A Chat For Change

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Did you stay in?

A big thank you to, clockwise from top left: Presidential hopeful Gemma O’Doherty, Luke Brennan, celebrity accountant Vanessa Foran, Neil Curran, John ‘Preposterous’ Ryan, Olga Cronin and Johnny Keeenan, our panel on last night’s Broadsheet on the Telly.

The show, produced by Neil, can be viewed in its entirety above.

A packed show was dominated by a lengthy natter with investigative journalist and presidential hopeful, Gemma O’Doherty.

Our ‘at a glance guide’

2:33 – Gemma on the Campaign trail
8:04 – “Super Monday”
14:29 – “Fired by the Irish Independent for effectively doing your job”
32:40 – The Anti-Vax, Trans and Veronica Guerin questions
54:27 – “I don’t know how you would get the answers you are looking for as President”
1:13:02 – Trump in Ireland
1:38:37 – De Entertainment (see below)
1:54:10 – De Papers

Neil’s New Movie Releases: American Animals (Movie of the Week), Black 47 and The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Some swearing.

Sorry.

Previously: Broadsheet on the Telly

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151 thoughts on “A Chat For Change

    1. Harry Molloy

      well I’ll vote against her so seeing as we’re cancelling each other out maybe neither of us should vote?

      1. jusayinlike

        Pro-corruption centre right so called liberals will vote for status quo or a dragon. it’s called apathy, something you know very very well..

      2. A Person

        The whole “interview” is nonsense. We journalists must question everything…Should the questioner not explain where he used to work. This crap about I’m not anti vax, but I once I looked at it, I have more questions. Where was the challenge. Absolute cop out from both sides. The WHO can’t be tructed etc. eff out BS, on all sides.

  1. Jeffrey

    Great show! Despite the great openness and franc-parlé from GoD I somehow dont think this will appease the crazy swarm of lefties/sjw on Twitter. I am still trying to understand why they have their knickers so much in a twist over a potential candidate / president willing to challenge the establishment, fear or boredom?

    1. McVitty

      Because they need constant validation that their head full of ideas are the only set of ideas you need. I hate to say nagative things about a person but you see it with Vanessa Foran here where the Repeal question and church abuse came – clearly highly strung, restless and even vocalising when hearing or anticipating views that does not sufficiently validate hers. And all the while not really giving the benefit of the doubt – rushing judgement. It is manifesting in journalism too and it should concern everyone because if things have to fit into a tidy narrative, they tend to get warped and distorted….for some greater good, which generally doesn’t necessarily lead to a good place. It’s a soft form of authoritarianism and it needs to be called out. Johnny Keeenan seemed to acknowledge it as well. As Gemma said, we should try to be classier than that in this time. Some of us have become monsters and more of us are raising monsters in this country and it’s a road to a divided nation of weak-minded people. It’s good to see a genuinely diplomatic person like Gemma. She won’t win in this country.

      1. McVitty

        They don’t care if Gemma is counter-establishment. Making sure she ticks every box on their list of deeply held convictions are more important. Kinda sad isn’t it? If you didn’t know any better you might think it’s a an establishment-preserving master-stroke…..

    2. Frilly Keane

      Ah bless

      Lemme guess
      Long time lurker
      1st time poster huh?

      Now here
      An’ tell yer butties there in the Gemma conspiracy HQ
      aka some Change Maker groupie Facebook page
      That there’s over 80 a’ them shows
      So get a full rounded view for yerself
      And herself
      Before ye make decisions on one that clearly had rules and conditions applied t’ it
      And tell ya sum’ting else
      I’ve follyed them all
      And your guest last night
      Cried off more than once

      So who’s the highly strung wan now

      Incidentally
      Even if your previous employer is a useless devious corrupt cesspit
      Cribbing about them isn’t exactly a manifesto for election

      Nonde’less I really
      Really
      Like
      Really
      Want Gemma O’Doherty to get on the ballot this October

      So go Gemma!!!

      1. McVitty

        Mercy, I’ve no idea what you are talking about. Maybe you should get a cup of tea for yourself.

        The only conspiracy I could see was one that would try to impose views on personal matters (such as access to abortion and rights to decline vaccinations) on a person and that was a bit unfair.

        I don’t really know much about Gemma O’Doherty but she deserves a fair hearing. And with the way she tolerated your stance, she’s certainly got the patience of a sitting president.

        Be well.

  2. rotide

    GoD is going to run into serious trouble with the media if she gets on the ballot. I counted 3 pretty major points on which she would be fairly savaged by a more hardball interviewer there.

    1. Harry Molloy

      It’s hardly fair that she would be asked to answer questions on serious allegations she has made since announcing that she would be seeking nomination.

      Questions can be frustrating and no one likes that. I know it makes me feel really litigious.

    2. Jeffrey

      Maybe you should listen to the interview then, she answered every point. On the VG affair, she isn’t the only one having made such allegations, its really really not new.

      1. rotide

        I did listen to the interview, which is why i said ‘I counted 3 pretty major points on which she would be fairly savaged by a more hardball interviewer there.”

        You might try to brush up on your literacy there Jeffrey.

          1. Nigel

            Him and His running mates Jesus and the Holy Spirit are causing constitutional problems since They’re three-in-one but I reckon They’ll split their own vote.

          2. rotide

            How does it change the game in any way?

