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Radio review: Oliver Callan's unmissable lockdown humour

Nuala McCann

Nuala McCann

Nuala McCann is an Irish News columnist and writes a weekly radio review.

Nuala McCann
Nuala McCann Nuala McCann

Callan’s Kicks with Oliver Callan – All the News that’s fit to kick

Boris has Covid; Miriam has Late Late RTE Radio 1

When you need a laugh – and who doesn’t need a laugh at the moment – you need to tune into Callan’s Kicks on RTE Radio 1.

It was a first for me – I hang my head in shame – because it will so not be my last.

My Donegal friend put me onto it. It’s that searing Irish satire – razor sharp as a stiletto slipped under the ribs.

It’s up there with the long ago Scrap Saturday from RTE and the late Dermot Morgan – the man for whom no cow was sacred - and who went on to star as Father Ted.

Impressionist Oliver Callan does a decent Huw Edwards broadcasting in the week when Britain saw: “Thronged beaches, packed tubes and crowds heading to see Stereophonics - embarrassing even outside of a pandemic.”

Callan nails bumphling Boris revealing his Covid-19 to the nation: “Like my paternity tests, it is sadly positive ...” and issuing a rallying cry to the nation: “Let’s get Covid done!! “

Now where did we hear that before?

It’s all very evil and scurrilous – just the best of Irish humour.

He does Leo in the Dáil watching himself being a legend on the mobile and getting business done: “What’s on the table besides a vat of hand sanitiser?”

I loved the skit on the great and the good phoning Ryan Tubridy on RTE and putting in a word for the vacant spot on the Late, Late.

As for the women of Ireland bemoaning their lot to Joe Duffy on Liveline, that was priceless.

“My husband has taken to pouring vodka into his tea... and he won’t give me any.”

But let’s leave it with the mother who has had enough of her offspring:

“After a week with my children, I think the brothers had a point, that’s all I’m saying.” she tells Joe.

The scripts are tight and packed with sneaky throwaway lines as well as belly laughs and the impressions are supreme .... you are missing a trick if you’re not listening, that’s all I’m saying!