Cabbies versus models, students versus mammies, tattooists versus hoteliers – a new RTÉ quiz show, starting tonight, aims to establish what the nation thinks is uncool or taboo, and what’s not. Paddy Kehoe talks to host Derek Mooney
Have you ever stolen money from the Trocaire Box? How many pairs of shoes does the average Irish woman own? Have you ever secretly checked your partner’s emails? Should the man pay for dinner on a first date? Do you consider yourself overweight? What percentage of the country knows all the words to the National Anthem? Have you ever lied about your age?
Food for thought, for sure. Presented by Derek Mooney, the new game show Who Knows Ireland Best? sets two teams against each other to answer questions that were posed to 1,000 people, to see which one has the best take on what we know about our little island.
The respondents in question were ordinary people of every age and from all corners of the country. Those anonymously surveyed were asked 100 leading questions, dealing with everything from Irish manners and morals to personal hopes and expectations in these trying times. The winning team each week is the one that guesses correctly how those surveyed replied.
So, which of the teams is most in touch with the public? Who has their finger on the pulse? The winning team each week, in other words, is the one that ‘knows Ireland best.’ The panel format allows the guests to offer their own thoughts and anecdotes, so there should be some interesting insights and lots of craic along the way.
The first programme on Friday sees three hoteliers up against three tattooists, offering all manner of cheeky opinions and revelations; the second features a trio of Dublin taxi drivers pitting their talents against three models; the third programme sees a group of former Roses of Tralee playing the guessing game with three public house workers.
The fourth programme features agricultural consultants battling it out with three auctioneers from Carlow; the fifth features DCU students versus Mammys (one from Cavan, two from Roscommon.); and the final programme features a team of tour guides versus three pole dancing fitness instructors from County Louth.
“The Millward Brown survey asked various questions pertaining to Irish life today”, says Derek Mooney. “All sorts of questions – for example, did you ever steal a bar of chocolate when you were a child? Would have an affair if you thought you could get away with it? How many Irish women think their husbands are cheating on them? How would you feel if your female friend started going out with your ex? You can imagine – the women weren’t a bit happy about that one and had lots to say about it.”
Derek was amused that the men on the opposing team didn’t see what the issue was. “That girl-friend and the ex business – that’s nothing to do with conservatism, that’s got to with ‘bitch – how dare she go out with my ex?’ That’s a really hard question to answer, particularly for women, I think.”
Derek’s questions each week run along the following lines: How many people between the ages of 18 and 40 said the following? Or how many people between the ages of 40 and 65 said such and such? “You can pose the questions in four or five different ways. We put the question to the teams, they discuss what they think is the answer – “would somebody admit to that? No, nobody would admit to that . . . ” We give them multiple choice – how many was it – 15%, 40% or 80% said the following? They have to mull it over between themselves, discuss the issue and then give an answer.”
The presenter believes that Who Knows Ireland Best? will “engage with people and it’s getting some idea of what Irish people think about life and society today. It’s a really simple format, it works, it’s a very fast half-hour.”
Who Knows Ireland Best? will be accompanied by an app for phones, so viewers can have a go themselves and see how in touch they are with their fellow citizens.
So, as the country steers cautiously into 2012 and tough times, some laughter and humorous insights on Friday nights are surely welcome; a thought-provoking parlour game to keep us smiling.
Who Knows Ireland Best? begins tonight, 8.30pm, RTÉ One
