Mister Mac Phisto è parte della parabola interpretativa di Bono nello ZooTv Tour e sue ramificazioni. Senz'altro un momento clou dell'Opera - come definirei lo ZooTv Tour - che, oltre la musica, ha sengnato in modo indelebile il filone delle esibizioni live degli U2. Lo ZooTv, come sempre accade in un concerto, in un tour firmato U2, ha un suo filologico nella setlist e nell'interpretazione della stessa. Un film, potremmo affermare, oltre: un film in presa diretta, una sorta di musical fondato su contenuti direttamente o indirettamente di interesse comune e sul potente mezzo di trasmissione del rock. La figura del diavolo che le canta a mezzo mondo e si rammarica per le proprie (in vero mondiali) condizioni è - per ammissione indubbiamente ironica di Bono - a metà tra il Mefistofele di Faust, Gavin Friday (noto amico di sempre del frontman irlandese) e altre 500 persone. Mac Phisto segue il predicatore Mirrorball Man che nella leg americana del tour saliva sul palco in abito argentato completo di cappello da cowboy dalle tinte sempre "abbaglianti". Mirrorball, evidente vena ironica sul più classico stereotipo della rockstar, diviene Mac Phisto in Europa. Mr Mac Phisto come Mirrorball Man viaggia in parallelo con The Fly, l'estremizzazione della rockstar che apre gli show dello ZooTv Tour. Trucco da diavolo, rigorose corna al posto del cappello, camicia rossa, completo e scarpe oro, Mac Phisto non cambia di molto il senso della caricatura del suo predecessore. Mac Phisto nasce come un occhio puntato sulle follie del mondo, a partire dagli eccessi del capitale. Si dice che oltre al diavolo, Mac Phisto abbia venduto l'anima a Mac Donalds. Animo di bimbo in un uomo corrotto, con un correttissimo accento inglese, Mr Mac Phisto delizia ogni sera l'audience con telefonate dirette ai potenti del mondo come anche ad un semplice distributore di pizza da asporto. Non c'è limite all'intento del personaggio e ciò determina man mano crescente curiosità attorno alla sua performance all'inizio degli encores. Per sua stessa ammissione Mr Mac Phisto conclude la sua missione con l'ultima data dello ZooTv Tour, in Giappone. Tornerà solo in video con "Lemon" e "Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me!".
Ma la storia di Mac Phisto la fanno i suoi discorsi, le sue telefonate, come quella fatta dal Wembley Stadium a Salaman Rushdie, che spuntò fuori dal backstage per concludere la conversazione a quattr'occhi e ricordargli che i veri diavoli non hanno le corna, o come quella fatta da Verona agli amici Clannad in occasione del compleanno della cantante del gruppo irlandese festeggiato da un Happy Birthday a 50mila voci. Di seguito alcune interpretazioni di Mr Mac Phisto.

Sydney, Australia - Il congedo anticipato

"Look what you've done to me. You've made me very famous and I thank you.
I know you like your popstars to be exciting so I bought these (the golden shoes).
Now my time among you is allmost at an end, the glory of ZOOTV must ascend and take its place with all the other satellites.
Don't fear, for it. I'll be watching you. I leave behind video cameras for each of you!
Tape each other, tape ourselves, children tape your parents. Parents take care. Tape all of this, and watch it. I'll be with you always. As close to you as your ver and your personel headphones.

So many listening tonight I have a list...

People of America:
I gave you Bill Clinton, I put him on CNN, NBC, C-SPAN.
Too tall to be despot, but watch him closely.

People of Asia:
Your time is coming.
Without your tiny transistors none of this would be possible.

People of Europe:
When I came among you, you were squabbling like children.
Now you're all hooked up to one cable, as close together as stations on a dial.

People of the former Soviet Unions:
I've given you capitalism so now you can all dream of being as wealthy and as glamorous as me.

People of Sarajevo:
Count your blessings. There are those all over the world who have food, heat and security. But they're not on TV like you are.

