Noeleen on 3Talk: The Review
March 10, 2010 by Phathu
There was once a time when 3talk was the most successful show on SABC 3, it was their flagship program and had over a million viewers. Noeleen, the woman with flawless hair was the big thing; she was taking the South African talk show mantle from Felicia. We all fell in love with Noeleen and her posh clean accent – which tickled us whenever she pronounced her name – Noeleen Maholwana-Sangqu.
I know those days are gone, it now feels as if the show existed in another time and another place, if the SABC pulls the plug on it, no one would really miss it that much. For the week of 18-24 January, only 455 000 people tuned in to hear her laugh and talk about NOTHING.
That is the problem right there, for five days in a week Noeleen talks about NOTHING! I have no desire to personally bash her, that will not result in anything, but truth be told, the show sucks. The topics are dry, they do not engage you that much or move you to a point of change, and they are even bordering on irrelevance. There is so much happening in this country and with Noeleen being live; I would have loved her show to be the place to go to when you want to hear moving stories. I would love to see Noeleen sitting down with Ma-khumalo and having a respectable interview with the first lady, in Zulu. How about she visits a typical black middle class family that has been affected by the recession, instead of occupying that chair all day?
I cannot prescribe the topics for the show, but can’t we have something that will get us talking without having to make Telkom shareholders richer each time we phone in. The only thing that I like now is medical Monday and Prof must be there, that man is better than Doctor Oz.
My other gripe is with Noeleen herself, the woman has the potential to be a great talk show queen in this country, but instead she behaves like a presenter of the show, instead of being the host. Noeleen does not seem to have an opinion; she just sits there, let her guests talk non-stop, and tends to speak when there is an ad break. As viewers, we want to know what Noeleen stands for, what she represents in us, so yes – we want to know her views on politics, polygamy, obesity and slutty musicians – not have her follow the teleprompter as if its gospel. Noeleen has been hosting this show for years mani, its time she steps out of her own comfort zone and be bold, that is when we engage and embrace her.
To compare Noeleen’ show to Oprah is downright unfair and almost borders on utter ignorance or stupidity. Oprah Winfrey is the alpha and omega of her show, her own company Harpo productions produces the show, so what Oprah says goes – make no mistake about that. On the other hand, Noeleen is the editor in chief/large of her show – that means she is employed to make decisions; she is not the alpha and omega. Danie Ferreira who owns Urban Brew studios, the company that produces the show is the starring. Therefore, Noeleen only has so much power.
The other major factor is money, Oprah’s show is syndicated all over the world, which means there is more money to produce it and bring us riveting stories. 3talk with Noeleen does not have that much of a bigger budget, with the SABC in crisis – I am sure the show is near strangulation and with fewer people tuning in, who are they to ask for more?
When all has been said and done, I still think the show deserves to live on and play an important role in the country. Those who work in television will tell you that producing a daily talk show in this country is near to impossible, we just do not have the money to do it like the Americans, but I think it is not about the money when it comes to Noeleen being redundant all of a sudden.
The show seems to have run out of creative content producers. What it needs now is a new producer, with a vision of reviving the show. They show has remained stagnant for far too long and is dying for a massive makeover, in terms of content, tone and set. And the live taping must go! What good has it done besides bombarding us with bored housewives phoning in taking up airtime by declaring their love and support for Noeleen – even when the show sucks!
One thing you cannot deny is that everyone knows who Noeleen is, she has built a profile for herself and white women love her, that translates to money as advertisers love white women who can afford skip. And black women loathe her coz ba jealous…!
Here is what I think Noeleen should do before her show is moved to 1:00 pm in the afternoon, once a week and we are forced to watch Oprah marathon for four hours:
- She must get on a Translux bus and go to KZN to beg her former producer Msizi Nkosi to return to the city of gold, he was at the helm when the show was dominating the ratings.
- I think Noeleen, with her brand power and Mzisi’s dedication to his work; they should sit down and draft a new talk show, with Noeleen as the host and not just an over-enthusiastic presenter, she must leave that to Bonang.
- All they have to do is take it to another channel; the DSTV bouquet is likely to snatch it up because Noeleen appeals to their audience.
- With Noeleen as the executive producer and Msizi as her enduring sidekick, they can produce something reiveting, without having to worry about mandates.
This can mark the birth of The Noeleen talk show; I mean Urban Brew cannot stop her from using her own name mos…
- All Noeleen needs is a decent budget to have live audience when taping her show and focus on matters that are relevant to the people, especially women of South Africa.
