Was Hanafin the original target?

I bet Social and Family Affairs Miniser Mary Hanafin was breathing a sigh of relief on Monday night as RTE’s Frontline was interrupted by a man with a bee in his bonnet over Pat Kenny’s salary.

The live mauling of Pat Kenny has become an internet hit because of its ‘car crash TV’ nature - a bloke in the audience verbally tearing Kenny apart over the vast salary RTE pays him.

But what was interesting was just who was playing who?

The heckler in question is an Inchicore man called Alan O’Brien and despite being escorted out of the studio - live on air - he was unrepentant about his TV rant.

He got emotional, he didn’t hold back, he went for the kill - all things he and the rest of the audience were told to do by Pat Kenny in advance of the show going on air.

And it seems that poor Mary Hanafin - a Lady of the cabinet - was the intended victim of this huge outpouring of ‘emotion’.

Speaking on radio, O’Brien denied that his rant was a stunt.

In fact he said it was ironic that he managed to harangue Pat Kenny as the presenter had warmed up the audience before the broadcast by telling them to let their emotions out and not hold back.

But I bet the RTE King of Current Affairs didn’t bet on himself being the target of the emotions of the audience.

I suppose it is a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’ - RTE may have wanted memorable TV at the expense of Mary Hanafin. It seems it got memorable TV at the expense of Pat Kenny!