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LEO VARADKAR’S MADE a few notable radio appearances in the last year or so.
You may recall the Morning Ireland interview that earned him a public ‘smack-down’ from the Taoiseach.
And, of course, there was a pretty well-publicised chat with Miriam O’Callaghan at the start of the year.
His latest appearance on the airwaves (actually, knowing Leo – he’s probably made a few dozen more since) passed us by, until we stumbled by it on Twitter yesterday.
Turns out, the Fine Gael politician spent an hour blasting out the hits on a community radio classic rock show last Friday night.
Why?
Apparently, he wanted to “knock one more thing off the bucket list”.
How did he do?
Not bad. He fluffed the ‘Near FM’ text number a couple of times, and got the names of some Pixies tracks wrong – but otherwise okay.
Leo Varadkar / TwitterJob done. One more thing off the bucket list @nearfm pic.twitter.com/UbOU2ctnlo
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 6, 2015
Sitting in the guest-presenter’s chair alongside part-time DJ Dave O’Connor, he joked about plans to bring the Government down “from the inside” after kicking off his selection with ‘London Calling’ by The Clash.
The show continued with slightly-left-of-centre classics from the likes of The Cure and Nick Cave, with occasional breaks for ‘Morning Zoo’ style DJ banter…
“You’ve a slight kind of Eamon Dunphy twang off you,” Varadkar observed of his co-presenter at one point (unknowingly breaking one of the unwritten rules of radio in the process – once that red light goes on, never slag off a colleague’s ‘BIG DJ VOICE’).
Along the way, there were ‘shout outs’ to the likes of “Declan and Tony W in Castleknock”.
There were also occasional indications the health minister might be taking it a little too seriously. Lines like…
“It’s Dave and Leo calling out to you from Near FM in the heart of Coolock. Hope you’re having a good night.”
And of course…
“This is Dave and Leo, rocking it out to you.”
In terms of insights into the high-flying Fine Gaeler’s personality – they were few and far between.
He likes the Pixies, but apparently not quite enough to nail the names of some of their most famous songs (he got two of them wrong).
He hasn’t been keeping up with the whole Kim Deal soap opera either… Varadkar noted to his co-host at one point that he had gone to see the band play at Marlay Park last summer, and noticed that ”they’d replaced her with somebody else”.
Anyway – the full playlist is below.
Our musical analysis?… It appears to demonstrate that Leo Varadkar is EXACTLY 36 years old.
London Calling – The Clash
In Between Days – The Cure
Sweet Child o’ Mine – Guns n’Roses
Rainy Night in Soho – Damien Dempsey (cover version)
Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode
Where the Wild Roses Grow – Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue
Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell
Brewing up a Storm – The Stunning
Hey – Pixies
Pride – U2
Tender – Blur
1979 – Smashing Pumpkins
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He’s so cool and progressive.. I’m definitely voting Blueshirt now. Who cares about the debt and austerity.
Has leo sorted the hse yet?
Don’t forget he’s also a gay man – that’s getting popular lately also.
Is resolving the crisis in Beaumont Hospital, around the corner from the NearFM studios also on Leos bucket list?
Get a life. The guy is entitled to downtime. It’s lighthearted and fun.
Being gay has NOTHING to do with his job. It was a great time to come out tho, when the hospital’s are having some of the WORST problem’s they ever had. Disgusting individual, sits there laughing on radio while people dyeing in pain on his watch.
What kind of playlist is that for any self respecting gay man? No Scissor Sisters, Donna Summer, Pet Shop Boys, Madonna, Beyonce or Lady Gaga….think he might be straight.
Not even a bitta Queen or Elton John…
Yet another cheesy write up on Mr Varadkar by the Journal. The fact that he is in over his head on his day job & has to date delivered next to nothing concerning the health service is of no concern but when he pretends to be a dj for one hour is newsworthy somehow. We know the truth – he’s a second rate dj & a third rate minister for health.
Nice P R stunt
I’m sure at least some of the 67 patients waiting on beds in the nearby A&E in Beaumont are raging they missed him on the radio for at least one of their nights stay over the weekend..
He would be cooler if he headed off into the sunset
He likes the pixies. …..The trolley situation in hospitals is horrendous. Our health system is in ruins and our pixie lover is DJing. Sack the waster and give him red herring for lunch.
Lot of people out of the wrong side of the bed this morning.
You’d almost think there was an election due, Leo being cool Reilly cringe crocodile tears about removing medical cards from disabled children.
Lightweight useless gob…t
Quit the Varadkar porn.
You would drive any halfway positive person to drink, I swear to god!
Will ye leave the man alone for an evening! How many of you work 24 hours a day?!?!?!?!?
Lightweight fluffy pop from a lightweight fluffy man. All spin, (see what I did there) and no substance.
I’m still waiting for him to do something about anything.
‘Actually, knowing Leo…’ That line alone nearly brought my breakfast back up.
Varadkar’s spinmeisters must be thrilled. Another glowing article about cool, hip Leo. The health system on its knees? Nah, who wants to read about that. Toe-curling and nauseating stuff.
How many lies did he squeeze into his stint on air ?
Hardly a week goes by that the media don`t fall for Leo Varadaker`s PR stunts, they must be really hard up for news.
The love parade for Enda and Leo on here is shocking.
Though I wouldn’t mind hearing what their favourite recipes are for Sunday Lunch…
have your say