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The upcoming Season 2 of Max's Bookie, starring legendary comic Sebastian Maniscalco, features a reference to U2's Sphere shows, according to creators Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory) and Nick Bakay.
The moment occurs minutes into the first episode. Danny (Maniscalco) goes to win back his estranged wife (Andrea Anders) after their split. However, his plan is interrupted when he is pulled over by a cop for going over 100 mph on the highway. After bribing him, Danny says, “Achtung, baby,” to the cop.
Of course, that translates to “attention, baby” in English. But for U2 fans, it will remind them of the band's 1991 album, Achtung Baby. The band recently celebrated it at the Sphere, playing it in full for the first time.
ClutchPoints asked Lorre and Bakay if U2's Sphere shows were on their minds when writing Bookie Season 2. It would make sense since Bakay praised his experience going to the show when we talked about Bookie last year. Judging by their laughing reactions, I must have been the first to bring up the reference.
“Yeah!” a laughing Bakay said. “That's really funny. We were together at the show. You are right on with that.”
Lorre then chimed in, explaining the joke. “It served two purposes,” he explained. “He thought he was talking to an Aryan Nation kind of character.”
To my recollection, this is the only reference to U2 in Bookie Season 2. Given its subject matter (betting), it would only make sense if they visit Las Vegas and see the Sphere in Season 3.
U2's Sphere shows
From September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024, U2 played a residency at the Sphere titled U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere. The shows were a celebration of their 1991 album.
Playing the album in full every night meant breaking out deep cuts that hadn't been played in years. U2 played the likes of “So Cruel,” “Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World,” and “Love is Blindness” during the shows.
They were the first band to perform at the Las Vegas venue. Since they ended their residency, Phish and Dead and Company have played shows there. The Eagles are currently in the middle of a 32-night residency, the second-longest one in the venue's history.
U2 members Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton performed during the residency. However, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. was not present for the shows. He is recovering from surgeries and was unable to perform with his bandmates.
Hopefully, whenever U2 hits the road again, Mullen will be present. He helped found the band and is one of the most iconic drummers of all time.
