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

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765514#Comment_121765514

I would say 50/50

yagan

The only explanation for his current tenure is that it's paid for, either via favours and sponsorship, or with sweeteners from his own pocket.

There's no shortage of DJs in England that Virgin Radio can choose from that will connect with their English market, so there is definitely another reason they're letting that segment just be about him and his Irish listenership.

His referral to his stint there as being like a student life means from the get go he had zero intent of making a name for himself there, or like going back to education it is self funded. It's all about just keeping his Irish radio ego inflated, even if that airtime is paid for from his RTE cash pile.

It would be ironic if he blew all his remaining funds on trying to get back to where he believes he belongs on Irish radio. A smarter person would quit while ahead.

It's an expensive way to learn that it was the national broadcaster slot that was the institution, not the presenter.

Bellbottoms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121764486#Comment_121764486

I was making a point about Tubs moving to the UK being his own choice. He could have stayed in Ireland and opened a "communications" company. He could of started a podcast. He could have started a self funded PhD on JFKs visit to Ireland. Teresa Lowe left 2 FM and RTE to become a sucessful barrister. He had a lot of options. He wasn't forced to move to London.

humberklog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765736#Comment_121765736

Dublin Bus are hiring too.

Now that I'd like to see...

Tork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765736#Comment_121765736

Could you really see him doing any of these things? I can't, even though I don't completely disagree with the point you're making. The thing is, I don't think this guy is capable of being anything but a TV/radio presenter. Without a lot of hand holding I couldn't see him doing any of these things off his own bat.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765856#Comment_121765856

He's a product of institutionalization. However it's by his own hubris failing that he's not still with rte.

If he could read the situation like a good host should he would have grabbed what was on offer.

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765856#Comment_121765856

I agree.

The only job he has ever done is as a presenter and he doesn't seem to have any particular talent for it. He had the most ridiculously overpaid job in RTE handed to him.

Time will tell whether he can actually make a go of being a radio presenter, outside the cosy confines of RTE. I definitely couldn't see him making a go of anything else.

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765418#Comment_121765418

Here's a conspiracy theory from 2016 to 2022 which might've explained why a non entity like Tubridy was the highest paid on air "talent" at RTE with the best gigs at the station....

"RTE is run like a private fiefdom by Dee Forbes and other RTE top brass. Corporate governance is non existent. Quality of output, the ability of the presenter, even the performance of the presenter is not a consideration for a number of people within a golden circle, where enormous and assured contracts are the norm. Forbes would be happy to engineer methods to pay Tubridy extra money under the table to avoid the glare of public scrutiny, even up to fraudulent accounting practices. Anything to keep Irelands most trusted man, national treasure and future Aras candidate, sweet."

People would have scoffed and called the above a tinfoil hat theory 2 years ago, but here we are.

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121766072#Comment_121766072

I think time has already told that he is not ever going to be a great radion presenter.

His brand of waffle he spewed out on Rte Radio 1 for an hour might have been acceptable to many in Ireland, but at present it sounds like he is really out of his depth at VR, and his limitations are being cruelly exposed for all to see and hear.

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121766517#Comment_121766517

I think time has already told that he is not ever going to be a great radio presenter.

Oh he will definitely never be a great radio presenter.

He has a challenge on his hands now, imo, to cut it as a radio presenter, outside the cosy confines of RTE.

leath_dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121766517#Comment_121766517

It's hard to argue with much of that. His output is frantic. It's all " nerd, nerd, nerd" "books, books, books", "Ireland,, Ireland, Ireland", etc

He is clearly out of his comfort zone and by the sound of his voice he knows he's out of his depth

Any segments of the show I have listened to, the sense of desperation is palpable. I'd say he's ruminating quite a bit about life choices he has made recently

Neferteena

I've had a listen this morning to The King of Mid Morning inane waffle, & while the narcissistic delivery hasn't changed, every listener's anecdote, movie review, & every link discussion is turned to being about him, some other stuff has changed.

I won't be so bold to say that NKM & his stooges are on here taking crib notes, but there is a huge correlation between what's critiqued on here, & what's changed on the show. I've never come across such a high rate of coincidences before, if coincidence is to be assumed. In light of that, I'll be less helpful with my posts

This morning he's been bigging up programmes on BBC TV & radio- Kin & Desert island discs both with an Irish connection. I think he's setting the scene to knock on their door, as this Virgin gig is beyond him.