Frank Sinatra, I gave you MTV, demographic.

Salman Rushdie, I gave you decibels.

Goodbye Squidgy, I hope the give you Wales.

Goodbye Micheal Hutchence

Goodbye all you Neo-Nazis. I hope they give you Auschwitz.

Rotterdam, Olanda - il taxi

Well, it's the last one, isn't it
It's the last Eurovision, tomorrow night (Bono's birthday)
Yes, I feel like a whole era has come to an end

Pop music just won't ever be so exciting again, will it
I knew them all you know,
Lou Lou
And the Brotherhood of Men
Teaching in
I thought them everything they knew,
I showed them what to do
I thought them who to be
I know you young people like your popstars to be exciting (The golden shoes)
Look what you've done to me
The last time I was here I, I was only 5 feet 8
Now look at me, I'm gigantic
You've made me very famous and I thank you
I'd like to introduce you to my band
On the right we have Riggi the Doll
Quite a singer Larry Mullen Junior
And the only, soul boogie brother in the band;
Adam Clayton Campbell
Roundabout this time every night
I make a phone call
Sometimes to the President of the United States
But tonight I'm going to call a taxi
To take me home

(dials the number)

Hello

Taxi call center: Ja goedenavond

Hello, Hello, I'd like to order a taxi to take me home, I'm very tired

Taxi call center: Yes? And the address?

My name is MacPhisto. Oh you know me

Taxi call center: Yes

You know me very well. Only even better than you know yourself.

Taxi call center: Hahahaha! Ja ja!


Colonia, Germania - Helmut Kohl

Look what you've done to me, you've made me famous
And to that end I thank you

I know you want you
So I bought these (Teh golden shoes)
Round about this time of night
I often make a telephone call
Often to the president of the United States
Tonight I'm going to call the Chancellor, Mr. Kohl
Macphisto sings
Getting to know you....
When you get famous people give you your phone number

Hello I'd like to speak to the chancellor Mr. Kohl please

Phone answer: One moment plesae

Thank you
La la la la la
La la la la la

Phone answer: Yes a little bit. And who are you

My name is MacPhisto, Mr. Macphisto
Becoming an even closer friend

Phone Answer: do you know what time it is?

Yes I know the time
Yes I know a lot of things
You know at the
Can I leave a message

Phone answer: Yes, of course

Thank the chancellor for letting me back in the country


Dublino, Irlanda - Nazioni Unite

What a guitar player
What a night!
What a show!
What a city!
Zoooropaaa!
Zooooropaaa!
I Zooropa!

Do you know who I am?

Audience: Yessssss

Oh I know who you are
I know you proably even better than you know yourself.
What a night, what a show, Zooropa it's all over

Audience: Noooooooooo

So many have turned out to see us, I don't know what to say...thank you thank you thank you thank you. But you know there's someone who used to come and see us all the time and who hasn't been around for awhile. We used to be so close. People think I've forgotten about him, but I haven't. I used to find him so inspiring back then; he invented me. I was his most magnificent creation; the brightest star in his sky. Now look at me:
A tired old pop star in platform shoes...
I tried to speak to him all the time but he won't take my calls. But I get blamed for everything; all the wars, all the famine, all the trouble in the world' I get blamed for it.

Even "the Evening Herald" slags me off.
Who can I get to help me make peace with him? Who will mediate for me? And.....Shall I call the United Nations?

Maybe they can help me.
Off with the horns, on with the show.

(Dials the number)

Shhhh
Hello?
Hello?

Recorded phone answer: you have reached the offices of the United Nations. I'm sorry, we're closed for lunch. But if you're a small Third World Nation facing genocide, please leave the name of your country after the beep, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible

Ahhh

When I was younger
So much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any waay
Now these days are gone
I'm not so self assured
Now I find I change my mind
Open up the door
Help me if you can I'm feeling dow-how-own
And I do appreciate you being 'rou-ounnd
Help me get my feet back off the ground-ound
Won't you
Please Pleaase
Help me help me Help meeeeee