Irish reality show features class clowns

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on June 11th, 2007

A Meath Chronicle article
on a new series on Irish TV that follows six comedians as they venture back to their old schools to investigate what made them comedians.

Throughout the series, not only do we get to see a range of comic styles, from the laid-back story-telling of Niall Tobin to the boundless energy of Jason Byrne, but we also get a glimpse at the social mix that made up Irish schools in decades past.

We’ve always held that the class clowns are the ones who don’t become comedians. More often than not, it’s the shy, quiet ones who display a sense of humor in more subtle ways who grow into adults that, in turn, grow into comedians, at least that’s been our experience.

And, conversely, the ones who say, “All my buddies told me that I’m such a card that I should try this standup thing,” are the ones who, quite often, have a disastrous experience at their first (and last) open mike.

They might be surprised at what they find. Of course, things might be different in Ireland. The loud and hyperactive ones might actually be the ones who mount the stage and become the comics.

No matter what, it is interesting that a series is going to afford viewers some honest insight into six artists (comedians!), without taking the cheapshot route, without, it seems, any hostility.

Are there any TV executives here in America willing to rip off this particular series idea? That would be refreshing.

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