Charlie f'n Bird

KStaford

I see from RTE's new schedule that we are gonna have to endure Charlie knobman Bird trekking to the north pole.

As if the planet wasn't already in enough of a crises, I wonder what the carbon footprint of that spanner and his entourage making that trip was ?

Then there is the question of how RTE spend our cash, sending Charlie Bird to the North Pole ???? For the love of god.

Charlie Bird - The peoples reporter. !!!

GrahamThomas

Yes couldn't agree more, how dare RTE use our licence fee for something as frivolous as making a television programme. The cheek! :rolleyes:

Mr E

Sounds a hell of a lot more interesting (and watchable) than Fáilte Towers.

mike65

He'll find a note at the top saying "Top Gear Woz here"

Mike.

Firetrap

They should send Colm Murray instead of Charlie. At least when he did those little snippets in Beijing, he looked like he was enjoying himself.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

omgz.. CARBON FOOTPRINT>


you're using a computer, genius.

Mossy Monk

Imagine that. Programming that may be interesting.

tintin67

I absolutely agree. Charlie Bird is sooooo oldtimer. Couldn't we send somebody hot like the girls from Xpose?

KStaford

no no I'm not against RTE making new or even interesting programmes. I'm against Charlie Bird. He's a lame duck. I also think that RTE is more or less incapable of making new or interesting content although I wish to god they would make a better effort than sending that whinger (I'm scared of spiders) to such an amazing and precious place. He is simply not capable of communicating the experience of the North Pole.

To give us all a reference, look at some of the beebs output.

• Britain from above - absolutely fascinating
• Coast - Totally addictive
• Ewan and Charlie, Long way round - amazing especially the part where they were on the "road of bones"
• Russia - Jonathan Dimbleby - again brilliant.

to name but a few, and the beeb does not raise revenue from advertising. Not trying to piss anyone off, I just really REALLY do not like Charlie (the man of the people) Bird.

(yes I'm addicted to travel docs)

EamonnKeane

I can imagine his snippets of wisdom.

"It's freezing!"
"This is amazing"
"on top of the world"
"I am absolutely freezing"
"and you thought Irish weather was bad"

can't wait.

Pigman II

I don't take issue with RTE spending money to send Charlie to the North Pole but I do feel they've missed the opportunity of the lifetime with their choice of show format.

Consider the following clip ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXUpbDO-8xo

Now some people might just consider this testimony of some brutal treatment towards our countrys most famous journalist. I however consider it possibly the most brilliant pitch for a new televiison show in history. What some people merely write off as yet another example of mob violence and thugish behavior on our streets I consider the germ of an idea a ratings winner called "Charlie Bird getting punched around the world".

The format is simple, each week Charlie (in a wooden crate) and a travelling RTE film crew visit a new new city. Upon arrivial the locals get to enjoy 30 minutes of beating the living crap out of Bird before the whilstle goes and time is called. If Charlie is still alive at this point he is then patched up, packed back into his crate before being transported next destination for yet another brutal beatdown.

The show will continue until either Charlie is dead or ratings drop, tho I can only foresee one of these outcomes being the case.

Finally, a bonus for RTE is this format could easily sold to other countries, eg "Amy Winehouse getting bitch-slapped around the world" for the UK or perhaps even "R Kelly getting the shit kicked out him around the world" in the US territories.

RT€€€€€€€.

Jimbo

Yea. RTE should do all filming from now on solely in Donnybrook for fear they might damge the planet with their 'Carbon footprint'. Get a grip dude.

Toto Wolfcastle

As long as he doesn't spend the trip complaining like the last trip he went on it's sounds like it could be interesting.

dulpit

KStaford wrote: »

To give us all a reference, look at some of the beebs output.

• Ewan and Charlie, Long way round - amazing especially the part where they were on the "road of bones"

That would have been a Sky 1 show, it was Long Way down that was shown on BBC (but it wasn't produced by them...)

KStaford wrote: »

and the beeb does not raise revenue from advertising. Not trying to piss anyone off, I just really REALLY do not like Charlie (the man of the people) Bird.

Population of UK: ~61million
Population of Republic of Ireland: ~4.4million

The BBC has far more money that it can get from licence fees, so of course they can produce better shows. Comparing BBC with RTE is not fair, it's really not comparing like with like.

