The Live Mike
Encyclopedia
The Live Mike was an Irish comedy variety
and chat show presented by Mike Murphy. It was first broadcast on RTÉ 1
on 9 November 1979. The programme featured a candid camera piece by Murphy himself, parody songs and comedy sketches by Adele King
, Dermot Morgan
and Fran Dempsey
, as well as a serious studio interview. The show ended on 2 April 1982.
in November 1979. As such, it was in direct competition with RTÉ's Saturday night prime time programme, The Late Late Show
, the two programmes soon easily becoming RTÉ's two most popular shows. Presented by Mike Murphy, the show contained more comedic elements than The Late Late Show. The Live Mike usually consisted of a serious discussion, comedic inputs from Dermot Morgan
and a candid camera set-up of unsuspecting members of the public (including a famous clip featuring Gay Byrne
, whom Murphy tormented in the guise of a quizzical Frenchman in Trinity College Dublin, constantly getting into camera shot and asking questions while Byrne, increasingly irritated, tried to record a "promo". This clip is still shown at regular intervals on RTÉ programming.) The candid camera scenes invariably ended with the host saying "I'm Mike Murphy from RTÉ", which virtually became a catchphrase.
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
and chat show presented by Mike Murphy. It was first broadcast on RTÉ 1
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
on 9 November 1979. The programme featured a candid camera piece by Murphy himself, parody songs and comedy sketches by Adele King
Adele King
Adele King is an Irish entertainer better known as Twink from her time as a member of a group called Maxi, Dick and Twink which was a girl band in Ireland in the late 1960s and 1970s. She is Chloë Agnew's mother....
, Dermot Morgan
Dermot Morgan
Dermot John Morgan was an Irish comedian, actor and former schoolteacher, who achieved international renown for his roles as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and a strip club MC in Taffin....
and Fran Dempsey
Fran Dempsey
Fran Dempsey is an Irish actor most famous for his playing the character of Fortycoats in Wanderly Wagon and Fortycoats & Co..- References :...
, as well as a serious studio interview. The show ended on 2 April 1982.
Ideology
The Live Mike was created to fill the vacant Friday night slot on the newly created channel, RTÉ 2RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
in November 1979. As such, it was in direct competition with RTÉ's Saturday night prime time programme, The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
, the two programmes soon easily becoming RTÉ's two most popular shows. Presented by Mike Murphy, the show contained more comedic elements than The Late Late Show. The Live Mike usually consisted of a serious discussion, comedic inputs from Dermot Morgan
Dermot Morgan
Dermot John Morgan was an Irish comedian, actor and former schoolteacher, who achieved international renown for his roles as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and a strip club MC in Taffin....
and a candid camera set-up of unsuspecting members of the public (including a famous clip featuring Gay Byrne
Gay Byrne
Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of The Late Late Show over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999...
, whom Murphy tormented in the guise of a quizzical Frenchman in Trinity College Dublin, constantly getting into camera shot and asking questions while Byrne, increasingly irritated, tried to record a "promo". This clip is still shown at regular intervals on RTÉ programming.) The candid camera scenes invariably ended with the host saying "I'm Mike Murphy from RTÉ", which virtually became a catchphrase.