PK@rte.ie (again). The All New (Patrick Kielty) Late Late Show Thread

Nothing, as far as I'm concerned. Rhonda Paisley's stint as host of Saturday Live was cited, along with the Late Late Show appearances of James Nesbitt, Jamie Dornan and Carl Frampton as proof of something. I just pointed out that her Saturday Live appearance was in 1987, and in my opinion not really relevant to the current "debate".

Apologies, I missed the reference to decades.

I can see an equivalence between IRA sectarianism and DUP sectarianism, but I wouldn't lump the SDLP in with them.

You make a good point.

Would have to agree that it does seem to have been a very insensitive move on RTE's part.

I for 1 think a Late Late show appearance by DUP's Emma Little Pengally (Deputy First Minister) would be compulsory viewing.

ELP was in Dublin for the Rugby match at the weekend so maybe she could be tempted towards another visit to the capital.

It would be gripping to see a live interview between an interviewer whose father was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1988 and a politician whose father was one at that time (convicted in 1989)

It just shows how far we have moved on from those dark days that the above scenario isn't beyond possibility.

He had other visitors on the show ( eg Michelle O'Neill, Stephen Rea ) who I think it fair to say had close family connections to terrorism, and he did not ask about their families - so why would he do it with Emma Little Pengally (Deputy First Minister)? Is is because he has had loads of people on the show from Republican backgrounds ( McClean, McAleese, O'Neill, Rea etc) commenting about politics in N.I., and he has not had any unionists speaking about politics in N.I., that you think if he had a unionist on the show she should be given a hard interview, compared to the cosy chats he has had so far?

Did you see the way O'Neill evaded the question, and Kiely did not pull her up on it. O'Neill not so long ago said there was no alternative to the pIRA campaign / Republican paramilitaries. Kielty did not remind her of that hypocrisy.

Emma Little-Pengally, as far as I know, never said there was no alternative to loyalist paramilitaries.

You did not answer my questions first.

You asked would I be happy with the same soft questions being asked of Emma Little-Pengally as were asked of Michelle O'Neill? Emma L.P. would take such questions in her stride and not have to evade them like Michelle O'N did, because Emma L.P. Emma Little-Pengally never said there was no alternative to loyalist paramilitaries.

Have another go:

As said already, Kielty had other visitors on the show ( eg Michelle O'Neill, Stephen Rea ) who I think it fair to say had close family connections to terrorism, and he did not ask about their families - so why would he do it with Emma Little Pengally (Deputy First Minister)? Is is because he has had loads of people on the show from Republican backgrounds ( McClean, McAleese, O'Neill, Rea etc) commenting about politics in N.I., and he has not had any unionists speaking about politics in N.I., that you think if he had a unionist on the show she should be given a hard interview, compared to the cosy chats he has had so far?

Herself and Michelle seem to be best buddies? 🤔

Wow!

"Have another go" What exactly do you mean by that?

I asked if you would be happy with ELP getting the exact same question as MO'N. (I even put it in bold italics for you to make it easy)

You're complaining that there hasn't been anyone from a Unionist background on the LLS despite the fact that in recent weeks Carl Frampton, Jamie Dornan and James Nesbitt have all been interviewed by Patrick Kielty.

When I suggest prominent DUP member and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly it appears to have rattled your cage for some reason. I genuinely think she would be an interesting guest.

I didn't suggest that Kielty bring up the fact that her father brought guns in from abroad to murder innocent catholics. That would be too aggressive a question in my opinion and wouldn't allow the guest to open up and speak honestly. I merely asked your opinion on him phrasing his question to ELP exactly as he phrased the question to MO'N.

As far as I can gather ELP does not comment on her father's past. The only comment I can find is that his 1989 arrest was neither "a badge of shame nor a badge of pride"

I don't think anyone on this thread has suggested that Kielty ask ELP about her father. I'd imagine given what he himself went through it could be extremely uncomfortable for him personally.

Come on Francis! Engage a bit here.

Maybe answer my questions re. ELP.

