Bob Geldof rejects idea that Live Aid was part of a ‘white saviour complex’
Bob Geldof rejects Live Aid ‘white saviour’ accusations
- Bob Geldof has strongly rejected the "white saviour" label frequently applied to his extensive charity work in Africa, including the Band Aid and Live Aid initiatives.
- He dismissed the term as "nonsense" and "b****cks," arguing that the ethnicity of those providing aid should not be a factor in humanitarian efforts.
- Geldof acknowledged that he initially "understood the argument" behind the "white saviour" concept but now views it as an "absolutely dismissive argument" and "rubbish."
- A recent controversy emerged with a new 40th-anniversary version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?", as Ed Sheeran claimed his vocals were used without permission and expressed a changed perspective on the song's narrative.
- Geldof defended the song's enduring legacy, emphasising its role in fundraising that has "kept millions of people alive" and asserting that theoretical arguments should not impede practical aid for the hungry.