But broadcaster escapes rap

But TV watchdogs at the Broadcasting Complaints Commission rejected two complaints that the comedian went too far during a chat show appearance, because host Ryan Tubridy distanced himself from the comments.

Byrne referred to the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, as Elephant Man and ‘acted out gyrations that went with this description’ when he appeared on Tubridy Tonight in November.

One viewer complained that the comments were ‘Jonathan Rosseque’ and questioned whether ‘these types of people’, who can go off on any tangent, should be involved in live broadcasting.

Another said there was ‘too much of this cruel and hurtful material… people’s physical appearance should be a no go area’.

In its response, RTÉ said that ‘Overall, the tone of the jokes made by Mr. Byrne were not too aggressive’ and noted that: ‘Ryan Tubridy said on air that it wasn’t right to dwell on Mr Cowen’s physical characteristics.’

Rejecting the complaints, the watchdog said the content of the broadcast could have crossed the line, ‘but for the actions of the presenter’.

It ruled: ‘The presenter did endeavour to moderate the comedian’s content and he succeeded in moving the discussion along.’

Meanwhile, the commission also rejected a complaint that an appearance by the Satanic Sluts – whose members include Andrew Sachs’s granddaughter Georgina Baillie – was ‘indecent, shocking and degrading to women’. The commission ruled the item, which went out at 10.40pm, was unlikely to cause widespread offence.

Published: 10 Feb 2009