            Anyone can get on the ballot paper with the support of councils, There was at leas 4 last time out., and councils contain people of all political and ideological leanings

            The only way it changes the game is in the minds of GoD and her supporters.

          3. SOQ

            Because it opens up the debate. The last Mary had problems because she was from the north (Ra supporter apparently) and that she was a practising Catholic. Look how that turned out? Second term uncontested.

            I am certain that if Gemma gets on the ticket she will shake things up, and that is exactly what people want.

      2. Frilly Keane

        C’mere Jeffff

        I’m prepared t’ bet a Batter Sausage Supper t’ your package of Rancheros
        That Rottie has seen more BS.tv
        Than you n’ all the GoD squadies
        Combined

        And btw
        She didn’t answer every question
        But very cleverly diverted
        Almost genius

        I’d add more
        But fact is
        I want ta’ see her on de’ ticket

  3. Freedom

    Despite the facetious grandstanding at times by John, and the very soft line of questioning he took, this was by a country mile the best version of this usually sordid talking shop, populated by tedious one note pub bores, I’ve yet seen. Great work Broadsheet but please note the contributions of a professional like Gemma merely serves in my mind to underline the mediocrity of the other regular contributions. Orla for example might indeed be the worlds greatest stenographer but she more than bores me to tears and as for Neil and the other lads, go home lads, ye are drunk. Johnny is moderately interesting – as a sort of slightly prickly man on the left hand side of the street he does ok, by god does he go on and on about RTÉ like a broken record, a lot of bitterness there.

    1. Parka the Otter

      Not Orla. Olga.

      Why try to put her down by calling her a stenographer?

      And she’s just as much a professional as any other journalist.

          1. Parka the Otter

            Not at all (though I’m not Orla).

            I suppose the grandstanding was on the Catholic Church issue? A fair point, surely?

          2. Freedom

            A whole bunch of things Parka. One was “insert we covered this or that cause in Broadsheet too”, sort of basking in Gemma’s reflected glory, though he was gracious enough to admit that Gemma’s stories were one of the three that had kept him in business.

            But yes the sort of scraping for contrary points was really irritating. Your one Vanessa was the worst at it, waffling about stuff in Cork for example, which has absolutely no relevance at all to Gemma’s campaign or what she is doing.

            A pity because there was a seed of a good point there that Vanessa was making but constantly making it about herself and how she felt about it is vain and tedious.

            Gemma really went up in my estimation from watching this and I haven’t felt like that about many politicians recently.

            I liked how she dealt with the nonsense issue of anti vaccine allegations – total of zero punches landed by Vanessa there too

          3. Parka the Otter

            I thought that she dealt with the vaccine issue very well, yes.

            She was really excellent until the questioning about abortion began, then she got uncomfortable.

            She raised the Terenure College investigation point when asked if she was pro-Catholic Church, but that wasn’t really answering the question.

          4. Frilly Keane

            Ah I love it when they all come out to play in their new clothes

            Anyway Freedom enjoy
            But click on me name dere on the wall
            You might find some stuff that predates yere appearance (s)
            Or speeches

            Yer welcome
            And Bask away btw
            Dis isn’t my livelihood
            So like
            I don’t need lads going around talking about me glory
            Or pulling durty digs n’ diving t’ get a bitta fake advantage
            I’m not that flimsy or fragile
            Anyway
            Glad t’ have ya about
            The more the merrier

          5. Freedom

            Shhh Frilly the grown ups are talking now

            @ Parka I must go back and look at that bit , maybe I had tuned out mentally by then as John was vainly trying to involve the other non- entities – but didn’t notice anyway. Personally I don’t care what Gemma’s pro life views are or are not, I thought Johnny I think dealt with that well when he appealed to civility and lamented the lack of activist interest in Gemma’s campaign compared to the repeal issue. I like the way he calls out folks on that.

    2. SOQ

      Olga is one of the most gorgeous women I have ever heard or seen. She could read the bible/koran out loud and I would listen to her from start to finish.

  4. Lilly

    How does Gemma propose to change this corner of the world as President? ‘There’s nothing to stop me visiting victims….’ and ‘the President can shine a light…’ What a relief. I have every confidence that this torch-bearing Florence Nightingale will stamp out corruption in her first 100 days.

    1. Freedom

      another bitter oul wan with a rapidly depleting sherry bottle nearby , shouldn’t you be watching the late late?

      1. Parka the Otter

        This is exactly the point I was making on Silliest Season ever about Irish women.

        Lily dislikes Gemma, Frilly dislikes Gemma, Freedom dislikes Frilly and Gemma. And that’s just on the site.

        Offsite, Kitty dislikes Gemma, Gemma dislikes Kitty, etc etc. Probably Lily, Frilly and Freedom have views on Kitty too.

        And yet you’re all smart, entertaining and more or less on the same page about so many things.

        Is it the nuns?

        1. Lilly

          I don’t dislike Gemma, Parka. I don’t know a lot about her really. However, I find her insistence that her Presidential bid is about ending corruption ridiculous. I’d have more respect for her if she admitted she wants seven years of Presidential pampering, and why should Miggledy get another go on the feather pillows when it’s her turn, wah!

          1. Parka the Otter

            I don’t think she wants the pampering as much as to be a general nuisance to the sectors of people she has criticised.

