Is The Late Late (Tubridy) Show irrelevant at this stage?

BuilderPlumber

The Late Late Show/Tubridy Show has become less and less popular over the last number of years. Is this relevant anymore? Or is it just a washed up outdated shell of its former self?

This time last year, we had the infamous Valentine's Special featuring Al Porter at his most brazen. Then there were the times Katie Hopkins was on or they had a lamb in an ISIS like position on the entrepreneur special, and it seemed that stoking controversy was all that was done to break the mundane RTE canteen guests, poor modern 'country' 'singers' and Louis Walsh's bands.

Operation Transformation, Dancing With The Stars, etc. provide the source for many of the guests. It is really obvious that the show is 90% featuring other RTE people who have a programme to push at this stage. The annual Valentine's show has been abysmal and while it is likely to be toned down this year and more decent, it will still be silly and boring.

Each year, the Tubridy show seems to be getting worse and worse. While do get to see the odd out of the ordinary guest like Tom Cruise, the late Roger Moore, Liam Neeson, Sean Spicer or Hillary Clinton, it is mostly the RTE canteen and RTE's handpicked 'stars' we get.

When songs like 'The farmer wants a wife', a song not even good enough to be featured in a village play, gets national airing on The Tubridy Show, it is time to question Irish TV's decision makers. If this is their idea of music or comedy, god help us. When vulgarity and borderline racism is egged on when Al Porter and Katie Hopkins come on, there is something radically wrong.

I feel this show was of its time. It was an avenue for discussion on topics when the Catholic church influenced all matters and when Irish politicians were more conservative. It was an avenue for music and comedy to be fostered when we had decent music and comedy supported by our media unlike now.

Perhaps, the media have replaced religion and politics as the most influential force for the gullible today? I see the vulgar mechanisms of forcing certain people and things at us by our modern media in a similar way to how the Catholic faith and biased anti-British history once was forced on us.

For me, The Late Late Show has become an irrelevant thing which tries to promote a handpicked set of people and which tries (and fails) to be controversial. Is the era of the quality chatshow over? As long as RTE do not diversify their guests and have the same tired topics, quality chatshows won't come from them anyway. I don't remember when I watched a full Late Late Show last. This show has been going downhill for a long time, at least dating back to the later Pat Kenny years. Don't remember when I last said that the entire show was a good Late Late Show either. Is it just time to end this thing?

DavyD_83

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

The Late Late Show/Tubridy Show has become less and less popular over the last number of years. Is this relevant anymore? Or is it just a washed up outdated shell of its former self?

A certain demographic will watch any version of the late late as long as it airs. If only to complain that its not like it was with gaybo.
Viewers mean ads.
I'd imagine it still has some of the most reliable weekly ad slots on RTE.
Although your points are valid, I think they apply apply to most shows on RTE, and to the network itself

Agricola

I think the LLS has a place as the only chatshow on RTE...... ie there is absolutely no room for another one on the following night, guests are far too sparse for one show.

But it doesn't have that place in it's current guise. I'm just guessing here but I have a feeling that the entire problem rests with Tubridy himself, and Im not talking about his pisspoor interviewing technique or just lack of complete cop on. I mean the show appears to be an extension of his personality. Parochial, small time, little Ireland, country music, weekly misery slots for misterys sake, etc etc. It didn't appear to suffer from this under Kenny or Byrne. Aside from the above, the biggest complaint I'd level at the current LLS is it's complete lack of deep panel debates about important political, social issues. Since Tubridy has taken over, we haven't seen any decent panel debates featuring prominent Irish commentators on any number of big tickets items.

The obvious reason for this is that Tubridy himself is a complete lightweight who is in no way capable of marshaling something like this. He hasn't got any interest is the minutiae, and he doesn't have the natural cuteness to ask pertinent questions. Both skills that his predecessors had in abundance.

So that means they will roll on with this low rent cabaret act which seems to, inexplicably, gain them massive ratings week after week.

