Write a book to guarantee a seat on RTÉ chat show

Anyone considering writing a book in the near future is guaranteed a slot either on The Late Late Show or Brendan O’Connor’s tired and predictable effort on a Saturday night – the name of which eludes me at the moment.

You would need a month’s holiday to read all of the books that were promoted on both shows over the weekend, as it is obvious that they are struggling to attract guests unlike the competition across the water where Graham Norton seems to have the power to summon the guests he wants.

Okay, so I know we are not comparing like with like, but surely there are people coming into Dublin on a weekly basis who are infinitely more exciting than those who simply want to promote their own books.

The two shows, both of which really should be dispensed with, are just a glorified advertising break for people with books to promote. And when there is no one with a book signing taking place, the focus then turns to someone with a programme on RTÉ to spout about.

These have become the flagship programmes on RTÉ and they are nothing short of a disgrace when it comes to prime time viewing. Both have the same drab formula – interview followed by music followed by two more interviews and then music again.

It is interesting that the interviews are taking much longer than before simply because they cannot find the guests to occupy the allotted times for these programmes. Why have they four chairs when they only have one guest at a time? Riddle me that one.

The chat show formula was tired when Gay Byrne was at his prime, and it then deteriorated when Pat Kenny took over, but at least he had the good sense to retire from this rubbish which resulted in Tubridy being more than eager to take over.

What we got was someone who was so enthusiastic that he had guests that the quality went out the window. He is apologetic when he asks one of his guests an awkward question. That is how bad this show has become.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.