Imagine the Noeleen show on M-NET at 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, tackling issues that we all want to hear and talk about. It will only be a matter of time before she breaks into the African market and that means serious money can start dripping in for her, only then can we judge her against Oprah.
As things stands now with the show, I am very happy watching Noeleen once a week than watching her five days a week talking about Dis-Chem and Woolworth foods or absolutely NOTHING. Unless of course, she starts tackling issues that resonate with us as a country.
What do you think should happen to 3talk?
By Phathu Makwarela ©
Dladla on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 8:04 am
Oprah said this other time, she hosted Elizabeth Taylor on her show, or she visited Taylor at her house for an interview. But, before they started the interview, Taylor said to Ms Winfrey, we can discuss everything, but not my 7 marriages. Which in any case was a bummer because that was where, I pressume, the juice was about interview.
Basically, I think that’s what happens to Noeleen. All the people who make news in SA, they agree to come to her show, but I think they make it clear that there are certain things that cannot be discussed.
That in my opinion is the problem. So, she finds herself discussing boring issues.
Also, I think she should get out of the studio. Gone are those days where one was to “think outside the box”. Now, people MUST do and live outside the box.
Yes, she needs budget. But, getting the Msizi person back, might just mess up things, as that would merely brush his/her ego, instead of pulling strings to make the show a success.
Also, Phathu, I think it’s time we give other people the chance to prove themselves not only as presenters, but behind the scenes as well. By that, I disagree with you on the content producers’ note.
HOWEVER, I absolutely agree with you when you say, Noeleen does not have an opinion, so we don’t know where she stands or what she stands for.
I should think whoever claims to relate to her does not mean beyond her skin, great accent and looks.
I think that’s what add an audience to a show. Look at Tyra (No offence to her fans), but the people who relate to her are airheads. LOL’ (No offence, really) and they are just dolls.
Agh, lemme just shut up!
Nonkawu on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 8:13 am
Who is this woman?? Is she sasafrican??
Enkosi on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 8:48 am
Hayi I don’t even know where to start when it comes to her. Her show which I have not seem in a long time is just wrong “on so many levels” LOL
She has now been reduced to something of a fake and an airhead. I mean half the time she asks her guests really dumb questions that make you wonder is she know anything about them or if at least she read up on them.
Kabzan on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 8:56 am
boring,boring, boring show!!
bonanagmubishame on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 9:35 am
I think Phathu is right. Noeleen is irrelevant. I’m sick of the Prof and that Tony Lucke woman.
She needs to do something about the show. A total overhaul!!!
ntshepeng on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 9:53 am
1st she must ditch that DO JOIN ME line cause no one’s joining her!
She must ditch her ‘housewives’ target market and start talking to a broader audience. TBH, i can’t see myself ever watching Noeleen….no matter what the topics for discussion are.
Dladla on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 9:56 am
LWKMD @ Nonkawu… I think she should just pull up a Beyonce: reveal a lil’ bit of flesh. Maybe, her ratings will hit sky-high. LOL’…
O gosh, scratch that idea. Disguisting. Period!
ugogal on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 10:03 am
i dont even bother to tune in so cant say anything
pinana on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 10:09 am
I read the first line and my first thought was…. 3talk was successful, “current” and interesting when Msizi Nkosi was still there. He might be the only remedy to this.
Let me read the rest of the article.
Cleve2 on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 10:54 am
instead of occupying that chair all day?
I think that is what is boring; I can’t be tuning into a show everyday and see the same studio and that pathetic chair. Please we need something BIGGER and outside of studio. They never do outside broadcasts or visiting other places. Noeleen is a good host she just needs that push. I used to love her show but now I am just BORED!
Thank you for the objective view on the show and not attacking her.
GA on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 10:57 am
I have not read yet. But im liking 3 talk this days. I find myself clued up….women issues interest me…even the woolworths cooking bits.
I think the reason (which is exclusive to me) is that im a new new adult/woman, Up untill recently, i was more of a kid/young adult so i could not relate. But im loving 3 talk.
