RTE's This is Nightlive - Monday @ 10.30

Lady Tim

Hello all,

Here is the email i was compelled to send to RTE after happening upon This is Nightlive last night on RTE

"Dear RTE,

It is a sad fact that at some point in the evening, your favourite programme must come to an end, and inevitably you switch the channel to land on something that makes you want tear your arm off and beat yourself into an unconscious state, just to stop the mind numbing, moronic, depression that has taken over your screen.

This is precisely what happened to me this evening when Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe (BBC 2, 10pm) ended and i had the hard luck to switch over to RTE's latest waste of licence fees.

In the space of 2 minutes RTE managed to make light of testicular cancer, joke about a girl getting "sp!troasted" by two men and a woman who would disown a child based on its hair colour. The most repulsive and insensitive part of the show must have been when the "news presenter" tore off one of the "testes" from the testicular cancer awareness badge he was wearing and threw it away as this is more "realistic". I'm sure, if they could, many of the men who have died of testicular cancer would thank you for your realistic portrayal of a life changing disease.

At the age of 24 I am a young woman, a fan of Irish comedy and not easily shocked or insulted. But I have to ask you RTE, what are you THINKING with this latest show?! Seriously? I for one would rather sit mystified by a big brother house populated by people with the winter vomiting bug.

Just when Irish comedy is looking so good, (Dylan Moran, Tommy Tiernan, Dara O'Brian, Andrew Maxwell to mention only a few of the people who know what comic timing is) this senseless drivel is passed as comedy and allowed onto our screens.

I will leave it at that for now, the "Ha Ha Project" is beginning and I think I will turn off the tv before my night is totally ruined.

Yours etc,

Tamara Levey"


Am I getting old? Has my sense of humour taken a turn for the worst? Because, to be honest with you, if this is comedy, give me my slippers and a cup of scalding hot ignorance, because i just dont want to know about it.


If anyone else saw it what did you think?! Maybe if you feel the same let them know at complaints@rte.ie

Thanks for listening to my rant!

Mr E

Well written letter, Tamara.

After missing this for 2 weeks (lucky me, apparently), I Sky+ed it last night to see what the fuss was about. I'll be watching this tonight with interest.

ScumLord

I hadn't seen nitelive since the first episode and have to say the last one was a huge improvement over the first one. It looks like all the crew finished their FAS course the production was much slicker.


It was woefully unfunny though. It was full of Dublin yob in jokes that attempted to make fun of the snobby RTE monkeys but in fact where so up their own arse they just wallowed in their own ignorance.

Briefly you could see some potential from time to time, if only they had new writers it might work.

Shane10

i enjoyed the bit where johnny was singing to cloudy on the winch last night, funny. some good bits in it, its not that bad.

Wheels

Lady Tim wrote: »

Hello all,
In the space of 2 minutes RTE managed to make light of testicular cancer, joke about a girl getting "sp!troasted" by two men and a woman who would disown a child based on its hair colour. The most repulsive and insensitive part of the show must have been when the "news presenter" tore off one of the "testes" from the testicular cancer awareness badge he was wearing and threw it away as this is more "realistic". I'm sure, if they could, many of the men who have died of testicular cancer would thank you for your realistic portrayal of a life changing disease.

EDIT

Has my sense of humour taken a turn for the worst? Because, to be honest with you, if this is comedy, give me my slippers and a cup of scalding hot ignorance, because i just dont want to know about it.

I watched the first two episodes and couldn't bare to watch the third, I didn't laugh out loud, but I certainly didn't find it offensive. I found the fact they poked fun at various social issues quiet refreshing, and I did smile with their "War on Recession" pieces.

Comedy isn't meant to be a realistic protrayal of life... And given I didn't see it, correct me if I'm wrong but the joke is that these people are so out of clue with the real world that they think it's OK to act like that and make those comments... What's wrong with a joke about sp!troasting? And didn't Catherine Tate do a hair colour joke?

Lightin up love.

Bondvillain

You had me onside until this :

Wheels wrote: »

Lightin up love.

Spore

I'm with Lady Tim on this one, while I thought Project Ha Ha had some decent things going for (which I've voiced on a separate thread) Nightlive was a holocaust of inhumour. It's utter sh!teness was difficult to fathom. Very uncomforatble watching both for its crassness its bizarre smugness (oh look we're doing satire) and the aged saddo's who finally got their fifteen minutes of fame, seemingly willing to do anything just to get on television, even if it meant sharing a set with a reprehensible puppet character which was so blatantly a ripoff of other, better puppet characters (even one that did that horrible penis thing, think it was on E4 at some stage) Pathetic, pathetic PATHETIC!!!!

