Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Believe it or not, I actually forgot to update this thing yesterday! I know most of you dont believe me, or even care for that matter. But its true!! I felt really shagged last night (tiredness people, tiredness) and ya know it felt good, in a weird way. I didnt get in till gone 3. A combination of shopping for porridge (!) and looking at a mates new penthouse apartment kept me out!

The riots in Dublin were sad, and only an excuse for scumbags to go on a rampage. We had a huge reaction to it over the last 2 nights, with callers from Dublin, The North, The UK and of course Cork. It was very interesting to get all the different perspectives. While the troubles in the North is in our history, people cant live in the past forever. Granted some are, and thats why its so difficult for the country to just move on. Ive even heard a few conspiracy theories over the last 24 hours to boot. Sometimes, I wonder, do people have too much time on their hands.

The weekend came and went, with my long suffering partner coming down with the flu. So no Karl Spain unfortunately. I did though go wandering around Tesco and Lidl for an hour, on my own, which is a dangerous thing!

From time to time, working on radio has its perks. Ive interviewed many celebs and one or two idols in my time and occasionally I get CDs and the likes. Being a talk show, theres not a great drive on for the labels to be bombarding me with CDs. Probably one of the coolest promotional items arrived on my desk last night. An mp3 player from Aiken Promotions, loaded with a selection of artists that are coming to Cork for Live at The Marquee. All I can say is, if ya thought last year was good wait till this year! Savage line up. Im presuming to keep stum, until after the announcement, but its great!

Thats it for today kids!

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Last show of the week and a weekend of activity ahead, or maybe not. Ill more than likley go off to see Karl Spain on Saturday night @ The Comedy Club, and that will be it Id say. Its been a busy week, and its looking at getting alot busier by all accounts. Im way behind on the movies, so Ill have to try and take in something movie wise over the weekend to boot. Tis all Rock N Roll!

Busy show last night, with alot of teens pissed off the way they're percieved by adults! I think we all used to hang around in gangs when we were in our teen years. I know I did. Basically we all used stand outside a shop and talk absolute bollocks. On a few occasions fella would be burning as much rubber off their crusaders mountain bike wheels as possible. Im sure some of us used to be riding around on spokes and rims. The odd time someone would hurl themselves off a bike, faking an accident. At the time, it was all innocent fun. Then when the girls arrived on the scene, that was another thing all together. One after the other, we'd arrive up outside that shop, wearing shirts, black shoes and Old Spice. Granted; it never worked. There'd be the occasional punch up and some clown with a lighter and a can of deodorant. But that was it. Teenagers been teenagers...wearing Daddies Old Spice! Or Blue Stratos, but NEVER Hi-Karate! Where Adults get the idea that a gang of teens are marauding around streets like some African Tribe on a witch hunt, beats the hell outta me.

Im still mourning the loss of my Hard Drive, and even plugged it in this morning just to check, and feckin nada. Someone has suggested changing the logic board in it. So I had a nose on Ebay this morning, and lo and behold theres a few boards there. Ill probably give it a lash next week, and then Ill be burying the thing out the back!

That be that for now, so laters!

Wednesday, February 22, 2006



Guns N Roses are coming to Ireland at the start of June. I heard rumblings about this a while back, but the confirmation popped into my inbox this morning! Maybe its cheesy but GnR would be always located in my favourite bands ever list! They bring back memories of the oul school days and wearing checkered shirts like kilts, just cos Axl Rose wore em like that! Im sure theres a photo at home of me with long hair and the whole denim and checkered shirt look. Ill have to ask Mammy!


A rather brief discussion on the show about Tv last night caused a slew of texts. As regular readers will know, one of my favourite TV shows, if not the favourite is American Chopper. People wanted to know what my favourite bike is? Juniors Dream Bike is one, but probably my all time favourite OCC bike would be the fire bike. It even stands atop a TV in my office! From the photo, you can see its nearly as big as the real thing!

Todays gonna be a really busy day. I have 2 meetings and a voiceover session ahead of me. Hopefully one of those meetings will give me some really good news about our proposed singles night, that so many people seem to want! From time to time, people send emails wondering what I do during the day etc.etc. So without further hesitation heres a general rundown, for those that care.
Im up around 10.30, might have something resembling a breakfast, check emails, fart around the net for maybe 20 minutes, and by 11 I start on things for the show. Be it those incredibly funner one liners (Modesty goes along way) or the equally funny Top 5 (recall what I said about Modesty) and thats just the start of it. I go through nearly all of the papers online and various other tidbits from loads of other sites. Basically anything that might be good for the show, entertaining or engaging. On a good day I can have all of that done by maybe 2.30 or 3. On a really bad day it can take me up until around 5. Between 3 and 6 its like someone working a 9-5 job for me. They come home and chill out from say 6 to bedtime, well the 3-6 thats my chill time. Although theres plenty of phone calls for the show, so its always go go go. Im usually out at the station by around 6.30, and go through a similar process of getting my day stuff together, going through any prep and having a last garry around the net for anything of interest! We get off the air at midnight, make sure the station goes onto the overnight and stick a promo together for the next day. We can be out the door by around 12.30, but sometimes promos and post show meetings can go on till 1ish at the earliest! Im home some nights by 1 and its a case of coming in, draining the bladder, having something to eat and vegging out in front of the TV till maybe 2 or 3. Then theres more email checking etc.etc. and Im bed for 4 at the very latest! So thats that answered! Any more???

