21.09.10

Oi, Oi, The Den Just Got Interesting... Nostalgites take note. Dustin The Turkey has been chucked into a dustbin in Turkey and Socky The Sock Monster has been confined to the back of the smelly sock drawer. Darn him (lite sock joke). Yup. RTE has sexed-up The Den with the likes of bikini clad Katie Van Buren at the helm. What would Forty Coats, Pat's Hat & Dempsey's Den say??? Katie Van Buren Only a mere few years ago us kids used to be quite happy watching a few pasty fellas under a desk with their hands stuck up a sock puppet's arse. Sure, it wasn't exactly The Wire, Lost or Glee - but all the way from Bosco to Zig & Zag Irish kids have been glued to the afternoon antics of puppets torturing 2fm djs live on telly in-between The Littlest Hobo and Wanderly Wagon. Sure it was utter crap, but it's what made us Irish goddammit. Tracey Hackett, Katie Van Buren, Amy Daly, Bekki Moylan Seems now'a days, that just aint quite enough to keep Irish children interested what with them having iPads, Smart Phones, and supping on skinny lattes while driving their hover bikes. Nope. Kids TV is about to get more 'with-it' when a host of younger edgier presenter-types come on board and slap the likes of Ray Darcy and Ian Dempsey back to the 70s or 80s or 90s or where ever they came from. Katie Van Buren, Julie Somerville, Nicola Hughes, Hannah Saunders, Cara Spilliane, Tracey Hackett, Amy Daly, Bekki Moylan We snapped RTE's newest babe Katie Van Buren (she aint no Thelma Mansfield just yet) at the Miss University 2010 finals in Dandelion Bar not so long ago, stripped down to her unmentionables with numerous other 3rd Level hopefuls. We just hope RTE stalwarts Gay Byrne and Ryan Tubridy don't view these sacred pages - their 1950s sensibilities won't be able to cope with all this young female flesh on show... Imagine the national scandal if Bosco were snapped in a bikini? Miss University 2010 Finalists Oh, and while we're at it RTE execs - bring back The Beachcombers!

**Users can ONLY comment via the ShowBiz.ie site** Leave a Comment Reinhard Heydrich – Bohemia & Moravia December 07, 2011 - 10:38 "top of the class every year while studying media arts in dit". Hardly a competitive class I would have imagined. BT2 March 30, 2011 - 23:58 I worked with Katie a few years ago, she is the sweetest, caring, happy, FUN girl you could meet. She is absolutely perfect for the job on RTE and they are lucky to have snapped her up. Delighted to see her working at something she truely was born to do. miss bray October 11, 2010 - 18:31 katie is not one of ur forde's or salpas, shes ridiculously smart and usually wearing alot more brightly coloured layers than on this particular night, she spent more time in the library than in clubs an was top of the class every year while studying media arts in dit. sure no one better for kids to be watching! @ Embarasseed – Dublin October 06, 2010 - 11:48 Sarah Morrisey did a competition in 2006 similar to this she was miss afterdark 2006! NA – dublin September 29, 2010 - 21:27 I have to say, I've met Katie a couple of times and she's made a lasting impression on me. This girl is not only beautiful but she's sweet, smart and extremely well driven. You can call her what you like from a few cheap looking photos but all these beauty pageants are are a bit of fun. And that's what Katie is FUN! And I think she's going to do an incredible job on the Den. Scrapping Dustin has to be the best the best decision RTE have ever made. I need not remind everone of the EuroVision. Putting the whole country to shame. KAtie may have big shoes to fill but there's no better person for the job. Naoibh – Ohio September 26, 2010 - 19:56 You're all silly. The pageant was entered too before thoughts of television for goodness sake and since when are beauty pageants considered trashy. There has always been a swim suit requirement in any pageant and photos are a must. You all need to find something more constructive to do with your time. belinda September 24, 2010 - 15:38 @ Embarressed fair play to you couldn't agree with you more!!! you are so articulate and made your points abundantly clear and left absolutely nothing to be furthered on my part. if there was only more people of your ilk in the world. personally i dont feel men respect girls like this they find them sexy attractive provocative but they do not respect them and so very often view them as inferior and not as people only objects Embarasseed September 22, 2010 - 17:07 The truth of the matter is that there are thousands of girls who are naturally gorgeous, elegant, classy, dignified and modelesque in Ireland. Never and I repeat Never would you see those girls in a contest like this. They know their worth. And this gutter level is one they don't need to sink to. The likes of Salpa and Forde have spawned an onslaught of all these wannabe bikini promo girls. Only irish models with natural class are Andrea Roche and Sarah morrissey. Why do ppl not aspire to be like them instead???? Joanna September 22, 2010 - 10:47 They all look uncomfortable, awkward and embarassed. To think RTE went searching among this tacky lot for somebody to entertain children!!! londoner September 22, 2010 - 09:04 F*CK ME THIS COUNTRY IS TERRIBLE You think any one of these girls would even get a sniff of a proper (ie non irish) modelling agency?? it is so BACKWARDS to have these cringey things all the time - and i dont mean in a feminist, demeaning for women way ( though of course it is) - i mean it is just so 1980s, cheesy and embarrassing to get completely ordinary women to do this sh*t! Mickey Mouse September 21, 2010 - 23:47 Comment Removed. kate – cavan m September 21, 2010 - 19:29 miss louth was ono of the best susan – dublin September 21, 2010 - 19:23 miss louth should be going to china wrong girl going liz September 21, 2010 - 17:25 Amy Daly, the best of a bad lot. She has a great body. The first girl pictured has a pretty face but something tacky about her. Kind of a common as chips version of Salpa. I am cringing for those two blondes sitting on top of the car. What possesses people to flaunt their shameless trashiness. niiiice September 21, 2010 - 16:43 Shes hot! kate September 21, 2010 - 12:32 Why do we pay licenence fees for this kinda crap??? SHOWBIZ.IE – Recommended Links: September 21, 2010 - 12:31 RTE's The Den: www.rte.ie/trte/// Leave a Comment * Your name * Your email address (will not be published) Your location Remember me ? ? Powered by TalkBack 1 **COMMENTS REMOVED ON REQUEST**