More evidence of Jesse Mulligan’s abysmal lack of knowledge. (Nov. 8, 2016)

11 November 2016 at 10:29 am

More evidence of Jesse Mulligan’s abysmal lack of knowledge.
Is he the right person to be Afternoon host?
The Panel, RNZ National, Tuesday 8 November 2016
Jim Mora, Golnaz Bassam-Tabar, Michael Moynihan, Zara Potts, Jesse Mulligan

RNZ National’s Afternoon host Jesse Mulligan has many commendable traits: he’s quick-witted, pleasant and he lets people speak without bullying them or caviling over what they’ve said. He is an enthusiastic—some might say affected—gourmand, and likes nothing better than talking about how to cook artichokes, or where to go in Wellington to get THE best coffee. However, he appears to be lamentably ill-informed about politics, history, and popular culture in general. On Monday he told television critic Phil Wallington that he’d never heard of the legendary New Zealand soap Close to Home; a few weeks ago he’d never heard of “some guy called John Philip Sousa”.

There’s only one reason why a forty year old man has not even heard of John Philip Sousa orClose to Home. That reason is: he doesn’t read widely. The contrast between him and Kim Hill is enormous, and probably unbreachable.

It’s a real problem. Mulligan is occupying a seat that was once filled by Jim Mora who, for all his faults, was at least well read and was not continually announcing his lack of any knowledge about topics under discussion. The hosts of National Radio talk-based shows in the past have been people like Sharon Crosby, John Campbell and Kim Hill, i.e., people who read voraciously and could talk intelligently about most subjects. Mulligan by contrast has vast gaps in his knowledge—“some guy called John Philip Sousa”—and feels compelled to inform us on a regular basis of that lamentable fact.

If you’re a kind and indulgent person, you might well argue that even if he reads little or nothing and knows even less, what’s the problem? Well, the problem is this: an influential radio station will, without doubt, play host to all manner of ideologues, politicians and—perhaps most despicable of all—mediocre academics. If the host is not sufficiently intelligent, he becomes little more than prey to some of very nasty, cynical, agenda-driven people—a useful idiot, in other words.

A presenter who has no knowledge, or at best a sketchy knowledge, of what is being discussed will end up saying things like THIS….

“Sometimes when I read this stuff I get the sense that Russia are L-L-L-LOOKIN’ for trouble, are L-L-L-LOOKIN’ to create tension with the U.S. Is that fair?” [1]

No, that was not a Harry Enright impression of a halfwitted upper class poseur, it was Jesse Mulligan six weeks ago, trying to contribute something—ANYTHING—to an “interview” with Professor Al Gillespie about Syria.

Last Tuesday, Mulligan took the opportunity, yet again, to reveal his lack of knowledge about almost everything, other than how to cook asparagus, and where to purchase the best coffee….

JIM MORA: That song sounds like “Burning Bridges”.
JESSE MULLIGAN: Never heard of it.

…Stunned silence….

JIM MORA: From the movie Kelly’s Heroes.
JESSE MULLIGAN: Nope.
ZARA POTTS: I’ve never heard of it either.
JESSE MULLIGAN: When did it come out?

…Awkward silence….

JIM MORA: The sixties, I think…..

….ad nauseam….

[1] https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-05102016/#comment-1240290

• Sacha7.1

  11 November 2016 at 2:06 pm

  Gasp. Young person doesn’t know name of military marching band composer who died in 1932. As good a test of whether someone is widely-read as their knowledge of popular pomade or buggy-whip brands. Mulligan was impressive as MC/interviewer at the Auckland Writers festival.
  • Morrissey7.1.1

    11 November 2016 at 4:04 pm

    Gasp. Young person doesn’t know name of military marching band composer who died in 1932.

    Beethoven died more than a century earlier than Sousa did, so I guess Jesse Mulligan has never heard of him either, or the even more obscure Mozart. Mind you, that’s quite possible, going by his announcement this afternoon that he has “listened to no classical music.”

    As good a test of whether someone is widely-read as their knowledge of popular pomade or buggy-whip brands.

    No it’s not. Your analogy is absurd.

    Mulligan was impressive as MC/interviewer at the Auckland Writers festival.

    And Mike Hosking was impressive hosting the candidates’ debates two years ago. Your point is?
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