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Well, another Tuesday arrives. The sun was spliiting the stones earlier, but now it looks like the Apocalypse is about to kick off!

A couple of people wondering what I thought of the bird flu last night. To be honest I dont, at the moment. Although, imagine the scene from "The Birds", the one where the birds are banging at the window. Imagine them with the bird flu. No banging, just floudering around the place, puking their hearts up against the glass! To keep meself occupied, heres a quick Bird Flu "file photo" by yours truly


Anyway, thats all for now. More maybe later!! Way behind today :(

Monday, February 20, 2006

Doom and Gloom

What a week it was. Not only was I laid up with a throat virus but my main Hard Drive decided "Fuck you Vic, Ive had enough of your abuse" and promptly blew up. I tried everything to get it back. I even tried putting the thing in the freezer (The joys of googling) which worked. Did it work well enough, did it shit. 5 years of work, photos, emails gone forever! I did have alot of Cork Talks Back stuff backed up, and some photos but not everything! I came very close to horsing the whole lot through the window on Saturday. Im looking around to get something new in the next few weeks, but I have something to get me by in the meantime. Anyways enough of the doom and gloom! But for feck sake, Back your important shit up!!!!!!!

It was great to be back on the air last night. Really busy and loads of welcome back texts, which is always nice. Nobody seemed to be happy at the face of Brian Kennedy going to Eurovision. The public have to be taken out of the eurovision equation. Leave it to the experts. At this stage with public voting, its a handy earner, so I would think its here to stay. Alot of people last night were calling for Pat Shortt to go and do something. Why not, a novely act as opposed to this ballady shite.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Good improvment today, but still a little rough. We had a niceish Valentines. Started when I baked a Bread, stuffed with Sausage, Bacon and Egg. Something different. They say (chefs apparently) that, and I quote Jamie Oliver on this "Even the villiage idiot can do it". Well, lies the lot of it. I got it on me second attempt. Even Im no stranger to the kitchen this was my first time ever doing bread, and a stuffed one at that. Either way it went down very well! Other than the cooking therapy, I am going off me head at home every night. I cant wait to get back on the air!

Thats it for today, Im off back to be sullen and continue with my day of moping :(

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Valentines


Still struggling, but the antibiotics are starting to kick in. Its a balls I have to keep the talking to a minimum! Have a good ol V day!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Not dead yet!

Back to work last night, and again my voice was in tatters after 2 hours. This time round was probably the worst ever and by the time I got off the air, I could barely manage anything above a whisper. So after a week of suffering (!) I finally give up and go to the doctor. Im stuck in a waiting room for nearly an hour and a half. After the first 30 minutes, people are giving up so I figure Ill get in sooner rather than later by default. Then some old dear comes in and starts having a really loud conversation with the poor sod next to her. Well conversation is too mild a word. She seemed to be giving a lecture. Her "Well, Ive been to 5 funerals since January and if anyone else dies I may as well just go and stare at the graveyard" line was priceless. All she needed was a microphone. That grated on me, crying babies managled my brain and I eventually get in, get told its nasty, protect my voice and take shit loads of antibiotics. So after a quick remortgage of the house, I have my prescription, the Docs been paid and I have to stay out of work for a few days. I should hopefully be back by Sunday.

I hate taking time off from the show. I worked through a flu in January for the best part, and worked with this virus for over a week. I have no choice. If I keep going, my throat will explode or something! So thats that Im afraid!

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Well its rare that I come on here of a Saturday, but none the less here I am! Still dying with the throat and cough, and its getting really bloody annoying at this stage.

Last night we sat down to watch The Grizzly Man, which is about to arrive in Cork cinemas but is available to buy on Region 1 DVD. I didnt know what to expect with this movie. I had seen the trailer many moons ago, and that was about it. Something though, more than likely its originallity and freshness drew me into the film, and I jumped at the chance of buying it as soon as it was available. I never heard of Timothy Treadwell and I know sweet F all about Grizzly Bears, baring the fact that they scared me shitless as a child. Ger walked out after 25 minutes, not liking the flick at all at all. So I settled back into me seat and got really caught up in the movie. As the "hosting" from Timothy and the Herzog narration continues, it captures the mind and provides some of your interpretations of what happened. For anyone that doesnt know the story, here follows a brief outline. Timothy Treadwell, a man some would call an Eco Warrior or others would just call a lunatic. Either way; you can make up your own mind during the movie, he spent 13 summers in Alaska with Grizzly Bears. His aim was protecting them and their enviornment. I have to say though whatever protecting he done, is not really evident in the movie. His girlfriend also tagged along and tragically on the 13th Summer, the two of them were savagely killed and eaten by a Grizzly. No happy endings here.

