Katherine Lynch's WonderWomen

shinny

I saw it for the first time the other night (not sure if it was on before that) and found it quite funny. Some parts were not good, but some of them were hilarious.

As for the racist comments above, I just don't get that. Irish people by our very nature are self deprecating, something many non Irish/English/Welsh/Scottish etc don't really get. The portrayal of the "Nigerian" in Ireland is an extension of this self deprecation. They are one of us and as such will be treated the same way we treat ourselves. Look at the stick she gave the Gypsy Rose. Stop playing the race card were it's not warranted, it dilutes the effect of it when it should really be raised.

vote4pedro

She dressed up as a gollywog for f*cks sake. In 2008. She blacked up. It might be the height of comedy in some rural backwaters, but in the main I like to think we're a little above that sort of sh*te.

If she had something to say a point to make about African immigrants, or even was able to poke a little fun at them/Irish society then fair enough. I'm one of the least PC people you could imagine, I like my jokes spectacularly offensive. But crucially they're jokes, that pathetic woman didn't try to make jokes. Saying "Nigerians have big mickeys and try to rob Irish people" isn't a joke, there is no humour involved. She's not lampooning anything. She's just being a moron.

And fwiw her traveller sketch was also pathetic. Pre-arranging with the organisers of the festival for her gruesome character to "interrupt" proceedings was so staged, and so lacking in humour it was cringeworthy. The whole show looked like a take on Little Britain that a Transition Year group might have knocked together.

shinny

It reminds me of how many have reacted to Killinaskully. Comments like, "They're making an eejit out of Irish People" - Please, a bit of perspective here. It's taking something minuscule about a place, person etc and blowing that totally out of proportion.

I think most intelligent (even "rural" ones) know that the average Nigerian person isn't trying to scam them !

I do agree that the "blackening up", as you called it, was wrong.

vote4pedro

shinny wrote: »

It reminds me of how many have reacted to Killinaskully. Comments like, "They're making an eejit out of Irish People" - Please, a bit of perspective here. It's taking something minuscule about a place, person etc and blowing that totally out of proportion.

I think most intelligent (even "rural" ones) know that the average Nigerian person isn't trying to scam them !

I do agree that the "blackening up", as you called it, was wrong.

I dont see how making a sweeping, crude and incredibly childish generalisation on African immigrants is "something miniscule". If it was would there really be needs for so much equality legislation and state bodies?

I agree, the vast vast majority of people watching tripe like that know well the average Nigerian isn't out to scam them, but when that is the one portrayal of an African immigrant on Irish screens (though I do tend to avoid RTE, perhaps there is such a character in the Clinic or Fair City or something) sends out an incredible message, that perhaps such a take on a Nigerian is an irreverant, acceptable, slight exaggeration on the truth. Which it isn't.

Havermeyer

It's so bad I couldn't even manage to sit through an ad for this tripe.

It's just so bad. How did this get recommissioned for new episodes?

lostexpectation

blacking up is okay to do when its funny and clever, its really made a come back in the past few years, harry enfield does a naughty mandela blacked, little britain had a browned up indian last week,( a bit pointless but the indian guy wasn't the butt of the joke), and then there yerman in tropic thunder well funny and clever.

when that culchie did for the that tg4 talent show it was an abomination

does kathlynn lynch pass the funny and clever benchmark eh no!!

podge018

nummnutts wrote: »

It's so bad I couldn't even manage to sit through an ad for this tripe.

It's just so bad. How did this get recommissioned for new episodes?

So you haven't even seen a full advert for this series but you know it's bad? How open-minded of you.

As for racist? She's taking the mick out of everybody. What about the character from Leitrim, are 'they all like that' down there, pushing their Honda 50s home and picking Mint Feasts off their crotch?

And who was blacked up? The Sheila character? She is a white woman from Tallaght, who is either caked in make-up or has decided herself to black her skin. She isn't supposed to be a black woman.

yaynay

subfreq wrote: »

How can the clip with the Egyptian and African be seen as anything but racism??

I have a high tolerance for comedy and black humour in particular but I thought that section was inexcusable...

Oh for fooks sake

Cork Exile

FFS if it were racist would the black actor have taken part in it. Same goes in the last series for the Egyptian actor.
I don't find the show hilarious, funny in parts and quite watchable for the cringeworthy moments. If you don't like it then use your remote. It just seems that there are certain folks here who will sit through a whole show that they don't like just so they can be offended.
VOTE4PEDRO
Were you just as offended by Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder?

Its simple as this, you don't like the show, pick up your remote and change the channel.

