The journalist and sometimes presenter had his first taste of a Saturday night talk show on RTE this weekend imaginatively named The Saturday Night Show. For me it was just so uncomfortable to watch, even forgiving his terrible accent which even I, a fellow Corconian, cannot defend. O Connor, a former comedian is known for his straight talking, opinion and analysis in The Independent and as ‘Mr. Nasty’ from his stint on You’re are Star and appeared again on You’re Fired where he quizzed failed apprentice applicants. Like him or not he had a clear manner and style, albeit a bit irritating, you knew what you were getting with Brendan O Connor.Saturday night however a whole different character was on display, a smiley, suit wearing stranger. As the show opened the show he stood awkwardly with arms dangling stumbling over punch lines, but the audience seemed to eat it up. I however felt so uncomfortable even watching him. “Isn’t this exciting?” he asked the audience through gritted teeth.
He was reunited with Linda Martin, one of his guests and former You’re Star judge where a bit of the old Brendan O Connor banter crept its way in and in one or two one liners throughout the show. The other guests – Twink, Peaches Geldof and Jim Corr weren’t exactly dazzling either. Brendan didn’t even challenge the fact that Jim Corr thinks that climate change is a fairy tale and that earthquakes are purposely created by “the elite” with fancy guns. Throughout Corrs ramblings Brendan was smiling and nodding asking people to keep an open mind. I thought, hey Brendan where is Mr. Nasty? Even Tubridy wouldn’t listen to this nonsense.
Personally I just don’t think he belongs in this friendly Saturday night host role. He tried the Tubridy style of friendly and light with the tough questions still asked but it fitted him as badly has his three piece suit worn on the night and ultimately he forgot the tough questions. In his defence what important question could you ask Peaches Geldof? Even his physical traits stop him as coming across as friendly. His low brow line fixing his face into a permanent frown is not what I want to see on a Saturday night.
He might surprise me and have a great show next week but I doubt it.
JM
Of course, the stuck up, monosyllabic Peaches Geldof didn't exactly help the situation either.
ReplyDeleteI hate guests who come onto chat shows or radio programmes and refuse to help the interviewer in any way. They give one word answers or sound bored or make it obvious that they don't want to be there. Why did they agree to do it in the first place?
And what grinds my gears even more is when the interviewee refuses to talk about a topic. A topic which is the only reason they were invited to do the interview in the first place and which the audience is crying out to here about. Stop being such a party pooper!
DA