Is it too late to save the Late Late Show (Mod warning post #434)

ghiertal

I’m sure underneath it all Ryan Tubridy is a nice person but his brand of entertainment is about as amusing as a dose of thrush. Then again, his show is not aimed at me. It’s aimed at people who think that a Carry On Celtic Tiger smarmy sense of humour is funny. What is problematic is that other, quite reasonable, people listen to it too. He has a massive platform to promote his views which range from slut-shaming women; to thinking that women should find being harassed in the street a compliment; comparing public breastfeeding to urinating in the street; and he once gave a platform to a man convicted of domestic violence so that he could demonstrate his super-machoness by telling said abuser he would break his legs if he ever did that to any of his women. No you wouldn’t Ryan. When people know that women are being beaten by their husbands, they don’t intervene. They save the big-man talk for the pub, or their radio show.
http://feministire.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/we-need-to-talk-about-tubridy/

I made this point before where he glamorises porn stars as being role-models for young girls, said that he wouldn't watch Brokeback Mountain and numerous other bigoted/sexist remarks. Even that comment he made about Saoirse Ronan at the Iftas "I mean Saoirse Ronan she's only like seven" wouldn't be made about a 20 year male actor or he wouldn't treat a male newsreader in the manner he does to the "little gurls".

hotmail.com

ghiertal wrote: »

I’m sure underneath it all Ryan Tubridy is a nice person but his brand of entertainment is about as amusing as a dose of thrush. Then again, his show is not aimed at me. It’s aimed at people who think that a Carry On Celtic Tiger smarmy sense of humour is funny. What is problematic is that other, quite reasonable, people listen to it too. He has a massive platform to promote his views which range from slut-shaming women; to thinking that women should find being harassed in the street a compliment; comparing public breastfeeding to urinating in the street; and he once gave a platform to a man convicted of domestic violence so that he could demonstrate his super-machoness by telling said abuser he would break his legs if he ever did that to any of his women. No you wouldn’t Ryan. When people know that women are being beaten by their husbands, they don’t intervene. They save the big-man talk for the pub, or their radio show.
http://feministire.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/we-need-to-talk-about-tubridy/

I made this point before where he glamorises porn stars as being role-models for young girls, said that he wouldn't watch Brokeback Mountain and numerous other bigoted/sexist remarks. Even that comment he made about Saoirse Ronan at the Iftas "I mean Saoirse Ronan she's only like seven" wouldn't be made about a 20 year male actor or he wouldn't treat a male newsreader in the manner he does to the "little gurls".

You've hit the nail there, Tubridy appears to be chauvinistic at best. Perhaps he is insecure in his own masculinity or something. I know many women, particularly younger women don't like Tubridy because of his regular comments on or about women.

The older more conservative radio one audience may be more sympathetic to his attitude to women and indeed the older more conservative LLS audience appear not to be too fussed about his comments and general manner with women.

For Reals

Seems finally, after only a short run , Tubbs is finding his Late Late gangly legs......
“I am fizzing with ideas and enthusiasm, even though my face might belie that.”
http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2014/0813/636898-tubridy-reveals-plans-for-new-late-late-show-set/

Translation, 'I know I look like I've no idea what's going on, but I do! I swears.'
Tubbs in broadcasting: Squarest of pegs in a round hole........

CountyHurler

"Tubridy reveals plans for new Late Late Show set"... Well that's everything changed bar the host.. So he'll have nothing else to blame at the end of this season..

BuilderPlumber

hotmail.com wrote: »

You've hit the nail there, Tubridy appears to be chauvinistic at best. Perhaps he is insecure in his own masculinity or something. I know many women, particularly younger women don't like Tubridy because of his regular comments on or about women.

The older more conservative radio one audience may be more sympathetic to his attitude to women and indeed the older more conservative LLS audience appear not to be too fussed about his comments and general manner with women.

Tubridy seems to be insecure in general and his jokes often do indeed come off as sexist. The former poster to the above mention Celtic Tiger humour: that's exactly it. Wisecracking jokes, musical intros for all the guests, silly banter, insincere falling all over guests, etc. all makes it feel like a poor man's take on a cheesy US chat show.

Whether he means to be or not, Tubridy often comes across as quite condescending too.

For Reals

Why are we, (the royal 'we') making excuses for this chap? If he can't do the job, he shouldn't be in the job.
I mean it's the top chat show job in the country, anyone even applying for that job should be at the top of their game every second on screen, or off for that matter.
But sadly we know no such vetting process takes place and there in lies the problem. Your Late Late host 2025, Lottie Ryan..........

