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Updated 3.40pm
TODAY FM PRESENTER Matt Cooper has accompanied former basketball star Dennis Rodman to North Korea.
The journalist and broadcaster, who presents ‘The Last Word’ programme on Today FM, was caught on camera with the ex-NBA star when he gave an interview to journalists at Beijing airport overnight.
The pair are part of a delegation which has this afternoon arrived in the notoriously secretive totalitarian state to take part in a high-profile basketball game.
Irish bookmaker Paddy Power said that Cooper is writing a book about the game involving a group of former NBA stars, including Rodman, which it is sponsoring.
However, a spokesman for the bookies said this morning it has scaled-down its involvement.
“We’ve been in contact with him [Cooper] for a couple of months, since the New York press conference (where the ‘Paddy Power Dennis Rodman Invitational’ was launched in September) and he said it was a very interesting project,” the Paddy Power spokesman said.
He said that Cooper is involved “in a personal capacity” to write the book, but it’s believed the bookmaker arranged his visa and is funding the trip.
Cooper could not be reached for comment, but it is understood that it had been hoped his trip would not be disclosed until he got back to Ireland.
Today FM said that the trip is not connected to ‘The Last Word’ or the station with a statement reading: “We can confirm that Matt Cooper is travelling to North Korea. Matt has taken annual leave from Today FM and is travelling in an independent capacity on this trip.”
Since announcing the ‘Dennis Rodman Invitational’ in September, Paddy Power has scaled-back its involvement in the project following reports in December that the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un had his uncle executed.
“We’ve taken a back seat now after the goings on in North Korea. We’ve decided to take a back seat but we are honouring our contractual obligations. The show is still going on and the match is scheduled for Wednesday,” the spokesperson continued.
Rodman has robustly defended his friendship with dictator Kim Jong-un whose regime is accused of widespread human rights abuses.
The eccentric ex-Chicago Bulls player is leading a team including retired NBA All-Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker for the game which is being held in Pyongyang on Wednesday to mark Kim’s birthday.
This will be Rodman’s fourth visit to the country having previously spent time there as a guest of Kim who he counts as a “friend for life”
He told reporters in Beijing earlier: “I love him.”
Cooper interviewed Rodman for ‘The Last Word’ in October posting a picture of himself with the eccentric sportsman on his Twitter page:
First published 10.40am
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Hmm … strange.
Hmm … very strange
They picked Matt so nobody will ask any intelligent/probing questions?
Rabbitte or Gilmore were to busy to visit their old comrades stomping ground
Terrible judgement by Paddy Power and Matt Cooper. This is like sending the Harlem Globetrotters to play in apartheid South Africa.
The Harlem Globetrotters already played an exhibition match in North Korea, Vice produced a great documentary about it.
Using sport to knock down walls. I think its a good idea taking the politics out of it.
Using sport to knock down walls ? Are you proposing and inter-gulag basketball league?
Brian I think sport is the most political endeavour outside of politics. Look at FIFA, IOC, UCI, umpteen boxing federations and so on. All have murky elements. Sport is used whether we like it or not. Besides, this is a commercial stunt more-so than sport. I certainly wouldn’t bet on the result!!
Martin look at what Mandela did with the South African rugby team
When I read that Paddy Power were involved, I thought they were taking odds on his return.
10/1
OMG I thought that was him on sky news this morning – but thought I was seeing things.
Susan – you should have gone to specsavers!
Hang on – Paddy Power are sponsoring a sports event being used as propaganda in an oppressive regime?????
I love that they are taking a back seat after he executed his uncle last month, what about their atrocious human rights record and countless crimes against humanity by this regime?
Chillax Cathriona!
Very true, what was done to his uncle is very minor compared to other stuff that goes on there or what Edward Snowden will face. It’s all just a publicity stunt or trying to get online gambling rights.
Hardly have to get rights. Just needs a licence which is not up for competition.
Snowden have state secrets to Chinese and Russia. But different story for different day. Rightly should face jail. But unlike kims uncle he will get due process
Matt Cooper going to be rich
Yep, good thinking on his part
… good for him!
If of course he doesn’t just disappear. Rodman’s mate has form.
I bet your boss Bilderberger Denis (O’Brien) must be jealous Matt.
Him and Kim Jong would have so much to talk about.
Population control, eugenics etc.
Matt Cooper gonna die in a drone strike if he don’t sing the Obama tune
So Matt, will you give this leader the 3rd degree questioning you give all your guests on the radio.
Yeah, like he’s going to get to interview Kim Jung Un.
