few people call him by his first name and he corrects those that use it in dramatic fashion.

He said: "It's a crazy name Paul, I know that. I accept that.

"Occasionally, I am reminded by an old neighbour that I'm still Paul from 10 Cedarwood Road. I like to retort with an obscure Beatles reference, 'Paul? Paul is dead...'

"I will explain that 'My name is Bono Sir f***ing Bono to you and I'm the singer with the greatest rock n roll band on the north side of Dublin.'

"That usually works but sometimes a smart-a**e will throw in, 'What about Aslan?' knowing I might agree with that point."

The 60-year-old rocker - who has children Jordan, 31, Eve, 28, Elijah, 20, and John, 19 - claimed the best piece of advice he's ever been given is to always use the bathroom in private.

He said: "Joe Dolan, the late great showband singer, told me, 'Never let the punters see you taking a p**s.' And that was some great advice. He was standing next to me at the time."

Meanwhile, Bono claimed he's got some perfect blackmail material on Matt Damon after the actor accidentally called him a number of times recently.

Asked about pocket-dialling people, he said: "Probably Matt Damon. He spent most of lockdown across the road in Dublin. There was a lot of FaceTime... some intentional, some not so. I heard some stuff I shouldn't have heard... I have a lot on Damon. A Lot."