License fee me arse.

plodder

Technically it looks quite well produced. but the writing is just terrible. Like the 1st episode, the third one didn't make me want to smile even. I don't see the point of it at all. My daughter's TY media project was funnier.

lostexpectation

ah now theres nothing wrong with the testes jokes its just lame

lostexpectation

what about the joe burke joke, that hint at it but don't nail it, don't go for it, nearly funny.

homeOwner

I saw this last night for the first time and thought new comedy...worth a shot. But ohmygod, it is just not funny. At all.

I thought some of the ideas had potential but just when I was expecting something funny to happen or a joke to go somewhere, it just stopped and they went onto something else.

I could not get past the complete over-acting of the main girl (cant remember her name). The JH character, ok he is overacting but in a way that suits the role so he just about gets away with it but she is just abismal, its like watching someone in their first drama class. Its literally cringe-worthy.

Embarrasing, embarrasing, embarrassing. The writers need an injection of talent and fire the main girl and it could have some potential.....maybe.

Shane10

homeOwner wrote: »

I saw this last night for the first time and thought new comedy...worth a shot. But ohmygod, it is just not funny. At all.

I thought some of the ideas had potential but just when I was expecting something funny to happen or a joke to go somewhere, it just stopped and they went onto something else.

I could not get past the complete over-acting of the main girl (cant remember her name). The JH character, ok he is overacting but in a way that suits the role so he just about gets away with it but she is just abismal, its like watching someone in their first drama class. Its literally cringe-worthy.

Embarrasing, embarrasing, embarrassing. The writers need an injection of talent and fire the main girl and it could have some potential.....maybe.

well if u mean the showbiz girl then i agree but the main anchor woman is "una". i think she is very good. nice looking aswell IMO . i just looked out the window and it is "cloudy".....:D

gingerbox

nightlive is dreadful but the good news is that unlike other stuff rte put out they can't justify it's crapness in terms of viewing figures, no one is watching it at all.....the good bit about that news being that we won't have to endure a second series.....did anyone see the macsavage thing on after it last night? wasn't too bad......for a busker like....

homeOwner

Shane10 wrote: »

well if u mean the showbiz girl then i agree but the main anchor woman is "una". i think she is very good. nice looking aswell IMO . i just looked out the window and it is "cloudy".....:D

The showbiz girl was ok, she did a fairly good impression of LK who I am assuming the character was based. Someone needs to give Una some acting lessons pronto. Tell her to stop doing that fake "annoyed" look when JH says something that supposedly upsets her. It just looks like someone pretending to be annoyed rather than someone who actually is annoyed. Amateur hour.

giftgrub

Great e-mail

I thought I'd have a go as well

Unfortunately I'm not as articulate, plus i havent had any coffee today

This is what i came up with

Hi

I watched This is Nightlive last night.

Its pretty bad.

Who do I talk to about getting a refund on my TV Licence?

Regards

Harris

Shocking piece of rubbish and what I found most offensive was the "joke" about someone being mown down by a drunk driver. Oh my God.

ScumLord

Harris wrote: »

Shocking piece of rubbish and what I found most offensive was the "joke" about someone being mown down by a drunk driver. Oh my God.

See, I wouldn't even mind dark humor, the darker the better but they just didn't pull any of it off. It's like someone told them a few things that would be funny and they acted it out not really understanding what the joke was.

bibbly

i was happy to see your letter expressing my thoughts exactly..

RTE has really hit a new low with this show...

how someone commissioned this to be made is truely amazing... some tea drinking civil service waster thought yes this is good.

its supposed to take the piss out of tv3, but the joke is on RTE for shamefully showing this drivil..

It is clear that there is no good creative talent working in RTE, they should hire in someone from Channel 4 or the bbc to sort the place out.

Shane10

homeOwner wrote: »

The showbiz girl was ok, she did a fairly good impression of LK who I am assuming the character was based. Someone needs to give Una some acting lessons pronto. Tell her to stop doing that fake "annoyed" look when JH says something that supposedly upsets her. It just looks like someone pretending to be annoyed rather than someone who actually is annoyed. Amateur hour.

thats what i like about her character, suppose we all find different things funny :eek: i thought when she was joking to JH not to put her on the winch and he goes well i dont think the straps would be that strong was very funny. love JH stupid startled looks at the camera. i personally think this guy is good.