I don't think the era of the quality chat show is over. RTE can't attempt to copy Norton or Ross in the UK because they will never have the guests but they could do something better than this dross. I watched an episode of the Tommy Tiernan Show recently and it's amazing how well some people can cope in a situation where they must interview a person they may know nothing about and have no pre-prepared questions.
I'm no fan of Tiernan as a comedian but I have to say if he was parachuted into the LLS next week, the programme would instantly improve!

BuilderPlumber

Agricola wrote: »

I think the LLS has a place as the only chatshow on RTE...... ie there is absolutely no room for another one on the following night, guests are far too sparse for one show.

But it doesn't have that place in it's current guise. I'm just guessing here but I have a feeling that the entire problem rests with Tubridy himself, and Im not talking about his pisspoor interviewing technique or just lack of complete cop on. I mean the show appears to be an extension of his personality. Parochial, small time, little Ireland, country music, weekly misery slots for misterys sake, etc etc. It didn't appear to suffer from this under Kenny or Byrne. Aside from the above, the biggest complaint I'd level at the current LLS is it's complete lack of deep panel debates about important political, social issues. Since Tubridy has taken over, we haven't seen any decent panel debates featuring prominent Irish commentators on any number of big tickets items.

The obvious reason for this is that Tubridy himself is a complete lightweight who is in no way capable of marshaling something like this. He hasn't got any interest is the minutiae, and he doesn't have the natural cuteness to ask pertinent questions. Both skills that his predecessors had in abundance.

So that means they will roll on with this low rent cabaret act which seems to, inexplicably, gain them massive ratings week after week.

I feel that The Late Late if it is to survive should be RTE's only chatshow too. Ray D'Arcy's show, the Cutting Edge and others have all taken from it and are just doing the very same thing with the same people.

Tubridy is part of the problem for sure as the show is moulded in his personality. The parochialism, cronyism and idolatry is blatant and a lot of poor stuff gets pushed. I count myself a fan of country music but not the type Tubridy pushes. Modern country music is horrible and is just bad modern pop and is not related to the proper Hank Williams or Moon Mullican type blues based country music which sadly is non-existent in today's Ireland. Modern Irish country music is something that in Pat Kenny's era didn't get pushed. Sadly, both music and comedy have suffered under Tubridy.

The misery slots are depressing and condescending. There is a lack of discussions for sure with Tubridy and he has not got it in him to be serious and sensible. Changes are needed for sure but as long as Tubridy is there, the show will be designed around his personality. Gay Byrne was the real Late Late Show and had the right balance of entertainment and discussion.

NIMAN

No great fan of it, and times have changed a lot and made it slightly less relevant, but the viewing figures are still high enough to sustain it.

Agricola

The only explanation for the viewing figures is that it's a huge cohort of older people who remember the days of two channel land and now despite the fact most of them have other options, still find themselves watching the LLS out of habit. It's an Irish institution that certain people just do on autopilot, like weekly mass attendance!

Tubridy and the producers know this, which is why we largely see a show geared for an older demographic. Hence the country music. Back in the old the days, the LLS used to be a champion of up and coming Irish musical talent. I know the industry has changed completely but they could still do their bit to get little known bands/artists seen.

brian_t

Agricola wrote: »

The only explanation for the viewing figures is that it's a huge cohort of older people who remember the days of two channel land and now despite the fact most of them have other options, still find themselves watching the LLS out of habit.

That's a bit offensive to the huge numbers of Boards.ie members who watch every Friday and post about it here.

They are all included in the viewing figures which help attract advertising and help pay Ryans salary.

The advertisers don't care whether you watch it because you love it or hate it, so long as you watch it.

Agricola

brian_t wrote: »

That's a bit offensive to the huge numbers of Boards.ie members who watch every Friday and post about it here.

They are all included in the viewing figures which help attract advertising and help pay Ryans salary.

The advertisers don't care whether you watch it because you love it or hate it, so long as you watch it.

Well who's to say that the Boards users aren't older people!

