no laughing matter

I chanced upon Soupy Norman on RTE television last Thursday evening. It's written by Barry Murphy (Apres Match) and actor, clown and comedian Mark Doherty. It takes a popular Polish soap opera, edits the pictures and then overdubs it with Cork accents. It sounds a bit weird and if the truth be told it is. However this is not the first incarnation of Soupy Norman. Murphy and Doherty were previously put to work by Armando Iannuci for his 'Time Trumpet' series. In the original clip above the Cork accents aren't used but i think you'll get a good feel for 'Soupy Norman'. It should also help if you're slightly intoxicated when watching it, then it makes perfect sense.

On a related topic, Mark Doherty, is of course the brother of David O Doherty ( he must have picked the name O for his confirmation). There's a new comedy show on RTE2 on tuesdays at 10.45pm featuring David and it's called 'The Modest adventures of David O Doherty'. David and lots of other comedians will be in Kilkenny this coming weekend for the Cat Laughs festival. The comedian that I really want to see is a chap called Michael Redmond. He's Irish but he plies his trade in the UK. His most famous televisual appearance must be as Father Stone in the Irish comedy 'Father Ted'. Here he is in all his glory.