Eoin Butler: writer, journalist and Mayoman of the Year
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CONAN ON RYAN CONFIDENTIAL
Turned on the television tonight (well, after someone texted me) to see one of my all time comedy heroes (see here, here and here) sitting down for a friendly chin wag with a man who ritually humiliated me on national television when I was ten years (definitely see here.)
There was an element of cognitive dissonance to it, I suppose. It was like walking in to your local to find Stephen Malkmus jamming onstage with Aslan. In fairness to G. Ryan, Conan possibly isn’t the easiest of interviewees. He flits between the serious and absurd, often without batting an eyelid. This isn’t a problem if you’re a viewer, or a guest on his show. You can just laugh along. But I’d say it’s a little harder to deal with if you’re supposed to be the one asking the question. Worse still, most of the jokes seemed to go over G. Ryan’s head completely.
Still, it was far from a “Sein-field“-esque debacle. (I’ve never actually seen the tape of Pat Kenny’s infamous Toy Show interview with Jerry Seinfeld. But by all accounts it’s an out and out bloodbath.)
P.S. I’m interviewing Gordon Ramsay in Dublin the week after next. I wonder if it’ll go as well as this interview did?
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:22 am
Did you ever see Ricky Gervais’s interview with Garry Shandling? It still makes me question whether David Brent is geniusly observed or just a huge, bleeding chunk of Gervais’s own personality.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:30 am
I’ve seen it. I think Shandling is clearly a little bitter than Gervais has made so much money copying the Larry Sanders Show, which was never a huge hit.
He sets out to prove that he’s the quicker and sharper comedian. Gervais, who was just clearly expecting another extended love-in session like he’d had with Christopher Guest and (to a lesser extent) Larry David, doesn’t know what’s hit him…
I don’t normally enjoy cringe television, but that was brilliant viewing!
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:52 am
[comment deleted]
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
No personal comments about his appearance Massey. Come one, there’s so much else to work with besides…
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:59 am
malkmus is a huge aslan fan apparently..the reformed pavement will be covering ‘this is’ on the comeback tour in 2010
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
That’s the thing about having heroes. They always let you down…
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hmm didnt know Ryan was interviewing Conan. Tough conundrum call. Just don’t think my Gerry loathing outweighs hearing some funny lines from and insight into Conan.
Tie-breaker would be if Conan started looking at Ryan with disdain.
Ryan’s interview booking agent deserves a raise.
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I like how you opened this with an immediate explanation of why you watching telly in the first place. On the defensive, are we now?
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
“I’ve seen it. I think Shandling is clearly a little bitter than Gervais has made so much money copying the Larry Sanders Show, ”
Not exactly a direct lift, is it? Sanders and the Office are very different in style.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
@Peter81 – A criticism of his show Extras. It’s been compared to Shandling’s work and Larry David’s.
There’s similarities, but meh, who cares. Besides Shandling, who probably wishes his show was airing now, it was genius.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
@ Colin – there was some disdain I thought, but he kept it light
@ Lisa – well, didn’t I tell you the other day I don’t watch television, woulda looked kind of weird if I said I’d just channel hopped onto it
@ Peter81 – granted, not a direct life. But very similar style of comedy. Although Larry David arguably originated that idea and just wasn’t allowed to put it into practice by NBC on Seinfeld.
If you wanna talk a direct lift though, you could certainly point the finger at 30 Rock – they even had Rip Torn in as an executive in one episode!
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
You did, you did. Backed yourself into a corner I suppose.
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Yeah, I backed myself into a corner alright… a corner of truth!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:11 pm
how can you not have seen the kenny-seinfeld thing?put it into youtube-it takes 3 mins.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:58 pm
@ Pluck – because I don’t want to see it… it sounds too shameful!
@ Lisa – met Colin (who posts on here) tonight and showed him the text message so… HA!
October 24th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Methinks the critic doth protest too much.
October 24th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
i dont know eoin-bit bloody rich to be deleting masseys post on the grounds of having a go at gervais’s appearence when you provide a link above to darragh saying this about ryan:
“He looks like a hunk of gelatinous pork that’s been slow roasted for a week. I often thought that Gerry Ryan probably has the world’s most horrid handshake. Like grabbing a bloated marigold glove filled inside and out with heated vaseline.”
…which is what everyone was thinking of course but no1 could quite put in to words like this-funniest thing ive read in a long time-unless there so much else to work with besides…
October 24th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
@ Pluck – cheers buddy. Butler are you gone power mad or wha??
October 24th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
@ Lisa – How about I take a photograph of the text and post it online… Would you believe me then?
@ Pluck – Massey’s comment was about Gerry Ryan, not Ricky Gervais. I thought it was a bit crude.
October 24th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Tis true, I called him a fat ugly cunt.
Saw the Hardy Bucks interview today Eoin, fair play boy!
October 25th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Ah no sure I’m just acting the maggot. Doing the marathon tomorrow and a bit jumpy in the meantime. Your viewing habits are no business of mine at all at all.
October 25th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
eoin-i know it was about ryan-i said that-are you addicted to mental ludo or something???
October 25th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
@ pluck – huh?
“bit bloody rich to be deleting masseys post on the grounds of having a go at gervais’s appearance…”
October 27th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Thanks EK.
Pluck – explain yo’self, boy! Or don’t bother. I think this entire subject may already have been beaten to death.
Lisa – how’d you get on yesterday?
October 27th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Grand thanks, was never going to break any speed records but got round in just under 4:20. Steady pace all the way so no vomiting or passing out. Jesus, some people were in a bad state at the end.
Legs are still a bit stiff so more running for a few days at least. Now whatever should I do in the meantime? I know! I can start watching The Wire again!
October 27th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Wow, well done. I’m impressed. Somewhat less impressed that your blog is invitation only. What’s the story with that??
October 29th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Bollocks I’d forgotten about that. Bit of a backstory but neither time nor place. There, try again it should be fine now. Open access for all. Bear in mind, though, that I haven’t quite grasped the little-and-often principle of blogging and tend to go for extensive-and-sporadic instead. And the most recent one is a bit too whiny on rereading.