*facepalm*
How could any of these people possibly allow themselves to be involved, in any way, with the horrific totalitarian regime of NK? Truly flabbergasting.
We let the USA fly masked prisoners through our airports to their unending terror and let the British and Usa secret services raid database stored here. But he’s covering a basketball game; tut-tut
Yup we did and those people hooded the like of KSH were evil. Pls do know what your talking about before sounding silly
KSM I mean.
Matt Cooper should be ashamed of himself.The Human rights record of that Korean midget is disgusting and to have anything to do with that regime is pathetic.
James Patrick,
Mind your dog – I’d hate to see him chewing Matt & Rodman alive on youtube.
He’s going to North Korea as a journalist. Why should he be ashamed of himself? If he reports honestly on what he sees then what’s the problem?
He won’t get anywhere near anything worth reporting on but I can bet you he’ll spin it otherwise.
James should journalists not cover child abuse stories?
No where dies it state that he agrees with Kims behaviour.
I was in North Korea not too long ago. He will see hardly any of the nitty gritty of everyday life. I’ll be interested to see how he describes/exaggerates his experience when he gets back.
Comrade Cooper strikes again,
I too will be very interested in his comments as I was there last May and got more access to the country than expected, especially outside the capital.
Its a joke some of the commentators here. Yesterday certain people where lambasted for bringing up human rights in Saudi Arabia. So the impression i get from the thumbs is thats it ok to support Human rights abusers if you are a Government on a trade mission. Yet a private company who represents nobody but shareholders is criticized for it..
Aye, though it’s just the usual hypocrisy; if NK had oil money like Saudi Arabia, our betters would be over there begging for money.
Philb I agree with you 100%. But, why is he going to write a book about it? And what happens to the profits from said book?
So the impression i get from the thumbs is thats it ok to support Human rights abusers if you are a Government on a trade mission. Yet a private company who represents nobody but shareholders is criticized for it..”
– Dead on – and NK would be better off if US had no sanctions on it .
Who have NK attacked – only one the South – How many have US /UK / France attacked – and how many millions have they killed – but that’s ok .
Also look at him compared to Suharto of Indonesia – a mass murderer .
From John Pilger on Znet today
”In Indonesia, General Suharto was a ‘good dictator’, regardless of his slaughter of perhaps a million people, aided by the governments of Britain and America. He also wiped out a third of the population of East Timor with the help of British fighter aircraft and British machine guns. Suharto was even welcomed to London by the Queen and when he died peacefully in his bed, he was lauded as enlightened, a moderniser, one of us. Unlike Saddam Hussein, he never got uppity.”
full article – well worth a read as ever with John Pilger
http://www.zcommunications.org/is-the-media-now-just-another-word-for-control-by-john-pilger.html
Jim, I guess you support North Korea.
Idiots do exist. I support military action against nk
I support their right to exist and be free of any sanctions imposed by USA and its lapdogs .
I support military action against nk”
Why – how many millions have they killed – do u support action against the biggest terrorist state – USA
Jim, it’s you who is the lap dog.
Pity it wasn’t Vincent Brown that went,now that would be a confrontation I’d like to see.
Well now. Seems ol Matthews sense of decency has gone oit the window now there’s a few bob to be made. Shame on him and paddy power. Leeches
I’d buy Matt Cooper’s book. The relationship between Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un is fascinating. Rodman is in such a great position of influence here. His motives are unclear but wouldn’t it be amazing if he is being directed by the CIA and playing the long game here with Kim? Imagine an eccentric former NBA player changing the course of history – stranger things have happened. An unlikely diplomat, but possible nonetheless.
Stranger things have happened?
Ok “strange” things have happened with the CIA – the Canadian Caper, Azorian… I don’t know if Rodman works with the CIA on this, but I bet they have approached him. It makes sense – find out what your enemy is interested in and use it to influence them.
Also, at the very least, this could be a very small step in opening up diplomatic relations between North Korea and the US.
Rodman is dumber than a bag of hair. The only thing these ex-athletes have in common is that they made and lost millions. Made because they were blessed with talent and size, lost because they were all too stupid to control themselves off the court. This is nothing more than a money grab for these guys because no one in the US would hire/trust them to mow the lawn…
Sorry, bad move Paddy Power. Love the odds, love the amusing ads – but this particular venture is not on – for very obvious reasons. Time for a re-think? You cannot half dissociate yourself from this particular farrago – either all out or all in.
Aww can I come too?
Wouldn’t it be great If rubbishes all the lies America has been spinning about north Korea
the place is a hell hole, its hard to undersell it
Here here David!