The days of no experience due to lack of access are over. There are hundreds of media and journalism graduates every year screaming for a start somewhere. RTE, how about giving some of them a start and groomoing them for top slots, should they have the talent?

lufties

For Reals wrote: »

Why are we, (the royal 'we') making excuses for this chap? If he can't do the job, he shouldn't be in the job.
I mean it's the top chat show job in the country, anyone even applying for that job should be at the top of their game every second on screen, or off for that matter.
But sadly we know no such vetting process takes place and there in lies the problem. Your Late Late host 2025, Lottie Ryan..........

The days of no experience due to lack of access are over. There are hundreds of media and journalism graduates every year screaming for a start somewhere. RTE, how about giving some of them a start and groomoing them for top slots, should they have the talent?

Totally agree, but rte is a government mouthpiece which is effectively civil service, the people at the top don't want any unwashed outsiders in the clique..I actually think tubridy seems a decent chap and not too bad as a broadcaster, but the format of the show is very dated and tries and fails to replicate gay byrne's show. Irish people to a large extent are not the parochial, god fearing conservatives they were in the 1980's. Its a tough one though because the can't get big names like graham norton show.

They need to scap the whole show and start again..the late late show has had its day.

Onthe3rdDay

He should stay or go according to the ratings and the ratings alone. If that's the case he has to continue to host The Late Late. It might be boring, old fashioned, and he might not be to a lot of people's tastes but the figures back his position.

On the other hand, he should be shown the door on Radio and he can see how he does on the BBC. He's had several years to build an audience on various shows and it's just not working. Putting him back on RTE Radio One would be shocking. It works fine as it is right now. Plus Radio One listership won't switch off no matter what goes on air. When they went on Strike 22 or so years ago and only played music for a few weeks, listenership didn't change at all. Pat Kenny leaves and there's almost no noticeable change in listening figures.

So Tubbs goes on Radio 1, he gains 150,000 listeners and everyone will say what a success he is.

Test Tone could go on Radio 1, it would also gain 150,000 listeners.

Cork boy 55

jasus

....
“I’ve just come back from the UK talking to six million people every day and then I’m looking at the figures here of 160,000 [in fact they fell to 144,000] going, what is this? It’s quite a career mix,” he said.
....
“I thought we did well last season. I thought we upped the game all round. I thought I improved a little bit and I thought the guest list was really good. It moved up a gear. It was the beginning of a Late Late Show reboot for me.”

He said he had been studying the style of his hero, former US chat show host Dick Cavett, to fine-tune his own performance on the show which he said was unique in modern TV both because of its composition and its fully live broadcast.
...

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tubridy-im-a-hit-on-bbc-but-baffled-by-2fm-ratings-279468.html

mikom

He said he had been studying the style of his hero, former US chat show host Dick Cavett, to fine-tune his own performance on the show which he said was unique in modern TV both because of its composition and its fully live broadcast.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/tubridy-im-a-hit-on-bbc-but-baffled-by-2fm-ratings-279468.html

Well, he's half way there.
Now time to work on the surname.

Onthe3rdDay

Well he didn't build that audience on BBC Radio 2, he's filling in for the individuals that have built those numbers. It's also probably a station closer to his talents. It's for the over 35's and much older. At least the BBC consider him a safe pair of hands that won't drive away the audience.

dublinman1990

If Tubridy is go to RTE Radio 1, the executives there will say he will fit the remit of the station is if it was to become Tubridy's new radio home. It fit's the age group of the listeners who tune into the station every day.

However for The LLS, Tubridy needs to considerably up his game if he is to make a serious effort to get the nation back on his side of him being a "changed" TV presenter. But the problem is with Tubridy, he doesn't let that change happen to him very quickly, that lack of change could make potentially fail as a TV personality.

If he also had a job of producer like Gay Byrne whenever the new set/series comes into play later on that could be a big positive for him if he is able for that particular role. The current producers of the show did accentuate too much of the negatives of Modern Ireland which is good in a way for a long time ago. However the remit of the Irish TV audience should say with some confidence to RTE that in the modern era we are seeing a very changed landscape in the way that a chatshow is meant to be properly run in the 21st Century.