Now i’ll read and critique, but ive been dying to say this…genuine.
syamthandaskota on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 11:23 am
eish nonkawu you always out of order comradie.LMAO. she is south african. that women pees on that chair, i think. its like she cant move and the show is so predictable. you right phathu its time they changed the producers
SZ on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 11:26 am
1st she must ditch that DO JOIN ME line cause no one’s joining her!>>>>>>>>BHWAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA! @nthepeng this is killa! Yeah man Noeleen needs change,to go bigger now,or else she should move her show to DSTV – I totally agree cos she is going to be come like Penny on Metro FM>
GA on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 11:36 am
I have now read…and i fully agree with you Phathu.
As much as 3 talk appeals to the womna i am busy becoming, if it were to be cancelled i would not mind. Im certyain there are plenty of shows i can youtube(thst my dstv y’all) that will give me the info i need in the new chapter of my life. I can google given the need the subject she tackles and come out even more informed.
Anti Noeleen..if you and your people read this..please pretty please heed Phathu’s advice. And mind you,this is coming from someone who has new found interest in 3 Talk. You can do better.
Great great great review Phathu…as usual.
There are so many stories that 3 talk can tackle that can even appeal to black women besides the white skip house wives. And just thinking about them gets me excited. And especially the one about our first lady.
Reading the Winnie interview done by an ENFLISH journo and published FIRST by a UK paper made me feel so sad. This are stories that our people need to hear, and yet our media lets other people scoop them and tell them in a way thst does not represent us.
America knows very well who Michelle Obama is…we hardly know Zanele Mbeki..*sad*..and this is the type of stories Noeleen can tell to ALL SA women.
Now im getting upset..Anti Noeleen..please do something while im still fond of you
Thanx Phathu…
Bonga Percy on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 11:37 am
Uyabona Phathu, this has to be the best piece you’ve ever written. Phela lana ukhuluma amaqiniso. 3 Talk has been troubling my pure soul for a very long time. Every point you’ve made is valid and factual. I also think that Noeleen is just way too relaxed. Kumnandi e-Urban Brew. They need to get rid of the entire team and yes, get MSIZI NKOSI back. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my friend, but the dude knows his job. He’s brilliant. So the creative team plus (the opinion-less) Noleen are just a bad combination. Fire all of them (excluding NMS) and get a new team. Then they need to go off air, go to a bosberaad and brainstorm. Make a comeback.
blu on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 1:00 pm
Noleen has always beeing off the rails
i remember one time he had the yo tv kids and said something about a child who once called her the OROS MAN!
Akhumzi laughed uncontrollably till i felt sorry for MamSangQu
Zee on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 1:52 pm
What annoys me most about 3 Talk is its a big advertising piece for WOOLWORTHS!! Everyday, they talk about their food, their clothes, how organic their ***yawning*** WOOLWORTHS everything!!!!!!! Not that I have gripes about Woolworths, it just makes it seem like we watching an informercial during prime time!
Nxa….. infact let me send them an e-mail now and complain!!
Nonkawu on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 2:27 pm
kwakwakwa @ Zee,u just killed me.
pinana on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 2:44 pm
Yes….. thank you Phathu for an honest, mature review. It’s so nice reading something that is not a personal attack on mem Sangqu at all as you made no mention of how sitting on that chair all the time has given her not-so-great repercussions and that on those few occasions when she’s off the chair and behind some counter tasting the food made by that studio chef woman, she should at least say something about the food other than repeating the word “tasty”.
Anyway, my personal view has been that since bhuti Msizi got sick, and Joanne left to production (her name is Joanne, right?), the topics discussed have really been just for the white housewives who buy skip… in anycase, the show is on SABC 3 in the first place. Even when Msizi was there it was a bit shaky and ‘limited’ coz it was like he couldn’t come up with wild ideas and broader topics to discuss – it was always something that the main target audience would have to accept –skip.
So yes, I also used to enjoy Prof – he actually ends up looking like the host and sisNoeleen just becomes a timekeeper – only owning the ad-break line. lol
So yes, I think it’s a typical situation where she probably had so many dreams for the show and only realized a few years/months into it that she actually doesn’t make the last call – and that just demoralized her, her mind was crippled and she just settled to taking orders and sounding oh-so-empty.
I agree with the bosberaad idea – they should just say end of season, go away and come back refreshed. So much can be done on this show – it definitely needs to be more informative and more relevant – and they shouldn’t limit themselves to such a niche market – they can still target black working women and still be relevant to their skip market that they love so much. – but it needs to still stay on welfare TV, just so our people aren’t subjected to watching just Whoopi and those white girls on The View – Laaawd have mercy!
MRS X on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 3:29 pm
NOELEEN SHOULD JUST BRING KHNAYI ON HER SHOW FOR AN EXCLUSIVE!
