Latest news with #TheLate
Sunday World
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Aisling O'Loughlin says ‘story' of controversial rap video in Freemasons Hall was ‘buried'
Last month, it emerged that the video to the song 'Spit in it!' featuring Irish rapper Eskimo Supreme was shot inside the Freemasons' HQ on Molesworth Street Former Xposé presenter Aisling O'Loughlin has suggested the 'story' of a controversial music video featuring a rapper on Conor McGregor's music label in the historic Freemasons Hall in Dublin was 'buried'. Last month, it emerged that the video to the song 'Spit in it!' featuring Irish rapper Eskimo Supreme was shot inside the Freemasons' HQ on Molesworth Street. The video that made grotesque sexual references to the late British queen was condemned as obscene and 'morally repugnant'. It was set in the same venue used by McGregor and right-wing US commentator Tucker Carlson to film an interview, which later resulted in the Irish Freemasons apologising and pledging to make a €2,500 charity donation. Conspiracy theorist O'Loughlin offered her take on the controversy in a post on X where she claimed: 'If Conor McGregor really was up against the Irish Establishment - they would have destroyed him for this disgusting video from his record label made in the Grand Lodge of Ireland where he did the Tucker interview. 'It's telling they buried the story.' It's not clear who the 'they' is that she is referring to but the story was widely reported at the time. A piece in the Irish Independent at the time reported how the professionally produced music video included actors dressed as dissident republicans in balaclavas and combat gear imprisoned behind wire in the Victorian room. They yell at an actor playing the Queen, using foul language: 'We are political prisoners and we demand political status.' An explainer below the video states that the British Government has 'unlocked a freak scientific discovery whereby the saliva of Irish dissident republicans morphs a royal family member into a dragon...' including a grotesque sexual reference. It adds: 'Theorists believe that the British Government wanted to create this royal dragon to use as a weapon of war.' In the video, the prisoners are then released one by one to spit on the Queen, following which each one is shot dead by one of the guards. The song, which is dominated by sexualised slurs, plays throughout. At the end of the video, the Queen is transformed into a dragon and is seen flying over London. The lyrics include references to Irish broadcaster Pat Kenny and RTE's The Late, Late Show. Former Xposé presenter Aisling O'Loughlin Having been watched more than 100,000 times on YouTube in the five days since it was posted, comments described it as 'crazy', 'insane', and 'madness'. Philip AJ Daley, grand secretary of the Freemasons in Ireland, later confirmed that a probe is under way in relation to the use of their hall for the video. 'It would be inappropriate to make any further statement until our investigation is complete,' he told the Independent. The Freemasons of Ireland had earlier said that 'incalculable' damage was caused to the organisation by Tucker Carlson's interview with Conor McGregor. A screen grab from the controversial video News in 90 Seconds - May 15th The organisation apologised last month and said it would not have accepted the booking if it knew what the venue was being used for. It said the Grand Lodge Conduct Committee would investigate the use of the Grand Lodge Room, and a risk assessment will be carried out into the security of its venue at 17 Molesworth Street. Lodge rooms will also be only used for 'Lodge purposes' and no 'non-masonic meetings' will be held in the Lodge rooms 'until further notice'. At a meeting of the Grand Masters Council this week, the organisation also decided it would make an anonymous donation of €2,500 to 'an appropriate non-political charity'. Richard S G Ensor, the Grand Master Elect, told members the venue was used for 'grossly inappropriate purposes' by allowing the interview to take place there. 'The Grand Lodge of Ireland does not comment on any political matter and so regrets letting our premises facilitate any political discussion,' he said in an email to members. He said the Freemasons are now 'fighting to restore our reputation' following the airing of the interview. 'The damage that has been caused in recent days is incalculable,' Mr Ensor said. 'I look for your support to get us over this unpleasant time and steer us back on the right path. I am personally abhorred at what has taken place and extend my personal apology to our members, family and friends.' O'Loughlin has previously taken pot shots at McGregor, claiming in December 2023 that gardai used far right 'mercenaries' such as the MMA fighter to confuse and mislead the public following the stabbings on Parnell Square that November. The ex-TV3 star turned conspiracy theorist warned readers of her Substack page to be aware of 'false narratives' that are being built 'to manage the public's perception'. Referring to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, whose 'own cops don't have any faith in his abilities to govern fairly', O'Loughlin says it appears he has 'a little plan in store for those (right on cue) Conor McGregor fans and Antifa mercenaries'. The Tucker Carlson with McGregor 'Take a bow,' she writes. 'Oh look some ready to roll art-work depicting McGregor as some kind of working class hero. 'Not the fame and money-hungry showbiz hard-man who sold out his fans during lockdown by badly reading a government scamdemic script. Sorry but it will take a lot more to convince us this time around. Has he really switched sides? We'll see. 'Looks a lot like more propaganda from where I'm standing. He may be saying all the right things, for now, but what's the end-game here? "Is there money involved? Is McGregor really speaking up out of the goodness of his heart? Highly unlikely.'
