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'Outrageous accusation': George Hook says he isn't controversial just to wind people up

“Everything I say is what I believe.”

Hook 2 3Player 3Player

BROADCASTER GEORGE HOOK was riled last night by the line of questioning he on TV3′s The Late Review, accusing the presenting of asking about topics to provoke a reaction.

He took on issues ranging from the abuse he has received to his views on women.

The interview got heated, and at one stage Hook threatened to walk off stage as Siptu president Jack O’Connor had done on Tonight with Vincent Browne.

However, he stayed until the end, with presenter Colette Fitzpatrick ending the segment with an exhausted “phew”.

Here’s some of the topics he spoke on.

Feminism

After placing blame on women for making the world “too politically correct”, Hook and Fitzpatrick swung into a debate on gender equality.

Hook dug his boots in, saying women get a “fair shot”.

GH: I think the world is a good place for women, I think it’s a very good place for women.

CF: Depends on where you live in the world surely.

GH: No, it’s a very good place for women.

CF: It’s not for little girls in Nigeria, for example.

GH: Yeah but I can’t fix Nigeria.

CF: I know, but you just said the world isn’t a great place for women.

GH: Nigeria isn’t a good place for men, so don’t use Nigeria.

CF: I think in fairness the world is a lot better for women than it was when your mum was growing up, and when my mum was growing up, and there was a work-marriage ban and all that, it doesn’t mean the battle is won. It’s not a battle by the way…

GH: It’s not a battle, that’s the whole point.

Hook went on to stress that the world has never been a better place, asking “What more do you want?”.

The “implied consent” question

He was pressed on controversial comments he made last month after a man convicted of raping his then-girlfriend, Niamh Ní Domhnaill, was allowed to walk free.

Hook asked senator and solicitor Ivana Bacik on his Newstalk show The Right Hook whether there was “implied consent”, as the two were in a relationship.

Hook1 3Player 3Player

Ní Domhnaill later said she was “shocked” by the comments, with Hook apologising if he caused her offence.

Speaking last night, Hook said he didn’t regret the comments.

“I didn’t apologise to the Twitterati, I didn’t apologise to all these people, most of whom had never heard the interview. There’s keywords in that, one is hypothetically,” he said.

I was speaking to a professor of law from Trinity College Dublin, it was my job to try and understand why a judge didn’t send – do you want me to finish or do you want to finish? – why a judge refused to send a man to jail for one day for raping a woman in the bed? it was my job to find out why he did, to try to get inside the head of a judge who made that decision.

He added that four senior counsels had told him that it was the only question you can ask in that particular situation as to why he received a suspended sentence. Hook said if he couldn’t ask a question like that, he can’t ask any questions.

Is it my job to tackle the difficult issues, to ask the hard questions, and let it fall when it may.

Is he just controversial for the sake of it?

Hook became his most animated when asked this.

“Everything I say is what I believe,” he stressed.

“I’m not saying it because I think the Mná na hÉireann would like it, or because Fine Gael would like it, or because, you know, Matt Cooper or anybody else. I say it because I believe it.

How many broadcasters do you know today who are tackling the migrant issue head on? It’s not popular. It’s not popular. It’s not popular.

Watch a section of this exchange below:

TV3 Ireland / YouTube

Read: Rape survivor “shocked” at George Hook’s comments on ‘implied consent’ >

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92 Comments
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    Mute seanmccann
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:20 PM

    I don’t always agree with George Hook but I do respect his honesty and ability to say things that many find uncomfortable. Talking openly about things like an erectile dysfunction and contemplation of suicide. I seen the whole interview and Colette Fitzpatrick was definitely trying to wind him up. He is passionate about his views in in this sterile media its a refreshing change.

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    Mute John B
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:48 PM

    Exactly, the great thing about Hook is that he says and asks what he thinks, even if it is controversial.

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    Mute Keaneland
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:50 PM

    Agreed. Collette was the one being antagonistic. Typical women!;-)

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:15 PM

    I don’t disagree. At the same time, Hook has got as much mileage as he can out of the “I’m an irascible old grandpa who speaks as he finds; loves FG, hates lefties, feminists, yada yada yada, and thinks the status quo is great”. Quite frankly he now bores me.