            My reasoning in favour of Gemma is that the Presidential election is only once every 7 (or 14) years. It’s one of the few opportunities Irish citizens get to make a statement about how the country should be,

            Voting for Gemma could potentially make such a statement, which does have influence. Mary Robinson’s election was the start of a process of change leading to things like Colgangate, the recent abortion referendum, sexual abuse and corruption disclosures etc. If Brian Lenihan had got in, it would have been an affirmation of the establishment, and this might have been delayed another 15 years.

            My concern regarding Gemma relates to her relationship with the Catholic Church and I would like to see more questioning of her on this.

          2. Lilly

            Some good points, Parka. I see the Presidency somewhat as a reward. Mary Robinson had years of activism and pro bono work under her belt. Gemma is not in that league IMO, and if comments on Twitter are to be believed – for example, Fr Niall Molloy’s nephew asking her to remove his uncle’s image from her header, her bona fides are questionable.

          3. Parka the Otter

            I think you have to read the full twitter feed of the nephew to get a sense of the dynamic there. My feeling is that it was a clash of egos.

            Incidentally one of the other tweeters vociferously against Gemma (I think his issue is with Mary Boyle) was before a criminal court in Donegal for mistakenly threatening a woman in a car with a hatchet.

            I am not a particular fan of Mary Robinson and in fact I am not a particular fan of Gemma O’Doherty (though I admire her steely resilience in the face of some considerable nastiness on twitter) but as far as I can see to vote for any other candidate would be an acceptance of the terrible state this country is in.

            The portion of the interview which struck home most with me was where Gemma talked about walking along the street and seeing the homelessness and also the knowledge among young people generally that they may never own a home.

            Not that owning a home should be the be and end all but it’s shocking that people just accept a system in which this is no longer even an option.

          4. Lilly

            Okay, I’ll have to go back and listen to the entire interview. (Tomorrow… my brain is fried.) I heard just 15 minutes this morning and a few snippets tonight. Another point against Gemma, however subliminally, I heard she had set up a fake Twitter account in Mary Boyle’s twin sister’s name and was using it for her own ends. Again, I don’t know how true that is.

          5. Parka the Otter

            Lily, I think we need answers on all these things from her, shame that so many journalists are focusing on trading smart nothings about her rather than focusing on these specific points.

          6. Lilly

            Also, Parka, any views on why she wants to be President and not a TD, where she might have some chance of bringing about the change she professes to want?

          7. Parka the Otter

            Lily, my view of the Presidency is that the most powerful feature of the office is the election for it itself – the statement the people make as to who should represent them as President is key in influencing how the country evolves.

            For me, she is currently the candidate whose election would come closest to making the right statement, but I’d like a bit more information on some things.

            I think Michael D and Sabina have done fantastic work over the past 7 years but re-election would represent a continuance of the current regime and we need something more than this.

          8. Lilly

            That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought of it like that. You might be right. Pity she didn’t say something along those lines instead of the shine-a-light guff.

          9. Parka the Otter

            I don’t know if that’s her motivation or indeed it matters if it isn’t her motivation so long as that is the effect of her being elected.

            I think your question about why she is running is a good one and she should be asked it.

          10. Freedom

            lilly the sneering trolls on botty tv asked Gemma why she wasn’t running for the Senate why she wasn’t doing that, or this – the same sort of tripe you’re at now. Why don’t you write Gemma on twitter and ask her out straight – Hey Gemma who do you think you are – do you think you’re better than the rest of us?

            It’s clearly the subtext to the abject drivel you’re posting here tonight …

          11. Parka the Otter

            Also, Freedom,

            If you support Gemma you could be a bit more appreciative of the fact that Broadsheet had her on the show.

            The fact that you’re posting on here to get support for her while at the same time profess to despise the site (botty tv? not really even funny) and the people who comment here as beneath you (though I suspect your actual relationship with it and them is far more complicated) is actually not helping Gemma.

            Actually, your support of her making me suspicious of her. Probably the same for other people too. There’s just something about your comment and McVittys that says to me – this is a team, making fun of the common people.

            Possibly people connected to the elite Gemma complains about. So why are they supporting her? I’m not an investigative reporter, but it’s certainly something to ponder about.

          12. Freedom

            haha jaysus Parka you made several leaps there

            I’m just a random commenter who isn’t the first person to admire Gemma for her provincial ways and principled stand – neither does that preclude me from criticism of the site or other contributors – both points of view can co- exist

            there are some crazy hoors posting on this though …

          13. Parka the Otter

            Hardly provincial, she’s a Muckross girl as I think we both know…

            Crazy indeed but craziness can expose so much, in a good way. As could Gemma’s election.

            Just want answers to those questions before I decide to give her my vote.

          14. Lilly

            Are these johnny-come-latelys purporting to support Gemma O’D really trying to sabotage her with their displays of ignorance and stupidity, so that people will think birds-of-a-feather and run a mile? You could be on to something, Parka.

          15. Parka the Otter

            Lily, I think they are genuinely backing Gemma but I wonder if it is because they feel that she is the right candidate to offer as sop to the ‘mob’ or because they feel she is a suitable Catholic Church type candidate.

            I think it’s very sad that a clearly bright person has such a professedly low opinion of the site and its commenters… anyone who has watched the show regularly – as Freedom obviously has – knows that there is no grandstanding.

