#alternate IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-9CS6 * Jobs + Findajob.ie + Search Jobs + Advertise a Job + Upload CV + Career Advice + Education & Training * Cars + CarsIreland.ie + Used Car Search + Car Dealers * Homes + Globrix.ie + Buy Property + Rent Property + Advertise Properties * Deals + Grabone.ie + Dublin + Cork + Galway + Limerick + Kerry + South East + GrabOne Escapes + GrabOne Store * Dating + TheMeetingPoint.ie + Mature + Gay * Death Notices + Announcement.ie + Deaths + In Memoriam + Book a Notice * Book an Ad + Book a Print Ad + Book an Online Ad * Facebook * Twitter herald Sunday 17 January 2016 Icon Hi °C | Lo °C Change * Athlone * Bray * Cork * Drogheda * Dundalk * Galway * Kilkenny * Limerick * Navan * Waterford * News + News + Weather * Courts * Sport + Soccer + GAA + Rugby + Horse Racing + Other Sports + School Sports Van Gaal denies 'in transition' United could suffer the same title drought visited on Anfield Griffiths helps Celtic go six clear Des Berry: Boy Racers up to speed on Bath A long way from Croker rout ... Ranieri wants Foxes to savour taste of success Arsene Wenger says Arsenal are more experienced this season to deal with Stoke Photo: Getty Wenger: we can cope at lofty Stoke * Staying In + Music + Film + TV & Radio + Horoscopes Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy open up about their Victorian 'bromance', gender pay gap and science Why Ryan Tubridy was 'moved to tears' at Toy Show rehearsals When I got to Ireland I instantly felt connected to it and the people - Mara 'Detective Dishy is best thing I've been called', says Red Rock's Chris Domhnall's Star Wars charity set to benefit Dublin hospice Tiger Woods and his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren 'I was to blame' - Tiger Woods explains marriage break-up to children * Going Out * Lifestyle * Opinion Search ____________________ (BUTTON) Go Herald.ie› President sketches not 'bullying', says Oliver Callan By Majella O'Sullivan – 13 January 2015 03:00 AM 0 Comments * Email * Print * Font Size SATIRIST Oliver Callan has said he would encourage President Michael D Higgins to "scold" a close friend who has complained about how his lampooning of the head of state had crossed the line from humour to "toxic bullying". Callan said that in a week when satire was a huge talking point around the world in light of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, it was "petty" for the Abbot of Glenstal Abbey in Co Limerick to criticise him for just mentioning President Higgins' height in his sketches. Top comic Oliver Callan Top comic Oliver Callan Michael D Higgins The creator of the hugely popular Callan's Kicks on RTE went head to head with Abbot Mark Patrick Hederman on Today with Sean O'Rourke over an opinion piece written by the abbot in the Sunday Independent. In it he accuses RTE radio and television and the newspaper's LIFE magazine of bullying and harassing the president. Mr Higgins has been a regular visitor to Glenstal Abbey since 1976 and spent time there reflecting following the election and his installation as president. Abbot Hederman told Mr O'Rourke that he knew Mr Higgins (right) well, but said they had never discussed sketches he was portrayed in. destructive Abbot Hederman praised the "genius" of comedians like Oliver Callan and Mario Rosenstock, saying they had a "gift" that could be used for important or useful purposes but could also be destructive. "I think it is destructive when you start making insinuations about people's sexuality or about their height, their colour or any other aspects of their personality they can do nothing about," he said. The abbot said he was not suggesting the president was above reproach or parody, but that he was above "a certain kind of parody". But Callan insisted he was not making any insinuations about the president's relationship with his executive assistant Kevin McCarthy. Rather, he was raising the issue of cronyism that a special position that never existed before should have been created for Mr McCarthy who was Mr Higgins' driver during the presidential election campaign. "If I thought the president was crying late at night because I'm making fun of his height I would not be doing it," he said. hnews@herald.ie [INS: :INS] 0 Comments * Email * Print * Font Size [INS: :INS] * Most Read * Most Emailed * Most Shared 1. Man who tried to rob jailed gangster's home 'must have death wish' 2. 'He wouldn't stop stabbing me with the screwdriver' 3. Man who burnt his ex-boyfriend with a cigarette avoids jail 4. Children took photos of murder victim's body but were afraid to tell gardai 5. Roofer intimidated pensioner (84) in ‘despicable’ €3k scam 1. Man who tried to rob jailed gangster's home 'must have death wish' 2. 'He wouldn't stop stabbing me with the screwdriver' 3. Man who burnt his ex-boyfriend with a cigarette avoids jail 4. 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