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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:43 PM

    Newstalk isn’t a great world for female presenters… and the last time I checked it wasn’t a Nigerian station. He’s full of bluster

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:43 PM

    “hates lefties, feminists, yada yada yada, and thinks the status quo is great”

    What utter crap. Hook is a bleeding heart liberal. He burst into tears when Obama was elected and again when he was inaugurated FFS. He goes to battle with an American Right wing nutter on a weekly basis.

    Like many of us lefties, he refuses to bow down to the bullying and nuttery of extreme western feminism.

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    Mute P Nee
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:09 PM

    > He goes to battle with an American Right wing nutter

    Going to battle? It’s Punch and Judy stuff, some nutter* as you say who resorts to tiresome playground name calling rather than having any sort of a reasoned debate. And George a ill-informed windbag on the other side.

    * I’d not go as far as nutter, occasionally he has made reasonable points right wing and all as he is but the childish way he goes on would have me going elsewhere if George didn’t already do that job.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:23 PM

    I didn’t say he did it well, the point is that he defends the liberal point of view at all…. because he is a fukcing liberal!

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    Mute John Reese
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    Aug 5th 2015, 9:16 PM

    George Hook v Michael Graham….I enjoy it.

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    Mute KMac
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    Aug 5th 2015, 9:49 PM

    I have absolutely no problem with anything the man said. He didn’t accept her accusations, she didn’t like it & that was it. He came out of it better.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 6th 2015, 9:08 AM

    Me too John. It’s a bit of craic and I like to hear the right wing point of view. It is something that never gets air time in this country. I don’t have to agree with it to be entertained by it.

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:45 PM

    Watched that last night.
    Thought George negotiated the feminist minefield extremely well.
    Colette:
    ‘What about women in Nigeria George. Their lives haven’t improved?’
    George:
    ‘Men’s lives aren’t great in Nigeria either are they’
    Colette:
    Completely stumped.
    Colette.
    It’s called the BIGGER PICTURE. The HOLISTIC approach to social problem solving.
    Take the blinkers off and try to imagine the world outside the narrow confines of feminist ideology some time.
    You never know. You might actually learn something.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:18 PM

    Since when have western feminists cared about women in Nigeria anyway? They spend most of their time inventing first world problems and the rest of their time crying racist towards anyone who points out the problems caused in Nigeria and elsewhere by a particular religion operating in that region.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:42 PM

    Which religion would that be?
    Is this like the female genital mutilation that people like to claim is a Muslim phenomenon despite the fact that it’s a cultural practice from a country that is predominantly CHRISTIAN.

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    Mute stopit
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:03 PM

    I’ll give you a small tip, you can negotiate the “feminist minefield” by not being a prat.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:38 PM

    You’ve obviously never debated a feminist. They’re experts at constructing logical fallacies and redefining words to suit themselves. it’s like dealing with many hating neo-nazi young earth creationists with degrees.

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    Mute stopit
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:41 PM

    Jake, why would you debate against the need for equal rights for women?

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:46 PM

    Jake, you say I’m “less than literate” and an “idiot”. Is there any chance you might explain that last sentence for me? It sounds like psychobabble.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:14 PM

    Er Jake, sure you’re not throwing out more than your fair share of fallacious rhetoric there yourself?

    Feminism refers to the ideal of equality between the sexes. There are some who seek to warp it, just as there are some in all groups who will try to warp the ideal that unites them. No one’s claiming all feminists are perfect, but trying to claim that they’re all the same is itself a fallacy.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 8:34 PM

    Wrong. Feminism is a series of ideologies backed by a political lobby. It is an academic field. To minimise it to your definition is equivocation fallacy… a common feminist tactic.

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Aug 5th 2015, 9:50 PM

    I actually recognise ‘Jake ‘, but he had another name…. “desperate for a shag? ” – no that wasn’t it, it’ll come to me eventually.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 5th 2015, 10:29 PM

    Oh right, yeah, that was it. It was a big conspiracy to treat men the way women have been treated wasn’t it?

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    Mute stopit
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    Aug 6th 2015, 12:40 AM

    Jake, saying that feminism is about equality between men and women is not an equivocation fallacy.

    Have you any other made up interpretations to throw into your pot?

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 6th 2015, 9:06 AM

    Yeah, because the entire course of feminism as taught in universities is made up of everyone sitting around a fukcing dictionary and memorising a 2 line definition.