        2. McVitty

          @Parka, on your point below about the RCC; maybe she is mindful of the fact that we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. She appears to respect that we have a pre-existing cultural fabric that has gone through some dramatic changes of late – radical abortion liberalisation, a culture more interested in protesting the (private) visit of the Pope etc and all in all it shows a country at war with itself. It could be that she has mixed feelings – has that not occurred as a possibility? She doesn’t come off as religious and I would guess she doesn’t want to alienate or cause any more damage in this area. Sadly, in doing this she risks alienating herself. From what we saw, Gemma appears to have moderate and modern views – just not the post-modern views that the SJW mob demand. You have already seen where she stands on institution corruption and that should indicate where she stands on abuse. And what if she were a practicing Catholic, would you expect a Muslim candidate to denounce their religious convictions? There seems to be a double standard around tolerance. The hostility toward Catholics is sharp – if a person gets inner peace from attending weekly mass, when did that become a bad thing?

          1. Parka the Otter

            That brings me on to my big concern about Gemma.

            She was very uncomfortable on the abortion issue. Despite her words of tolerance, she clearly strongly dislikes abortion. It was very obvious in her tone, body language. The topic was actually finished and she doubled back.

            Like I said, she didn’t really answer clearly the question of her attitude towards the Catholic Church. She needs to be questioned more thoroughly about her view on the Catholic Church, her relationship with it beyond the merely personal, membership of any associations connected with it.

            I am not suggesting that she is a member of any such association, or that there is anything wrong with being, as I think at least one former president may have been, a member, but it’s something that I feel she should be asked.

            I have no difficulty with individual Catholicism but I feel that the Catholic Church needs to take a period of time to, as it might say itself, reflect, on the society it created in Ireland, the problems with that society and the degree to which it is responsible for those problems.

            I don’t want to find I’ve unintentionally endorsed the restoration of State Catholicism by supporting an anti-corruption candidate.

          2. Parka the Otter

            Oh, and just to add: you can probably guess my view on the Pope’s visit.

            It would have been improved had he climbed Croagh Patrick in bare feet as a penance for the absolutely disgraceful behaviour of members of his Church as detailed in numerous investigations over the past decade.

          3. Parka the Otter

            She should be honest about it if she is anti-abortion rather than pretending she is okay with it.

            Also she should detail her relationship with the Catholic Church – it is not enough to say she did the Terenure College investigation – there are plenty of people associated with the Catholic Church smart enough to know that if Catholicism is to be comprehensively reinstated in Irish public life it’s going to have to be by someone with that sort of track record in exposing Church corruption.

            I don’t want to belatedly find after having voted for her that she’s the unofficial Catholic Church/Opus Dei/Iona candidate.

          4. Parka the Otter

            Just something I feel more and more I’d like to know the answer to, Freedom.

            Apart from anything else, it’s a good idea to ascertain the affiliations of any candidate running for public office.

            I would not rule out voting for someone just because I didn’t agree with the views of the organisation they were a member of, but I’d like to have the information to make that decision myself.

          5. Parka the Otter

            Me too!

            Just a shame that you are so relentlessly negative about the site and its commenters.

          6. Freedom

            That’s not really fair Parka
            I love the site but it’s a parody of itself at times

            No team either. A few people despise the likes of Lilly because it’s the same old contrarianism every night from her handle. Imagine – two people could independently arrive at the same conclusion!

            Same with Gemma! I don’t know the first thing about her background or her personal beliefs on abortion. She just seems to me like a fine, honest probably lapsed Catholic Irishwoman who takes a principled stand. I have many former friends and friends like this and their cries for better things in Ireland are interesting. Of course some of them hold mutually contrasting viewpoints but where I’m standing from that is understandable. You on the other hand I characterize as a professional sniper. A tedious and utterly transparent hurler in the ditch. You have no idea you’re even half as annoying as you actually are and contributed nothing expecting every candidate to be like mother Theresa. Yawn. Get over yourself. We need more Gemma’s and less geebag Mary O rourke type “professional” women making geebag noises

          7. Parka the Otter

            How helpful the site has your comments to keep it up to the mark.

            Is the sniper insult intended for me, Lily or Vanessa?

      2. Miggeldy

        Freedom, Lilly is Frilly (Vanessa) and a few other avatars too, she can’t keep up with the duplicity now though with all the stick she’s getting, without tying herself in knots, shes a feckin’ nutter.

          1. Miggeldy

            It’s blatantly obvious that she is…and the rest, do keep up.

            My comments will be deleted but you now know.

          2. Parka the Otter

            Genuinely.

            If you go back over the history of the commenting, the writing styles are different.

            As any multiple commenter knows, it’s very difficult to disguise style.

          3. millie st murderlark

            I AM FRILLY.

            And I’ve had wine.

            And that’s literally all I’m up to contributing to this clusterfupp of a thread.

  5. McVitty

    Vanessa is a tad dishonest here for my liking. She demonstrated outward disdain for Gemma and some hostility, basically saying that the other candidates are somehow EQUALLY concerned with corruption reform as Gemma is. A bit of a dig considering Gemma has spent her career exposing institutional corruption in Ireland, going through some unfair trials in the process. For all the fairness in which he based his campaign on (and his last Dail speach), Michael D Higgins never talked about the salary when running last time, so some rant about how it should be the same as industrial average wage is just a brain-fart in the greater context, with due respect.