There's been a few subtle micro aggression digs at the production team, which are ugly on the ear. I suspect the production team have been given the green light (by the big bosses) to fade in music when he loses the run of himself with his witter-laden musings of how he put his socks in & tied his own shoe laces this morning. This tells me he's making simulcasting more challenging than it needs to be. And his ethos seems to be that the music is a lesser incidental to his speech (soliloquy) links.

I've also noticed that no Virgin resources are put into promoting his show, outside of the generic promotion of their radio schedules. No clips of his shows are played on other shows, that's not the same for other presenters, I've even heard his predecessor's show on Virgin Anthems being advertised. Why not? Like other posters, I believe that this is a cost neutral arrangement for Virgin, with Tubs/NKM & Paddy Power.

He's asked to recommend books, he goes to old reliables like Liz Nugent, he's asked where should tourists visit in Ireland, Clifden is always mentioned. His world is so small. If he was as culturally curious about London as he makes out, he would have gone to the great FREE Chinese New Year event last weekend. But no, he seemed to holed up in his 1 bed bijou flat looking at a movie with the partner, looking like he'd seen a ghost after reading a book when his daughter walked in on him, & explaining to some friend that his palate is unsophisticated. Oh & rating London book shop staff on the charm-ometer. How does he fit it all in. I'm sure either the 'alleged' partner or daughter must have felt (interchangeably) like a 3rd wheel over the weekend. That's not how to host guests in 'big exciting London' surely.

He could have got excellent chips & curry sauce if he'd stepped out of his imaginary walter mitty world & participated in what was really happening a stone's throw from his front door in central London.

Dull as ditchwater with disproportionate use of the first person in every expression & utterance, with no capacity to improve. His perception of ambition & ability are hugely skewed, with ambition outstripping ability, & ability being an 'non-starter'.

Bellbottoms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121765856#Comment_121765856

Honestly, not really.

But as an infrequent listner to the show. I have heard Tubs

• Express his desire to do a PhD in history. He is, or at least should be able to self fund one.
• Talk about his time in Kings Inn. He was there two weeks before he quit. BTW full time fees in Kings Inn for a Barrister at Law are about 12k. I am sure it was something proportanily similar when Tubs signed up after UCD.
• He has mentioned in interviews, his desire to start a podcast. I imagine he did explore this. I belive his RTE show had seven researchers. That is a lot of wages to be paying out. Plus studio overheads.

My point is he didn't have to leave Ireland. He chose to.

alzer100

I know people who worked with Ryan Tubridy. One, a female researcher on the LLS. Tubridy was described by her as precious and a total primadonna. Lots of ego massaging required and woe betide those not bowing down to Tubridy's almighty superiority. Another, an ex RTE cameraman who just describes Tubridy as a word that starts with C rhyming with Shunt. A 3rd, an audio designer who did some time at 2fm - he said Tubridy was dismissive, wouldn't remember your name no matter how many times you met him. Tubridy could not go anywhere - even to record a simple 2fm promo without being accompanied by his entourage of about 6 people.

It is well documented the anecdotes from former 9am show workers and their confirmation that he was not a nice person to work with. "The minions" was how he would refer to people supposedly less important than him - people assigned to his team on meagre wages and having to deal with his preciousness.

Hyperbollix

PhD's, a law degree? Come off it!

Anyone who has invested the time, effort and resources into something like that is a person of substance. Someone who is genuinely committed to becoming an expert in a field. The only PhD Tubs would seek out is an honorary one. He's all about the cap and gown ceremony and less about 1000's of hours of hard graft.

Tubs is famously associated with JFK and an alleged huge interest in that period of US politics. When quizzed about JFK by an Indo columnist a few years ago, he got ratty and told her he wasn't into sex scandals, policy debates or making assertions on JFK's legacy. He was more about the style and music of the 60's!

As Jim Royle might say, PhD my arse.

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121766783#Comment_121766783

All sounds very plausible, the consummate politician really. Outwardly display a glowing piety, as that keeps you in position. But the insiders, who are expendable and unimportant, see a very different character.

A lot of that can be forgiven when the person in question is a top tier talent that does the business in a way few others could. It's laughable that a person of such limited ability in his chosen profession could carry on like a primadonna. I suppose it's just what goes with the territory when you see yourself as beyond reproach and ultimately untouchable. Which Tub's certainly believed he was. I'm convinced his first show back on RTE radio last autumn would have been a Fr Tedesque Golden Cleric speech and Bakkurst had no option but to pull the plug. Tubs truly lives in La La Land.