Nonkawu on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 3:42 pm
Hayi bo MRS X, what exclusive?? What is she going to ask her that we dont we know about already?? LOL
Phathu Makwarela on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 6:31 pm
I am glad you guys liked the review….
Lela on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 7:05 pm
And the weave,or is it a wig?
Lungile Magqibelo on Wed, 10th Mar 2010 7:20 pm
I agree with you Mr Makwarela, you couldnt have said better than this. I watch 3Talk every afternoon after work. I also noticed Noeleen hardly gives her on views on the show as Oprah does. I think your inputs are very important and I hope that at least of the producers of the show is reading at your comments, because if they do it will really take the show to another level.
Enkosi on Thu, 11th Mar 2010 9:43 am
DO JOIN ME. Hayini guys this line is playing in my head over and over… LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL till no end
Mudalo on Thu, 11th Mar 2010 5:12 pm
she must stop tasting all the foods licking her fat-stump-fingers like a an infant mnxu mnxu
Khumo on Fri, 12th Mar 2010 8:39 am
Couldn’t agree with you more. I used to be a hardcore follower of 3talk with Noeleen. I remember it used to feel very weird if I missed and episode. Some topics where so good, to a point that I would even watch the repeat, I know it sounds crazy but that’s what happened. There was a point in my life where I grew into the show, to a point that I started having talks with the producer (Msizi) about the show etc. One thing I liked about Msizi was the fact that the audience mattered a lot to him than anything else. He used to take into consideration what we would like to see on the show and what we didn’t. His content was always of high value (well researched, well presented), and I for one learned a lot. So I agree with Phathu, I have lost interest in what could have been one of the best talkshows in the world. I think the producers are now more interested in getting anything to fill up the slot, and their pay at the end of the month. Let’s just say I don’t remember the last time I watched 3talk. I don’t think money, can be their escape goat, if Msizi could do it with a limited budget, I am sure they can also. Just a note to the production house, they must proportion their budgets accordingly. If the show brings a lot of revenue, then clearly u must invest more on it…
Flawless L on Fri, 12th Mar 2010 1:52 pm
Neleen is such a BORE…LMAO @ Nonkawu “is she sasafrican”? my question also. She is just a stuck up for me who thinks she all perfect and dont want to be attached to anything negative.
Even if she comes back with a new name i dont think she’ll get my Buy inn as a viewer. She must just go join Wollies and their Food department coz thats all she knows best.
HILARY BUTLER on Mon, 19th Apr 2010 9:21 am
REALLY ENJOY YOUR SHOW WHEN I CAN GET TO WATCH IT, AS I AM 65 AND STILL WORKING AND ONLY GET TO WATCH IT ON A FRIDAY AS WE FINISH WORK EARLY. FRIDAY THE 16/04/2010 YOU HAD A BEIGE T-SHIRT WITH THE S.A. FLAG COLOURS ON IT. WHERE DID YOU GET IT? FRIDAY IS FOOTBALL T-SHIRTS AND I DO NOT LIKE TO WEAR YELLOW OR GREEN. I WON’T TO SUPPORT S.A. SOCCER FRIDAYS AND THE ONE YOU HAD ON WOULD SUITE ME. PLEASE EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW WHERE I CAN BUY ONE.
MANY THANK
HILARY BUTLER
annamarie Van Heerden on Fri, 23rd Apr 2010 10:06 pm
dear Noeleen. i am writing this e mail with prayer and Gods Grace. i an the ARV coordinator in Orsmond TB Hospital as you know that President zuma launch this HCT campaign. we need to test roughly 8000 people in our district and everyone loves you. we have no funds. i also tried some artist like madunzo ,Doza and Guillome so that we can attrack all our people and children. The children of our futiure. hoewever we have no funds to pay for the celebriteits but are begging for you if you could find it in your heart to do this charity for us and as you are so influencal if you can also attrack musicans. i did speak to guillome the singer but he has not reploed yet. we would love to have the function on 16/06/2010 as it is youth day.our HIV prevelance rate is almost 30 persent. we need to test and if the clients are eligble for ART to start them on ART. i am responsible. We are responsiblw.south Africa is responsible.
love lots Annamarie Van Heerden. TEL: 041-9881111 or cell 0797157067
Cnglema on Sat, 24th Apr 2010 12:15 am
Who r these artists that that annamarie is talking bout?Mandoza?