    Corruption and institutional reform are perfectly good themes for 2018 campaign. Higgins ran on fairness during a recession, McAleese ran on peace etc etc – not sure if Vanessa realises that a seat in the Seanad is not a leadership role…and maybe the move to abolish it not so long ago might speak to how ineffective it seems to be. I don’t think the suggestion of running for a Seanad seat was generous or well intended…quite the opposite.

    1. Vanessa (off the Telly)

      Hello there

      I am obliged to reply on a number of inaccuracies in your comments here, and throughout this thread McVitty, and other. But since it is a Saturday, I will narrow it down.

      There was absolutely no distain or hostility presented by me; it is all there to see in the whole show. If there was any irk at all it was that Gemma would not appear alongside any of the other candidates seeking nomination, and it was my view, and it still is that all candidates would have been allowed on if they so wished.

      Furthermore, I did not introduce the Salary at all. In fact I was clear that I don’t have an issue with it, but I did articulate that my issue is with the Pensions awarded and that they should not be greater than the Average Industrial Wage. I would add that I do not think any Pension awarded by the State should be greater than the current AIW, regardless of the recipient. Nor should there be any lumpsum awards.

      You are entitled to hold the opinion that my suggestion that the Seanad was a better venue for Gemma O’Doherty was not generous or well intended. However, I am telling you now that you are wrong as there was nothing ungenerous about it nor was it an attempt to influence. My reasons were made in a previous show also, but I will re-affirm them here since you have not informed yourself of previous content.
      In the Seanad, Gemma has a platform to speak freely and unconditionally, and probably under the umbrella of “Defence of Absolute Privilege.” She will also be able to maintain her livelihood, publish and make more documentaries. Gemma’s reaction to my comments on this matter are there for everyone to see, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji_laFn9JBk
      therefore I would encourage everyone to draw their own conclusions. I have nothing to hide nor have I a cynical agenda.

      My role in this Presidential Campaign is recorded here https://www.broadsheet.ie/2018/08/23/dont-fret-citizen-smyth-is-here/. The previous shows, where I have repeatedly insisted that I want all the Citizen and non-party candidates to be allowed onto the ballot are all here https://www.youtube.com/user/Broadsheetdotie
      as they streamed and without editing or interference of any sort.

      On that matter, if Broadsheeters and BS.tv viewers don’t mind, there have been 80 previous shows and none were edited or their content selectively exploited for individual gain. Therefore for the Gemma for President team to edit and parse a section and retweet, into my feed via @offalygoodvibe Johnny Keenan, has set a precedent that I am very uncomfortable with. In addition to opening the door to creating content to suit; you have removed any grounds you have to complain about how Main Stream Media manipulate footage and present out of its intended and true context to suit a particular bias.

      While I do not think we will see the end of that dirty can of worms you have opened on behalf of Gemma O’Doherty, I am devastated that you have exposed BS.tv panelists and guests to the risk of being ridiculed, or worse again, being accused of targeting personal agendas and bias, fake outrage, fake news and generating clickbait.

      The trolling that comes with Gemma O’Doherty is just too much. I am sorry for her. I think she deserves to heard without being associated with all this noise and racket.

      So I am not going to fuel it any further, only to say finally;

      I am more Flabby, than Frilly
      Unfortunately
      Also note for a fact. I am not a moderator here, nor do I control any content, or what gets deleted, edited, closed or hosted. While my usage of Broadsheet.ie is mainly recreational, I contribute and submit like everyone else. However feel free to decide whether you believe that or not.

      Have a good rest of your weekend everyone

      and good luck to all the candidates

      VEF

      1. John 'Preposterous' Ryan

        Vanessa, as I told you before the show, Gemma had no objection to anyone being on the panel and merely asked that we conduct a one to one interview before seguing into a panel q and a.

          1. Auto Corrupt

            On the other hand your lunatic substance infused threats and relentless thuggery are an asset.

            Sober up Tony, Memes, Bernie, B, Elephant 123456, Karina + the 20plus others you are torturing and threatening decent users under.

            Stick to playing reggae records for Johnny Keenan gigs

        1. Vanessa (off the Telly)

          Indeed you did John
          Apologies to everyone and I regret you had to come on to clarify

          While I have your attention, please pass my regards to your hair. It looked fabulous the other evening and deserves a mention.

          VEF

          1. McVitty

            Hi Vanessa, I appreciate the response. My comments were not intended to be a personal attack but I have seen the unfair and baseless alt-right smear on Twitter and I think asking someone to comment on where they stand on vaccinations (for example) can be interpreted as a move to discredit them. If every candidate is asked where they stand on vaccines or the church, that would be fine but it creates an association when one candidate is asked. Michael D was asked about his fitness last time and my feeling was that it was not necessarily a fair question then either.

            From the conversation, I sense she sees a task in uniting people in a toxic media-led environment etc, and that going down a Repeal rabbit-hole doesn’t really help the discussion forward – Repeal is done, the people spoke and she stated that she would act in light of that. You mentioned that we we would have passed Repeal 20 years ago if given the chance, yet one in three voters voted against Repeal despite the bias evidenced by the political establishment and media – so there are divisions to heal and that’s not a bad thing to focus a campaign on. I see the other side, where you may prefer a very liberal-minded candidate at this time and feel the need to probe what may be a less-liberal minded candidate on their positions but again, this creates associations and either way, I can see why she would want to move off contentious topics that tend to alienate people and divide opinion when her campaign focuses on other aspects like uniting a fractured society, and raising moral awareness on the homelessness problem.