KevRossi

The nerest Tubs will come to a PhD is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7whxAXeWHU

Gregor Samsa

No legal basis to recoup €150,000 from Tubridy

RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst has said Ryan Tubridy had not repaid the €150,000 and there was no legal basis to recoup the money.

14:40 post from here: https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0214/1432278-rte-oireachtas-committee/

I think this finally puts this one to bed. Unpalatable as it may be, it's just a reality - rule number one of business: No-one acts in contrary to their financial interests when not legally required to.

DaithiMa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767356#Comment_121767356

Not even the most trusted man in Ireland?

MrMusician18

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767356#Comment_121767356

True. The question is if it is or was in his long term financial interest to pay back the money. One would think that if wanted to rehabilitate his persona in Ireland it is a necessary payment.

However if he doesn't see his future here, especially back at RTE, then he was always going to keep the money.

It does make his protestation at committee very hollow though.

NIMAN

Exactly.

He said if the work wasn't carried out, he would have no issue paying the money back.

So we can all see that his words aren't to be trusted or believed.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767356#Comment_121767356

It doesn't put it to bed. You can't wash your dirty laundry in public.

Rule number one of public reputations, just because something is legal, you can still look like a lying weasel.

So Tubridy lied to his colleagues and the country about fake pay cuts, and lied to the Oireachtas and the country again about his willingness to repay the money.

No one acts contrary to their financial interests? Well, Tubridy sure has here. That €150,000 looks like costing him a helluva lot more than that. Maybe he have had a better agent who would have seen that.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767356#Comment_121767356

Well that's it, 150k sounds like lot but if it's gone through your financial system then you're gonna feel it giving it back

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767356#Comment_121767356

Removes the claim that it was, in away, fraudulent too.

Loblox

Gay Byrne would have returned the money the second it came out, if he had to go to the ATM and print out each and every note.

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767590#Comment_121767590

It stinks emmet the trail is just so distorted 😆😆

It's rtes fault and they are so up to their necks its a drop in the ocean

Nermal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767590#Comment_121767590

Why, did Kevin Bakhurst explain how invoicing for 'consultancy fees' that you didn't provide isn't an offence under section 10 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001?

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121767782#Comment_121767782

If you think a crime has been committed, report it to the Gardaí.

But I think you'll find that - fortunately for all of us - being paid money as per a contract isn't a crime.

Tubridy's contract specifically said that if Renault didn't request him for the appearances, that RTE would pay him the money anyway. It was a really, really stupid contract for RTE to enter into, but it has absolutely nothing to do with Section 10 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.

Please, lets just stick to the facts and not make random things up.

Hyperbollix

Forbes and NK can conspire to get Tubridy paid through opaque, fraudulent methods (CMS, UK barter account, "consultancy fees") wholly designed to evade auditors and RTE can still have no legal basis to recoup those funds.

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

Neferteena

Interestingly Angela Scanlon was backfilling for Jayne M, who is covering Chris E's breakfast slot. Another Irish accent, but not Irish centric in her presentation. When she spoke about cheese, & pancakes, it was alloy cheese & pancakes. Not about how back in Ireland cheese is better because the grass is (chemically) greener, or about Auntie Bridie who owns a delightful hobby farm with the nicer tasting goats cheese, because she recites Seamus Heaney poetry to the goats as she milks them with her dainty alabaster hands. Her links were short, sharp & engaging.

If she needed 3 hours per day, 5 days per week of radio work, she'd have that mid morning gig. However I wouldn't be at all surprised if Vr reduce Tub's airtime & give her an hour or 2 daily. Her brand is impeccable, & she has credentials in TV, fashion & so many other areas.

There's been mention of Tubs scrubbing up to do podcasts, but that wouldn't work for him, as he is too competitive with guests & needs to talk about himself incessantly, irrespective of the medium.

If he was to exploit his true talents, he'd create a paid content subscription only platform, where he delivers his daily musings & missives. He can do as many misery interviews as he wants, & waffle ad infinitum. Then he'd know the true quantity of actual fans, who really 'love hearing him back on the radio'. Every listener who contacts the show seems obliged to mention this for some strange reason. I suppose that's because none to very few new listeners are identifying themselves. I'll give Noel a few weeks with that idea. I'm sure his resources are flat out preparing preposterous responses for the upcoming Grant Thornton & other reports.