The regulars to that thread (who are mostly there for the camaraderie of like minded people taking a pop at it) are hardly the main culprits for keeping this shítshow on the air, given that it attracts 500k plus every Friday. I highly doubt a majority of that number are 'hate-watching' it. It HAS to be mainly an older demographic who are just leaving the TV on RTE1 out of habit and of course want to watch something of Irish interest as opposed to British or international. I have elderly relatives that have told me this.

ps don't mention Tubridy's salary. It brings me out in a rash!

Berserker

Agricola wrote: »

I think the LLS has a place as the only chatshow on RTE...... ie there is absolutely no room for another one on the following night, guests are far too sparse for one show.

Bang on. They should put all their efforts into producing one good weekend chatshow. They have some decent guests on from time to time but they fill the rest of the shows with nonsense guests from a variety of other RTE shows. I watch the LLS, most of the time and post here for kicks and giggles. If there was no thread on Boards, I wouldn't bother with the LLS. Amanda Knox was a very good guest, for example but the rest of the guests on that show, the D'Arcy show, were rubbish.

Mutant z

This show has gone down the sewer since Tubridy took the reigns at least with Pat Kenny you had the occasional discussion that actually was relevant to life what does Tubridy do other than chat to the RTE canteen its bloody awful stuff.

sunbeam

I haven't watched it in a few years but growing up in the 80s it was unmissable. Yes, we had fewer outlets for discussion and entertainment in those days, especially those of us who lived in two channel land. However, its main attraction-for me at least-was the sense that you just never knew what might happen. Guests were rarely announced in advance and often stayed on if a conversation got interesting, even hanging around to join in with those who came on later. Gaybo had far more control of the show than his successors and sometimes the show might overrun by 20 or 25 minutes on a good night. It felt far less prepackaged and safe than now and was actually worth watching.

I really wish RTE would put up more of the old shows online, but suspect most of them were probably taped over.

BuilderPlumber

Berserker wrote: »

Bang on. They should put all their efforts into producing one good weekend chatshow. They have some decent guests on from time to time but they fill the rest of the shows with nonsense guests from a variety of other RTE shows. I watch the LLS, most of the time and post here for kicks and giggles. If there was no thread on Boards, I wouldn't bother with the LLS. Amanda Knox was a very good guest, for example but the rest of the guests on that show, the D'Arcy show, were rubbish.

Exactly. I'd prefer Ray D'Arcy's show to Tubridy's simply because it is shorter anyway. Amanda was a good guest and it would be good to have good guests on a 1.5 hour chatshow per week rather than having 2, 3 or sometimes 4 chatshows doing the same. If RTE chatshows like LLS, Ray D'Arcy Show, The Frontline, The Afternoon Shows, The Cutting Edge, etc. have been poor, it is because there are too many of them with the same faces saying the same things.

Mutant z wrote: »

This show has gone down the sewer since Tubridy took the reigns at least with Pat Kenny you had the occasional discussion that actually was relevant to life what does Tubridy do other than chat to the RTE canteen its bloody awful stuff.

Tubridy's arrival saw the LLS go downhill. In fairness, it was going downhill before that but it was getting worse. Tubridy's arrival gave us two poor chatshows for the price of one, the Tubridy LLS and Kenny's The Frontline. Brendan O'Connor's Saturday Night Show was a better one at the time however.

The canteen guests have become annoying and the show has become overly dependent on them. The usual people with the usual shows come on and talk about them yet again. People involved in the likes of Room To Improve and Dragon's Den are sure bets for the near future assuming there will be versions of these after Striking Out ends which is fairly likely.

