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Dublin: 7 °C Saturday 18 May, 2013

“Is this an April Fool’s?” – Twitter users unimpressed with Guardian’s Jedward editorial

From the moment the editorial appeared on the Guardian site last night, Twitter reaction has been swift and brutal.

Image: Geoff Caddick/PA Wire

IT WAS ALL too predictable: Twitter reaction to today’s unexpected Guardian editorial praising Jedward has been swift and brutal.

From the moment the editorial praising the Grimes’ brothers went up on the Guardian site late last night, Twitter users have criticised the Guardian for trivialising Ireland’s economic woes, taking a patronising tone, and for thinking that Jedward have somehow “cheered their nation up”.

The editorial praised the twins for becoming “the Republic’s court jesters“, keeping their spirits high even as the country suffers through “the seemingly never-ending recession”.

Twitter users weren’t impressed, however.

The editorial was part of the ‘In Praise Of…’ series, where Guardian leader writers praise esoteric or unexpected things. Other people and objects which have been praised this year include farting, porridge, leaning towers, horses in literature, Tony Blair and hazy imprecision.

We’ve rounded up some of the reaction here:

“Is this an April Fool’s?” – Twitter users unimpressed with Guardian’s Jedward editorial
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    Some users didn't think it was all that bad.
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    One Jedward fan dismissed criticisms from 'haters'
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  • Capture

  • Jedward tweet

    Jedward themselves seemed oblivious to the controversy.

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Comments (30 Comments)

  • I’m with Damien Kelly on this one…”Relax people” indeed.
    I will never understand how/why people get so angry and agitated enough about a couple of lads who do actually work quite hard (honestly!) and they get agitated enough to take time out to comment about it. Peace out guys, live and let live…

    Reply
  • To talk of the “Republic’s Court Jesters” you need to look at the politicians, NOT a pair of talentless pillocks from the Simon Cowell loonie factory.

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  • The journalist who wrote this must have been hungover after the Christmas season. Absolutely nothing against Jedward but I felt it was smug and patronizing. There are some horrific comments after the piece aswell.

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  • jedwards tweet says it all……

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  • Relax people!

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  • Seriously shut up the lot of you… There better than you will ever be! There out there making a living for themselves whilst you guys sit around mocking an bullying! The last day when Chatty Man Christmas Special was on TV John an Edward had 2 panto’s that day an straight after the panto that night they went out on the streets of Dublin collecting money for the homeless while people like you sat on twitter an wished they were dead. So let’s see who the real twats are in this? John an Edward are who they are there not gonna change.. there not everyones cup of tea but sure no harm! They make a lot of people happy an bring joy an entertainment to this boring world.. So why judge them when you don’t know them! And dislike this all you want I couldn’t care less I’m a Jedward fan an its our job to stick up for the twins!

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  • Tongue in cheek springs to mind…let’s not lose our sense of humour too.

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    • I read the piece and that’s what I thought too. We seems to be overly sensitive when it comes to English papers. Storm in a tea cup there was nothing in it

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    • Completely agree Cairbre. We’re an awful, unforgiving bunch when it comes to non-Irish talking about Ireland, and its no more apparent then in regards to English papers. It almost seems like the same levels of ire are levelled at articles praising aspects of the country as at articles attacking us.

      I honestly couldn’t sit through more then 20 seconds of those two gombeens but at the same time I have no problem with the notion that they’re keeping people’s spirits because, regardless, they’re a harmless pair.

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  • jimbo 28/12/11 #

    jedward seem to be the only people.making.money in fairness!
    they are still two idiots but!

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  • Probably don’t appeal to journal readers but fair play to them. They are not bad lads for teens to be fans of.

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  • ‘Cheered our nation up’. Dear God. I like The Guardian but what the hell were they thinking? Are their 15 minutes near up yet?

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  • I think when it comes to Jedward, it’s a case of “enough already”. Did anyone see them on Alan Carr:Chatty Man the other night ? They were an embarrassment. Even David Walliams was irked by them.

