# Charlie Bird and his slagging on The Last Word today



## RMCF (25 Jan 2010)

Did anyone hear the slagging poor Charlie got today?

He has a show about his year in the US as RTEs correspondent, and it was basically decided that this is something that we shouldn't care about. He should be focusing on issues in the country, and not issues directly affecting him, as its his job after all, he's getting well paid and he shouldn't be telling us all about it.

Well I don't mind him too much, but the consensus was that he is now basically considered a 'celeb' and cos he's getting a big wage from RTE, he has to make a programme to appeal to those that care about what others are doing in life.

I can see where some of the criticism is coming from, but thats the way the media has gone. I mean I have always wondered why Michael McMullan and the like feel the need to tell us who they are before reading the news. They didn't do this in the 70/80s (and maybe 90s). I don't care who he is, just read the sports news !! You're not famous, despite the fact you obviously want to be.


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## Capt. Beaky (25 Jan 2010)

+1


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## Slash (25 Jan 2010)

Just saw the programme on RTE - Charlie Bird's year in America. It was an interesting programme, well made. Nonetheless, i can't understand his whining about being lonely and wondering what possessed him to take the job. Cripes, I'd kill for a job like that!


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## Purple (25 Jan 2010)

The slagging he gets in the sketches on the last work on Today FM are excellent. He strikes me as someone with a very high opinion of himself (but I could be wrong).


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## truthseeker (26 Jan 2010)

He came to see us in secondary school, when I was in 6th year. The very first thing he said was not to worry about the Leaving Cert, it wasnt the be all and end all and it didnt matter if you didnt get it.

The teachers couldnt get him off fast enough


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## Maximus152 (26 Jan 2010)

Give me a brake, he reports news.... (Usual script.. I'm standing here out side Government Buildings .... que the obligatory rain falling and gale force winds...never real of course  ) thats not especailly original or Celeb status. Some times people need a reality check. He has a Job, he is in public domain, and so you leave your self open to good bad or indifferent.


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## Latrade (26 Jan 2010)

Purple said:


> The slagging he gets in the sketches on the last work on Today FM are excellent. He strikes me as someone with a very high opinion of himself (but I could be wrong).


 
By all accounts he does have an extremely high opinion of himself.

But the slagging is harmless. It's no more excessive than something like Apre Match to me.


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## TarfHead (26 Jan 2010)

Slash said:


> Just saw the programme on RTE - Charlie Bird's year in America. It was an interesting programme ..


 
I watched most of it. I was staggered that he wanted to interview Dan Rooney, yet hadn't a clue what the man looked like, nor had he lined up the interview in advance. The scene with him hob-nobbing with Brian Cowen and Michael Martin, saying "Is this Dan Rooney, is that Dan Rooney", was cringeworthy.

What's the avian equivalent of '_a fish out of water_'  ?


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## michaelm (26 Jan 2010)

I have always thought that RTE should save money by replacing their Chief News Reporter with Kermit the Frog from Sesame Street News.  When we 'go over to our Chief News Reporter' he usually just repeats whatever the news reader has just said, and most often from a rather safe distance; I think that during the last Iraq war he was bravely reporting from Kuwait meanwhile Richard Downes was in Baghdad.


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## MANTO (26 Jan 2010)

TarfHead said:


> I was staggered that he wanted to interview Dan Rooney, yet hadn't a clue what the man looked like


 
+1 It beggered belief - two words Charlie - GOOGLE IMAGES


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## gunnerfitzy (26 Jan 2010)

Probably the worst reporter in RTE. Embarrassing to be honest!!


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## shopgirl (26 Jan 2010)

I know someone who works with him and describes him as the most professional journalist he has ever worked with.  My mate has only ever had positive things to say about Charlie.


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## Capt. Beaky (26 Jan 2010)

shopgirl said:


> I know someone who works with him and describes him as the most professional journalist he has ever worked with. My mate has only ever had positive things to say about Charlie.


I'm not sure if panting staccato-like, awkwardly gesticulating and wincing into the sunlight/flash passes for journalism in this day and age but if so, this latter day Kate Adie just about passes. His OTT stream-of-consciousness/dramatic monologue vignettes can get a trifle boring when repeated. And as another poster remarked, he merely repeats what the newsreader had already said. A waste of time and licence money. Plus, it's no good for his skin


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## PyritePete (26 Jan 2010)

slightly off-topic, but every year when the leaving cert results come out, Charlie always gets a mention that he failed/didn't do his leaving cert or something like this.

It sounds like he is making decent money, so good luck to him.


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## Brendan Burgess (26 Jan 2010)

Yes, but imagine how well he might have done if he had got his Leaving!


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## RMCF (26 Jan 2010)

PyritePete said:


> slightly off-topic, but every year when the leaving cert results come out, Charlie always gets a mention that he failed/didn't do his leaving cert or something like this.
> 
> It sounds like he is making decent money, so good luck to him.



Maybe he was in the right place at the right time.

Perhaps now someone with no leaving cert would have any hope of getting a job in RTE and making piles of money like Charlie?


