Leo and his working of movie lines into his speeches

eddie73

This has been going on globally for some time.

George W has quoted Shrek in the past, all of which have been removed mysteriously from youtube and other searches.

I think that Varadkar doesnt really know that much about his speeches, as they are written for him, for the simple reason of policy and the constraints of time.
The press office most likely has a person that handles all of this for him, and it would seem likely and fair that he trusts whoever writes the speeches for him.

I think it comes down to laziness on behalf of the press office more than anything here

zerosugarbuzz

eddie73 wrote: »

This has been going on globally for some time.

George W has quoted Shrek in the past, all of which have been removed mysteriously from youtube and other searches.

I think that Varadkar doesnt really know that much about his speeches, as they are written for him, for the simple reason of policy and the constraints of time.
The press office most likely has a person that handles all of this for him, and it would seem likely and fair that he trusts whoever writes the speeches for him.

I think it comes down to laziness on behalf of the press office more than anything here

Unfortunately he knows damn well what he is doing. I don’t think I have ever witnessed such sneering disrespect towards a nation from any “leader”.

Foweva Awone

Pure harmless. I think it's funny, and I actually like him a lot better for it.

If he was making horrible decisions in all of this, and endangering lives, I'd probably have less patience for jokes. But the fact is, he's actually handled the entire crisis extremely well. Other countries could learn a lot from his actions. So I think he's entitled to the odd movie quote, if that's what he chooses to do.

is_that_so

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Pure harmless. I think it's funny, and I actually like him a lot better for it.

If he was making horrible decisions in all of this, and endangering lives, I'd probably have less patience for jokes. But the fact is, he's actually handled the entire crisis extremely well. Other countries could learn a lot from his actions. So I think he's entitled to the odd movie quote, if that's what he chooses to do.

They've been well-assembled speeches, though clearly not for people ready to pounce on a "yet another quote". It's what writers do with speeches, they channel others who have said it better or whose quote suits the moment. The audience for such speeches is way beyond what some people can comprehend and they aren't really an excuse to deconstruct them it into a list of purloined quotes. Doing that means you're just not paying attention to the overall purpose of it.

zerosugarbuzz

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Pure harmless. I think it's funny, and I actually like him a lot better for it.

If he was making horrible decisions in all of this, and endangering lives, I'd probably have less patience for jokes. But the fact is, he's actually handled the entire crisis extremely well. Other countries could learn a lot from his actions. So I think he's entitled to the odd movie quote, if that's what he chooses to do.

Tell that to the grieving relatives of the needlessly dead carehome residents.
Particularly those who couldn’t be with their dying loved ones leading up to their deaths or attend their funerals.
Put yourself in their shoes and post again.

jd1983

Foweva Awone wrote: »

But the fact is, he's actually handled the entire crisis extremely well. Other countries could learn a lot from his actions.

Are you trolling? If not you've seriously be suckered by propaganda.

Ireland has one of the highest death rates in Europe, despite having a very young age profile (by European standards) and being a sparsely populated island.

Chalk McHugh

Was bad enough that he has used another silly movie quote But if it's from a teen girly movie it is so cringey. But nothing would surprise me with this lad. Writing to Kylie Minogue on official government paper was sad. Some leader alright with this carry on.

is_that_so

jd1983 wrote: »

Are you trolling? If not you've seriously be suckered by propaganda.

Ireland has one of the highest death rates in Europe, despite having a very young age profile (by European standards) and being a sparsely populated island.

We have an accurate death count, including probables. Can the same be said about other countries?

Beechwoodspark

To keep it simple - He does it in the hope he will trend on social media.

GG66

Everyone is talking about his quotes rather than nursing home deaths. Even those of us who see through it for the PR distraction that it is. Purpose served.

At least he seems to have moved on from quoting a genocidal warmongering racist, Churchill since Black Lives Matter.

is_that_so

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Tell that to the grieving relatives of the needlessly dead carehome residents.
Particularly those who couldn’t be with their dying loved ones leading up to their deaths or attend their funerals.
Put yourself in their shoes and post again.

Well, this is confusing. Which are you most put out by, that they died or that people weren't allowed to contravene public health policy? Needles death is an oxymoron given the general frailty of the population in care homes.

Sofa King Great

is_that_so wrote: »

They've been well-assembled speeches, though clearly not for people ready to pounce on a "yet another quote". It's what writers do with speeches, they channel others who have said it better or whose quote suits the moment. The audience for such speeches is way beyond what some people can comprehend and they aren't really an excuse to deconstruct them it into a list of purloined quotes. Doing that means you're just not paying attention to the overall purpose of it.

I agree on some of the quotes that they are a catchy and succinct way if making the point but the most recent one was a "challenge" that came via 2fm

Beechwoodspark

Personally I find it a good measure of varadkar

One of the worst crises to hit Ireland.

Huge amount of death and worry.

People have gone through hell and back.

Country shut down. Economy frozen.

And he thinks it’s a good time to play stupid games awkwardly shoehorning movie quotes into his speeches.

All for attention on social media.

It says a lot about him.

He probably just has a notebook of phrases and stuff taken down over the years, no?... like, he was probably watching LOTR years ago, heard it and said "oh, that's good.." must write that down..

jd1983

is_that_so wrote: »

We have an accurate death count, including probables. Can the same be said about other countries?

Not all countries but for most European countries this is the case. It will be difficult to tell for definite until we have official death rate stats from every country but going by rip.ie it doesn't like we'll be faring well.

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0505/1136496-death-notices-ireland-coronavirus/

Do you think our death rate is something that Leo should be proud of? Do you believe other leaders should learn from Leo based on our death rate?

