If it was Jon in rehab

I think that you are just being too sensitive (nothing wrong in that!!). The majority of the fans are keeping an open mind to the whole situation and I for one, am glad.

There are two options here, we can fold our arms, block our ears and shut our eyes and not give Bon Jovi / Phil a chance (if anyone wants to do that, go for it) OR we can be adults about it. Accept the situation for what it is and then decide what we want to do. Personally, I am seeing people being adults, having an open mind and coming away from shows / you tube with a new insight.

No one wants Richie gone for good. I have not seen one post, where anyone said that they don't want Richie back but in the meantime, that doesn't mean, we can not give Phil a go because you bet, that when Richie comes back on stage at his first show back, he is going to get the biggest CHEER from everyone in that crowd. They are going to love and no one will be saying,oh I wish Phil was still here.

100% agreed.

I admit today I my least favorite member of the band is Jon, heck I think I like the white microphone stand better. I think he has become a total narcissistic and honestly like to hear him sing and that's about it.

But even I do not see how he could have handled this better. Richie did not get in a car accident, win an award he is an ADDICT and is in rehab for what I think is the fourth time and this time in the middle of a tour.

Jon cannot win - cancel the tour and a lot of people in a horrid economy lose their job. You cannot postpone something like this - logistically it is crazy and the other band members have lives. At this point who knows if Richie will ever come back, who knows if Jon will ever trust him to go on tour. I really and truly believe this may be the last tour - it's not Richie's first, second or even third rodeo - he is in bad shape.

I have tickets to Orlando so yes I am impacted, it does suck that Richie is not going to be there but there is nothing I can do about it so I will enjoy the members who are there and move on.

There's no irony.

Jon and Richie are Bon Jovi, Tico and Dave are just playing what they're being told to and go along for the ride. Richie is at the artistic heart of Bon Jovi, he shines through on the vocals and his excellent guitar work is obviously a big draw.

Without him it's Jon Bon Jovi and friends. Something I'm not overly fussed about.

Terri and Jovimimi I have repect for both of you so I understand your views and I respect them. We all see this situation differently and what I have read lately has enlightened me too.

Jon is the front man. Diehards might think Richie is on the same level as Jon. The real world doesn't see it that way. It's not rocket science.

Should the shows have been cancelled? Maybe. Should they have offered refunds? Sure. But that doesn't change the fact that Jon is "more Bon Jovi" than anyone else in the band.

I don't think it's fair to call it "Bon Jovi and friends" without Richie. Richie is an essential part of the band for sure, he's the soul of the band, Jon's co-songwriter, his right-hand man and his artistic contribution is beyond controversy IMO. But I don't think it's right to call David and Tico just friends, that's belittling their significance. They are founding members of the band and they have their band history just like Richie. From a musical/artistically point of view they could be replaced - any band member could be replaced actually, even Jon. But it's the collective, the formation and the history that makes the difference and that matters.

And of course the tour would be canceled if Jon was in rehab. I do understand your point though. But no matter how you look at it, Jon is the band leader and signifies Bon Jovi. The name says it all.

I agree with you 100%.

a few weeks ago i met a spanish guy from Barcelona who has just moved to Lisbon. i was telling him i was going to Barcelona in summer to see Bon Jovi. his first two words were...

Richie Sambora.

he's not a guitarist nor is he a diehard, not even a casual i would say. so it was definitely interesting that i said Bon Jovi and he immediately associated it not with Jon as it would be expected, but with Richie.

Jon is definitely the most visible and recognisable face of the band, it's an universal truth. however perhaps in some areas people value the individual members or the band as a whole more than others. i know Richie has a huge fan base around these parts and i would even say most casuals do know who he is, as they also know who David and Tico are.

Could you go see Bon Jovi without Alec? Oh, I guess you could.

The thing is, Jon is the band to most people. Also, he has the right to be the band, because his voice is in the songs. It's not another guys voice.
Replacing Richie is easier, he was playing like shit anyway. Shame about the backing vocals though.. Those are really missing.