    There are entire ideologies that fall under the banner. Equality feminism, radical feminism, internationalist feminism etc. Pretending it’s nothing more than a 2 line definition any time you want to avoid defending your feminist ideology of choice is a common feminist tactic and it is equivocation fallacy.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 6th 2015, 4:13 PM

    Er Jake, it is an ideal that spawned a movement which in turn has had some schisms. Much like how Christianity is the worship of Jesus Christ, but it’s also a very wide description. I mean, baptists and Catholics have many similarities, but they’re also not the same thing.

    Feminism is the ideal of equality between the two sexes. Same way Christianity is the worship of Jesus Christ. Yes, that may be a little reductionist for you, but that is the definition whether you like it or not.

    Now, it’s clear you take issue with some elements of feminism – there’s some people who call themselves feminists that bother me too. But unlike yourself I don’t decide to hate the ideology simply because of some over zealous followers.
    Is giving one group advantages because of their sex right? No, it’s not. But the world has been majorly uneven throughout history and finding balance can often be a tricky endeavour. Especially when there are those who see others gaining equality as them losing something.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 1:01 AM

    I hate the feminist ideologies that are currently the most popular. they are socialist and intersectionalist in nature. right now mainstream feminism is little more than a hate movement.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 7th 2015, 8:56 AM

    Says the guy who openly admits his hate?
    Intersectionality refers to how a white woman’s experience is not the same as a black woman’s experience so white women shouldn’t presume to understand what it’s like to be black etc.
    It’s an attempt to avoid hypocrisy in the movement when having men presume to speak on women’s behalf is the same thing. But hey – something tells me you can’t appreciate that.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 12:00 PM

    Yes, I admit to hating a hate movement.

    I know what intersectionality is. But what it has lead to in the movement is a justification for the frequent use of ad hominem fallacy, identity politics, victimhood Olympics, safe spaces and echo chambers. You have a movement employing all kinds of rationalisation to shield itself from criticism, up to and including subjecting anyone who is in any way critical to “misogyny” witch hunts.

    The lack of criticism and self-reflection of the movement has made it possible to invent statistics what are then just accepted as fact by the wider media and politicians.

    Couple that with critical theory and you get a comical rewriting of history and an utterly hypersensitive hysteria where misogyny and rapists are found under every rock.

    The feminist movement in its current form is a joke. Fortunately the pendulum has begun to swing the other way. A few more incidents like the rolling stone false rape accusations will nail that coffin shut.

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 7th 2015, 1:43 PM

    Care to elaborate about your conspiracy theories? You may just find it difficult to appreciate something you have absolutely no concept of – like a white person trying to tell black people how to feel about racism..

    Because to be honest – that’s all I see when I see people “hating” feminism.. I see people petrified that equality means they might get treated the way women have been. And yet they still can’t get their heads around why feminism exists. Why perhaps women are sick of the treatment we fight against.

    I agree, false accusations do no good for anyone, but you would swear this was the only way a person can be defamed.. If I falsely claim someone murdered another when they didn’t it’s exactly the same thing, and yet for some reason it seems only rape cases get treated with so much open hostility and suspicion toward the accuser.

    Nice to watch you take glee in what you perceive as the end of feminism. Be careful, because often when we are too eager to watch the fall of others it’s the ground we stand upon that is truly unsteady. You don’t appreciate equality, fair enough. But you’re also trying to tar a wide movement with a very narrow brush. Would you like me to label you an MRA and lump you in with those sad cases that set up the revenge sites because they couldn’t force women to find them attractive? Or because those damn women “didn’t know their place”? I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt in assuming that you’re not in fact one of those pathetic a*holes – but they get the most attention on your side of the coin.. Sucks to be lumped in with groups you don’t necessarily agree with purely because of other peoples inability to think critically, isn’t it?

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 7th 2015, 2:48 PM

    Intersectional feminism is a very poor strategy if the goal is to achieve equality.

    Feminism used to be about empowering women. Now it is about fitting women and girls from a young age with a victimhood complex, demanding that women get special treatment in the workforce and making them fearful of men by generating rape-culture hysteria.

    The world is a big bad place for everyone. The more you progress in your career, the more people you will find trying to cut you down. Giving women a victimhood complex does not prepare them for that tough environment, it does the opposite.

    Another problem is that they are fighting all the wrong battles. Too much time is spent on non-existent problems based on fictional statistics. There is no rape culture in the western world and the supposed gender gap has been shown over and over again to be complete BS.

    http://time.com/30545/its-time-to-end-rape-culture-hysteria/

    “Nice to watch you take glee in what you perceive as the end of feminism.”

