RTÉ HAS DECIDED to reinstate The 2 Johnnies’ new slot on 2fm after it was taken off air while the broadcaster examined a breach of social media guidelines that involved repeating sexist comments.
John O’Brien and John McMahon, who work together as comedians under the name “The 2 Johnnies”, hosted their show on 2fm for the first time last month.
However, an article in the Irish Independent reported that a since-deleted video posted to the presenters’ social media account included the men reading out vulgar statements sent into them in a segment from their podcast about car ‘bumper stickers’.
RTÉ 2fm took the show off air after its first episode, but has now greenlit its return.
In a statement, RTÉ said it has “engaged intensively with The 2 Johnnies in respect of the breaches of our social media guidelines, the standards expected with RTÉ content and the challenges of moving from an unregulated space into one where regulations apply”.
The two men published an apology last week after being reprimanded for their comments.
O’Brien and McMahon said: “We would like to apologise for the content which appeared on our social media, these posts were offensive and should never been published.”
“This is not who we are nor what we stand for. We aim to do better in the future, we are not perfect and we are learning all the time,” they said.
Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns, speaking to the Irish Independent, said that “sexist comments, in which women are objectified and demeaned, are incredibly insidious and contribute to a toxic culture in which women feel unsafe”.
In a statement, Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon said that their comments “were demeaning and lacking in basic respect”.
“They objectified women’s bodies, with absolutely no regard as to their personhood,” Cannons said.
“Negative attitudes towards women are wired into our brains early in life, and a station that targets young people should be aware of this and act accordingly. The ‘2 Johnnies’ have a huge following across the country, with a particularly significant influence on young men.”
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