What are your Late Late Show memories?

I remembered a proper fight with my sister that night (we were both teens) as to who got to record that on the video recorder. Simple times!

( I lost but got it on the repeat on Sunday morning )

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2021/0221/1197274-rod-hull-and-emu/

Spike telling gay about his time in the army in France during world war 2. Gay asked him if he’d killed anyone. Spike said he presumed so. Gay asked what do you mean presume so. Spike said well I was pointing in that direction.

Circa 1986 I remember Barry McGuigan was on with a female boxer, cant remember her name. Gaybo was taking calls and this lad of about 12 or 13 with a strong Dublin accent came on. His first question was "what dya think of these women boxers Barry?". I think Barry said something about wishing them the best of luck. Then the caller asked the woman boxer "dya ever fight bare chested?"

Brendan and Trish were brilliant TV. I always wondered did they ever reach the biological heights.....the face on that doctor was classic. What a weird little place we were....

She remained on the anti joy circuit, anti this that and the other, Iona institute type stuff. She's on a few videos.

Burning question: did Brendan ever get an aul bj.....

The dubliners , therapy? , pwei, Gary Moore blowing the roof off, Jimmy Carr in prime, rhys ifans

it’s so bad it’s good. The stiffness of the audience is brilliant.

I remember central heating wasn't a thing until the 80s.

That wasn't Pat Kenny, nor the Late Late. It was Marty Morrissey interviewing the family of Francie Barrett when he boxed at Atlanta 96. He asked his mother that question. I think it must have been during the sports feature of the late news because it was a live outdoors report from their halting site in Galway and I remember it was night and there was a bonfire.

It was one of the most cringe inducing interviews I've ever seen. I've never seen it resurface online which must be to Martys relief.

Imagine siding with Adams against that.

Funny how a lot of the “memories” coincide with the multitude of videos available on YouTube and the RTÉ player 😀

But a good thread nevertheless

I watched snippets in the late 70s and some full shows throughout the 1980s - honestly can’t recall a lot over this time although I do remember seeing a lot of the scenes now available on video.

I certainly watched live, The lesbian nuns, John Cleese, Lenny Henry Audrey Hepburn, The Dubliners special, Gerry Ryan lambsgate, Maureen Potter special, all of which I think are available in part online

Audience debate was what I remember the most - what topic they were blabbering on about I can’t recall but you had the feeling anything could happen so it was good TV - I remember watching a show dedicated to the travellers but again I cannot recall any particular aspects and don’t think I was up for the whole show - funny how we watch years worth of TV and yet very little is retained -

The audience members invited to “sing” their greeting to their relatives and friends was painful at the time to watch but looking back now, was quite a unique and warm aspect of the show.

Was that famous lost David Niven tape ever found that Gaybo often mentioned? Now that would be a video to watch if his performance was anything like his Parkinson interviews.

All memories I have of it are from Gaybo's time - with exception of Toy Show episodes under RT. Highlights:

The big one would have to be P Flynn, and his 'financial struggles'.

U2 singing Springhill Mining Disaster on the Dubliners special, when everything they touched turned to gold.

I remember Annie Murphy getting a rough ride from Gaybo and thinking it was very unfair

One other that I remember that was nice was an episode where Gaybo was to introduce what he thought was actor Gabriel Byrne - however, it actually turned out to be a 'this is your life' type thing about Gaybo himself. So his brother walks out as the guest instead of Gabriel Byrne, his brother who was living in Canada and I guess back then they wouldnt have seen each other much, and then the wife and the kids and so on. He was normally so unflappable but that caught him by surprise & was a nice episode.

When we look back in hindsight - it will have to be asked how the F were RYan Tubridy and Pat Kenny given this prime time slot for such a long period of time, 25 years of mediocrity. Gay Byrne was as outstanding as these guys were poor (Pat Kenny) / bland (Ryan Tubridy).

One oft quoted interview that I can remember watching, though I dont think Ive seen it resurface online was a debate from around 1991 between gay and lesbian people and some holy Joe types. One of the Holy Joes said to a gay man on the panel why are you so obsessed with another mans rear passage (can't remember the exact wording but it did involve "rear passage"). Quick as a flash Gaybo himself said "there are a lot of Hetrosexual men obsessed with womens front passsages".

There were some great moments on the programme.

I don't remember this (too young) but The Virgin Prunes playing in 1979 must have traumatised auld biddies all over the country! 😁 First the set-up, with a restaurant-like situation (and a black woman!), and the post-punk/experimental music probably wouldn't have gone down too well, especially the vocals after 2 minutes. Then at the end, one of the entourage has a gift for Gay and also has one for everyone in the audience! 🤣

And fair play for Gay to being open to allowing them on.