Kielty’s stand-up job on Late Late
New opening monologue is likely to stay as host’s roast of RTÉ crisis proves a big hit
PATRICK Kielty’s hilarious opening monologue on his Late Late Show debut is set to become a regular feature on the revamped show.
The presenter skilfully harnessed his stand-up talents to roast his new employer as he marked a new departure for the iconic chat show on Friday night.
After a summer engulfed in scandal over the hidden payments to his predecessor, Ryan Tubridy, Kielty decided to address the elephant in the room by going for the jugular as soon as the opening credits were out of the way.
And the Mail on Sunday can reveal RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst attended Kielty’s opening night – and laughed at the comedian’s jokes ripping into the broadcaster’s summer of scandal.
Kielty’s background is in comedy, and he deployed his stand-up talents to maximum effect as he ushered in a new era with his revamped version of the world’s second longest running chat show.
Turning to the studio and television audience, Kielty immediately bared his comedic fangs: ‘The Late Late has been off-air. I say off-air. It’s been on Morning Ireland, Prime Time, Liveline …
‘We’re trying out a brand new format where the host gets to ask the questions instead of answering them at the Oireachtas,’ he added with perfect timing.’
‘We also have a shiny new set,’ he told the audience. ‘No expense spared – or if you’re the host, no expenses spared.’
He even took aim at the station’s dire financial woes and the collapse in licence fee revenue in the months since the payments scandal broke.
‘We wanted to make a special effort for you tonight folks because apparently lots of folks are tuning in this evening, which is really very exciting,’ he said, addressing audiences at home. ‘Based on the latest figures for TV licence payments, we’re expecting an audience of up to 27 people tuning in tonight. Just to put that into perspective, that’s almost double the amount of people who saw Toy Show – The Musical!’
And judging from initial reviews, Kielty’s roasting of RTÉ appeared to hit the right note with most viewers, many of whom took to social media to voice their approval.
One viewer said: ‘Patrick Kielty’s opening monologue was an absolute masterclass in calling the moment. Funny and from the heart – the hardest things to get just right. This man is going to elevate the Late Late to a whole other level.’
As he neared the end of his deadpan opening, the Co. Down entertainer wondered aloud if ‘this is where the RTÉ executives in the
Green Room realise they might have booked the wrong pony!’
Kevin Bakhurst was among those backstage in the Green Room as Kielty made light of the station’s summer of woe, but sources said the presenter needn’t have worried about his boss’s reaction.
A source told the MoS: ‘Kevin was there in the Green Room during Patrick’s opener – he thought it [Kielty’s monologue] was actually quite funny. He got a good laugh out of it.’ RTÉ declined to say if Kielty’s monologue would become a regular feature of his opening repertoire. A spokeswoman said: ‘Tune in, live at
9.35pm next Friday and see.’
But industry sources predicted the funnyman will continue to deliver a stand-up style opening – similar to the Graham Norton Show – on future programmes.
Comedian Rory Cowan, who was the first out of the traps to pitch for Kielty to replace Turbidy as Late Late host, described the host’s monologue as ‘an epic show-opener’ adding Kielty should make it a mainstay of the programme.
The former Mrs Brown’s Boys star told the MoS: ‘I was the first to say Patrick Kielty would be great, so I’m delighted he got it.
‘The monologue was hilarious – a much-needed dose of good-natured humour.
‘American hosts like Jay Leno and others open with a monologue; it takes a certain skill and the delivery has to be bang-on.
‘And Patrick nailed it. He should definitely keep it on – it was great.’
While members of the public broadly expressed their approval of Kielty’s debut, there were grumbles from some quarters, mainly about the lack of A-list guests, with many commenting on the show’s reliance on the ‘RTÉ canteen’.
They were referring to the appearance of 2FM co-presenters The 2
Johnnies, as well as comedians Hector Ó hEochagáin and Tommy Tiernan, who have also both presented RTÉ shows.
However, sources told the MoS the production team were limited in their pick of international names due to the ongoing Hollywood actors and writers’ strike.
But in a statement to the MoS, RTÉ insisted they were ‘delighted’ with the panel of guests for Kielty’s maiden Late Late Show.
The broadcaster said: ‘The Late Late Show editorial team were very proud to open the first show of the new season with an all-Irish line-up from the worlds of politics, sport, comedy and entertainment.
The Late Late Show has the advantage of being able to bring all manner of stories and people to screen. So, watch this space.’