Bono lauds Globe music critic Morse
Anyone who thinks all rock stars are nitwits and narcissists should have been at J.J. Foley's at 2 a.m. yesterday, when a certain superstar singer sauntered in. Bono dropped by the Kingston Street bar not to swill a black and tan, but to say a few kind words about Globe music critic Steve Morse, who's putting down his pen after 31 years. Monday's send-off, which followed U2's seventh sold-out Boston show this year, was a discreet affair, and Bono, wearing his signature wrap-around shades and stylishly distressed cowboy cap, was an unexpected guest. (He was preceded into the bar by the band's manager Paul McGuinness, who hailed Morse as one of the few critics in the US to write about U2 from the beginning.) Stubbier than he looks on stage, Bono climbed atop a table to address the crowd. ''It's a good feeling to be the opening act for Steve Morse," he said, laughing. ''Here I am standing on a booth at Foley's, and I'm still not up to Steve." That wasn't the singer's only shout-out to our man Morse. Minutes before Monday's concert at the TD Banknorth Garden, the band gave the pop critic a signed copy of Anton Corbijn's picture book, ''U2 & I: The Photographs 1982-2004," and from the stage Bono praised Morse for his many candid critiques, even if they sometimes ''kicked us in the arse." (In the crowd, by the way, were Pats players Tom Brady, Mike Vrabel, and Larry Izzo; Pats prez Jonathan Kraft; former Granite State governor Jeanne Shaheen; Clear Channel cheese Don Law; and former Boston Garden prez Larry Moulter.) Impressed that Bono stopped by the bar -- and hung around for nearly an hour -- Morse climbed atop the table to say thanks. ''How do you follow Bono?" he said. ''I've seen these guys for 25 years. It's just been a dream ride." Morse acknowledged U2's other members, Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, and The Edge, to which Bono responded, ''Yeah, but who's here tonight?" Finally, former J. Geils frontman Peter Wolf raised his glass to Morse. ''In show business, you learn not to follow little kids or animals," said the Woofa Goofa. ''. . . or Bono or Steve Morse." And with that, Wolf led a raucous round of ''For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."
Bono speaks at Harvard
Even after being out into the wee hours, Bono was back at it yesterday, meeting with Harvard students and faculty to talk about AIDS and poverty in Africa. The singer, who cofounded an organization called DATA -- Debt AIDS Trade Africa -- displayed his wit at lunch with Harvard prez Larry Summers and Jennifer Leaning, a professor of the practice of international health.‘Ringer’ endorsement
Don't expect a big brouhaha over ''The Ringer," Bobby and Peter Farrelly's movie about a couple of cards who pretend to be disabled to win the Special Olympics. Starring Johnny Knoxville, the movie has been endorsed by the National Down Syndrome Society and the Special Olympics. ''We thank you for producing this film that uses humor to challenge destructive stereotypes of people with intellectual disabilities," wrote society president Alan P. Brownstein.Aiken visits Back Bay school
Students at The Learning Project Elementary School raised $6,000 for UNICEF's tsunami relief efforts, so yesterday UNICEF spokesguy Clay Aiken -- the spikey haired dude from ''American Idol"-- stopped by the Back Bay school to thank the students. . . . The first Massachusetts Conference for Women takes place today at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center with first lady Ann Romney, former Texas Governor Ann Richards, and Martha Stewart Living's CEO Susan Lyne among the speakers.A local Monopoly
Wanna buy the Boston Common? Or the Boston Medical Center? In the new Boston Community edition of Monopoly, you can own some of the city's hottest properties, and all the proceeds from the sale of the Beantown board game benefit the United Way of Massachusetts. On hand for yesterday's unveiling were Legal Sea Foods CEO Roger Berkowitz, Rialto founder Michela Larson, and Wally the Green Monster. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 