    I don’t take glee at the end of feminism. I take glee at the reformation of the movement that has just begun.

    I don’t fear equality. I fear an ideology that vilifies a section of society and applies the resources of universities all over the world to rationalise justifications for that bigotry. A lot of things can be justified when you vilify a section of society.

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:16 PM

    She’s a very poor substitute for Vincent Brown that’s for sure.

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    Mute von
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:41 AM

    I think she can hold her own and not afraid to ask hard questions.

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    Mute Duck Knight
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:22 PM

    Naturally the liberal fascist brigade would attack and demonize George. He is one of few who speaks out against open door immigration and Islamic extremism, the same issues that this site promote. Regarding feminism, you all know what it is in reality, yet would you there to question it in public and be labeled a sexist by the fascists?

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    Mute Duck Knight
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:25 PM

    *Dare. Damn swype

    17
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    Mute Cyril
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:30 PM

    Well said ! He speaks his mind and does not really care too much what people think. But I would say all the bleeding heart brigade must hate him voicing his honest views on immigration into Europe by economic migrants. Keep it rocking George we love you.

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    Mute Pee Shank
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:48 PM

    I like George Hook. He is honest and i like people that arent afraid to speak their mind. I have only seen this part of the interview…… But I don’t like the way he spoke to her and pointed the finger at her. That’s no way to talk to a lady. She looked embarrassed. Not nice George

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:16 PM

    He treated her as an equal, exactly the same way he would have treated a man.

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    Mute Pee Shank
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:37 PM

    Well Jake.. I am a strong woman though I wouldn’t call myself a “feminist” and I don’t want to be treated like one of the boys.. I don’t know if you realise that some women enjoy the difference between men and woman. That’s not anti equality though it may be anti feminism.

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 5th 2015, 6:19 PM

    So you enjoy the presence of a difference, but don’t see that as anti-equality. Also, how can something be anti equality but not anti feminist? Are they not supposed to be one and the same?

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    Mute Larry L'Oiseau
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:59 PM

    Selective equality…

    Eg.
    I don’t need a man to hold a door for me but secretly I like it when they do.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 8:30 PM

    Pee shank, we’re not talking about how women are treated in their personal lives here. we’re talking about the interaction of two professionals doing their jobs. Why should women in the workplace get special treatment?

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    Mute Pee Shank
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    Aug 5th 2015, 11:01 PM

    Jake… Is it special treatment now to treat a woman with respect? Waving a finger at her and growling at her. It’s not nice to see a man raising his voice to a woman. It’s been done to me in the past and I don’t like it. And men should be treated properly too!!!

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 6th 2015, 9:12 AM

    Pee shank, I’m guessing you live a very sheltered life. In the real world where people are clamoring to build their careers and conflicting interests exists, it is necessary to be assertive to get anywhere. Successful women are assertive and successful men are assertive.

    If you want to avoid assertive people, that’s your right. Don’t get a career in journalism.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:11 PM

    Absolutely pathetic that the Journal continues to misrepresent George Hook and his “views of women”.

    You’re just part of the mob, engaged in internet bullying and contrived outrage.

    Shame on you.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:17 PM

    Hook was the only one bullying in the interview. Did you actually watch it?

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:21 PM

    Bullying? Hook was the one on the backfoot forced to defend himself.

    If you see it as bullying, that’s probably due to your sexist views of women that suggest they are delicate little flowers worthy of the kid glove treatment.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:23 PM

    …and in any case, as the more literate readers are well aware, my comment was clearly not referring to the interview alone. What sort of an idiot do you have to be to think “internet bullying” refers to a tv interview?

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:38 PM

    Oh, dear. No need to get personal, Jake.
    I thought it was ironic (let me know if I used the right word here as I’m not that literate) that you would be giving out about George Hook being bullied when he did all the bullying in this particular interview.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:45 PM

    As I have already clarified, defending yourself against outrageous allegations is not bullying. If he was being interviewed by a man you would not see it as bullying.

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    Mute stopit
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:04 PM

    george “implied consent” hook

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 5th 2015, 6:07 PM

    If you can’t ask a question regarding a point of law to a law lecturer then who can you ask?

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Aug 5th 2015, 8:38 PM

    True. What makes it worse is that in the interview he explicitely stated it was not his position and yet you still have subhuman journalists claiming it is his position.

