U2 frontman Bono has made the bizarre recommendation to send a crack team of comedians to fight terror group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
The Irishman was at a US Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing to talk about foreign aid and violent extremism in the Middle East.
Bono lashed out at the international community on the refugee crisis, publishing a “record number” of press releases instead of “cutting cheques”.
ISIS displays of power in the region are “show business”, according to the rock god.
Then came the bombshell - comedy can combat ISIS.
“Don’t laugh,” he told the committee, “I think that comedy should be deployed.”
He reasoned that laughing at violent people can undercut and defeat them.
“The first people that Adolf Hitler threw out of Germany were the Dadaists and surrealists. It’s like: You speak violence, you speak their language.
“But you laugh at them, when they are goose-stepping down the street, and it takes away their power. So I’m suggesting that the Senate send in Amy Schumer, Chris Rock and Sasha Baron Cohen,” he said.
It would probably make great television, but it’s difficult to see how even the tightest set by the trio could disarm homicidal religious extremists brandishing deadly weapons and hell bent on destruction.
As expected, the people of Twitter have taken to ridiculing the U2 frontman.