Political journalists are 'f**king arseholes'

Ken Sweeney, Entertainment Editor

Murphy: 'big egos'

Comedian Colin Murphy, a regular contributor to RTE's current affairs satire programme The Panel, has launched an extraordinary attack on political journalists, describing them as "f**king arseholes" with big egos.

Murphy also criticised changes made to The Panel after it moved from RTE Two to RTE One last year. More political stories were covered on the programme in what some saw as an attempt to mimic BBC quiz Have I Got News For You.

"There was a feeling that because it was RTE One, people who watch RTE One don't want to be entertained," Murphy said.

"They want to hear about politics instead. The problem is that very little happens politically in Ireland and we just don't have the big political personalities you get in England. What we have are bland, beige jumped-up county councillors. Try making comedy out of that. It's a disaster."

Murphy reserved most of his bile for Ireland's political journalists, some of whom were guests on The Panel last season.

"I absolutely hate political journalists," he said. "I think they are f**king arseholes. Their egos are bigger than the people they are dealing with. They think what they do is incredibly important when all it is is just gossip. Their sense of humour is the sort they would have in the bar after they have been in the Dáil. All in-jokes."

Asked to comment on Murphy's perception of political correspondents, Fionnan Sheahan, political editor of the Irish Independent, who was a guest on The Panel last season, said: "He is entitled to express his opinion. If that's his view, that's his view."

An RTE spokesperson declined to comment but confirmed that submissions had been invited for a similar type of programme. "The Panel reached the end of its present season recently. As when any series comes to the end of a run, a review process begins."

May 10, 2009

Comments

#1 P.Aherne commented, on May 11, 2009 at 12:08 a.m.:

There is no need to review the Panel,close it down as it is very boring.

#2 cian commented, on May 14, 2009 at 5:41 a.m.:

i think they should keep the panel as it is.. it may not have the funniest people on but its a good programme.

and the cheek of that fella Muprhy talking about egos.. sure his ego is bigger than the lot!!

#3 Gerry McKay commented, on May 15, 2009 at 3:01 p.m.:

I think the only axxxxxe is Mr Murphy or "Spud" as he would be called in Belfast, I think he should apply to join the ranks of the PSNI who I am sure would agree with his comments, where would we be without Political Journalists, Watergate would never have been exposed, the current expose of politicians expenses in the UK, would still be hidden, the atrocities committed by the various groups in Ireland including the RUC, the British Army and differing Paramilitary groups in the North would never have seen the light of day. So Mr Murphy, do what you do best. Tell jokes and leave the horrors of the real world to those brave journalists like Suzanne Breen who put their lives and freedom at risk on a daily basis, to expose corruption, murder and political sleaze etc, to the people of this planet.
Oh by the way Colin you do have the right to your opinion, thanks to the Free Press and their journalists, political or other who would be the first to jump to your defense if someone had denied you that right.

#4 Myles commented, on May 17, 2009 at 10:42 a.m.:

I have to agree with Cian, people in glass houses should not be throwing stones. Colin Murphy has an OTT ego.

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