150KTubs - future career in Virgin Radio and other soulful pursuits **Mod: Read OP**

Bellbottoms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122109422#Comment_122109422

Bobson, you love the bitterness. You wouldn't be here trolling every day if it wasn't for the bitterness.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110221#Comment_122110221

There's one way to find out. :)

Regards…jmcc

Bellbottoms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110248#Comment_122110248

I guess I will never know.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110290#Comment_122110290

Easons has a page for the podcast:

https://www.easons.com/bookshelf-ryan-tubridy-book-podcast

Regards…jmcc

Bellbottoms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110321#Comment_122110321

Christ on a bike.

Goosebumps.

A book on "past life theraphy"

and a book by last weeks guest. Which I am sure that is just a coincidence.

This has to be the worst selection by far.

I was better off not knowing.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110383#Comment_122110383

The podcast series isn't over yet. Ironically, some of those kinds of books outsell the recommendations from critics. Not sure about Boyne's book though. There is some coverage/publicity of the back story on the past lives book on Evoke.ie. Vogue Williams seems far better at promotion and publicity than Tubridy.

Regards…jmcc

animalinside

It goes without saying of course why he's going to children's books, but I'll just mention what we're all thinking anyway.

He sees them as an easy audience. The writing of his latest daily mail column would be seen as below par in many primary schools. He'll write some basic childish stuff and claim it's because it's for children, and I'm sure reviewers of children's books are overly nice people while he'd get crucified if he wrote an adult book. Kids in their naivity will think they know that man from the telly, he must be good, they want that. The name will sell it.

It makes total sense to me that Tubridy wouldn't be caught dead in a library until he recently heard it was a good way to associate with the plebs and now suddenly libraries are one of his greatest life-long passions, he's so supportive of librarians and of course teachers - Tubs always preaching about how underappreciated teachers are, what a guy.

Hyperbollix

I don't think kids will put that much stock in name recognition for Tubridy's books. David Walliams' readers wouldnt really care (or necessarily be aware) of his comedy acting career. He's just a smart guy who knows how to connect with young readers.

If the Toyman produces a good children's book that kids latch onto and it becomes "the thing" he will do ok. But if he writes anything like his previous efforts, or carries over his column style of tedious prose, it will flop.

The main reason I don't forecast any success for Tub's as a children's author is he won't put in the effort. The endeavour isn't coming from a place of passion. Just another cynical cash grab attempt.

yagan

Having been without a TV for nearly two decades and out of the country for long stretches too my exposure to Tubridy has been primarily secondhand, but from what I understand from this thread his main audience was female and mostly at home.

If that was the case then I'm assuming they are the target audience that Tubridy would be pitching a kids book at now, but wouldn't that be too late as that demographic have kids gone past the kiddie book phase?

The next demographic wave of kiddie book buyers are more likely to get their suggestions from insta influencers.

swine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110955#Comment_122110955

Definitely this. There is a misconception that kids books are easy to write, but it requires a particular skill to do so. Arguably Tubridy's last one about JFK wasn't really aimed at children either, rather something aimed at parents to give their kids. He also had a regular presence/profile at that time with the LLS and radio 1 show which wouldn't hurt in moving a few copies. I don't think the same could be said of the syndicated radio program / podcast / MoS article.

I was of the opinion his Toy Shows were one of the better part of a the LLS season (not a high bar to clear), but he at times had an ability to connect with kids (moreso in the earlier years). Perhaps if he could channel this into writing a children's book? I personally can't see it happening but stranger things have happened. The MoS diary will surely only run as long as the stint at Virgin in London.

Hyperbollix

Tubs isn't a writer full stop. Even a children's author needs an ability to structure a book and write compelling plots in a way that captures a child's imagination. Constructing pleasing sentences is an added bonus. Something that, on the current evidence, is sorely lacking in his offerings.

Ah, he's not trying to be the next JK Rowling anyway. If this latest wheeze can net him anything approaching his old "Renault" top-up and supplement his paltry Virgin salary, he'll count it a win.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122111330#Comment_122111330

Again until there's published accounts it's an assumption that Virgin Radio are paying him anything.

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110553#Comment_122110553

Agreed.

I believe that there have been big cutbacks in library services in the UK, over the past number of years. Of course Tubridy has a library near him, in London, so he thinks no further than that. As for the tired old clichés in his column, about teachers, yawn. 🥱

I imagine writing children's books is a lot harder than he envisages. The even trickier bit is getting books (in general) published. But I suppose whoever published his previous offerings might be willing to go there again.

He needs to move fast also if he wants to depend on the toyman recognition to sell his books. That recognition will surely come to an end as the kids who knew him, grow up, and there's now a new frontman for the toy show.