ScumLord

I don't think she "blacked up" at all she was just wearing that ridiculous fake tan you see on pasty Irish women up and down the country. All her skits are making fun of the character. She was playing a horrible person that could only get a two faced immigrant (not saying all immigrants are two faced) that's only in it for the money. The Black guy hates her for what she and that's part of the joke.

SprostonGreen

The usual brigade of morons who are waiting to be offended come out in force. She is sending up the notion that all Nigerians are scam artists or the perception thereof.

Too many people shout raaaaaayycist if there is any reference to other cultures where it isnt lauding it up, maybe we should a red triangle in corner of the screen to notify them that it "may cause offence to some gobsh ites".

TvWatcher

i liked a lot of it.

The Leitrim character was nicely written ("Howiye Eilish, will you get out the condiments for a snake-bite and two packets a taytos"), Bernie was mostly funny, Sheila from Tallaght was pretty funny.

I'm usually first in line to be offended on behalf of those who probably don't need my bleeding heart liberalism to prop them up, and I'm usually first to bristle at perceived racist agendas.

On this occasion though I understood the joke to be on Sheila, not on the Nigerian character. The joke is that Sheila IS a racist, in that her conception of other cultures is based purely on stereotypes -- the Egyptian was a murderous philanderer, the Nigerian is a scam artist. In her well-meaning way, Sheila attempts to immerse herself in what she understands these cultures to be. Of course, she hasn't the first notion, and her unwitting boyfriends are casualties of her hamfisted attempts to become what they are not. I see from the promos that her next boyfriend is Spanish. I don't think it's racist, I think it's a satire on racism. On that level I found it quite amusing.

The yummy-drummy character didn't work for me, but all in all I thought this was a decent half hour and I laughed more than five times, which is 10 times less than I laughed at, say, The Office, but 5 times more than I laughed at Catherine Tate. It's not a masterpiece, but it's quite good.

yaynay

SprostonGreen wrote: »

The usual brigade of morons who are waiting to be offended come out in force. She is sending up the notion that all Nigerians are scam artists or the perception thereof.

Too many people shout raaaaaayycist if there is any reference to other cultures where it isnt lauding it up, maybe we should a red triangle in corner of the screen to notify them that it "may cause offence to some gobsh ites".

This is a great idea, but what will the complainers complain about then :rolleyes:.

People are too quick to use the 'racist' card.

Utopia Parkway

Leaving aside the racism hot potato for a minute and her depiction of travellers and foreigners the show really is spectacularly unfunny. Lowest common denominator comedy. Essentially a female Bernard Manning. Now fair enough even some people used to find Bernard Manning hilarious but this stuff is just so lousy I'm amazed anyone can find any merit in it. It's just downright bad.

vote4pedro

Cork Exile wrote: »

VOTE4PEDRO
Were you just as offended by Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder?

Its simple as this, you don't like the show, pick up your remote and change the channel.

First off, yes I know I can change a channel. But for gods sake thats a pathetic argument to make if someone disagrees with you or criticises a show. Its a perfectly reasonable thing to watch a show, and then give out about it.

As for Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder, I loved it. It was hilarious, clever, original, un-PC, well developed and simply great. Interestingly they took time to develop another black character, who is constantly antagonistic towards Downey Jr's idiot character. But yeah, I can see how you can compare that to that moron on RTE attempting her own rather clever and accutely accurate send up of African people living in Ireland.

podge018

vote4pedro wrote: »

First off, yes I know I can change a channel. But for gods sake thats a pathetic argument to make if someone disagrees with you or criticises a show. Its a perfectly reasonable thing to watch a show, and then give out about it.

As for Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder, I loved it. It was hilarious, clever, original, un-PC, well developed and simply great. Interestingly they took time to develop another black character, who is constantly antagonistic towards Downey Jr's idiot character. But yeah, I can see how you can compare that to that moron on RTE attempting her own rather clever and accutely accurate send up of African people living in Ireland.

Suppose there was nothing stereotypical about the Mexican character and family you've based you're username on?

Aidric

I think this show is good fun overall, a bit hit and miss. There is some good writing in it though, some great quote ables.

ianrush

There's very little difference between what she is doing and anything brendan o'carroll does with his Mrs Brown garbage, which is about as damning as I can get. The only reason this got recommissioned was because the roaring twenties was even worse...

elshambo

Same problem all RTE comedy has, lack of writers
Why? At least 2 reasons
1.RTE chased most of them away years ago with the "who you related to again?" way they hire(d) people
2. Good writing takes time and money

When was the last time an RTE comedy looked like it had either time or money spent on it?

paulieeye

This thread is more entertaining than the show..maybe that was her plan!!

