An Open Letter to Ryan Tubridy and the Irish Late Late Show of 13/01/16

Dear Mr. Ryan Tubridy,

My name is Alysha, and I am a twenty-four year old recent graduate, hailing from Cork City. I am also a rather frequent viewer of the Late Late Show. I admire your work as a broadcaster, author, and academic. Moreover, I admire your work ethic, being able to manage all three, and also your sense of humility: I will never forget having spotted you walking down Nassau Street, opposite the Trinity College side-entrance one wet Friday afternoon between lectures. However, I was not the first to have seen you on this occasion, already you were being beckoned for photographs by a sizeable crowd. You were more than happy to oblige, and this really made me think to myself: ‘what a nice fella’.

I watched your show this evening, on Friday the thirteenth of January. There were many things that stuck me during this show. The incredible bravery, strength, and compassion of the RNLI volunteers, and the stories they shared with the length and breadth of this country, whose people no doubt have a renewed and reinvigorated sense of thankfulness for the essential, work the RNLI carry out every single day of the year. The honesty of Brendan Courtney, and his plea to Minister of Health, Simon Harris, for a better and more efficient, and ultimately, more equitable system of provision for one of the most vulnerable and ignored sections of our society: the aged. Finally, I was also inspired by the students of the Young Scientist, and immensely proud that Cork has great and grand hopes for future generations (myself included).

However, I was compelled, and dare I say, even urged to write this letter to you. Unfortunately, it is an aspect of the human condition that anger and disappointment very often spur individuals into action, and admittedly, this is also what caused me to reflect on why I felt so peeved at the end of your transmission this evening. After a very evocative show, it left a bitter-taste in my mouth, and what I am referring to is the cosmetic procedures, which were performed on two women, live on air. Being very honest, something has been stirring within me for a considerable time now, and the show this evening really pinpointed my sense of innate frustration. Despite it being 2017, in every so-called developed country in the Western world, women are measured by certain standards that arguably, are not as frequently applied to men. This was demonstrated tonight, whereby the two patients receiving invasive cosmetic procedures were both females – there could quite as easily have been male patients, but alas, this is not how things went. Why is it, that women are still being judged to a large extent, by their physical appearance and attributes? Amanda Brunker said somewhat in jest that she felt uncomfortable on the patient chair, and I would have been too. AJ was paraded on stage whilst still looking very tender, meanwhile, the doctor, who has only two hours previously administered AJ’s lips with Botox is critiquing and evaluating the finished article, which is, according to her own expertise, at the “full on” end of the spectrum. Perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood, Amanda jokingly asks: ‘Will I be able to drink tonight?’ whilst having Botox injections inserted into her forehead. You responded to her question by stating it was a ‘very Irish concern’, but I say: why should it be? Why should we, as Irish people, feel an urge to lighten the mood, with talk of drink and merriment? Why cannot we be serious and transparent?

Getting to the crux, I am sick and tired of Irish women, and women in general, being judged by their physical attractiveness. It is a symptom, common the world over. Young Scarlett Moffatt is being applauded for her significant and dramatic weight loss, both prior to, and subsequent to her being crowned the “Queen of the Jungle”. Women today can chase success if they can fit into certain predefined, socially acceptable boxes: one of which is being thin, another is being “good looking” and therefore becoming “desirable”. Moving back to my point, I do not think it was acceptable to have these women on the most important Irish television show, simply for the sake of pursuing their own vanity. It was made ever more galling, as immediately prior, both yourself and Brendan Courtney had appeared to acknowledge that there is a very current crisis with the Irish Health Service Executive, and the insurmountable costs people are faced with to receive basic care, and those who are unable to pay are left in very harsh circumstances. Encouragingly, you stated that perhaps by the very candid and personal account of Brendan Courtney relating to his father, it could spur the general public in to action, and also our Minister for Health, to raise awareness of these tribulations, do better, and improve conditions for all, no matter what end of the financial spectrum you find yourself to be in. To then have this final segment, where two women are undergoing non-essential, extremely costly cosmetic procedures live on air, presumably free of charge, just does not sit well with me. RTE has also refused to reveal the cost of these procedures.

I understand that the Late Late Show, has traditionally been, and always will be, the pinnacle entertainment programme of our small nation. I understand that many voices will argue: ‘Sure you have to have a bit of everything, and if these women of their own will and volition, desired to have these procedures in public and free of any financial cost, then so be it’. The Late Late Show in Ireland is a very powerful platform, and as the saying goes, with great power, comes great responsibility. Therefore, I feel I have a duty, as a young Irish woman, to say that I do not believe that this part of the broadcast was entertaining, informative, or valuable, instead it made me feel deeply uncomfortable and disgruntled. I also believe it trivialised the powerful call that came before it, about the Irish Health Service and what exactly we all need to do to make changes in the flawed system as it currently stands – and positively, we all are capable of spearheading this movement for change. Accordingly, I would love for you to read my words, Mr. Tubridy. I do not expect a response, but I appeal to you to think about the young and impressionable minds of all ages around the country. Think of what type of women and men, we aspire our young people to become, what values we want them to hold, and what issues they will define as being important to them, and reason to rally around and stand up for something they are passionate about. I do not ever hope for girls from my former school to think that their appearance and attractiveness will be an all-encompassing marker of their success and sense of self-worth. I implore you to give a stand to people who have something to say or do, who can help to effect change that is greatly needed at this time, and for all times.

Yours sincerely,

Alysha Hoare