Neddyusa

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Personally I find it a good measure of varadkar

One of the worst crises to hit Ireland.

Huge amount of death and worry.

People have gone through hell and back.

Country shut down. Economy frozen.

And he thinks it’s a good time to play stupid games working in movie quotes into his speeches.

All for attention on social media.

It says a lot about him.

Absolutely - ask those saying it's a bit of craic....who exactly is having the craic?

LV himself said he didn't know much about Mean Girls and then went on to pull the latest stunt.

People who think this is somehow related to the Taoiseachs sense of humour are shocking gullible.

It's a carefully choreographed and cynical strategy to boost social media clicks - nothing more.

If you think it's a joke - the jokes on you.

Shefwedfan

jd1983 wrote: »

Are you trolling? If not you've seriously be suckered by propaganda.

Ireland has one of the highest death rates in Europe, despite having a very young age profile (by European standards) and being a sparsely populated island.

Think you need to check your maths

is_that_so

jd1983 wrote: »

Not all countries but for most European countries this is the case. It will be difficult to tell for definite until we have official death rate stats from every country but going by rip.ie it doesn't like we'll be faring well.

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0505/1136496-death-notices-ireland-coronavirus/

Do you think our death rate is something that Leo should be proud of? Do you believe other leaders should learn from Leo based on our death rate?

Think there are more people involved in our efforts. We've done as well as we could given the situation we found ourselves in with a new pathogen and our systemic issues very clearly exposed. Like almost everywhere else we weren't prepared for this. Care homes have been a worldwide problem.

Shefwedfan

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Personally I find it a good measure of varadkar

One of the worst crises to hit Ireland.

Huge amount of death and worry.

People have gone through hell and back.

Country shut down. Economy frozen.

And he thinks it’s a good time to play stupid games working in movie quotes into his speeches.

All for attention on social media.

It says a lot about him.

Personally I think it’s great...

After all the doom and gloom we are finally coming out the other end and it’s time for some humour

But people love to moan, complain....so let them off....

Sure if they had nothing to complain about what would they do all day....that’s what my granny used to say and she is 100% right

Mattdhg

Wow, think people are being so dramatic about it.

Go to any funeral up and down the country and there will be jokes. It is sad that over 1700 people have lost their lives so far, but that doesn't mean we are forbidden from smiling for the next few months. A movie quote here or there in an attempt to make some people scratch their heads and smile, or remember old memories is no harm, and it does not detract from the sadness of the death count. His speeches are not just a eulogy, they are also to give everyone else some bit of inspiration or hope. Lighten up a bit

Gregor Samsa

If he quoted from Shakespeare’s plays no one would bat an eyelid. So what if he’s quoting popular movies - it’s more relevant to us than Henry VI Part III.

My dad died of Covid 19 in a nursing home. I guarantee this does not feature at all on my list of things to be concerned about.

If it was only for a ‘wacky’ bet, that is odd. Even without considering the 1,700 deaths.

Gentleman Off The Pitch

Of most concern to me has been the lack of diversity in the quotes, the list of quotees so far is "very white". I pray he addresses this in upcoming speeches

ectoraige

T.S. Eliot wrote, "Good writers borrow, great writers steal".

If anybody is under the illusion that Leo writes all his own speeches, they will be disappointed. Political leaders and press officers have speechwriters whose job is to put policy into memorable communicable words. Generating speech after speech is laborious, and when one finds a quote that succinctly expresses the emotion or sentiment required, it is easy to lift it and inject into another speech.

Varadkar no doubt would have input into the process, and must be aware of the use of movie quotes, but really the providence of the quotes is irrelevant: the re-use of material from other sources is a common feature of speeches everywhere. As another poster pointed out, nobody would bat an eyelid at a quote from Shakespeare.

The only questionable point raised here concerns the satisfaction of the bet made by Sean Astin. To be honest though, I don't really consider it disrespectful: as an emergency service worker, I understand that humour is often used to cope with stress. The current government and officials have been dealing with an unprecedented and protracted crisis, while also trying to form the next government; I would allow a bit of leeway to all involved.

Homelander

I agree that in a different context it's kinda funny even if entirely self-serving, but in the context of Covid it's in really bad taste and only makes me dislike him more.

fits

Homelander wrote: »

I agree that in a different context it's kinda funny even if entirely self-serving, but in the context of Covid it's in really bad taste and only makes me dislike him more.

Well this is it really. People who dislike him ( a lot of folks) aren’t impressed. The rest mostly don’t care or think it’s mildly amusing. I watched only one of the Covid addresses Live but I heard the interview on 2fm so am mildly amused he Actually managed it.

john123470

Leave Leo alone. He's one of the girls. I think he's kinda trendy

road_high

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Personally I find it a good measure of varadkar

One of the worst crises to hit Ireland.

Huge amount of death and worry.

People have gone through hell and back.

Country shut down. Economy frozen.

And he thinks it’s a good time to play stupid games working in movie quotes into his speeches.

All for attention on social media.

It says a lot about him.

He’s aloof and removed from all that. Had a life of relative privilege compared to most of us.
Will never have to worry about paying staff or how to pay the next rates bill. The ordinary person isn’t his scene hence all the forced choreography like him going back to the medical frontline- the more he tries the more fake it looks

jd1983

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Think you need to check your maths

Are you need a machine learning Bot that's malfunctioning by any chance? As that response doesn't make the least bit of sense.

john123470

Gentleman Off The Pitch wrote: »

Of most concern to me has been the lack of diversity in the quotes, the list of quotees so far is "very white". I pray he addresses this in upcoming speeches

"Very white" because Leo is of Indian extraction. This is the problem with so called multiculturalism. Invite them into your house and before you know it, they'll be tellin you how to run the place