            The country has gone through more change than many liberal-minded people would like to acknowledge/admit and the pace of change has been pretty remarkable, and I sense she has some empathy for people who have been sidelined in the media discourse and feel they have no voice or representation in today’s Ireland. If that’s where she stands, her candidacy is worthwhile and it would be more constructive to see that conversation being had out.

            I should say I know relatively little about Gemma O’Doherty apart from her journalism work but in a slew of business-oriented candidates and some candidates that openly play the identitarian card (i.e. Kevin Sharkey), her candidacy is refreshing and her views are categorically moderate so in the very least should get a fair hearing.

      2. Bertie Blenkinsop

        “I am more Flabby, than Frilly
        Unfortunately”

        I always thought Vanessa and Frilly were the same person, there goes that theory. :)

        1. Miggeldy

          Ah Bertie, you know they are one and the same, the constant denial is laughable.

          The running threads through both of them are as follows and far too many to be coincidental – Cork obsession, GAA obsession, caravan obsession, Dixie flag obsession, Bake Off obsession, determination to discredit Gemma in any and every way possible. There are more but rushing to get out the door here.

      3. Lilly

        I’ve watched an hour of it now and cannot see how Vanessa’s question could be construed as ‘ungenerous’. She’s simply asking what everybody is thinking: why would someone who says they want to bring about change not target a more powerful office. Gemma’s response was quite high-handed, ‘I make the decisions about my career’. Fine, make them, but don’t expect people to help you get elected unless you can provide intelligent answers about your rationale.

        It was laughable to see the idea of a Presidency based on metaphors such as ‘light a candle’ being derided while Gemma’s offer to ‘shine a light’ was accepted with a straight face. Vanessa and Neil summed it up for me.

        1. Miggeldy

          Quit abusing your presence on BS to discredit Gemma you fkn dose Frilly Lilly

          Anne was spot on about you

          1. Lilly

            There’s not a lot to be said really to one that denies your existence. You’d have done well in one of the adoption societies circa 1950.

          2. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

            TBF Anne is spot on about a load of stuff
            especially you
            now that you’ve turned ape on the only ‘wan around here that ever stood up for you and your mental rantings
            there’s no denying it

            you’ve laid it all out here for everyone t’ see
            Yourself
            it had nathin’ t’do with me

            well,
            you made that bed
            but I will stay loyal to the rules
            never to out any ‘wan of us
            as for those shocking emails
            well
            you wrote them
            I have a family, along with friends and comrades to protect
            so I can’t promise I won’t share them

            so anyway
            please, and Broadsheet
            I must insist you help out this time

            where and when have I discredited this candidate
            other than supporting another candidate
            Citizen Jimmy Smyth
            or behaved any differently than I have become known for over the last 7 years

            ta

            but more importantly while I’m here

            Hon Cork
            de’ Rebelles are going for their 12th AI out’ve the last 13 t’morrow btw

      1. Miggeldy

        Vanessa, I am NOT badatmemes, but you know that, it’s just an excuse for you to have another dig at him.

        You behave like a spoilt only child that has never had to grow up and have yet to realise the world does not revolve around YOU.

        You can’t play the game you’re playing and expect not to get caught and called out on it.

        See if you can get through next week’s show without saying “Well I think” a thousand times, no-one gives a flying fk what you think, let the others speak and be heard and zip it.

        1. Miggeldy

          As I said, I have seen the transcripts of the chat-pit, you have nothing on him.

          You’ve deleted that part out of my post above but that doesn’t change the fact that I have seen them and you’re talking out of your hoop.

          Keep deleting, it doesn’t change the TRUTH.

          1. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

            No huh

            So what transcripts then

            As the kids say
            Busted

            Broadsheet
            Can you please inform the board
            Once and for all
            Who is responsible for content moderation, editting, deleting, approving what have ya
            Please

            This is my last time asking

          2. Miggeldy

            Vanessa/Frilly, the transcripts of the chat-pit that you emailed badatmemes, the ones you edited. More lies, you’re a pathological liar, amongst other things, are you even capable of telling the truth on any level?????

          3. Miggeldy

            She’s given too much free reign, full stop. The sad part is, after BS’s recovery from the whole Dara Quigley video debacle, BS could soar to new heights, unfortunately her poisonous ways will keep it just ticking over and mediocre. John Ryan is a talented,decent, likable and fair man, it’s a shame

          4. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

            They absolutely were not edited
            And they were provided by the commenter you threatened to rape
            No problem emailing them on ta anyone who was in the Chatpit that night to confirm the truth of your contributions
            Brudder was there too AFAIR
            When I’m back in Dublin I’ll dig ’em out
            Since I only ever shared em with Memes Tony etc

            I sent them to get ya ta’ calm ta’ feck down
            And to remind you that your Chatpit stuff doesn’t disappear when the live stream ends
            And you damn well know that
            Cause tis in d’emails

            There’s also screen shots of stuff you posted before the Telly streams and the embed starts
            So even if you’re not that man
            You’re out of your mind if you think you’re in anyway not as liable as he is for this stalking, threats and abuse

            I learnt the hard way
            I’ll accept that
            And will take all the many I-told-ya-so’s coming my way