Cork Exile

vote4pedro wrote: »

First off, yes I know I can change a channel. But for gods sake thats a pathetic argument to make if someone disagrees with you or criticises a show. Its a perfectly reasonable thing to watch a show, and then give out about it.

I consider it much more pathetic to sit through a whole show you dislike so much when there's so many other channels available!!! If I hadn't enjoyed the show I'ld have flicked over quick enough. For example last night, Judge Dredd-full was on, I watched the first 10 mins till Sly Stallone showed up and then changed over.

vote4pedro wrote: »

As for Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder, I loved it. It was hilarious, clever, original, un-PC, well developed and simply great. Interestingly they took time to develop another black character, who is constantly antagonistic towards Downey Jr's idiot character. But yeah, I can see how you can compare that to that moron on RTE attempting her own rather clever and accutely accurate send up of African people living in Ireland.

You brought it up about her dressing up as a "gollywog", I was just showing how you think its acceptable in a fantastic flm like Tropic Thunder but racist when in a mediocre RTE show. Where do you stand on the 'Mr. T' sketch or any other "gollywog" sketch in Little Britain?

vote4pedro

First off Tropic Thunder is far from a fantastic film, Downey Jr saves it from being mediocre but I digress.

Put it this way, as I said what Downey Jr did was witty, original, had a little thought go in to it and knew the right buttons to push. In Katherine Lynch's hands I've little doubt the character would have been a violent uneducated gangsta, munching on KFC and shouting Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet every two minutes. There's your difference between the two.

And to address the point of me watching a show I didn't like once again, seriously what's the point in this forum or any board for that matter if that is your attitude to things? Do you really want every single thread to consist of
"LOL I really liked Roaring Twenties!"
"Me too"
"Yeah it was great"
"LOL!"
"Actually, I thought it was a bit ****"
"Off topic post there, banned"

vote4pedro

podge018 wrote: »

Suppose there was nothing stereotypical about the Mexican character and family you've based you're username on?

As far as I can remember there was no real mention of Pedro's Mexican-ness. He just spoke with an accent. And then in the final scene we see his family having a party.

But aside from that you make a very insightful point.

subfreq

I actually thought some of the stuff in the recording studio was laugh out loud funny.

But the people decrying the fact I said one section was Racist are missing the point and trying to box me into being small minded and reactionary.

The sketch with the other cultures was never inclussive of them which is the key. Ireland has a vibrant mix of culture that is by no means off limits to comedy but you don't throw up the most extreme racial stereotypes available and laugh at them without some kind of redeeming or inclussive stand point. That is the heart of racism. Laughing at someone else based on race. It's pretty simple. I don't see how you don't get it.

It's Roy Chubby Brown humour in a dress which I have no problem with but the African sketch was misguided.

I don't blame Katherine. It's refreshing to see new comedy and especially a women doing a load of characters. I actually think it's a blight on RTE's editorial standards. The sketch could have been fixed with a simple writing tweak and I expect in the future they will modify the tone. They let it air and they are to blame IMHO.

podge018

vote4pedro wrote: »

As far as I can remember there was no real mention of Pedro's Mexican-ness. He just spoke with an accent. And then in the final scene we see his family having a party.

But aside from that you make a very insightful point.

I'm talking about his stereotypical Mexican gangster brothers threatening the pupils at the school? They're even called as Cholo #1 and Cholo #2 in the credits.

vote4pedro

Ah yes, I'd forgotten all about them. But by going to the trouble of showing Pedro to be quite a nice bloke, and the Cholo brothers being part of a happy, normal family at least the makers of that movie went to a little more trouble then Ms Lynch.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

if this is the consequence of womens liberation then bring back the patriarchy.

Nellsbells

An absolute disgrace to the irish!!!!! God love her.

Sam Kade

Watched the whole show the only funny part I could find was your man on the bench in Knock when she asked him where our lady appeared. That woman is not funny. She should start an exercise plan to lose at least three stone.

lostexpectation

not as bad as i thought it would be, thought the gypsy rose trying to get into the actually rose of tralee parade on her horse was quite funny, the falling in love with your scammer is fairly funny concentrate on that to save yourself from thinking of the rest of the sketch, like the leitrim character/fake docu style , good character, i take it all back, when she's isn't shouting she's good.

i do find it hard to look at her with her extra fake tan face,i never like shows that put people on the street in awkard positions.