For earlier parts of the movie, I couldnt help but feel Timothy was out of his mind. But as the movie grows, you see a man whos 110% passionate in what he believes in. He believes in the bears, and believes what hes doing is right. He also acknowledges that they can kill him, given half a chance. The Grizzlys are more inquisitive and almost friendly with their outlook on Timothy, as opposed to looking at him as an easy meal.

Director Werner Herzog had the job of putting the documentary together from a 100 hours of footage that was left in Timothys camp. He also offers his own opinions on Timothy in an ongoing naration, which at times is quite though provoking. The day Timothy and his girlfriend were killed, was actually recorded via audio only. You really hope that the particular piece of audio isnt played, and its not, nor is it available anywhere. This movie had a profound effect on me as the credits rolled up the screen. It hasnt left my mind since.

If theres one movie you see over the next few months, this has to be it as far as Im concerned. Be warned, there is no middle ground in this movie. You will either love it or hate it, but once it grabs hold of you, it doesnt let go. If you cant wait for the cinema version, get hold of it on Region 1 DVD.

For me, Timothy Treadwell, while at times comes across too obsessed, had balls and a passion that engulfed his life to the day he died. Some might call the Grizzly man an idiot, disturbed or deserving of his death. Was he deserving of his death? For having a passion, I dont think so. As he said in the movie "I will die for these animals, I will die for these animals, I will die for these animals" and watching the Grizzly man, he wouldnt have had it any other way.

The Grizzly man, while no longer with us will live on for some time to come!

Friday, February 10, 2006

Take me now!



I discovered this last night on HBO.com. Finally some closure on the date it starts, although who knows when it will be on here. RTE are you listening!!!! The Sopranos as some of you might know is my favourite TV show of all time. Yes even more the Glenroe and Where in the World!




Ive made 1 really bad decision this week, and Im paying for it now. I went back on air not fully recovered and proceeded to thrash the shit out of my voice and throat in the process. Every few minutes Ive been turning off my mic, coughing, choking and draining the ballygowan cooler. So the throat is betterish, but now this bloody cough is aggravating it again. Ive been told about a really good cough bottle, so a trip to the Chemist is happening in a few minutes. To top the whole thing off, I think Im also getting a cold on top of it all! Which of course is the icing on the mucus cake!

I have very little plans for the weekend, bar taking in a movie or 2 and working on our Singles night! I may also go to the rubbish tip. Who said this rock n roll lifestyle was easy!

Have a good weekend and tune in Sunday night from 10pm!

Thursday, February 09, 2006

I didnt realise how messup my throat was, until I put on a pair of headphones last night. By the end of the show I was barely able to talk and I was up early this morning enjoying some more pain! In hindsight, I shouldnt have went back on air last night. Im back again tonight, and hopefully by the time the weekend is over, all shall be well. Im noticing gradual improvments every hour and Im able to eat again, having not eaten since last Sunday. The occasional bit of toast squeezed down me throat, but it was like swallowing lumps of a broken pint glass! A delicacy, if there ever was one!

The finale of our Brown Thomas giveaway happens tonight, and we've been swamped with entries over the week. Tonight some lucky person will hang up the phone after winning tonnes of goodies from BT's including a €500 BT voucher, as well as a manicure, makeup and so much more!

Thursday are a busy day for me, as I get together the audio clips for the Movie Fan Attack which happens each Friday. Its getting harder to do, as I scowl through DVD after DVD for audio clips. Each clip nearly takes 40 minutes to get as I spend more time watching the film than anything else. As I said, Thursdays a busy one!

Speaking of movies, my copy of The Grizzly Man smashed through the letter box this morning. Ive been looking forward to seeing this for ages, so hopefully it'll be half daycent..like. The joys of Region 1 DVD!!!

Britney Spears fans are alive and well in Cork. Lots of callers last night, jumping to Britneys defence for driving around with her 16 week old on her lap! As some callers said, maybe she was protecting her childs privacy. Now she could be facing legal action, as shes in breach of some law. It would have been easier to give the Papparazzi there photos, as now the whole thing is turned inside out! Fair enough, its not fair that their making a small fortune out of an innocent baby, but who gives a monkeys as to what her kid looks like! Have they not seen the Daddy? I know thousands, millions of people around the globe want to see what Sean Preston Spears Federline (whatever hes called) looks like, but dont all babies look the same at that age!