Kazooie

I've seen bits of this before but decided to give it a full watch last night. Without sounding dramatic it is the biggest offence to an audience since RTE began. I know it's RTE but however this got onto our screens I'll never know. Joking about testicular cancer? Are you flippinn kidding me! :rolleyes:

The writing is terrible, the acting is terrible, the characters are annoying. As someone said it's like a mash together of different shows that when put together in this shambolic format is as funny as a kick in the balls.

An absolute insult to the licencse fee payers.

baldbear

Nightlive was pure cringe tv, terrible. Maybe they should of made a few jokes about breast cancer while they were at it.

NMCD

This show is absolute Garbage. I could rant for ages about how bad it was but the main points.

1. Controversial for the sake of it to be funny but falling flat on its arse.
2. I didnt laugh once.
3. Wanted to kill the main Anchorman.
4. Writers should be ashamed of themselves.
5. Cancel this ****e. And the other crap 'comedy' shows.

J.S. Pill

I watched this show. It was not funny.

Sad thing is*, this seems to Ireland's answer to Brasseye





*besides the show itself of course

Peewee_lane

I am disgusted by this show and Banjo, the puppet exposing himself.

I too, am complaining to RTE and I think it is no display of talent whatsoever and I agree with OP, we have so much fine talent in comedy today, why they chose to release this on our screens after an initial pilot is beyond me.

Pigman II

I love that notion that this show might be apparently insulting & annoying people. It's the best reaction it could possibly get imho. Great that a tv show could get any kind of response out of the public other than "just ugh this is crap!". Getting p'd off about testicular cancer jokes and a foul-mouted puppet flashing his cock now are we?? Mary Whitehouse is alive and well in Ireland!

I am now an official supporter of this show. Long may it continue.

warrenstown

Peewee_lane wrote: »

I am disgusted by this show and Banjo, the puppet exposing himself.

Turns out that despite what they said on the show, Banjo can't get away with it because he's a puppet!

I'm 50/50 about the show. What appears to be John Ryan's attempt at a Stephen Colbert performance is hard to watch and the previous week's thing about cameltoe or something was poor. But it's great to see high-profilers like Podge and Rodge, The Sunday Independant and Irish developers having the piss taken out of them, I'm all for that!

Pigman II wrote: »

I love that notion that this show might be apparently insulting & annoying people. It's the best reaction it could possibly get imho. Great that a tv show could get any kind of response out of the public other than "just ugh this is crap!". Getting p'd off about testicular cancer jokes and a foul-mouted puppet flashing his cock now are we?? Mary Whitehouse is alive and well in Ireland!

I am now an official supporter of this show. Long may it continue.

I agree!

Bondvillain

Pigman II wrote: »

I love that notion that this show might be apparently insulting & annoying people. It's the best reaction it could possibly get imho. Great that a tv show could get any kind of response out of the public other than "just ugh this is crap!". Getting p'd off about testicular cancer jokes and a foul-mouted puppet flashing his cock now are we?? Mary Whitehouse is alive and well in Ireland!

I am now an official supporter of this show. Long may it continue.

I still think the show sucks cóck in hell, and I sincerely hope all remaining copies of future episodes are stolen and fed through a wood chipper before anyone can air them, but the Pigman has a valid point.

I reckon There is much high-fiving going on amongst the mutants responsible for churning out this arsegravy. They now think they have their own Brasseye Paedo controversy. God love them.

Expect "leaked" internal memos from a 'senior Rté staff member' (chastising those "wacky" "madcap" Nightlive guys for their irresponsible behaviour) to be sent to all major Irish newspapers and The Star in the very near future.

homeOwner

Shane10 wrote: »

i thought when she was joking to JH not to put her on the winch and he goes well i dont think the straps would be that strong was very funny.

Very funny? VERY funny?

Obviously you are connected to RTE and/or the show (given that 14 out of your 40 posts are defending this tripe) so I can see now how this actually got made if your funny bone is a barometer for what passes as comedy around RTE. Mystery solved

plodder

Pigman II wrote: »

I love that notion that this show might be apparently insulting & annoying people. It's the best reaction it could possibly get imho. Great that a tv show could get any kind of response out of the public other than "just ugh this is crap!". Getting p'd off about testicular cancer jokes and a foul-mouted puppet flashing his cock now are we?? Mary Whitehouse is alive and well in Ireland!

