Four things we learned from Patrick Kielty's first Late Late Show as host
Patrick Kielty has hosted his first Late Late Show. We share some thoughts. Picture: Andres Poveda
From the get-go, Patrick Kielty had his studio audience roaring laughing with sharp jokes about RTÉ and his predecessor, witty remarks about current affairs and gentle ribbing of the audience members themselves. Speaking to the press ahead of his debut, Kielty had said he wanted to get the crowd more involved and evoke a ‘come-into-the-parlour’ atmosphere on set and it seems to have worked a treat. He was as comfortable winding up regulars in the pub of his hometown via webcam as they were waiting with bated breath for him to utter the name Dundrum so they could be treated to free drinks, as he was sidling in beside an audience member who was being offered the chance to win a holiday to Paris by answering correctly before ringing her sister instead to pose the question. Making the audience feel part of the proceedings in the studio and at home is a wise way to win their affection.
There’s no doubting Kielty’s comedy chops, which he displayed impressively on what must have been a nerve-wracking night. However, there were glimpses of his emotional intelligence and empathy in interviews, such as when speaking to Mary McAleese and James McClean. McClean’s interview, in particular, was a great moment to show to host’s range of skill as well as to bring a new voice to the audience — he was the only guest on the night who had never been on the Late Late before. It felt almost a waste to have had so many light entertainment guests on the show. Kielty was an utter pro with them but if one or two more deeper conversations were peppered throughout the night it would have been a masterclass in flowing from light to dark and back again.
It’s a running joke that when RTÉ stars are on shows like the Late Late as guests, it’s because they were spotted in the canteen and dragged over to studio 4 to fill a gap. It’s only a joke — right? It’s something the new host should take pains to avoid. Even on his first show, there was a lack of a ‘current’ third-party guest. We had his fellow chat show host Tommy Tiernan first and later the 2 Johnnies were on to promote another RTÉ show. Tiernan’s presence could be forgiven: after all, he was another hotly-tipped replacement for Tubridy and it has an air of ‘we know lots of you wanted to see him here’ about it. However, the latter guests seemed a lazy choice. McAleese and McClean were lovely choices given Kielty is from the North but there was no one plucked from the news cycle for an expert take, no non-celebrity guest with a touching story to share, no rugby commentator to speak about the World Cup, and no big big star to shine bright.
Twitter is not the cultural litmus test it used to be, albeit in a limited sense, instead becoming more cynical and bitter in recent years, but a cursory glance at the website now known as X sees an overwhelmingly positive response to Kielty’s first outing on the Late Late. “Patrick Kielty’s opening monologue was an absolute masterclass in calling the moment,” one viewer remarked. “Funny & from the heart - the hardest things to get just right. This man is going to elevate the Late Late to a whole other level.” Another wrote: “RTÉ a) hiring Patrick Kielty and b) letting him be himself, might be the best decision they've made in years. Superb so far. I'd actually...watch this.” It bodes well for the veteran comedian, but will his performance help to sell more TV licences?
