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John Lennon to appear in advert from beyond the grave

Former Beatle joins campaign to get technology to the poor

December 28, 2008 | 16 Comments
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John Lennon is set to appear in a charity advert, nearly 30 years after his death.

Permission to use the former Beatle's voice and image were given by his widow, Yoko Ono, to the One Laptop Per Child Foundation which is campaigning to supply computers to the world's poorest children.

The organisation, a spin-off of a project by the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, supplies the £140, solar powered machines to allow the world's poorest places to gain access to helpful technology.

In the advert, which can be seen below, Lennon says: "Imagine every child no matter where in the world they were could access a universe of knowledge. They would have a chance to learn, to dream, to achieve anything they want. I tried to do it through my music, but now you can do it in a very different way."

Air time for the advert will be donated by cable stations in the US.

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Comments (16)

Add a comment

simonpimpernell

Dec 28, 2008

No way man, thats never his voice is it, especially the bit about laptops, its a good cause though.

bungalow bill

Dec 28, 2008

let them eat cake

Kenny-T

Dec 28, 2008

Is it just me or should they be rethinking their priorities? Reading the article I wasn't quite sure what they meant by "poorest areas" but seeing as the advert hinted at Africa and what not, it makes me think. Sure, it's nice, but I wouldn't say a laptop is high up on the list of things that are the most useful to African kids.

Fivestrings

Dec 28, 2008

Great: a laptop! That way you can google how many of your fellow countrymen die each hour of malnurishment... Of course you could always sell the laptop to get some money, so it might just work.

Museician

Dec 28, 2008

Lol at Kenny-T's comment.

funkfuel

Dec 28, 2008

I didn't know ASDA's home delivery service had gone international.

luckywookie

Dec 28, 2008

There are loads of better adverts that Lennon's voice could have been lent to. What about that curry that you just add water to-Instant Korma. Boom-Boom! Thankyou very much I'm here all week.

x---e

Dec 29, 2008

hahha luckywookie. i'm simple; that amused me.

gingerboosh

Dec 29, 2008

what the hell is this? that voice sounds like obi wan from star wars, and why would kids without water want a laptop?

frem001

Dec 29, 2008

Sure lets build everything for third world nations, let them do and learn nothing. Lets make the same mistakes we've made, in regards to charitable contributions to poorer nations, for years. Lets feed our pets, safe in the knowledge that without the tools they really need to work their way out of poverty they'll always be behind us and be our serfs.The program is meant as an enabler of knowledge and unlike the money and food donated by the first world not a tool used by corrupt governments to control the population.

rich.harris82

Dec 30, 2008

Charities to provide food and water to people without it do one job. This is to provide laptops and hence education to try and solve another problem altogether. They aren't saying send laptops into a cholera riddled refugee camp. It is more to give those that live and get by in poverty in an endless downwards spiral with no means of education to get them out that opportunity to get out. It is a different kettle of fish.

crmitchell86

Dec 31, 2008

'Teach a man to fish' comes to mind. Teach a man to use myspace...

crmitchell86

Dec 31, 2008

I wonder if they are Macs and come with garage band?

markiechops

Dec 31, 2008

Don't you just love the Lovely Yoko. Everytime she needs a bit of attention she digs up the smacked-out wife-beater and forces him to jumpstart the weary old peace industry all over again. People get antsy about Thumbs-up Macca, but nothing annoys me more than the ridiculous ego-trip that the Lennon's lived out in public in the last eleven or so years of his life.

NicholaCarr

Jan 1, 2009

Yes, these kids need water and food and clothing and other essential items, but until children everywhere are shown the world of possibilities in which they live, become educated and stimulated how will they ever know what they can achieve? it is equally valid to be given a chance to be educated as it is to be given a chance to be given food and water. I don't have children myself, but what i want more than anything for my niece and nephews is the ability and courage to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions and opinions. how would they be able to do that if they just believe what they see on TV and what they are told in school? No matter where the children are, they deserve the chance to think for themselves. thank you Frem001, i think we are thinking along the same lines here!

CrashingBlimp

Jan 1, 2009

markiechops, I couldn't agree more. I respect Lennon for his contributions to music, but as a human being he was far from the angel of peace he's been turned into, mostly by Yoko, since his death. I'd much rather be friends with "thumbs-up Macca," as you put it, than the babied, pouting, entitled man John became before his death.