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    • I turned it off after only a couple of minutes. They are too hard to watch

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    • My daughter has met them, and several other famous faces, as she does first aid in a professional capacity at large events. She pointed out something to me when I was moaning about them, she said that the kids love them and, so far anyway, they don’t do drink or drugs and don’t smoke, they don’t eff and blind. Yeah they’re a pair of gobshites, but who would you prefair your kids to fawn over, them or Em&Em? She has a point.

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    • Alan Carr just reinforces the gay stereotype for a living while the the other tit doesn’t really mind making a laugh of anybody. I’ll remind you of his pissing elderly woman I’m ‘little Britain”. Jedward do my head in but they are just playing the same game and these TV bods know what they are getting when they invite them on. Kids adore them and their place is on kids TV.

      Reply
  • I love Jedward because they are a good example and good role models in the society . to all people who don’t like them , move on on and don’t be nasty and bully.one day you will find that what goes around ,comes around.

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  • It’s all because of Louis Walsh the money grabber.

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  • Given the (apparent) largesse of the German taxpayer to the Irish in terms of the financial bailout, perhaps it’s the least Ireland can do, to send two of its most famous sons to the Federal Republic to say thank you to the kind citizens of Stuttgart, Munich and Berlin for all those euros being repatriated to Dublin, Cork and Galway. ” I have no problem with Jedward. It is that last paragraph that is so patronising. The Irish taxpayer is paying back German and French bondholders via ‘Anglo Irish Bank’ without our consent for the next couple of generations. As I’ve said already today. Look up ‘ Schadenfreude’ Guardian. And since when have you let Murdock write your xenophobic editorials

    Reply
  • I love The Guardian, I love Jedward and I love all of you XXX

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  • tony 30/12/11 #

    jedward are kids entertainers,all these adults getting annoyed by their immaturity you dont like them turn over they are irish and they are succesfull and i say good for them,,i dont get why there popular either but then im not a teenage girl…what about the crooks and liars that got us in this mess in the first place rather than getting hot under the collar about a ill thought out piece in the guardian

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  • They are just another version of mrs brown or that awful fat ‘comedian¿’ lunch woman we have to stomach on Irish tv!!!!
    Not amind the turkey dustin or our government(I’m not even going to start with what we voted into our presidential seat..but it says it all really)…..we just have to put our heads down for a few years of cringing before someone gets it together enough to promote a little intelligence into our society via the air waves!
    I know this sounds crass, but porn holds more story lines, charisma, colour and general watchability than the Irish shite paid for by the tax payer!
    Hmmmmm…..heads down for a few years everyone….at least you’ll miss getting slapped in the ears by nose picking oh my goders in PVC :)

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  • They’ve made something like €4 million, this year alone. It’s a fair motivation for continuing to act the twat at this stage.

    I don’t think they are acting, though. They were like that at 17 when they met Cowell and Company, and now, heading for their 21st birthday, are if anything, more hyper than ever.

    To me, it was always annoying, but is now getting a bit sinister to say the least. These guys are already the stuff of mockery in the UK, and it’s only a matter of time before they jump the shark in a big way. The public is a fickle master, and if these guys are truly as demented as they appear, I can’t see them taking the downside very well.

    Mick (Louis) Walsh has been seen of late uncomfortably edging away from his association with them (while as always keeping one hand tightly gripped to the takings). He’s a smart guy, and he knows it’s coming too.

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    • That’s true. The piss is being taken out of them by many in the UK. U are right. When their crash comes, it’ll be hard. They were tolerable at the beginning but – now ? They’ll soon be yesterday’s news. Fair play to them for making all that money for behaving like a pair of immature pr*cks. Everything in that business has a shelf life. If they are to survive, they need to change & stop talking this “F.R.I.E.N.D.S” type speak – like – OMG – like – like. Annoying.

      Reply
  • Cheers to Graham Mace and Chris Coffey. Mr Punch is out there…but not in this knock-out piece.

    Reply

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