The ClearOut

In this episode, Dara wrestles with the conundrum that is Richard Gere. Self-satisfied narcissus or instinctive, id-driven sex animal? Is he a good actor? Is he just a fantasy figure beloved of Generation X moviegoers? Is he forever the man who rescued Julia Roberts from the streets? Dara examines Gere's legacy through some of his most memorable performances and discusses in detail Breathless, the bizarre 1983 Hollywood remake of Godard's A Bout de Souffle with an uncontainable turn from Gere at his most overtly sexual.

But a person's entire career can be summed up, and even dismissed, in a single line of criticism, and Dara has never been able to shake a particularly astute sketch of Gere by the great film writer David Thomson when discussing Pretty Woman (1990), the Pygmalionesque story of Julia Roberts's hooker with a heart of gold being shown the way to respectability by Gere's wealthy playboy. Thomson brilliantly identifies something at the heart of the actor's persona that is more than mere smugness. In a Vanity Fair profile from the same year, Gere is gently skewered by an ex-girlfriend whose insight into actors Dara thinks is spot on.

Spurred by the use of the word 'pasha' by Thomson, Dara goes in search of pasha-centric poetry. While far from successful, two poems are considered worth sharing, and Dara even dares to read one of them in a barely tolerable Scottish accent - but he hopes the accent might compensate in some way for the awfulness of the poem. The piece in question - The Tay Bridge Disaster by William McGonagall - is often cited as the worst poem ever written. Listen here and make up your own mind!

Time is also found to discuss The Bard of the Yukon, Paul Newman's uneasy relationship with his good looks, and Dara's Julia Roberts agnosticism.

The worst poem ever written - https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/tay-bridge-disaster/

Richard Gere Vanity Fair profile (1990) - https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/1990/5/high-gere

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In this week's episode Dara is bothered by the current controversy in Ireland's national broadcaster, RTE. He is bothered, but not surprised by it, because it is simply another example of institutional corruption and moral complacency. He looks at why people continually fail to rein in their greed and dishonesty.

He believes a culture of 'permission granted' must be the default setting in institutions where such blatant abuse of power and privilege takes place. He argues that a grossly distorted sense of entitlement contributes to the behaviour as well as institutional tendencies as observed in the Stanford Prison Experiment and the Milgram Obedience Experiment. 

Dara discusses the television program at the heart of the controversy, The Late Late Show, and argues that it is nowhere near as relevant to Irish cultural life as it once was.

The question of self-control feels central to the individual moral failure of the personnel involved in the scandal. Dara looks at self-control in the context of personal morality and martial arts philosophy. He concludes that personal responsibility is one of the most important elements of resisting institutional failure.

Time is also found to quote Shakespeare's Hamlet and to look at the lines we know we shouldn't cross.

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In this week's episode, Dara is trying to work out who he should trust. After watching the current Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary on Netflix, he finds himself unsatisfied with the Austrian bodybuilder's account of past indiscretions, but what would satisfy him? A little more honesty and insight would be a good place to start.

The online world, where so many of us spend so much time, is particularly untrustworthy and Dara recognises his own contribution to the charade of 'let me show you', or in his case, 'let me tell you'! But he does stand by what he considers a dependable core ingredient of each episode of the podcast to date. He believes that ingredient is a valuable counterpoint to much of what is offered online.

Looking at what others have said about trust, Dara is skeptical about a recurring moralistic tone that appears to heap censure and damnation on those who dare to break trust. But there is an excellent quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson about the nature of self-trust that is very appealing and underlines many of the wellness positions expressed on the podcast.

Time is also found to discuss angry swallows and killer kittens, to pitch a foxglove origin story, and to read a poem about trust that Dara wrote at the start of the pandemic.

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In this episode, Dara considers the randomness and unpredictability of human interaction over a lifetime. He argues that we simply never know what is going on with another person when we encounter them, even if we have had a relationship with them for years. We never know what they're bringing to that particular moment, which means that if anything close to harmony or connection occurs, it is almost miraculous!

Inspired by the thought of chance encounters, Dara reads the opening pages of Dostoevsky's The Idiot, which he claims is the 'spirit animal' of the podcast, primarily because of what Prince Myshkin represents. He also takes it as an opportunity to recall the only stalker he ever had - there is a connection.

After being on the Warsaw-St. Petersburg line with the Russians, Dara remembers how much he loved his childhood journeys to London to visit his grandmother. It took a long time, but he loved every bit of it.

The episode concludes with a sketch of his Father's Day weekend, which included watching the director's cut of Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven (2005) - Dara has notes for those who cast callow actors in the role of pre-battle motivator.

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In this episode, Dara talks about the affection for survival narratives and considers the respective legacies of the recently deceased singers and songwriters Tina Turner and Christy Dignam. He wonders whether we should be defined by what we've overcome in life. He also questions the value of legacy and argues for the need to be more concerned with our present-tense impact.