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## PyritePete (28 Jan 2010)

Brendan said:


> Yes, but imagine how well he might have done if he had got his Leaving!


 
true enough


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## PyritePete (28 Jan 2010)

RMCF said:


> Maybe he was in the right place at the right time.
> 
> Perhaps now someone with no leaving cert would have any hope of getting a job in RTE and making piles of money like Charlie?


 
Obviously we are talking about different times - when did Charlie start in RTE ? 

As you say maybe he was lucky


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## Chocks away (28 Jan 2010)

Have the people of Haiti not got enough problems of their own without this irritant descending on them. He should go back to school, repeat the Leaving Cert and, if successful, get a proper job.  Occasionally he looks like a younger version of Godfrey (Dad's Army).


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## Capt. Beaky (30 Jan 2010)

Once the initial scenes of Haiti were shown on the days following the quake there was no need for Charlie Bird to pop up and turn the carnage into car-crash viewing. If he feels lonely,overwhelmed and,many would say, out of his depth then his wish should be granted. Bring him back to good old Dublin. What did we do in the pre CB days? RTE is getting like SKY with the constant padding. But there must be a market as they have the viewing figures and act accordingly.


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## Chocks away (31 Jan 2010)

Update in Mail On Sunday "I'm coming home" story. How can a fella live in a city for nine months and not make "one" friend? I wonder if he has ever considered the ego factor. From what I know of Americans (having lived there as a foreigner for about 15 years), they are hospitable, welcoming, warm hearted and helpful. So, a little bit of honest soul searching might be the thing for Charlie. Then again, we'll have to put up with more of him on RTE.


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## VOR (1 Feb 2010)

gunnerfitzy said:


> Probably the worst reporter in RTE. Embarrassing to be honest!!


 
I just don't get how a man who has the entire US at his door step cannot find some decent stories in 12 months. 
Could he not have travelled to Alaska and interviewed Sarah Palin's neighbours?  
What about Mark Sanford's scandal in South Carolina. 
Perhaps Blagojevich's attempt to flog Obama's old seat was not enough of a story for him. 
He could forget about visiting Guantanamo and interview people about Bagram. That's the real story!!
I am sure Glenn Beck and the tea party people would love 10 minutes to advance their brand of lunacy. At least it would make for interesting viewing.
How about a piece on "don't ask, don't tell".

So many stories. Why he couldn't get out and meet working class and middle class Americans and follow their struggles over a 6 month period I'll never know.
Even Jamie Oliver made compelling TV when he visited New Orleans and the homeless in New York.

Charlie needs to grow a pair and remember what a journalist does.


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## Firefly (1 Feb 2010)

vor said:


> charlie needs to grow a pair


 
:d


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## VOR (1 Feb 2010)

Yeah, sorry about that. This "woe is me" rubbish annoys the hell out of me.


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## PyritePete (1 Feb 2010)

anyone hear the Knob nation skit of Charlie this morning ? Brilliant


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## Slash (2 Feb 2010)

RTE must be a great place to work. If Charlie doesn't like his job, he can just go back to Dublin and do his "old job" (his words on last night's programme).

Think I'll go to my boss today and tell him I don't like my job and want another. I know what he'll say: "GFY".


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## VOR (2 Feb 2010)

Slash said:


> RTE must be a great place to work.


 
http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0202/birdc.html

It's official. Charlie is coming home to the comforting bosom of RTE. 

Perhaps considering the week that's in it, Charlie would like to visit New Orleans before he leaves. The New Orleans Saints are in their first superbowl ever on Sunday 7th and Mardi Gras is on Tuesday 16th.  It is a nice uplifting story about how a great city is finally getting back on its feet. Might just be worth covering....


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## lightswitch (2 Feb 2010)

VOR said:


> http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0202/birdc.html
> 
> It's official. Charlie is coming home to the comforting bosom of RTE.
> 
> Perhaps considering the week that's in it, Charlie would like to visit New Orleans before he leaves. The New Orleans Saints are in their first superbowl ever on Sunday 7th and Mardi Gras is on Tuesday 16th. It is a nice uplifting story about how a great city is finally getting back on its feet. Might just be worth covering....


 
Is this on top of his position as an elected TD for Fine Gael?


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## csirl (2 Feb 2010)

One thing that struck me while watching his programme is how disheveled he looked when reporting - unshaven, no tie, etc. Granted he was sometimes out in the wilds, but he doesnt look much better on many of his news reports from Washington.

Americans expect reporters to be dressed neatly in a shirt/tie/suit, hair combed, clean shaved etc. This is also the normal business attire in DC for political types etc. Its clear that his attire has prevented him from being accepted in DC and getting access to high ranking politicians. I'd imagine most DC types would reject any requests for interview based on his appearance alone. Harsh, but true.



> Update in Mail On Sunday "I'm coming home" story. How can a fella live in a city for nine months and not make "one" friend? I wonder if he has ever considered the ego factor. From what I know of Americans (having lived there as a foreigner for about 15 years), they are hospitable, welcoming, warm hearted and helpful. So, a little bit of honest soul searching might be the thing for Charlie. Then again, we'll have to put up with more of him on RTE.


 
Agree with Chocks Away. I've been to DC and know a few locals. Always found the people very welcoming and friendly. Very easy city to get into conversation with complete strangers.


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