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 5th 2015, 8:48 PM

    It’s Bacik’s fault that grew legs in the first place. She couldn’t resist an opportunity to take a position of faux moral superiority. Of course her cheerleaders were happy to give the impression that Hook is approving rape in a relationship. As of age was never interviewed before. Or interviewed anyone for that matter.

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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Aug 5th 2015, 10:44 PM

    *as if she was never interviewed

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    Mute von
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:57 AM

    Jack. He has admitted himself that he didn’t treat the lovely Ingrid very well for many years, he stopped when she said she would leave him if he didn’t change his ways.

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    Mute von
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    Aug 9th 2015, 11:00 AM

    Jake. By the way he ranted in his answer he knew deep down himself he was a s..t stirrer.

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:45 PM

    Watched the whole interview, love how she brought up the whole “gender pay gap” myth up. If there was a pay gap why aren’t all the work force women !

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    Mute Liam Fogarty
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:27 PM

    I think everything he says there is fair.

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    Mute Chauncey Gardiner
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:51 PM

    Hook was invited on the premise of discussing the Rugby World Cup and Internet trolling. Instead he was barracked for having the temerity to hold an opinion.
    I listen to him daily, he makes me laugh and sometimes angers me. That’s what you call an entertaining broadcaster!!

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:44 PM

    George Hook: “ALL cyclists are criminals”.
    That is just one example of a comment that creates controversy for the sake of it.
    If you watch the full interview, Fitzpatrick wipes the floor with him on almost every single point.
    She’s no Vincent Browne but she did a really good job here in exposing Hook as the cantankerous, dithering, misinformed gobsheen that he is.

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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:24 PM

    Yeah he says all cyclists are criminals yet he has cimitted so many offences on the roads that he was described by a judge as a serial offender he won’t disclose how many points he has on his licence and he said he will not change his behaviour on the roads. that makes him both a criminal and a total hypocrite. What an obnoxious character he is.

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:15 PM

    An incensed George Hook?? TV3 is just too intense for me. I’ll stick to RTE1 thank you very much

    51
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    Mute BERTIE
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:47 PM

    Hook is right langer, presenter asked him a simple question and he proceeded to make assumptions and put words in her mouth, he is a bully

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:53 PM

    ‘he proceeded to make assumptions and put words in her mouth’
    LOL!

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:04 PM

    She’s a typical 3rd wave feminist, they pick and choose from the equality buffet. “Equal wages I’ll have some of that…pay for dinner ergh no you can keep that”

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:48 PM

    As opposed to a typical fallacy monger? Have a negative experience with one or two feminists, automatically tar every single one with the same brush?

    As a self employed feminist breadwinner I can assure you, not all feminists are as you describe. In fact I am yet to meet one who is.

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    Mute Pee Shank
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:53 PM

    @Shanti… I am afraid what Paul is saying is correct.. I have the same experience of feminists.. They make me cringe

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    Mute Shanti
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:09 PM

    I’m yet to meet someone who identifies as feminist and expects to be paid for. Every one I have met wants to make their own way in this world, and most have done so, in spite of the obstacles they have faced.

    Obviously we run in different circles. I’m not saying every feminist is perfect, that would be equally as fallacious as determining that they’re all feminists until the bill arrives.

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Aug 5th 2015, 10:25 PM

    @pee Shank. (charming pseudonym, by the way) You are a ‘strong woman ‘ but feminists make you cringe? Yeah, right :-D Is that you, Baz?

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    Mute Pantytoetoejam123
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:13 PM

    Two of the better things I have done 1) Stopped smoking 2) Stopped listening to Hook

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    Mute Don Morgan
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    Aug 5th 2015, 3:17 PM

    For the sake of accuracy, Ivana Bacik is a barrister, not a solicitor.

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    Mute mrs b
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:46 PM

    Can’t stand this old dinosaur. He is an example of everything wrong with irish broadcasting.

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:03 PM

    “He is an example of everything wrong with irish broadcasting”
    Subtext.
    ‘He’s a man with an opinion’.

    49
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    Mute John
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:09 PM

    I hope Colette leaft some food prepared for her man before she leaft the house. I’ll leave it there.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:10 PM

    Car crash TV.
    Hook acquitted himself well, and destroyed her by calling her on her agenda.

