RTE & Katie Hopkins

So far RTÉ has received 676 emails critical of the decision to feature Hopkins as a guest.
Hopkins, who is due to talk about her support of US President Elect Donald Trump, announced on Twitter that she would be appearing on the programme.

Many viewers and fans of the show felt the national broadcaster should not be giving Hopkins such a prominent platform.
Yesterday, Ryan Tubridy explained why Hopkins had been chosen; “It has been a controversial week around the globe with a controversial election result so we are going to reflect that with a controversial guest.

“Katie Hopkins does a job, she comes on, she expresses an opinion that is contrary and difficult but it starts a conversation.”

No, she doesn’t start a conversation. There’s no debate, no back and forth expression of opinion, no potential for change. It’ll be like watching a WWE show. Katie Hopkins arrives in, expresses an extreme position, and then frames the ‘debate’ around it. It’s the classic in the style of ‘Have you stopped beating your wife?’ questions. Add in a bit of JAQing off and you’ve got your ‘conversation’, which will become at best a mud throwing match between opposites and at worst a hand-wavey oh isn’t she controversial job.

Either way, it’s providing a platform for an intolerant person who is known to espouse hatred. Let’s be straight here, this is not a free speech issue. Katie Hopkins is free to speak, the question is why RTE are providing a prime time platform for her to speak to (potentially) the nation.

It remains to be seen if Tubridy will hold her to account, but it’s pretty hard to hold someone to account who’s entire raison d’etre is to spout extreme and outrageous positions on anything.

Source: RTÉ receives almost 700 complaints about upcoming Katie Hopkins appearance on Late Late Show