Maybe state who YOU would like on the show.

You seem to be just repeating the same ol' stuff with every post.

" ... were the equivalent of ..."

I think Francis that you're mistaking the LLS for something that it's not.

It's supposed to be about entertainment.

You've made it clear that you think it's biased towards Republicanism (in the NI sense of the word). I don't agree and it seems that we won't agree on this one. I have to say that you've really damaged the credibility of your argument by claiming some sort of conspiracy to get loads of northern republicans into the audience. Have you considered the possibility that maybe the clapping was because some of the audience liked what they heard?

We have agreed that Emma Little-Pengelly would be an interesting guest although for some reason you don't want to discuss why or what possible questions she could be asked so maybe we'll have to park that as well.

You've obviously watched the Michelle O'Neill and Stephen Rea interviews with interest so I suppose the LLS is doing its job in the sense that it has engaged (entertained?) you.

Do you really have to be politically aligned with someone to want to see them interviewed?

For instance I abhor Trump and all he stands for, but as for entertainment if by some remote chance he was to be interviewed live on the LLS of course I would watch and be entertained by it.

You seem to be conceding that the Late Late show ( or Late Republican Show as more than a few call it now ) is not balanced, but because it is for entertainment it is ok.

I half watched Michelle O'Neill and Stephen Rea, everything they said was so predictable as were the soft questions from Kielty.

The question remains: why all the Republicans who were on the show and who talked N. Ireland politics?

Republicans like McLean ( who once wore a balaclava in front of children), McAleese ( who once compared Protestants to Nazis, and who had to publicly apologise), Michelle O'Neill ( who spoke at IRA commemoration and said there was no alternative to the pIRA), Stephen Rea ( Married to Delores Price, convicted pIRA bomber ), Keeecap etc etc ...

It is not as if the lightweight neutrals like Nesbitt, Dornan, Frampton etc ( who were on to chat about acting, boxing etc) were their equivalent. Yes Kielty had on James Nesbitt ( who describes himself as "an Irishman, from the north of Ireland ) , Jamie Dornan (an avowed atheist) and Carl Frampton (who boxes for Ireland).

The Late Late - some would say nearly as balanced as a programme from North Korea.

Is it indicative of the treatment and fair play northern unionists could expect in a U.I.? As someone from south of the border, it is embarrassing to have this as prime time viewing on our national tv station, which is supposed to be reasonably balanced.

I have to say Francis, I find your method of "discussion" to be quite disingenuous and at times hostile. You appear to just repeat the same old points over and over without even reading, never mind considering an alternative point of view.

I posted the following: "you think it's biased towards Republicanism (in the NI sense of the word). I don't agree"

to which you reply: "You seem to be conceding that the Late Late show ( or Late Republican Show as more than a few call it now ) is not balanced" 😮

Now after pages of cut and paste groundhog posts we find out that "I half watched Michelle O'Neill and Stephen Rea".

Eh? You didn't even watch all of what you're complaining about???!!!

I really have tried to engage with you and discuss.

I've considered the possibility of a DUP guest after you suggested it.

I've suggested how Kielty would interview her.

I've asked for your suggestions re. guests if you really believe the guestlist to be unbalanced.

All that's been posted in return is the same 'ol stuff you've been posting for the past 2 weeks.

A regular on this thread (Welsh Megaman) has given his considered view above and I think at this stage all I am doing by replying to you is encouraging more of the same.

I will try my hardest not to reply to your next unoriginal repost.

Kielty does not seem to be able to attract the same calibre of international guest as Gay Byrne did, but that is hardly surprising.

It must be nearly a quarter of a century since Gay left the programme. Times have changed, television has changed, technology has moved on. There isn't the same need for major celebrities to appear on chat shows for publicity, they can do it via the internet. Yes they will do the likes of Graham Norton on the BBC but shows like that have a much bigger audience which makes it worthwhile. The world has moved on

( or Late Republican Show as more than a few call it now )

Who the **** calls it that? The only person who has used that expression is you!