I am now an official supporter of this show. Long may it continue.

You'd have to agree surely, that the greatest crime a comedy show can commit, is not being funny? And this show just isn't funny imo.

The thing about "offensive" jokes also (imo) is that they in particular, need to be very funny, or insightful, in some way. If they aren't, then they just sound gratuitous, which is how they sounded to me on Nightlive.

Pigman II

plodder wrote: »

You'd have to agree surely, that the greatest crime a comedy show can commit, is not being funny? And this show just isn't funny imo.

The thing about "offensive" jokes also (imo) is that they in particular, need to be very funny, or insightful, in some way. If they aren't, then they just sound gratuitous, which is how they sounded to me on Nightlive.

Thing is I saw about half of ep2 and thought it was mildly amusing so I don't get why everyone is coming on here and saying it was completely unfunny. Sure there wasn't any real bellylaugh moments but in it beats watching The Panel (aka The Weekly Sneer) or that show with Pat Short or whatever had passed for comedy on RTE up til now.

The humour TiN is gratuitous and uninsightful, but then who really cares? Funny is funny. I don't sit there watching an episode of Jackass or South Park thinking "hmmm, these fart-gags and people injuring themselves really isn't expanding my worldview, I'd better stick on some Tom Lehrer tracks so I feel like my taste in humour is intellectually superior once again."

plodder

Pigman II wrote: »

Thing is I saw about half of ep2 and thought it was mildly amusing so I don't get why everyone is coming on here and saying it was completely unfunny. Sure there wasn't any real bellylaugh moments but in it beats watching The Panel (aka The Weekly Sneer) or that show with Pat Short or whatever had passed for comedy on RTE up til now.

The humour TiN is gratuitous and uninsightful, but then who really cares? Funny is funny. I don't sit there watching an episode of Jackass or South Park thinking "hmmm, this really isn't expanding my worldview, I'd better stick on some Tom Lehrer tracks so I feel intellectually superior to everyone for a while."

Fair enough then. It's subjective to a degree (since The Panel is the only RTE production that I do (or have) seriously had a laugh with).

But on the question of who cares? I think ratings answer that question. Also this. When was the last time RTE sold a comedy (or any) series to another country? This is a more objective measure of TV quality I would think. Do you think TiN would "travel" well ?

Pigman II

plodder wrote: »

Fair enough then. It's subjective to a degree (since The Panel is the only RTE production that I do (or have) seriously had a laugh with).

But on the question of who cares? I think ratings answer that question. Also this. When was the last time RTE sold a comedy (or any) series to another country? This is a more objective measure of TV quality I would think. Do you think TiN would "travel" well ?

So it has to be funny AND appeal to Irish audiences AND foriegn audiences before it can be given the thumbs up?

To answer your question, no TiS would't travel well and it's clearly not trying to be a show that would either. It's not creating a format, it's merely ape-ing one. Furthermore Irish shows made primarily to export are often the most cringe-worthy crap out there (eg The Lyrics ... Bored) specifically because they are trying to pander to the lowest common denominator so it's another point in TiS's favour

plodder

Pigman II wrote: »

So it has to be funny AND appeal to Irish audiences AND foriegn audiences before it can be given the thumbs up?

No, of course not.

To answer your question, no TiS would't travel well and it's clearly not trying to be a show that would either. It's not creating a format, it's merely ape-ing one. Furthermore Irish shows made primarily to export are often the most cringe-worthy crap out there (eg The Lyrics ... Bored) specifically because they are trying to pander to the lowest common denominator so it's another point in TiS's favour

.. but you are saying that if it DOES appeal to a foreign audience, that's a point against it. So TiN is all the better because it probably doesn't appeal to a foreign audience

I wouldn't agree with that. The best (and most popular) comedy has universal appeal, and in particular has appeal in other cultures/countries. I'm not talking about RTE comedy (since they haven't ever made anything that was good enough to export). Let's agree then, that TiN was never going to be exported.

We'll just have to see how it does in the ratings.

listerdave

plodder wrote: »

When was the last time RTE sold a comedy (or any) series to another country? This is a more objective measure of TV quality I would think.

Podge and Rodge: A Scare At Bedtime was shown on Paramount.

Corcalor

Come on, it wasn't THAT bad and hopefully it will get a lot better - most shows do, given time and a chance from the network.