He really had it so good, for so long.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122111006#Comment_122111006

That is his audience on this thread as well. And librarians.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122111433#Comment_122111433

Getting a publisher, other than one of the News Corp/Murdoch ones, might be difficult as Tubridy's brand is fairly toxic in Ireland since he keeps being mentioned in the RTE coverage. Ironically, publishing has never been easier. The difficult part is, as always, promotion. If Tubridy does a book tour then every newspaper and broadcaster in ireland will have journalists there asking him about the payments scandal. Publishers would be interested in a tell-all "autobiography" of his time in RTE but that would have a lot of people trying to stop its publication. And with him being an (ex) RTE lifer, he probably wants to get back there after his London purgatory.

Regards…jmcc

dxhound2005

Journalists should investigate the Easons link with Tubridy. Some hard questions to be asked there. But as far as I know they never even reported on the Boycott which was highlighted on this thread. Putting on my tinfoil hat, most journalists fancy themselveles as novelists. And they don't want to get on the wrong side of Easons, in case it would damage their future sales prospects.

Paterson Jerins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110225#Comment_122110225

The doc loves being here everyday.

Every post is superb, great poster

jmcc

Tubridy has been off RTE television (apart from the news reports on the payments scandal) for almost a year now. He's been off national radio for almost as long. His last appearance as the "Toyman" was in 2022. Patrick Kielty is the new "Toyman". That's almost two years off of his target audience if he manages to get his book out for the Christmas market.

Some of the potential audience for Tubridy's book will have moved to more sophisticated books. There's also a part of that audience that consists of younger children just learning how to read and who have little or no memory of Tubridy as the "Toyman". Would the parents of Tubridy's audience who pay the RTE licence fee want to buy Tubridy's books for their children?

If he's doing a book tour in Ireland would he get on the LLS to promote his book?

Regards…jmcc

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112152#Comment_122112152

Ironically, publishing has never been easier.

That is interesting. I heard an established author speaking recently on the subject and my impression was, that it's quite difficult now. Hence my comment in my post, above.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112152#Comment_122112152

Tubridys name though is increasingly being attached forever to disfunctional rte so with each reminder of rte graft his return will diminish, so at some stage he might decide to cash in on that reality with a tell all book.

He'd even get years of free publicity if it was being tied up in legal challenges.

podgeandrodge

Tubridy wouldn't even be a good enough guest to get on Tubridy's podcast. But would be a good Callan sketch. Tubridy interviewing Tubridy. Two Tubridy's fidgeting nervously across from each other doubling the misery quota for the listener.

mrsdewinter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112409#Comment_122112409

Tubridy is too smart to engage in years of legal actions. Certainly too smart to initiate that kind of heartache.

The career pivot into children's author does sound like the kind of gig he believes he could do in his sleep. I appreciate that the children who remember the Toyman are probably about to put away childish things. But who buys children's books? A lot of middle-aged aunties who might be feeling sorry for the hapless guy who used to keep them company on their commute to work.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112396#Comment_122112396

Publishing a book is typically a gamble because, for the publisher, in addition to the print costs there are also the promotional costs. Before print on demand, it was a necessary to pay for a print run and then get that print run delivered. With an established author, some of that print run would already have been sold but with a new author, it would have required a lot of publicity to get the same level of sales. There is also the cost of storing the books from the initial print run while they sold.

Print on demand allows a publisher to print small numbers of books as they are needed. They are a bit more expensive than a large print run. Then there's electronic publishing on the likes of Amazon Kindle. That doesn't require any expensive print run but it requires different graphics to a print book. That may not work out for the kind of book that Tubridy hopes to write as those books are often parent and child books in that the parent will often read them to their children.

Getting a contract with a publisher is a whole different ball game. Publishers want series where the initial promotional costs pay off over a series of books that end up selling well.

Regards…jmcc

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112409#Comment_122112409

There's probably a good book in how RTE collapsed. Perhaps some enterprising journalist(s) could write one for the Christmas market. The problem with RTE is that the horrific truth (as has been seen with the latest reports) is stranger than fiction. The media is going to keep using Tubridy's image every time something new about RTE waste emerges.

Regards…jmcc

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112443#Comment_122112443

I'm a middle aged man who was gifted an Eason's voacher from an aunt. I'm spending buying her books written specifically towards her demographic because very little they stock appeals to me.

Bobson Dugnutt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112396#Comment_122112396

Publishing is easy. There’s lots of people who write a book that they get published independently or via one of those click to print sites. Might sell 2 or 3 copies if they are lucky. Probably some family member who feels sorry for them. They then delude themselves into believing they are an author.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112152#Comment_122112152

He could go down the Joe Duffy "patriot" route and get his buke published in Germany

mountain

one of the difficulties he will now have with a book he may write, is the lack of free publicity.
previously he would of promoted it the LLS, on his radio show, and other associated RTE presenters would of flogged his book.
that avenue is now closed

yagan

If a publisher looks at his podcast views on YouTube I doubt he'd getting backing.

Bambi thug has a better chance of getting a title book of calm published.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112668#Comment_122112668

That's the publishing business. A book might supposedly be published in ireland but it could be printed in some other country where costs are lower. Large publishers may have operations in multiple countries. To give Duffy his due, he does the research and hard work. You don't see people praising Tubridy for having such a work ethic.

Regards…jmcc