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
O'Donnell says Oval Office question to Irish PM 'surreal'
Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell has said it was "very, very surreal" to hear Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin asked a question about her while meeting President Donald Trump in the White House. Mr Martin was in the Oval office for annual St Patrick's Day celebrations hosted by the US President when a reporter questioned him about O'Donnell's move from America to Ireland. "Why in the world would you let Rosie O'Donnell move to Ireland? I think she's going to lower your happiness levels," the reporter enquired. Micheál Martin laughed nervously as President Trump told the reporter: "Thank you, I like that question." Speaking on The Late, Late Show on RTÉ on Friday night, O'Donnell claimed Trump had held animus towards her since an appearance she had on the American chat show The View in which she criticised his character and business acumen. She said that since then Trump "uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need". "He's been doing it for two decades and I'm still not used to it every time he does," she said. "But I felt very troubled that they put the taoiseach in that position and didn't treat him with the respect that a leader of that kind deserves when he's visiting the White House. "I wrote the taoiseach with a little note apology to his email and got a note back that they had received it and thanked me. "But I just wanted him to know the history and what happened and why he seems to be out to get me in ways that are startling to most." She also said the appearance of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor in the Oval Office this week was "very depressing". O'Donnell, who has Irish grandparents, said she moved to Ireland in mid-January. She said while she had stayed in America during the first Trump presidency she found his second term "terrifying" as he now has "the Supreme Court giving him ultimate power". O'Donnell said she had a plan with her therapist that if Trump was elected president "which none of us though was happening" the plan was "only [to move to] Ireland". "It's really felt like home since I've been here," she added
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
O'Donnell says Oval Office question to Irish PM 'surreal'
Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell has said it was "very, very surreal" to hear Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin asked a question about her while meeting President Donald Trump in the White House. Mr Martin was in the Oval office for annual St Patrick's Day celebrations hosted by the US President when a reporter questioned him about O'Donnell's move from America to Ireland. "Why in the world would you let Rosie O'Donnell move to Ireland? I think she's going to lower your happiness levels," the reporter enquired. Micheál Martin laughed nervously as President Trump told the reporter: "Thank you, I like that question." Speaking on The Late, Late Show on RTÉ on Friday night, O'Donnell claimed Trump had held animus towards her since an appearance she had on the American chat show The View in which she criticised his character and business acumen. She said that since then Trump "uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need". "He's been doing it for two decades and I'm still not used to it every time he does," she said. "But I felt very troubled that they put the taoiseach in that position and didn't treat him with the respect that a leader of that kind deserves when he's visiting the White House. "I wrote the taoiseach with a little note apology to his email and got a note back that they had received it and thanked me. "But I just wanted him to know the history and what happened and why he seems to be out to get me in ways that are startling to most." She also said the appearance of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor in the Oval Office this week was "very depressing". O'Donnell, who has Irish grandparents, said she moved to Ireland in mid-January. She said while she had stayed in America during the first Trump presidency she found his second term "terrifying" as he now has "the Supreme Court giving him ultimate power". O'Donnell said she had a plan with her therapist that if Trump was elected president "which none of us though was happening" the plan was "only [to move to] Ireland". "It's really felt like home since I've been here," she added
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Rosie O'Donnell says Oval Office question to Martin 'surreal'
Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell has said it was "very, very surreal" to hear Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin asked a question about her while meeting President Donald Trump in the White Martin was in the Oval office for annual St Patrick's Day celebrations hosted by the US President when a reporter questioned him about O'Donnell's move from America to Ireland."Why in the world would you let Rosie O'Donnell move to Ireland? I think she's going to lower your happiness levels," the reporter Martin laughed nervously as President Trump told the reporter: "Thank you, I like that question." 'Very troubled' Speaking on The Late, Late Show on RTÉ on Friday night, O'Donnell claimed Trump had held animus towards her since an appearance she had on the American chat show The View in which she criticised his character and business said that since then Trump "uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need"."He's been doing it for two decades and I'm still not used to it every time he does," she said."But I felt very troubled that they put the taoiseach in that position and didn't treat him with the respect that a leader of that kind deserves when he's visiting the White House."I wrote the taoiseach with a little note apology to his email and got a note back that they had received it and thanked me."But I just wanted him to know the history and what happened and why he seems to be out to get me in ways that are startling to most." 'Really felt like home' She also said the appearance of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor in the Oval Office this week was "very depressing". O'Donnell, who has Irish grandparents, said she moved to Ireland in said while she had stayed in America during the first Trump presidency she found his second term "terrifying" as he now has "the Supreme Court giving him ultimate power".O'Donnell said she had a plan with her therapist that if Trump was elected president "which none of us though was happening" the plan was "only [to move to] Ireland"."It's really felt like home since I've been here," she added