People could say to the station that we are not seeing that change happen here in Ireland a lot more quckly than we are used to with certain chatshows from overseas. That lack of talent when Tubridy would interview guests which would have had a hard time in their past, you know the "misery" stories, they should be in RTE Television in some shape or form yes but not for an entertainment show. If a chatshow host from overseas did that for a couple of times a month like what we occasionally do over here, the audience for these shows would go "What was that for guys? You know they are many different shows out there for that type of output. We didn't pay these broadcasters to have that type of stuff on the show. Try a different show next time around. Thanks."

If the format of the the LLS was to change. It has to give a decent bit of positivity to the audience once a week including the big dose of happiness for the The Toy Show before Christmas time. That I will happy with but for the "misery" stories, I know that the people giving those stories mean well but there is another time and place in where those stories will be more accomodating to their needs on different shows.

The controversial pieces should come back to the Late Late Show in some form too. I miss those when Gay Byrne did those on his show long ago.

CountyHurler

"He said he had been studying the style of his hero, former US chat show host Dick Cavett, to fine-tune his own performance on the show which he said was unique in modern TV both because of its composition and its fully live broadcast."

Jesus H Chr1st... How many more times do we have to listen to this b*lloxology from Tubridy.. "I need to up my game, I need to pull up my socks, etc etc" Five years on, and he's still trying to learn how to do the job, while being paid an absolute fortune because some gobsh1te in RTE mistook him for a real presenter (Henry Kelly perhaps). Maybe he should wear those N tabards that Joe Duffy was talking about yesterday..

It seems like RTE management are the only ones who dont realise that the puppet will never be a real boy...

ghiertal

Is that Gerry Ryan's old seat

ghiertal

CountyHurler wrote: »

Jesus H Chr1st... How many more times do we have to listen to this b*lloxology from Tubridy.. "I need to up my game, I need to pull up my socks, etc etc" Five years on, and he's still trying to learn how to do the job, while being paid an absolute fortune because some gobsh1te in RTE mistook him for a real presenter (Henry Kelly perhaps). Maybe he should wear those N tabards that Joe Duffy was talking about yesterday..

It seems like RTE management are the only ones who dont realise that the puppet will never be a real boy...

Why is he studying a presenter who was in his heyday in the 60s and early 70s. That kind of style won't work now because all celebrities are briefed not to reveal anything, that's why the British and American TV has moved to the more comedic format, allowing the guest to basically control the interview. Most interviewees have their anecdotes prepared beforehand and maybe 20 per cent of a Graham Norton style chat is not scripted. Confessional interviews are long gone. Dick Cavett is known for his interviews with Grouch Marx and Richard Nixon!! Time for Tubridy to grow up and do it and stop claiming that he is on the cusp of greatness

jmcc

ghiertal wrote: »

Time for Tubridy to grow up and do it and stop claiming that he is on the cusp of greatness

Perhaps that's the problem - Tubridy is not and never was on the cusp of greatness. However RTE management is still hopeful.

Regards...jmcc

dublinman1990

Tubridy is on the RTE Ten interview video from Youtube here talking about what is to happen to most of the things for the show this season apart from details of the new set after christmas.

He is to focus more on political input this season and the usual good Rory McIlroy stuff which happened in the media very recently.

Onthe3rdDay

It is important to point out that the Late Late is actually doing a lot better in ratings than a lot of the time when Pat was in charge. It's not really in Trouble if it keeps pulling in the numbers and advertisers, no matter how bad it might appear.

Raspberry Fileds

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

It is important to point out that the Late Late is actually doing a lot better in ratings than a lot of the time when Pat was in charge. It's not really in Trouble if it keeps pulling in the numbers and advertisers, no matter how bad it might appear.

Are you sure? The OP links to an article saying that viewing figures in '11 were 800k+. There's no way Kenny's was below last season's average of ~550k.

Onthe3rdDay

Raspberry Fileds wrote: »

Are you sure? The OP links to an article saying that viewing figures in '11 were 800k+. There's no way Kenny's was below last season's average of ~550k.

I'm hampered by not being able to get full figures but at the time I remember people saying that Pat wasn't up to the job, I can say his average in October 2002 was 533k and there were other months that it was as low. Of course there were other months when he was doing 600k plus and as the years went on the figures did improve.

What I'm trying to say is that an average of 550k will keep RTE happy especially with the media Market fragmenting so quickly. They will also point out Pat had less competition a lot of the time, and to be fair as long as the average is kept above half a million Ryan is in no danger of being moved on.

Now the Radio Show is an entirely different matter. He and RTE have totally failed when it comes to his show and 2fm. If 2FM closed in the morning would anyone really care?