            But don’t you or anyone else
            dare call me a liar
            I do not delete your stuff as I have no moderator rights
            I do not own or run the gaff

            That last string of emails mentioned an BS insider, where I live
            And you were going to **CK me up

            So come on let’s have it
            Here
            This would be the thread for delusional nutters with sympathetic troll butties

            Since Broadsheet don’t seem to care what happens the Broadsheet Troll Dog
            Let’s have ya

            I’ve had enough so let’s do it now

          5. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

            Here Weedom
            Aren’t ya lucky I cut it back t’1st Fridays
            I use’ta do weekly

            D’ FrillBake happened by accident
            Started as a kinda wind up
            For Rotide n’ the like

            That kinda backfired
            In a good way

            But
            If by popular demand
            again
            I’ll Consider upping the output
            Well there is an election ….

          6. Miggeldy

            Vanessa, again I have to reiterate that you are indeed lying. You had edited out some of the comments on the transcripts you emailed to memes.

            I will call you a liar for that is what you are, I wouldn’t bother repeating myself if it were not the case, enough is enough with your twisting facts to suit how you appear here on BS.

          7. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

            Bodger
            Cop on

            Same tune and has a relationship with him enough to know there were transcripts of the Chatpit before it was embedded

            And please Bodger
            Provide where I have discredited Gemma O Doherty
            For everyone t’ see
            And inform who does the modding etc around here

            Or do I have’ta wait until the deluded gobshytes
            and crybabies, usually lads take t’twitter again
            And get the Broadsheet girls t’sort it

  6. Frilly Keane

    Ah
    Int’ this brilliant
    I never doubted ye for a second

    n’ what do I always say
    Trust The Internet

    Ta for making my wait for de’ papers so fulfilling

    Btw I could have predicted and dictated some of the comments from the flybys and memes himself as early as Wednesdays FrillBake
    Go see for yerselves
    It’ll hitbye like a saltwater plunge pool in April

    Seriously
    Ye need t’ get better at this

  7. McVitty

    @parka, I can’t reply to your comments above but your comment was eloquent.

    I think she said she believes in the democratic right of the people to be heard, so she is not interested in objecting to matters already agreed by referendum, so if she was not pro-choice on abortion, it would not affect any compliance with signing legislation. I think she said this much.

    Not sure where all this Catholic connection comes up – just because she has the Lucinda Creighton hair-do doesn’t mean she’s caught up with the Iona people (and I think they often have valid contributions, not that they get any love here!).

    Good chatting.

    1. Parka the Otter

      Good chatting too and interestingly the same conversation I had with Freedom which I also enjoyed.

      Sometimes the most unexpected people can have valid contributions, no reason to rule someone out automatically because they are involved with a Catholic organisation but given the level of Catholic Church control in the past and the somewhat unfortunate consequences of this I would want her to be asked about any associations with such organisations. The same goes for other candidates and all religious or secret organisations.

      Not a member of Iona? You haven’t mentioned Opus.

      1. Freedom

        Have you any basis to this “smear” or assertion you’re making about O’Doherty Parka or just making it up?
        Why comment in such a roundabout way, if you have something specific about the RCC to nail on her ?

          1. Parka the Otter

            Don’t be cross now Freedom ;-)

            I’m not interested in smearing Gemma O’Doherty, there has been far too much of that.

            I would genuinely like to vote for her as a candidate for the reasons I give above but want to do due diligence first.

            I really don’t know whether she is or supports Opus Dei, Iona, what her attitude is on the role of the Catholic Church in Irish society. I’m just saying that as an informed voter I would like to know.

            I was just struck by how uncomfortable she was about the abortion/Catholic Church questioning in contrast to the first part of the interview when she was asked about INM, vaccine, trans etc. Her voice got very screechy on that, and she seemed momentarily annoyed at the line of questioning. Subsequently it seemed as if she realised that she had not performed well on this issue and doubled back. There was also just a slight churchiness about her phrasing (not a pejorative).

            And for some reason McVitty’s comments about her rang a bell with what I had thought watching the show.

          2. Freedom

            Curb your enthusiasm Parka

            “Due diligence”? Seriously?

            How many of the other candidates have you researched for their views on abortion? Maybe you could go through their garbage as well?

          3. f_lawless

            “I’m not interested in smearing Gemma O’Doherty, there has been far too much of that.”
            2 lines later:
            “I really don’t know whether she is or supports Opus Dei, Iona..”

            I dunno , that reads like a ‘smear by association’ to me.

  8. john f

    In the interview, she says that one Galway city councillor gave her a very hard time. Does anyone know who this councillor was?

    1. Frilly Lilly Millie Bertie and her off the Telly

      A number of candidates got a hard time
      No more or less than the other

      It travelled out into the hallways with one
      Not Gemma

      FG councillor in fact

  9. Neil Curran

    97 comments and no one has anything to say about this week’s movies?

    Maybe I should have given The Predator a shout out after all.

    1. Vanessa (off the Telly)

      Less Predator and more Wag the Dog I think Neil.

      Am I the only one upset that nobody mentioned the Bay City Rollers either?
      Bye Bye Baby Rotide, I’ll do my best to squeeze in as many Rollers as I can between now and December just for you.

      Thanks for your your comments and views. All feedback is good. Neil and I would love to do more voxpops, so if you have any ideas or suggestions we would love to hear from you.

