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Bono Picked Up Hitchhiking in Vancouver by Edmonton Oilers' Gilbert Brule
- Posted on Jun 2nd 2011 5:30PM by Jason MacNeil
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According to an article today (June 2) in the Edmonton Journal, Kelly Nichols and her boyfriend, Edmonton Oilers player Gilbert Brule, were driving to take their dog for a walk when they saw two hitchhikers caught in the rain near the West Vancouver Yacht Club.
After debating whether or not one of them could possibly be the U2 frontman, Brule and Nichols came to the aid of Bono and his assistant, earning them a stadium-size thank you.
"I like ice hockey because people who play ice hockey are the kind of people who pick up hitchhikers," announced Bono during U2's June 1 concert in Edmonton, AB., the night after his roadside rescue. "I'm ever so grateful. I've decided that I want to be Gilbert Brule."
Thanks to their good deed, Brule and Nichols were onhand at Commonwealth Stadium to hear Bono express his gratitude as they'd happily accepted his offer to attend the concert. They even had backstage passes personalized by Bono with "Thanks for the ride" and "My hero Gilbert."
"We go to walk our dog and Bono ends up in our car," Brule told the Edmonton Journal. An amazing story, sure, but one that has to rub diehard hockey fans the wrong the way since the Edmonton Oilers player sold his treasured tickets to Game One of the Vancouver Canucks/Boston Bruins Stanley Cup finals in order to make the U2 concert the same night.
On the other hand, the incident did spark lots of hockey talk at the rock show.
"Larry is more Mark Messier, if you know what I mean," Bono joked about drummer Larry Mullen Jr. while dubbing The Edge "the Wayne Gretzky of U2."
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So, how did Bono end up hitch-hiking? No cell phone?
June 05 2011 at 9:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGood for them , and with Bono's money , with a tip of his hat he can change their life , BIG TIME !!!
June 04 2011 at 10:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySad... so many negative assumptions and judgements about people/places you know nothing about... I've picked up a few clebs, mostly in out of the way places. FYI: some hitchhike just to take a break from thier own life, and so they can meet and spend time with real people who don't know/couldn't care less that they're famous, etc. But alas, many of you have such negative meanspirited energy you dont trust anyone, and simply can't believe in your fellow man. Stop being so suspicious, and quick to condemn others; it your own bad energy that's the problem! The world is not full of lunatics, I've been around it several times, for decades, so I'd know. Get out of your negative mindset and live a little folks; there are nice, helpful, good people everywhere; the world is full of them! Clean up your negative, fearful attitude and come join us! See you on the road!
June 04 2011 at 5:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywho is bono? and why was he hitchhiking,isnt it agaist the law?
June 04 2011 at 4:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyreport JJ for abuse and get em banned!!
June 04 2011 at 3:27 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyreminds me of the david allen coe song, "the ride".
June 04 2011 at 3:25 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyI heard about this the other day. GREAT story :)
June 04 2011 at 2:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyMagic gems,
My thoughts exactly.
Why in the world would someone who could afford ANY car he wanted let alone a limo, hitchhike???? AND WHO picks up hitch hikers in this day and age? I used to pick up hitch hikers back in the day and I've caught a ride from a few people but we're talking early 80's. The last time I saw someone with their thumb out was a few years ago and he looked like a maniac killer in a trench coat! I'm sure he stood there all day because nobody around here in the Detroit area picks up hitch hikers!!!! That whole thing sounds weird!
June 04 2011 at 2:02 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplySounds like he was caught in the rain - probably planned to walk but was trying to catch a ride to get out of it. Also, some people would willingly pick up someone hitchhiking to get out of the rain, especially if you were a pro athelete, it was in a very nice area (as this was) and you thought one of the guys was Bono! Also, Canadians are, in general, a little nicer than most Americans especially ones from Detroit (BTW, I'm American so not bashing us - just stating the truth).
June 04 2011 at 3:49 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyHere's the part of the story that's important:
"After debating whether or not one of them could possibly be the U2 frontman, Brule and Nichols came to the aid of Bono and his assistant,..."
So this really wasn't all about human kindness and helping his fellow man.
Exactly. Most people didn't notice that little fact. They only stopped BECAUSE they thought it was Bono. Whats so great about that??? Anyone probably would have done it if they had thought it was a celebrity....
June 04 2011 at 2:56 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply
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