CountyHurler

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I know I always say this, but jesus he is painful... Talking with a cocky swagger, sort of reminiscent of a young Paul McCartney obviously minus all the popularity and talent.

They were really giving the hard sell to the Late Late Show audience, (and I emphasize the LATE LATE audience, not the RYAN TUBRIDY audience) telling us that "you can tune in to the radio show on Monday and I will tell you all about what went on in the Green room, and my radio show is the only place you will hear that"... And Mr Conservative tells NO secrets on the Monday show, he's usually just defending how bad his performance was... e.g. Ronan Keating, Juliette Binnoche.

"Is it time to get my school books ready?" :mad::mad::mad:
No, it's time for you to pack your bags, sonny..

lufties

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Tubridy is on the RTE Ten interview video from Youtube here talking about what is to happen to most of the things for the show this season apart from details of the new set after christmas.

He is to focus more on political input this season and the usual good Rory McIlroy stuff which happened in the media very recently.

I noticed he never mentioned jonah hill

BabysCoffee

Onthe3rdDay wrote: »

It is important to point out that the Late Late is actually doing a lot better in ratings than a lot of the time when Pat was in charge. It's not really in Trouble if it keeps pulling in the numbers and advertisers, no matter how bad it might appear.

If the ratings are higher, the boards thread has to be the reason for the boost

LynnGrace

BabysCoffee wrote: »

If the ratings are higher, the boards thread has to be the reason for the boost

It's the only reason I watch it.

Zeek12

In answer to the thread....Yes, and it obviously was too late many years ago. But that's kind of beyond the point at this stage.

In the interests of preserving fun Boards discussions, the LLS is essential and long may it live. The LLS thread is by far one of the funniest here and I suspect a very significant contributor to the shows ratings:)

Tubridy comes across as smarmy and unlikeable and has no interviewing skills. He can barely allow someone a sentence without "Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh." and when someone (usually illness of the week) tries to segue from how they found out to how they felt when they found out he has to butt in with "And how did you feel when you found out?". He can never just let someone speak and let the other person dictate where they go, even when it's where he wants to go. It really is amazing that he hasn't improved whatsoever in the past few year.

Zeek12

It boils down to an inability to interview guests, pure and simple. And a lack of connection with people.

If it's a high profile person (eg. Jonah Hill, Ryhs Ifans, etc.) he gets nervous and makes a prat of himself!

If it's a regular guest (ie. non-celebrity), he adopts this arrogant condescending attitude and becomes very un-likeable. Basically, he's devoid of any people skills and has no place in the interviewer's chair.

And so bring on the new season, the LLS thread will be great, I can't wait:D

BuilderPlumber

Tubridy indeed has no interviewing skills. Here are examples of this:

Some boyband are on: Tubridy acts stupid and is all over them ultimately looking silly.
Someone with motor neurone disease comes on: Tubridy is insincere, non-involved and condescending.
Someone famous comes on: Tubridy messes up the interview and/or talks too much about their babies!
Some politician comes on: Tubridy is full of faked aggression and ruins the interview.

CountyHurler

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Tubridy indeed has no interviewing skills. Here are examples of this:

Some boyband are on: Tubridy acts stupid and is all over them ultimately looking silly.
Someone with motor neurone disease comes on: Tubridy is insincere, non-involved and condescending.
Someone famous comes on: Tubridy messes up the interview and/or talks too much about their babies!
Some politician comes on: Tubridy is full of faked aggression and ruins the interview.

He's good at the sport though... Remember his interview with Olympic boxer Adam Nolan.. known as 'Andy' to his friends,(apparently)..

Onthe3rdDay

CountyHurler wrote: »

He's good at the sport though... Remember his interview with Olympic boxer Adam Nolan.. known as 'Andy' to his friends,(apparently)..

Regarding Adam and his tweet...
I don't know if Jerry Seinfeld would agree with you

Fr Tod Umptious

I hope they get rid of the f..ing band.
And their inappropriate intros.

Example.
Joanne O'Reiordan, girl born with no arms or legs, has sopken at the UN, a campaigner for rights etc. and a real go getter comes on

And what do they play ?

'Give me hope Joanna'
Any anti apartheid song from the eighties.
I mean seriously ?

BuilderPlumber

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I hope they get rid of the f..ing band.
And their inappropriate intros.

Example.
Joanne O'Reiordan, girl born with no arms or legs, has sopken at the UN, a campaigner for rights etc. and a real go getter comes on

And what do they play ?

