RTE 1: 'Today' with Claire Byrne

mjsc1970

Lads, I just can't take her show seriously

NIMAN

She seemed very knowledgeable about football, and last nights Conference League final, when chatting to Guillem Balague.

Either done her research, unlike many of her peers, or else someone just wrote the questions down for her to ask him.

Furze99

Dave Fanning was on this morning and had a good and fair take on Christy and Aslan. Brought a bit of balance and a kinda awkward silence from Claire. Think she was expecting more eulogising, which he kinda did but overall assessment was of talent not fulfilled.

hotmail.com

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120713674#Comment_120713674

The silence is because she's unable to find anything interesting to say.

I'm more and more baffled how she has such a high profile programme given how amateurish she is.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120715465#Comment_120715465

More that she relies on preparation and knowing the answer when asking a question. So Dave F threw her off when he clearly qualified his answer and wasn't joining in with another effusive eulogy. Mightn't be invited back on again!!

NIMAN

Well we all know Dave is a U2 fan boy.

He discovered them didn't you know

elperello

I thought Fanning could have left it out myself.

A bit early to be putting the boot in and Christy not 24 hours dead.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120715756#Comment_120715756

Yes, a bitter little input and uncalled for.

Tork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120715756#Comment_120715756

Usually, I like that Dave doesn't give a monkey's what way the wind of popular opinion is blowing. On this occasion, he should've either declined the invitation to come onto the show or toned the comments down. What he said wasn't untrue and he was quite cutting not just about Christy but about Aslan. He really damned the band with faint praise, didn't he? It's as if something was annoying him about the eulogies to Christy and he felt he had to get it all off his chest. I hope Christy's family and Aslan haven't heard what he had to say about them but that's a vain hope. It won't help them while they come to terms with their loss.

California Dreamer

Looks like Aslan didn't kiss the Fanning brass ring enough over the years so why would he say anything good about them?!

littlevillage

I was listening to that segment yesterday. Claire was in full on gushing mode, "best we've ever seen yadda, yadda yadda" .... Dave fairly pulled the rug from under her, more or less said Christy was ok, but had his demons ... cue awkward silence for a few seconds, and then I think Claire swiftly changed to another topic.

Yep, Dave obviously had some beef with Christy/Alan and it was a bit mean spirited, but it was refreshing to hear some unburnished honesty on the radio for a change.

Anyone remember what he said about Boyzone on his Sunday morning TV show (when he thought he was off air). Something along the lines of "sure they can't sing at all"

Go Dave!!!

tesla_newbie

Christy became more famous for his various personal suffering in the end than his music, he’s been telling us he has not long to live on the late late show etc for twenty years, guy always had a story

Tork

It is true that Christy Dignam's personal story became bigger than the band and it is a complicated legacy he leaves behind. I can see reasons why it could and should be trashed out at some point in the future. National radio 24 hours after he'd died is not the time or place for such discussions.

Hodges

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120724284#Comment_120724284

He was quick enough to make a virtual career out of his various demons so in balance it's not unexpected for it to happen.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120724284#Comment_120724284

Thought it was fair comment from Dave myself. It's not as if he was talking about some private citizen. Damned with faint praise is a good description above and deserved. That's not to put down Christy but to see him in a fuller context.

ClaudeVercetti

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2023/06/20/i-was-wrong-dave-fanning-apologises-over-bad-comments-about-christy-dignam/

Dave's apologised anyway - I was listening at the time and was a bit in disbelief tbh. Like Tork had said time and place.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741522#Comment_120741522

He was wrong and admitted it which isn't easy but he's trying to make amends which is good.

At the end of the day Dave is respected in the music business but Christy was loved.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120741561#Comment_120741561

Dave's assessment was perfectly good - it's a poor day that he feels obliged to issue an apology when a few people complain. I'm sure there were many thousands who thought he gave a fair synopsis of Christy's musical career - which is what presumably he was asked to comment on.

Furze99

She was poor this morning with Eamon Ryan I think. Had a list of prepared questions inc one about the high usage of electricity by data centres and would Ryan comment on this. What I heard was deflection from Ryan, he insisted there was no problem as we would xyz of solar & wind power in xyz years.

Was he followed up on this? I didn't hear it, a smart journalist like Sarah McIninery or Pat Kenny would have picked him up on that on the fly.

Byrne as I heard it just moved onto her next prepared question.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120743516#Comment_120743516

It was unnecessarily crass and dismissive of Christy's life experience.

If Fanning had been saying it to his face while he was alive, in an interview, that would have been one thing and Dignam would have been able to respond and discuss it, as he did do many times during his life.

But Irish people have a sense of respect and decency around the death of someone. None of us are perfect and some of us are dreadful people, but Dignam wasn't, he was just a man with different problems to others and what Fanning said was indecent and disrespectful at the time of his passing.

It was unnecessary and probably hurtful to some and Fanning was right to recognise that and apologise.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120743635#Comment_120743635

I respectfully disagree, Fanning wasn't there to deliver an eulogy. He was giving his professional views on Christy & Aslan's musical life & career. He correctly identified that just when the band was on the verge on some success, that they imploded and that was down at least in good part to Christy's heroin problems.

I get your point completely about respect for the deceased but what sort of answer was Claire Byrne expecting? She shouldn't have had Fanning on if she didn't want to hear his valid opinion. If all she wanted was warm fuzzy meaningless tributes, she should have had Tubridy etc

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120743516#Comment_120743516

I think he was wrong and he agrees because he has apologised.

Time to move on.

Brendan Bendar

I wouldn’t get too exercised about someone like Fannings comments.

Maybe he thought he was ‘edgy’ going against the grain but it backfired badly on him.

We take lads like Fanning way too seriously, in my opinion, give me Cristy’s talent , however flawed any day.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120744226#Comment_120744226

Dumbing down Brendan, that's where we're at with this. Dumbing down.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120744682#Comment_120744682

Not quite with you on that post Furze, maybe you could elaborate to those of us a wee bit challenged?

amlinopta

Colm O'Mongain in for Claire, fresh from his first stint on Liveline. No indication from Claire signing off yesterday that she wouldn't be around.

Seems to be less of Philip Boucher Hayes filling in on the main programs since he went to Countrywide

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748077#Comment_120748077

Colm O'Mongain certainly seems to be the captain of the B team in RTE these days, right enough

Frank Grimes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748241#Comment_120748241

To be fair, he seems to be a lot better suited to this show rather than Liveline.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748252#Comment_120748252

I was thinking the same

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120748241#Comment_120748241

Amazing Phoenix like resurrection for Mr Anonymous Cuuulm O Muuungáin.

Lad exploded from the position of ‘Assistant Foreign Editor’ a made up title if I ever heard of one, never heard of for years,to The Late Debate, to stand in for The Dufficer on Liveline, and now it seems for CB in the morning show.

Talk about forhking Lazarus rising from the grave and all that.

Only bad thing would be his propensity to pronounce ‘o’ as ‘u’ as in munny and the fact that the ‘Doomsday Dog’ Barry Lenihan has got the Late Debate gig.

He is even more negative than Hannon was in that role and that’s saying sommit, and all delivered in a funereal monotone that Eamon Fitzmaurice would be proud of.