I know someone somewhere is reading this, and thinking "Youll have kids one day"! Well I wont be trying to drive down Pana like a lunatic with me kid on me lap, being chased by photographers from the Echo or The Examiner :)

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

After 2 painfull days Im back to normality, almost. By the time I got home on Sunday night, my sini (!) were filling up like I dont know what. This has happened in the past and its normally gone by morning. Woke up Monday morning at 5.30 and was in agony, throat closing up, couldnt swallow and such. So I was out sick for the last 2 days, and today I feel ok, well enough to do a show I suppose. Still have trouble swallowing, but to be honest Ill go off me game if I dont go back to work. Ok getting things together for the show was a bit of an ordeal today, mainly due to that still lingering sick feeling, but its together!

Superbowl came and went, and as predicted by our Psychic, the Steelers won. 20 squids down the drain. I really thought Seattle got off to a flying start, but shit happens! Over the last 2 nights Ive realised how bad week night TV is. Granted there is 1 or 2 shows that are good, but theres an awful lot of drivel being broadcast from 7 onwards.

We're getting a gigantic response to our BT giveaway and tonight is the last night you can enter so make sure you tune in. No news on our singles night as of yet, I had planned on getting most of it together from Monday but obviously I couldnt. Anyway Im gone, as I feel Im only wandering around here talking more shit than usual!

Friday, February 03, 2006

Finally, I made it

An update every day from Monday to today! Show finished up for the week and the plan for the weekend is a few movies, a few drinks and some sleep (if thats even possible).

Took a quick trip into the Brog last night, got something to eat and came home and vegged out in front of the telly. I have €20 on the Seahawks to win, going against everything our Psychic said last night on the show. The singing psychic Fran Baskerville is predicting the Steelers will win by 3, in Sundays Superbowl. Looking at the stats for either team, the Seahawks seem to be the more agressive team and have great momentum!!While I was at it I split a tenner up on a few Oscar bets. Capote is what Im saying, and if It comes in Ill have a nice few bob return. Then the gambling phase took a turn for the worse when I decided to throw a tenner into some online poker. Turned that into 56 euro and said quit while your ahead. So hit the hay, up over all.Not a bad nights work, and the show wasnt too bad either. All I need now is to pick up the euro millions and trust me Id spend it...well after getting a good deal on an interest rate and looking after a few people and places! I think a hummer and a mobile petrol station tied on behind would be the first on the list!

Thats that, make sure you tune in Sunday night @ 10pm only on Corks Red FM 104-106!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

One more to go after this update, and I can go back to my regular "style" of posting, or maybe not.

Very good turn out for the Walk The Line screening last night in the Gate and some very cool movie merchandise to boot! I even had one guy singing Ring Of Fire, so things went down very well. The only problem with last night was the bloody parking. Took me ages to find a space, and even then Im not sure it was a space. More like an area to abandon your car!

Very busy show last night again, but the sexual fantasies thing, well it didnt go down as well as I thought. Recently some listeners cant get enough, but we pulled it last night after 15 minutes and moved on! Some you win, some you lose...and so on!

Thats it for today, short and sweet...heres a few bits from last nights show, just to fill space :)



Late N Live Top 5 signs your not getting on with your collegues (7/2/05)

5 – You come to work every morning and remove the knife from the back of your chair

4 – You prefer to drink out of everyone elses mug except your own

3 – Things have never been the same since that incident involving Sheila from accounts, you and a pair of rubber gloves

2 – Not even the gay guy would give you some love at the last work party

1 – If somebody dies in the job your not invited to the funeral

LAST week, Joe Higgins compared Bertie Ahern with an ossified Iron Age corpse dug up from a bog in Meath. Cloneycavan Man. Look for 80 grand a year on makeup he looks far from an ossified Iron age corpse

An eager eBay punter has bid A$61,101 (€37,988) in an online auction of 'A weekend with four blokes in Sydney. Words cant describe this one. For that kind of money you could probably get Jake Gyllenhal and Heath ledger to come around the house and ride bareback…on horses

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

They said it couldnt be done. I think Im after getting back into the buzz of regular updates, like years gone past. Im still up at 7.30am playing doctor every morning, and it took its toll last night. I got home for about 1ish and more or less went straight to bed. Bad idea, 3 hours later Im replaying conversations in my head about god knows what and for the first time in ages, Im finding it difficult to get to sleep. Its not long before 7.30 rolls around and Im up again.

Its a busy one today, between meetings and of course the Walk The Line screening tonight at the Gate. I really wish I could stay and watch the movie. bit theres a show to be done.

Lots of talk about this proposed singles night that so many people are calling for. Nearly 50% of texts last night were about this alone! So watch this space. Thats it, I have to run out the door...meetings apparently!!