Is surviving enough, or should we aspire to thrive? Dara argues for the pursuit, or recognition, of momentary joy as a viable alternative to the questionable concept of happiness. If we can appreciate the temporary nature of joy, it might help us become comfortable with the temporary presence of other experiences such as anger, sadness, grief etc.

Dara struggles with the cliche 'Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. He believes that it is often the case that whatever doesn't kill you can have long lasting negative effects on your wellbeing. The challenge is to retain your humanity, your compassion, your positivity even though we all have different burdens to carry.

Time is also found to offer a late take on HBO's Succession (no spoilers).

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In this hazy episode, Dara seeks solace in mindful summer moments and solitary swims. He discusses the idea of retreat and running away to the places we find most comforting and tries to identify which ones might be better for us.

He shares memories of summers past and realises that most of his recollections are located in the Irish countryside, with special mention given to summers working for his father as a teenager.

Dara also talks about the fetishisation of alcohol in Ireland, a famous row in a local pub, yet more parenting fails with his daughter, and the spiritual purity of maintaining personal discipline.

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In this episode, Dara shares the realisation that he is not goal-oriented. He is all about the process. It's not the destination, it's the journey, man! He argues for the stabilising properties of having a process in place and tries to understand why it is that stability appeals so much.

After being on the receiving end of someone's anger, Dara takes a moment to consider reactions, responses, and patterns. He argues that the ongoing examination of one's beliefs and habitual framings is extremely worthwhile in the quest for improved resources.

Dara discusses three brilliant works of art he has just consumed - the TV series Succession (no spoilers), the film version of the beloved Judy Blume book Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (2023) and the epic plunge into 1960s corruption and venality that is James Ellroy's novel, American Tabloid. He considers the very different characters presented in these different forms of storytelling and wonders if liking coming-of-age stories makes him sentimental.

And then there's the buttercups...

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In this episode Dara looks at the idea of safety as a keystone of wellness. In particular he concentrates on environmental and interpersonal safety. This pertains to the places we live and the people we share our lives with. Are they safe? How do we understand and recognise safety? And why is it so important, anyway?

Dara argues that the presence of safety allows trust to be built, and from trust friendship and love can follow. He explains why, above all, he prefers the unique conditions of a one-to-one relationship, and he confesses that it has something to do with control.

And what about how we treat ourselves? Is safety relevant to our relationship with ourselves? Dara believes it is essential, and he shares the ways in which he hasn't always had a safe 'friendship' with himself.

Looking at a bit of very recent drama with his daughter, Dara scrutinises the safety levels in their relationship and is happy to conclude that they're staying on the right side of the line. His daughter has some very interesting suggestions as to why he is so cranky.

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This week's episode begins and ends with a hug, because we all need a hug sometimes, right? Dara thinks so, and he looks at the idea of self-soothing in a wellness context, arguing that it is a particularly useful practice when aligned with mindfulness.

A group that Dara suspects are not feeling particularly well are those that are protesting the arrival of asylum seekers in their community in rural Ireland. It raises the question of perceived threats and how we deal better with such things when our resilience is in a good place. That resilience is connected to a greater capacity for tolerance and compassion and coping in general.

Talking about his limited skill set in the area of construction, Dara recalls being a lot younger on building sites in London and the dubious rites of passage he was subjected to. He describes it as a 'Jungle of Competence' and remembers one incident in particular where he had to take a stand.

Following a friend's suggestion, Dara tries out a brain exercise that is supposed to have a calming effect at bedtime. It involves going back through your day in reverse order and Dara can't help but wonder if it will put the listener to sleep before him!

Also this week - annoying students, butt-scratching kittens, and a Proustian Madeleine...

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In this week's episode, Dara looks at Ireland's storied relationship with the Eurovision Song Contest, a competition in which Ireland were once utterly dominant but has long since become an arena in which they are serial losers. He recalls his own experiences of watching the event as a child and how it was a source of great national pride and fascination. Ireland was a different country then, a different entity in a very different stage of its development and one that was about to change beyond all recognition.

When Riverdance exploded onto the national consciousness during the halftime entertainment at the 1994 Eurovision, it was a line drawn in the sand between old and new Ireland. Dara argues that as Ireland entered the Celtic Tiger era, a national confidence blossomed in a way that rendered our Eurovision successes less significant than was once believed. It is a theory of cultural insecurity and low self-esteem that can be placed in a small nation context - especially when the small nation lives in the shadow of a large nation.

Dara discusses the colonial footprint on the Irish national psyche and how that may have informed our Eurovision triumphs. He draws a comparison with Australia and its relationship to sporting excellence, particularly when playing the 'mother country'.

Regarding last week's coronation of King Charles, Dara explains why he dislikes the fallacy of humanising the royal family. Also included this week: GAA controversy, Dana epitomising Northern Irish safety, and why the sweaters worn by Bucks Fizz were so special...

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YouTube: The ClearOut Podcast

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