Interestingly enough, we note the lack of Louis Walsh at the moment because he is doing the latest version of You're A Star, can't remember what it is called and it doesn't matter, renamed on TV3 instead to compete against Dancing With The Stars. This just shows that TV3 are the very same and picking up a concept that should have been axed long ago. Renaming it from You're A Star to The Voice of Ireland to something else does not fool anyone or either does changing the channel. Ireland has had enough of this drivel. Not a fan of DWTS, but it is preferable to Walsh's talent shows anyway.

tringle

I loved TLLS as a child, teen and adult. It was the topic of conversation every Monday when you got back to school/college/work. Gaybo had good guests and great debates and it probably informed us of politicial issues more than the news did. I loved the big panels debates especially when Nell McCafferty was there , and you would have a politician and a priest and someone famous all arguing... It was great. I loved not knowing who or what would be on it. My Dad would be speculating with comments like "who is in town this week" or " what's the current scandal they will air tonight "? Does anyone remember Gaybos total admiration for Meryl Streepe and the time she was in Dublin and didn't appear on the show, he explained why at the beginning of the show but I can't remember why.

Pat Kenny had a different show altogether, less intense and more light entertainment than Gaybo. I thought he struggled with interviewing some of the bigger stars but was good with the politicians. Do you remember he would do some interviews in the circle face to face, the shock or weepy stories. As I recall during the summers when TLLS was on a break Saturday Night Live came on, each week it had a different celebrity guest, I think Fergal Quinn may have been the first host. Well ( again trying to remember) Barry McGuigan was to host a show and didn't turn up and apparently the producets ran around the building looking for a replacement and dragged Pat Kenny in to do it, he was a bit shell shocked at the beginning of the show and relaxed towards the end. The following year he was given the show to himself...and the he moved to TLLS.
Then Turbridy took over and I stopped watching completly, I just couldn't bare too. And strangely I loved his morning radio show. On TV he doesn't seem to ask the big questions, pushes his own agenda and never let's anyone answer the questions...just keeps labouring on his point. I don't even watch the toy show, he had ruined even that, he doesn't seem to stay focussed on anything.
And strangely I never hear any comments now on Mondays of " did you see the late late on Saturday"
As an institution I would hate to see it go but I don't know who should replace him.And yes, we need one good hard hitting talk show to be proud of not a heap of second rate ones.

castletownman

Come on people. Show a bit of consderation.

How are the likes of Bernard O'Shea, Jason Byrne, Des Bishop, Kathryn Thomas, Amy Huberman, Jake and Nathan Carter, other random B list celebs from DWTS, nobodies from First Dates Ireland, Stephenie Pressnier and other writers of flavour of the month "sitcoms", Brendan Grace, random RTE staffers, James Kavanagh, currently popular "viral star", Anna Geary, Dr.Eva, Roz Purcell, Dermot Bannon, Bressie et al meant to keep up their media presence without being forced down our throats on the Late Late at least twice a year?

Who needs considered political discussion, or indeed genuine top class international guests, when we can have the same beige options to roll out at random every week?

Creativity? Phahaha

I cannot wait to see who the Guest Generator 3000's algorithm pulls out this week. I will take a guess at one of the stars from Young Offenders.

BarryD2

Haven't watched it in years apart from parts of the Toy Show. Completely and utterly irrelevant would be my take.

BuilderPlumber

castletownman wrote: »

Come on people. Show a bit of consderation.

How are the likes of Bernard O'Shea, Jason Byrne, Des Bishop, Kathryn Thomas, Amy Huberman, Jake and Nathan Carter, other random B list celebs from DWTS, nobodies from First Dates Ireland, Stephenie Pressnier and other writers of flavour of the month "sitcoms", Brendan Grace, random RTE staffers, James Kavanagh, currently popular "viral star", Anna Geary, Dr.Eva, Roz Purcell, Dermot Bannon, Bressie et al meant to keep up their media presence without being forced down our throats on the Late Late at least twice a year?

Who needs considered political discussion, or indeed genuine top class international guests, when we can have the same beige options to roll out at random every week?

Creativity? Phahaha

I cannot wait to see who the Guest Generator 3000's algorithm pulls out this week. I will take a guess at one of the stars from Young Offenders.

This week's line up are inclusive of pop singer Mike Denver, 'comedian' PJ Gallagher and a promotion of Love/Hate lite Young Offenders (the real Nidge and Fran would have these guys clipped in seconds) among a toned down Valentine's special. Typical Tubridy fare in other words.