'Give me hope Joanna'
Any anti apartheid song from the eighties.
I mean seriously ?

I agree 100% here. This band and their stupid intros is very annoying. Whose idea was this playing inappropriate stuff when each guest comes on? It is not necessary, tacky and embarrassing to be honest. The above you mentioned was not a one-off isolated incident unfortunately.

I am not saying the band is bad either. They are good musicians and could be doing something more worthwhile. They are wasted here too aiding and abetting a silly show's silliness.

Azwaldo55

The Late Late Show can of course be saved. Just get rid of Tubridy and put someone in the chair with actual talent and ability.

Watch Cuba Gooding Jr destroy Tubridy.

In this radio interview Tubridy loses his cool with a domestic abuser who had seen the light and was trying to get men like him who are physically abusing their wives and partners to seek help.

Tubridy acts like the white knight and completely misses the point the poor guy was trying to put across.

BuilderPlumber

Azwaldo55 wrote: »

The Late Late Show can of course be saved. Just get rid of Tubridy and put someone in the chair with actual talent and ability.

Watch Cuba Gooding Jr destroy Tubridy.

In this radio interview Tubridy loses his cool with a domestic abuser who had seen the light and was trying to get men like him who are physically abusing their wives and partners to seek help.

Tubridy acts like the white knight and completely misses the point the poor guy was trying to put across.

These interview clips show us how poor Tubridy is. Cuba Gooding Jr decided to take advantage and it is pure class!!

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Tubridy indeed has no interviewing skills. Here are examples of this:

Some boyband are on: Tubridy acts stupid and is all over them ultimately looking silly.
Someone with motor neurone disease comes on: Tubridy is insincere, non-involved and condescending.
Someone famous comes on: Tubridy messes up the interview and/or talks too much about their babies!
Some politician comes on: Tubridy is full of faked aggression and ruins the interview.

L. Walsh or Twink come on: Tubridy nearly stains his pants with excitement.

jmcc

Looks like UTV thinks that it can compete against Tubridy by giving Pat Kenny a show.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/its-back-to-the-future-for-pat-as-new-show-to-rival-tubridys-late-late-30521314.html

Best quote from the article:

Asked if current presenter of 'The Late Late Show' Ryan Tubridy (pictured) should worry about Kenny's upcoming series Curtis replied; "No-one need worry if they are doing their job well. There is plenty of room for us all out there."

Wonder how RTE management and Tubridy will take this? Will Tubridy endeavour to make the LLS his own? Will he up his game? WIll anyone be still watching the LLS?

Regards...jmcc

squonk

jmcc wrote: »

Looks like UTV thinks that it can compete against Tubridy by giving Pat Kenny a show.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/its-back-to-the-future-for-pat-as-new-show-to-rival-tubridys-late-late-30521314.html

Best quote from the article:


Wonder how RTE management and Tubridy will take this? Will Tubridy endeavour to make the LLS his own? Will he up his game? WIll anyone be still watching the LLS?

Regards...jmcc

To answer your questions.... Won't care, No, No, RTE command a big default audience who will always watch the LLS even if it's presented by a cardboard cut-out and is 3 hours of silence!

BabysCoffee

They wanted change so they brought in Tubridy. But why did they do this?


If they really wanted change they should have given it to someone young and hip. Otherwise they should have given it to someone like John Creedon - at least he would be professional around celebrities and not frustrate them and make the worst interviews ever.

Mia Farrow *shivers*
Juliette Binoche
Rhys "DLB" Ifans
Take That
Cuba Gooding Jr
Anchormen
Am I missing anyone?

Someone also needs to tell the production team to back away from Youtube

Thargor

Id pay a license fee every month for a show where Tubridy gets into the ring with convicted abusers and drug dealers and tries to "break their legs" for justice.

Raspberry Fileds

BabysCoffee wrote: »

Mia Farrow *shivers*
Juliette Binoche
Rhys "DLB" Ifans
Take That
Cuba Gooding Jr
Anchormen

Am I missing anyone?

Yeah, loads! Tatum/Hill, Cruise/Kurylenko, Kasparov...ad infinitum. I would venture that the good list is significantly shorter than the bad one.

Onthe3rdDay

You know when I was a kid I used to love Fawlty Towers. The hassle Basil used to get into etc, etc. Then I grew up and went out to the workplace and found out that Basil might have had a point, but at the same time had none of the tools to deal with the situation. Now I can't watch it at all because it stresses me out.

