Why are 99% of movie/actor interviews done by Irish interviewers always “Have ye ever been to Ireland?”, “What do ye loooooove about Ireland” “Aren’t we a mad bunch”

50 comments

1. Cause they’re a bunch of talentless fuckwits who can’t think of anything meaningful to ask. Now try these Tayto!

2. Embarrassing parochialism which is culturally embedded alas. In the bad old days I could see why it would be begged for but the last 35/40 years has seen Ireland easily outbox it’s weight thus making this kind of “please say nice things about us” query redundant.

   Edit for clarity I’m talking generally, not specifically about moron podcasts by RTE minor league players.

3. It’s mostly shite done by second rate RTE presenters or unemployable influencers.

   If I was a movie star and someone asked “have you tried a spice bag” I would reply “id rather try your aul lad, now go ask me gee”

   It’s all contrived shite, like anything podcast wise by the two Johnny’s

   *Now breathe*

4. Because that’s what Irish people want to see.

5. It’s Joe.ie. That’s all you’re ever going to get from those basic bitches.

6. I wouldn’t say 99%

   There’s a few good Irish arts journalists around who mainly just do insightful interviews, one lad at RTE is often very good at discussing the art or the process in interviews for upcoming films

   Stay away from Joe.ie if you want quality journalism or insightful reporting

7. Ryan Tubridy was the worst for this

8. I’ve noticed this too, a good few Irish interviewers see their interviews as a promo for Ireland and not the film lol. You have to respect it on some level just the shameless national self promo.

   I’m English originally and noticed in history class in Mayo the teacher would always stop to tell you about some American public figure’s Irish roots if it applied. You’d be learning about some politician or figure in the space race and he’d stop and say “he’s originally a Wicklow lad so he is” (by which he’d usually mean so and so’s grandparents were from Wicklow). He absolutely adored teaching us about JFK.

   The one that took me most by surprise was midway through the civil rights curriculum “shure Mohammad Ali was an Irish fella himself, he’d know all about it” and me trying not to laugh.

   This was my first few years in Ireland I remember imagining him in other countries just pointing at stuff and making the argument it has an Irish lineage like telling people their chairs were so sturdy they were surely made of Mayo timber.

9. Joe.ie and its consequences have been a disaster for the Irish race

10. It’s so annoying especially considering we literally have some of the greatest talents coming from Ireland actors , musicians, artists etc but we still just ask have you been to Ireland

11. Ya gets on my nerves everytime. Like give it a rest! Especially when it’s been asked if someone already. 

12. It’s to keep the view of Ireland positive id say. Having celebrities saying Ireland is good “crack” and the people are great to a vast Internet audience goes a far distance.

13. What’s your favorite Chicken fillet roll??

14. It’s very forced. I get why though. Easy views and clicks.

15. “Have you ever tried a Spice Bag?”

16. This isn’t unique to interviewers to be fair. A lot of people here are fiercely patriotic and it comes across as a massive inferiority complex, constantly needing acknowledgement of their irishness / connection.

17. No originality.

18. Because all the other questions will be asked by proper journalists 

19. What’s that bald Dublin fella with glasses who does the good recent movie interviews with rte

20. We’re like doe-eyed pets looking for some affection & validation.

21. Because it’s how these interviews and junkets are structured. It’s quick fire, small and the idea is to be light hearted and in a lot of cases with local media to talk up said country to try drive likability.

    It’s in total nonsense and part of the machine that means most movie releases have a marketing budget that matches the movies budget.

    Needs a total overhaul.

22. Is this any worse than when Irish actors go on American TV and get asked to pronounce Irish names?

23. They aren’t. Any more questions?

24. Because it’s a press tour. Believe me when I tell you those lads are fucking delighted to talk shit about anything other than the same answers they’ve been giving about the film for the last 3 days

    People don’t realize just how much promo that actors do on these junkets. They’ll do a day of press interviews with 5 or 6 panels of 30 journos throwing questions in, followed by 10 one on ones. Then a couple of days of TV which is what you see above except that’s just one of at least 30 of them over two days. There’s also radio panels and radio interviews

    You better believe that if Latvian TV can ask then a question about Latvia they will. We’re lucky that most Americans are happy to talk about Ireland and have some connection to here (whether it be family or they have shot here), otherwise it would be the same tired “I drew upon person experience for this role…” And “working with X was a highlight of my career” for the 765th time

25. The begging to be patronised does get embarrassing

26. ‘Have ya ever tried a chicken fillet rooooooll?’

27. The approval-seeking of the contemporary Irish media is breathtaking.

28. The fucking small dog syndrome state of it.

29. Because tayto tea immersion Irish mammy glen roe of a Sunday. That’s why

30. This Reddit is a bit like that. Father Ted memes, Tayto, Spice Bags; aren’t we gas people altogether. 

31. The worst I heard today was during an interview about the Bondi attack, the interview just randomly brought up Irish people in Bondi.

32. I live in France, and French interviewers do the exact same thing

33. Irish people with no personality make being irish their personality.

34. Its the lowest possible common denominator and its very boring.

    Why would an interview with an Irish actor and Irish interviewer for an Irish audience need to constantly be reminded by their own Irishness.

    Surely our deeper knowledge of Irish talent should drive interesting insightful questions rather than this shit.

    I shudder to think who this is appealing to.

35. We’ve a very small country mentality that shows up in lots of ways, this included. I wouldn’t get too hung up on it though, as it’s the same basically everywhere – watch an interview by some local TV station in the US or a regional BBC outfit and you’ll see the same.

36. It’s Joe, what do you expect? Pulitzer level journalism?

37. Post-colonialism. 

38. Also God forbid someone mistakes someone Irish as British.

39. Donald Clarke does not do this in fairness.

40. It’s like our own shitty version of propaganda

41. Just switch and listen to John Fardy on Newstalk. Excellent pod on movies and a brilliant interviewer

42. https://preview.redd.it/u8dmwugh3f7g1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=2205887c12719809dd869d3e1ada0e7e6dfd96bb

43. Us Irish in general have this really sad need to be recognised as existing. Barack Obama Plaza will forever be one of the most humiliating things on this island.

44. Reddit complains about this kind of thing, but outlets wouldn’t do it if mams on Facebook didn’t keep clicking on it and engaging with it. We can scoff all we want, but there’s a clear demand for it. It’s the same shit with Dublin Live.

45. Of course we need our ego stoked. We can’t live without it as a nation.

46. I love both Colin Farrell and margot Robbie but if I heard one more word about that fucking tayto sandwich I would do someone some damage.

47. It annoys the living piss out of me, and is so very fucking cringy.

48. Irish exceptionalism, people always giving out to the Brits about theirs but it’s rife enough in Ireland too.

49. Chicken fillet roll, spice bag, wooden spoon, emersion, pronounce Saoirse etc etc 🤦🏼‍♀️

50. Because we’ve a chip on our shoulders and there’s a fair whack of the country who are obsessed with what other countries think about us, the nonsense around portal is a prime example.

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