RTE has defended The Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty following criticism from Sinn Fein who called on the talk-show host to apologise after he made a joke about ‘Sinn Fein traitors’.
During the Co Down man’s opening monologue on Friday, which often features satirical references to current affairs, the comedian displayed an image of the Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald, alongside former TD Brian Stanley when speaking about the newly commissioned Irish version of hit reality show The Traitors.
“The hunt is on for people to take part in the Irish version of the hit reality series The Traitors,,” he said opening the show before asking the audience if any fans of the series were present.
“If you haven’t seen the show, trust me you’re in a treat folks, it’s so good, it’s full of deception, betrayal and everybody keeps changing their story. All we have to do is work out who is telling the truth,” he continued, before the photographs of McDonald and Stanley were presented on screen.
“I think that’s the first two contestants there, the Sinn Fein traitors, the show we’re wanting to see.”
Last week, ex-Sinn Fein TD Mr Stanley said he had departed the party following an internal probe, with Ms McDonald later addressing the Dail in which she said a complainant against Mr Stanley was left “traumatised and distressed” by his actions.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Mr Stanley said refuted the allegations and said the Sinn Fein president had abused her Dail privilege.
“Mary Lou Mc Donald abused Dáil privilege in a desperate attempt to shift the focus from her own party’s practices regarding a ‘complaint’ against me, the contents of which I refute,” he said.
Kietly’s joke was greeted with a boos and jeering from the audience, while some also were heard cheering.
“I’m not sure if that was support, or not support?” he added before making a joke about the Royal Family, which received cheers.
“So we’ve slightly more Sinn Fein supporters than Royal Family supporters in tonight, who knew?”
In a letter to RTE Director General Kevin Bakhurst this morning as reported by the broadcaster, Sinn Féin described the item as shocking and entirely inappropriate and said the term ‘traitors’ has been used to criticise the party by anti-immigration protestors.
The party’s head of communications, Robbie Smyth, said it was appropriate for Mr Kielty to issue a public apology on air next week and through RTÉ’s broadcast channels.
In a statement about the monologue, RTÉ said that “under Patrick Kielty’s tenure, The Late Late Show has become more satirical and this is evident with an opening monologue based broadly around topical issues”.
“This is now a well-established part of the format and there is an audience expectation that the show will open with a satirical take on events of the week,” RTÉ said.
“In this instance, the presenter joked about recruitment for the new television series ‘Traitors’ which is based on a group of people facing, and being tested by, various challenges.
“That was the satirical context, given the recent controversies involving Sinn Féin.
“The comedic and satirical aspect of this section was further re-enforced with an implicit joke about the House of Windsor.
“The audience understand this and the comedic nature is clearly evident in the tone and delivery of the monologue,” the statement added.