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    Mute John Fogarty
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:26 PM

    he is a nuisance and he talks constant dribble yap yap yap about jack. Top class muppet i would rather self harm than listen to his garbage now there you go im telling the truth…

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    Mute Enda Kenny
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    Aug 5th 2015, 6:49 PM

    You have to admire George Hook, probably the most intelligent broadcaster in the country. He made mince meat of a clearly frazzled Collette Fitzpatrick. She showed her level of intelligence with that ridiculous comment “What about women in Nigeria”.

    25
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    Mute stopit
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:59 PM

    he’s one of the main reasons why Newstalk is not worth listening too.

    Newstalk is 98% rubbish and amateurish fluff.

    It’s like the Journal on the radio.

    23
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    Mute Cupid Stunt
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    Aug 5th 2015, 6:10 PM

    I think George hook is an insufferable fool. if I ever accidentally listen to him it’s usually some crazy opinion he’s spouting coming out of his mouth. he’s like my worst nightmare and the sad thing is that a section of Ireland can relate to him.

    22
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    Mute James Kelly
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:41 PM

    Hook calls it as he sees it and is bound to have trenchant views at his age. Hereford he is entitled to his opinion. He battled back by suggesting she was just being lazy going for the easy stereotype grumpy old hector etc

    He is an entertainer so one must expect a degree of artistic licence and whether he actually believes all he says doesn’t really matter as long as he entertains. If you cannot hack it then don’t tune in

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    Mute chalk8down
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:58 PM

    Having watched the interview last night, my overriding view is that George Hook was cantankerous, boorish and at times unnecessarily aggressive towards the interviewer. Collette Fitzpatrick’s line of questioning perhaps had a semblance of a neo feminist agenda, but at no time was she being overly antagonistic towards G Hook in her line of questioning, in my opinion.

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Aug 5th 2015, 8:10 PM

    You watched a different interview to me !

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    Mute Leo Massey
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:51 PM

    Used to like him from the rugby, but I’ve listened to him too often on the radio not to see he’s a bigoted old blowhard, in love with being a gobby, chauvinist, self-obsessed blueshirt!
    The sooner he’s off the airwaves the better.

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    Mute Brianog2
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    Aug 5th 2015, 4:02 PM

    In dire need at his age of media attention

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    Mute v39e84kK
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    Aug 5th 2015, 5:14 PM

    Is the Irish gender pay gap calculated as the absolute difference of total male earnings minus total female earnings?

    Anyone have stats on this? This is how it’s often done internationally and it is quite misleading as it does not compare like for like pay i.e. a women doing specifically job X with man doing specifically job X.

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    Mute Cupid Stunt
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:02 PM

    I disagree enda, George hook is totally uneducated and has a fixation on the USA for some reason. he’s outdated and got tired worn out views on 99% of topics. he’s the last person I’d like to be stuck in a lift with and as exciting as getting a boil lanced.

    17
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    Mute David Grey
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    Aug 5th 2015, 7:04 PM

    Hook is just a grumpy old man! He will Stoke controversy when it suits him but underneath his jacket is a Blue shirt- he even said he trained his accent to sound posh instead of Corkonian- hardly the act of a bleeding heart liberal? He’s just a lapdog for O’Brien and Kenny!

    16
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    Mute Dara Wyer
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    Aug 5th 2015, 10:53 PM

    For all the Hook fans extolling his forthright opinions, I listened to these opinions regularly until I couldn’t listen to him anymore. His opinions are based primarily on his unresearchd hunches- his vitriol about cyclists, his obsession with the Kennedy, dislike of films that aren’t 1950s westerns etc. He is petulant and defensive whenever he is asked to actually explain himself. A blight on the airwaves- I hope the man enjoys a long and healthy retirement, but I won’t miss hearing him.

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    Mute Anthony Kelly
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    Aug 6th 2015, 1:08 AM

    And this is news because ……????? We talking the equivalent of a piss poor tabloid radio station with a presenter having an opinion on everything but knowledgeable about little! Let’s be honest the chap hasn’t had an original thought in years and basically either says what he is told to say or, on the rare occasion when left to his own devices, says what he thinks the station owner would want him to say. He’s no different btw to any of the other presenters on that particular station.

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    Mute von
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    Aug 9th 2015, 10:38 AM

    Glad someone hooked (Verbally that is) Hook, he is a grumpy old man who thinks because of his age he can get away with anything and shouts people down who don’t agree with him.
    I have never heard said anything about our rugby teams always so negative.

    3
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