The new new journalism: ex-hack Jason O’Callaghan interviews his alter-ego, wedding singer Jason O’Callaghan
So why, after what you call a successful career in the Irish media, did you give it all up to become a wedding singer?
After years of writing about talentless, brain-dead so-called stars I
woke up one day and realised I had more talent and brains than every
one of them. I could sing and people wanted to hear me. Once the money
started to come in I said goodbye to the press for good.
You’re more talented than the stars you wrote about? That’s a bold claim.
I know, but it’s true. Just take a look at Big Brother, You’re a Star, The X Factor. Need I say more?
But you must have come across a few stars with talent. After all, you wrote the gossip page for the Sunday Independent for nearly ten years?
I could name on my two hands the ones who were great to work with. Pierce Brosnan, U2, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Brian McFadden and Nicky from Westlife, Bertie Ahern, Louis Walsh. They were great to work with, total pros. I never liked Jim Corr, Tony Fenton or Conrad Gallagher – and I still don’t.
You have a reputation for being a tad rough. Did it ever come to punches?
Yes, it’s said that I’m more Michael O’Leary than Gavin O’Reilly. And yes, I have hit a few people, but only after they tried to hit me first. One was the manager of a famous 80s band in Lillie’s. The second was in Renards when the brother of a model tried to headbutt me.
Ouch.
I didn’t drink, so I was always sober. And my father was a karate teacher. I was also in the Merchant Navy so I don’t like people trying to start trouble with me. I come from the Walkinstown area and went to school in the inner city so it’s something I grew up with.
Unlike Dubliner publisher Trevor White and his friend, former VIP publisher John Ryan. White once wrote that you’re a big bully who stinks of Red Bull. Is that true?
Trevor is not the type of person I grew up with. So we got off to a rocky start. But I think we understand each other now.
What about John Ryan?
We nearly came to blows one night when Conrad Gallagher was opening one of his restaurants. John had taken Terry Keane from the Sunday Independent to the Sunday Times and it was my job to get stories on him. I did, and he didn’t like it. Then in a bizarre twist, he asked me to meet him for coffee and offered me a job editing his new magazine TV Now. I said I would think about it and then he took the offer off the table for no reason. I think he was a little messed up but time passes and now we are cool again. He’s a smart guy.
So in 2005 you quit the media, moved to France and became a singer. How is that going for you?
I live in Cannes from Sunday to Thursday, then fly home to work at the weekends. We’ve gone from doing 25 gigs a year in 2005 to 117 in 2007. We’ve already got 105 in the diary for this year.
Yeah, but you’re a wedding singer.
Look, we’ve dueted with Brian McFadden and Jamie Callum. Only last month we performed for Michael Flatley when he was honoured by the Variety Club. So, it’s going very, very well. I also own an online art gallery and a web company. But most of my work is society weddings and black-tie balls with the band.
All sounds a bit cheesy.
It is. But I love it.
To marvel at the genius that is Jason O’Callaghan, visit www.theirishratpack.com, www.popartireland.com and www.wowintros.com
Holy fucking shit but this really is a new low, even for The Dubliner. Jason O'Callaghan should be taken to the glue factory, not given a forum for self-promotion.
Posted by: Thomas | July 18, 2008 at 16:56