      Shang-a-Lang everyone

      VEF

      1. SOQ

        Nessy.

        You should go silver grey like the rest of us. Saves a fortune and allows time for loads of Saturday morning stretch classes. Unless you are in hometown Cork, in which case pilates overlooking tent city is all the rage I believe?

    2. Lilly

      I didn’t get that far Neil. Did you cover BlacKkKlansman? Not his best. What about Black 47, is it worth a look?

    1. Lilly

      You can read Mick Clifford’s article if you access it via his Twitter. He makes an amusing point towards the end: if Gemma thinks the State was responsible for murdering Veronica Guerin, how can she trust the Garda to be responsible for her protection as President?

  10. Catherine costelloe

    We all have opinions and that is excellent & democratic. I made allegations to Mickey Clifford several months ago advising him a Cracking Crime Programme on the disappearance of a bank managers sn “Cracking Crime”was a staged corrupt programme. I told him I had proof. This opinion of Michael Clifford isn’t worth reading. I am honest, great record of integrity with Scotland Yard and he couldn’t be bothered his arse even following up my allegations.

  11. Freedom

    Are you all the same three like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

    Yes the comments section is lucky to have me

  12. Freedom

    Are you all the same three like the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

    Yes the comments section is lucky to have me

    That was at Snarka the Twatter-sniper

    1. Parka the Otter

      Parka the Snarka? I hope not. I think Irish women should stop snarking at one another as it is what allows male idiots of whom there are many in mainstream journalism to prosper.

      I am not sure why Michael Clifford is wheeled out like Brezhnev’s corpse every time the hivemind want to comprehensively defeat an argument; he is so bad at doing so.

      How come the Irish journalistic community was giving Gemma O’Doherty awards a few years ago but is now saying that she did nothing? It shows the value they really attach to those much touted-awards, which we are expected to be impressed by the rest of the time.

      And why the constant use of the term ‘features writer’ by media commenters (if they could have got away with adding ‘female’ before ‘features writer’ they would have)?

      The internal snobbery is hilarious until you consider that these are the rather thick people through whom our news is being filtered.

      1. Lilly

        Firstly Parka, you’re mistaken if you think ‘Freedom’ is a woman. Secondly, no one is wheeling Mick Clifford out; he chose to write about this presumably of his own accord, and he made some valid points. And thirdly, no real journalist gives a rat’s ass about those awards you refer to. They are an excuse for a night out, nothing more. Do you really think the late Mary Rafferty lay awake at night wondering if she’d get the gong?

        Finally, he refers to Gemma O’Doherty as a features writer because largely, that’s what she was. AFAIK she was travel editor at the Indo for years. Is there some snobbery at play? Possibly. News gathering is more immediate, cut and thrust… deadlines… etc. Some would argue that it’s more valuable, selling more papers.

        Gemma O’D could have gone on forever doing what she was told by planks like Stephen Rae, but to her credit, she decided there was more to life.

        1. Parka the Otter

          Lily, absolutely but journalists have no inhibitions about touting those awards when they want to either, there’s an inconsistency there.

          There’s a distinct misogynistic tone to a lot of the criticism of Gemma O’Doherty from male journalists and by jumping on the I’m a journalist so you should listen to me about her bandwagon Michael Clifford has associated himself with this.

          It’s the twenty first century, Lily. Voters can read her material and decide for themselves on the quality or otherwise of her journalism (which may not be as big a factor in voting as journalists think lol) without Mick to hold our hand through the process.

          1. Freedom

            The fact Lilly touts Mick Clifford as some kind of reputable source should be an ample indication of the type of aborted fetus-effluent stock in trade she doles out here, frequently. Usually after a bottle of Gordon’s has sustained heavy artillery strikes.

          2. Lilly

            Like it or not, Parka, that’s what journalists do. They comment. It’s not hand holding, it’s filling column inches. And while you’re here admitting to being a Muckross alum, I’ll pick up on something you said earlier about the impossiblity of Gemma being provincial because she was ‘a Muckross girl’. Ha! I have come across some deeply provincial Muckross women; the nuns did a right job on them. Although I agree, that wouldn’t be the norm.

          3. Parka the Otter

            @Lily

            I completely agree but the level and tone of earlier journalistic tweeting went well beyond the commentary you talk about.

            I never thought I’d have to say this but:-

            I did not go to Muckross.

      2. Freedom

        Did they delete our earlier point by point rebuttal?

        Orla or rather Parka there is nothing in your comment there I disagree with. I’m merely saying that like the tedious line of questions pursued by Vanessa, ( context only now belatedly and half heartedly provided by said celebrity rentagob) your speculations of Gemma O’D about her views on abortion or the RCC are disingenuous at best and a useful idiot type deliberate attempt at distraction at worst.

        Let’s see a table with your critique of ALL the candidates views on said topic and I can begin again to take you even remotely seriously

        Hint: you made yourself look a right mammary organ rushing in to defend serial onanist, troll and Zionist renal surgery survivor David/jamsie yesterday

        1. Parka the Otter

          They absolutely deleted it. Barstewards.

          I’m not going to stop disagreeing with your comments elsewhere just because we’re having a civil chat on this post, this is not Muckcross (look! I did it too! INRI and all that)

          I just can’t stand needy nihilism. It really gets on what you would call my mammary organs.

Comments are closed.

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