The Late Late Show incurs both derision and admiration for its uniquely unashamed enthusiasm for shirking any kind of traditional television formatting. The longest running live chat show in the world, it has earned a certain bemused reverence for its willingness to flit from the most serious of topics to the most inconsequential. Imagine Ryan Tubridy saying, "Thank you for coming in to talk to us Michelle. Coming up after the break we'll be chatting to Diarmuid, Laois' foremost trout-tickler." Now, while this might seem a standard enough segue, that wouldn't be out of place on most chat shows, it should be pointed out that Michelle was on the show discussing how her family tragically died in a much publicised caravan fire and that Ryan Tubridy's voice did that thing where it went from sombre to upbeat slightly to early in the transition. Such is the bread and butter of The Late Late Show, such is its essence.
Though, occasionally - when it is not being a Frankenstein's monster of emotionally and tonally disjointed material - The Late Late Show will surprise us all by having legitimate celebrities on the show. And not just Irish celebrities, I'm talking about actual celebrities.
Tonight is one such night. The headline interviewees are surely John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan, currently hoiking around the international media circuit to promote their film, Stan and Ollie, a biopic of one of the 20th century's most enduringly popular comedy duos, Laurel and Hardy.
Saoirse Ronan will also be thundering about the couch to talk about her latest film, Mary Queen of Scots, in which she plays the titular role.
This unfortunately is where things take a bit of a nose-dove, star power wise, and Padraig Harrington will shuffle onto the couch, hopefully with a caddie on hand to help judge the situation and supply him with apt anecdotes. Harrington was recently announced as the Ryder Cup Captain for the 2020 Ryder Cup so, will presumably be talking about that. Expect some Brexit references about the 'European team'.
There will then also be something of a menagerie of incredibly precociously talented starlets paraded out including Irish boxer Michael Conlan and Irish actor Barry Keoghan, whose appeared in films such as Dunkirk and Black 47 and was named on this year's BAFTA Rising Star shortlist. They will also be joined by Ellen Coyne, a senior journalist at The Times Ireland and Rosie Connolly, a fashion and beauty blogger.
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There will also be a smattering of contestants from the new season of First Dates Ireland.
Music will be provided by The Academic.
The Late Late Show airs at 9:35pm on RTÉ One.