Have you been to visit? I haven’t so I can’t say if that’s true or not, I wouldn’t go on what the media tells you what it’s like anyways.
look at a night time satellite map of N and S Korea, that all you need to see to judge.
David , if half of what was reported about N Korea is true, Cooper’s passport should be revoked. Showing support for this regime is not on in a civilised world. I for one won’t be tuning into Coopers show and advertisers should withdraw their ads and sponsorship of his programme
Chris – just because Matt Cooper plans to write a book on this, does not mean he is a supporter of the regime. That’s like saying a journalist reporting on a house fire is a fan of arson.
Would’nt it be great if you just applied for residence in North Korea,im sure the communist regime of Kim Jong un would give you an extra warm welcome.
I think the more journalists go there the better and write about it. The country is one huge torture camp the world needs to be shamed into action.
If Cooper decides to write a book and make money from it fair play to him.
I do think the world should come together and invade. Shock and awe his arse. Let the south unify the country as Korea. Their Korea
Are you really that simple? Oh, look hes gone to North Korea hes a fan of torture? If he comes back & says its an atrocious place, what will you say then? How about forming an opinion when you have both sides of a story
Is Kim the new Mandela then ?
Paddy power would only fund something like this if there was something to gain.. I would love to know what exactly that is.
One way
“Would you believe my own dog did that to me father”!
This is a strange decision by Matt Cooper. It is doubtful whether any US journalist would allow himself to be associated with supporting propaganda for the North Korean gangster regime – a regime which has the worst human rights record in the world, imprisons hundreds of thousands of its own citizens in the most appalling conditions, executes people for merely opposing the regime and keeps its citizens in starvation and poverty. It will be interesting to hear what explanation Matt Cooper will give and what he will say and write about this.
David, not a single person here even has a notion about from what angle Matt Cooper intends to write his book.
I doubt very much if it will be a case of “I went to watch a game of basketball – it was delightful, as is DPRK”.
Really David you have doubts about US journalists. So you haven’t watched any documentaries BY US Journalists in North Korea no? Cause i sure have with footage from inside their borders. The mind boggles at simplicity on occasion
“is accused if widespread human” small typo.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for that, you’ll note that there is a ‘Send a correction’ option beside author details that you can use to submit any corrections you have, rather than using the comments section.
Hugh
THE ability to spot a minor grammar error is proof that you are amazing, it has been confirmed. Professor Henry Brubaker at the Institute for Studies said: “In no way are any of these people vain, arsey pedants
I’d say you are arsey, Aunty!
well said Hugh!
Even though it’s a spelling mistake not a grammar one.
A mistake is a mistake … Tut tut what is the world coming to . Perhaps Matt could cover executions and others related items while he is there. He won’t get to see this side as Kim wrong un will ensure good food , good company while 1/2 the country starves and the rest are pumping nitro into there soon to be released rocket confirming there technological advances while china sends ships of grain .
Big swinging tits Cooper is over there, sure he is hardly going to be going around rounding up people for torture and imprisonment. If he is being lambasted for this, sure isn;t every journalist in Darfur or Syria the same? Its his job as a journalist to investigate these issues. To be honest I say he saw it as an easy way to view the place and he is right too as far Rodman he is nothing but a pleb
If Matt manages to come home unharmed will he extol the virtues of the healthy North Korean lifestyle such as mass starvation and using mortar shells to silence nagging family and friends ?
Paddy Power sponsoring oppression! What sick twisted person signed off on this?
Is there anything Cooper wouldn’t do for a few euro. Give some up and coming journalists and chance instead of same old same old. Between last word, Sunday indo, tv three gaa, books amongst other things. Wife and kids must never see him
… and can Paddy Power leave them there too!!!
Say what you will about Kim Jong Un, but he steams a good ham.
Agreed!
Now there’s a headline I never thought I’d read
Hopefully the North Koreans will hold onto Cooper anyway ; no loss to Ireland if they do.
Pretty disgusted that Paddy Power and Matt Cooper would stoop to such a low as to be part of the entertainment for a genocidal dictators birthday.
It is pretty much like being paid to be Hitler’s clown at a party in a gas chamber.
Sick!!!
I hope he is not led astray http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/female-soldiers-north-korea-gallery-1.1412477
Sqeaky clean matt cooper cashing in with a bookie, a nut job and a dictatator. Think someone needs to question his morality like he so often questions others.
Denis rodman working for the CIA??
Are you having a laugh!
Reminds me of Homer Simpson being relocated by the FBI! ‘Wink wink mr Thompson’
‘I think he’s talking you!’
Fact is stranger than Fiction!!!
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