I know some people have said this show is based on the Colbert Report, but it is most closely similar to a show called "Nightline" which screened on Australian and New Zealand screens in the late 1990s. It was about a news team with a stupid, egotistical male anchor, a scheming career minded woman entertainment reporter, a male has-been who has been with the network for years in the shadow of his more famous friend... etc

That show really worked. Give this one time.

dfx-

It's an ok show, it's not Father Ted, but it's not horrific. Certainly not at license fee refund demand level, but that never stopped an irate letter.

Kazooie wrote: »

The writing is terrible, the acting is terrible, the characters are annoying.

This is a thread on This is Nightlive, not Fair City.

plodder

listerdave wrote: »

Podge and Rodge: A Scare At Bedtime was shown on Paramount.

I stand corrected then. Though I would say Podge&Rodge in the early days were original, and quite funny.

giftgrub

I got a reply to my email to RTE

I sent this on Tuesday

Hi

I watched This is Nightlive last night.

Its pretty bad.

Who do I talk to about getting a refund on my TV Licence?

Regards
.........

Got this today

Dear.....

I am in receipt of your e-mail.

Your comments about the programme "This is Nightlive" will be included in our Audience Log of calls and e-mails which is circulated for information to senior RTÉ programme management and is reviewed by the Editorial Board at its weekly meeting.

Your e-mail has also been brought to the attention of the Commissioning Editor for Entertainment Programmes.

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail your comments.

Kind regards.
Bernie Fitzpatrick - RTÉ Information Officer

.

lbyrne1981

giftgrub wrote: »

I got a reply to my email to RTE

I sent this on Tuesday



Got this today

.

Im trying to put together an online petition. but will they take it seriusly if we use our boards names? Any idea?


"Four floors up on the Charing Cross Road and never a job at the top of them."

Wheels

lbyrne1981 wrote: »

Im trying to put together an online petition. but will they take it seriusly if we use our boards names? Any idea?

A petition for what? If its to get your license fee back then you can put any name you like on it, but it won't be taken seriously.

Maccadinho

Come on now!

gabriella

it's really bad! surprisingly :rolleyes:

Maccadinho

Colbert Report sans bollocks.

Maccadinho

gabriella wrote: »

it's really bad! surprisingly :rolleyes:

Christ it just gets worst.

Orre T E are clueless.

Rip off the Daily Show... without the intelligence, wit or bravery.

Four shades of ****e.

Maccadinho

Brutal.

Mr E

We get the message, man. You don't like it.

2fivers

I realise that they are unfavourable, but even so, I cant say that I see the style comparisons with The Colbert Report myself.

Steven Colbert hosts a Topical Current affairs satire, well written to ridicule Political figures much in the style of it's spiritual 'parent' , The Daily Show.

This is nightlive is a poorly produced sitcom spoof on a Tv3 style magazine news programme. It differs from the Colbert report in that it's performed in a different style, It's not topical, it's not satirical, and it's not well written.

The TIN producers simply took Anchorman, The Day today & Time Trumpet, sucked out all the jokes, ingenuity and talent, and broadcast what was left.
(Which in this case seemingly amounts to the overuse of poor puns, facial gurning, and scripts that wouldn't make the second draft of a Chuckle brothers spoof of Newsnight.)
The only thing that TIN has in common with the Colbert report is that they are both shown on television. Hopefully, that wont be true for much longer.

garbanzo

That piece with the sick kid doing the weather was either the most offensive or possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen on TV. I stillhaven't processed it properly. BTW the kid was a crap actor.

Give it time and lets get over our inferiority complex around comedy in this country.:o

2fivers

garbanzo wrote: »

Give it time and lets get over our inferiority complex around comedy in this country.:o

The show's had four weeks. That's long enough to know that it isnt going to get any better. It's hard not to have an inferiority complex about Rte comedy when the vast majority of it is of a vastly inferior quality, in fairness...

Maccadinho

2fivers wrote: »

I realise that they are unfavourable, but even so, I cant say that I see the style comparisons with The Colbert Report myself.

You obviously feel The Colbert report is funny.

irelandtvreview

So rippin on A Kid that died of luekemia, Taking the piss outta the katy french photoshoot by doing a story which was a blatent similarity after she is dead, Taking the piss out of the make a wish foundation and slaggin off adopted families.

This show has really stooped to a new low, it seems like its doing as many risque things just because it can. The producers and writing monkeys should really be ashamed of themselves and hopefully something is done now that they have gone so low. So sad.