Ryan is the Basil in this situation. He knows what would make a decent show but has none of the tools to do the job. I would hide behind the couch if I wasn't a grown man because of his embarrassment (and mine for watching) I tend to leave the room and have a cup of tea instead as I hear family and friends Groan and give out in the next room about what they're watching. However they do continue to watch...

amdublin

Raspberry Fileds wrote: »

Yeah, loads! Tatum/Hill, Cruise/Kurylenko, Kasparov...ad infinitum. I would venture that the good list is significantly shorter than the bad one.

I don't know about Tatum/ Hill - tubs obviously did not endear himself but Hill was a complete dick IMO.
Actually let me rephrase, yes Tubs was as useless as usual, but my god Jonah hill was a dick.

EyeSight

amdublin wrote: »

I don't know about Tatum/ Hill - tubs obviously did not endear himself but Hill was a complete dick IMO.
Actually let me rephrase, yes Tubs was as useless as usual, but my god Jonah hill was a dick.

I don't think Hill was to blame. He has been on so many talk shows in the USA and every time he is on them he takes the piss out of the host, the host takes it(possibly gives it back) and they have banter. That's how a lighthearted entertainment talk show goes
Maybe nobody explained to him the format of the LL show

Hootanany

Tubs is out of his depth RTE should release the line now if they know whats good for them.

realweirdo

Its just the same old regurgitated paddywhackery under Ryan as is most things he touches...he's either doffing the cap to the Kennedys or indulging in paddywhackery and more doffing the cap in his other book "The Irish are coming".

The Late Late could be saved but certainly not with this presenter who seems to be stuck in a 1960s timewarp.

BuilderPlumber

realweirdo wrote: »

Its just the same old regurgitated paddywhackery under Ryan as is most things he touches...he's either doffing the cap to the Kennedys or indulging in paddywhackery and more doffing the cap in his other book "The Irish are coming".

The Late Late could be saved but certainly not with this presenter who seems to be stuck in a 1960s timewarp.

The Irish are coming is an awful book. All about the usual cronies Tubridy uses his show to idolise in public. He is neither an author or a presenter and is 90% why the Late Late Show is poor. We'll have it back in a couple of weeks and maybe we will see one or two comparatively strong shows (Nidge will be on I hope) and then it will be into the usual same old same old. Hopefully, Nidge will arrange to clip Tubridy

Go Harvey Go

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Hopefully, Nidge will arrange to clip Tubridy

I'm pretty sure RTE wouldn't allow that.

So if he did physically hurt Tubs, they'd sack him. And then Love/Hate would never be the same again...

Just sayin'.

LynnGrace

jmcc wrote: »

Looks like UTV thinks that it can compete against Tubridy by giving Pat Kenny a show.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/its-back-to-the-future-for-pat-as-new-show-to-rival-tubridys-late-late-30521314.html

Best quote from the article: "No-one need worry if they are doing their job well. There is plenty of room for us all out there."

Yes, I thought that response was good, and it's true.

Berserker

jmcc wrote: »

Looks like UTV thinks that it can compete against Tubridy by giving Pat Kenny a show.

Any show with a half decent presenter will compete with the LLS, as is. It desperately needs a revamp. The house band needs to go, as does the overuse of internet clips, for starters. The lack of young talent in RTE is frightening.

Tombo2001

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

There was a time the LLS mattered and there would be discussions about it all the following week. Scandalous (by 1980's Irish standards) stuff.
Those days are well and truely gone and they aint coming back, even if we cloned Gaybo, it's just a different world now.

I would disagree with this.

There are plenty of topical discussions in contemporary Ireland that could use a suitable forum, and the Late Late Show could be that forum.

The problem as the OP mentions is complete loss of direction. With Tubridy, and even more so with Pat Kenny previously, it wouldnt really matter if you have a really interesting person on because the interview will still be boring!!

I remember once Renee Zellswegger appearing on the Late Late on a Friday and on Parkinson on a Saturday - the LLS interview was like watching paint dry and the Parkinson one was brilliant.

They really just need to get the right presenter, and then give that presenter control (i.e. that the guest list isnt a promotional tool for other RTE shows....here is someone from Fair City, here is someone from Room to Improve, here is someone from whatever other show).

I actually think Brendan O'Connor is a far better presenter, and would be a better option for the LLS. There are loads of others that spring to mind. Claire Byrne is really good. Emma O'Driscoll is the most natural TV presenter on RTE. Outside of RTE, Ian Dempsey if he was interested would be good at it.