As for this show, it could be interesting, plus we'll get some good gift grub sketches out of it too...

copacetic

KStaford wrote: »

no no I'm not against RTE making new or even interesting programmes. I'm against Charlie Bird. He's a lame duck. I also think that RTE is more or less incapable of making new or interesting content although I wish to god they would make a better effort than sending that whinger (I'm scared of spiders) to such an amazing and precious place. He is simply not capable of communicating the experience of the North Pole.

To give us all a reference, look at some of the beebs output.

• Britain from above - absolutely fascinating
• Coast - Totally addictive
• Ewan and Charlie, Long way round - amazing especially the part where they were on the "road of bones"
• Russia - Jonathan Dimbleby - again brilliant.

to name but a few, and the beeb does not raise revenue from advertising. Not trying to piss anyone off, I just really REALLY do not like Charlie (the man of the people) Bird.

(yes I'm addicted to travel docs)

not concerned about the bbc carbon footprint at all? bbc doesn't have ads no, but they do have 6 billion in license fee income compared to 150million or so for RTE. only an idiot could compare the expected output.

KStaford

Folks

Firstly the "carbon footprint" (jimbo78)
My argument here is not against travelling to the north pole to make docuemntaries, it's against sending Bird there to make documentaries. If there has to be a huge carbon spend to make a documentary, it's an awful pity to waste it on him.

Next Long way Down (dulpit)
Edit: I meant to say "Long way round - sorry"
BBC showed it over the summer, last episode was last Sunday. Sure I know it was not made by them but they did buy it and show it, but I think the main point I am making here is that it was good, and the presenters were good. I guess I use the term "beeb" incorrectly, I should be more generic and usew the term "others", sorry bout that.

Next UK population
I totally take your point. I know that in the UK there is more cash about because of the numbers, But still, look at the demographics. Ireland has been traditionally famous the world over for our artistic output. We are authors, playwrights, musicians, singers, poets, storytellers, actors etc etc.
And what does dear old RTE do with such a rich heritage, it goes and commissions Fair City.

Fourthly BBC Carbon footprint (copacetic)
I guess I have addressed this in my first point. I am all for making good documentaries with high carbon spends - as long as they are "good". Otherwise its an awful waste.

Call Me Jimmy

I agree, anyone but charlie. He's just not a likeable person. I bet his family let out a collective sigh when they see his car pull up outside at a get-together. "Ah fuck sake... who let it slip to that eejit?"

mickd

dulpit wrote: »

Population of UK: ~61million
Population of Republic of Ireland: ~4.4million

The BBC has far more money that it can get from licence fees, so of course they can produce better shows. Comparing BBC with RTE is not fair, it's really not comparing like with like.

Irrelevant it doesn't cost a lot of money to find someone out of 4.4 million who is culturally informed and doesn't come across like a petulant child every time he opens his mouth. After watching his Ganges trip I can say that man is a disgrace and RTE deserves everything coming to it for putting that man on our screens

Mossy Monk

What exactly is everything RTÉ has coming to it? People whinging on the internet?

mickd

Mossy Monk wrote: »

What exactly is everything RTÉ has coming to it? People whinging on the internet?

Increasing competition ever tightening budgets the chance that certain parts may be sold off or closed down so that certain programmes like this might not be made in the future.

KTRIC

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

I agree, anyone but charlie. He's just not a likeable person. I bet his family let out a collective sigh when they see his car pull up outside at a get-together. "Ah fuck sake... who let it slip to that eejit?"

I know his wife does :rolleyes:

Mossy Monk

mickd wrote: »

certain programmes like this might not be made in the future.

Because you do not like this type of programming does not mean that nobody likes it. I am interested to know what you consider to be good programming.

mickd

Mossy Monk wrote: »

Because you do not like this type of programming does not mean that nobody likes it. I am interested to know what you consider to be good programming.

Anything that isn't presented by Charlie Bird

is_that_so

Charlie in small bursts for me and would prefer him and George Lee to stick to news stories. Do find him irritating but this is just the usual RTE fondness over the years for ubiquitous presenters. Kenny, Ryan, Byrne, Lee, Bird, Tubridy, Fanning, Carrie Crowley, Laura Woods(:rolleyes:) etc. We get what we demand. We want more home-produced and we want that kind of easy "send a bloke/gal with a camera crew off somewhere to do something and let's see how they get on". IMO it's just a notch up from the usual LCD reality TV that we all love to hate and more often than not it doesn't get it right. Part of getting it right does mean picking a frontman or woman that people can warm to.

KhanTheMan

I have no problem at all with RTE sending Charlie Bird to the north pole ....... as long as they leave him there.