The popular musicians are back in the headlines again, though not exactly for the same reasons.
Per usual, Bono is garnering attention for his philanthropic deeds, which broke records last week. Thanks to his famous pals the U2 frontman was able to raise more than $42 million in an art auction to benefit the Global Fund of the United Nations Foundation, which works to fight AIDS in Africa.
The event took place on Valentine’s Day (apropos considering the cash went to benefit Bono’s RED charity) at Sotheby’s on New York’s Upper East Side and brought out everyone from Martha Stewart to Russell Simmons, Ed Burns and Christy Turlington.
The A-list celebs bid on pieces that centered on themes of “love” or “red.” The night’s highest-priced item came from British artist Damien Hirst, whose medicine cabinet, called “Where There’s a Will There’s a Way,” fetched $7.15 million.
Meanwhile, British pop superstar George Michael is also making headlines for raking in a record-breaking amount of money… for himself.
In what his publisher is calling a “deal beyond compare,” the singer is working on a memoir to come out in the fall of 2009 and is getting paid a ton of money for it.
According to publishing officials with HarperCollins, the 44-year-old singer’s yet-to-be titled book will be an “access all areas” story, with Michael writing extensively about his professional and personal life.
The singer’s manager claims the book, which is reportedly netting Michael $6 million for British rights alone, is among the biggest publishing contracts ever for that market.
The “no-holds barred biography” will include new details about Michael’s run-ins with the law, on charges ranging from drug possession to lewd conduct. It will also reportedly touch on several issues that have brought “deep-rooted unhappiness” in the singer’s life.
Sounds like a real pick-me-up.