Fun For Everybody in the Audience: Ten Reasons To Love The Late Late Toy Show

Never mind Farmer Shopping Day, the big religious dates, when you see the Coca-Cola advert or when the shops put up their trees… Christmas in this country begins every year when one Irish man awkwardly shows off children’s toys for over two hours in the highest-rated television show of the year. 

That day is nigh. It’s just over twenty-four hours to The Late Late Toy Show 2012, and we’ve got ten reasons why you should stay in and enjoy. You might as well, everyone else will be staying in to watch so going out will be no craic. Consider that number eleven.

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You’ve watched it forever:

As a very young child, with wonder and amazement. As a slightly older and wiser child, with a shopping list for Santa in mind and a parent behind you cursing under their breath. As an adult, with a drink in hand, ready to forfeit-gulp every time something cringe-worthy happens. Stock up.

Twenty years later, same expression when something ridiculous happens

 

For the Christmas jumpers:

As a general rule, no one pays a blind bit of notice to what Ryan wears, or to what Pat & Gay wore in the years before. We’re much more likely to take to Twitter or Facebook and talk about Miriam’s gúna on her summer Saturday night show than we ever are to comment on TLLS presenter’s choice of wardrobe. That all changes for the Toy Show. We’d like to see a light-up one this year please Tubs.

Feeling festive: Ryan previously wore this red-nosed reindeer

 

You can bet on it:

Only in Ireland. Paddy Power has provided odds on some likely, unlikely and please-God-let-this-happen incidents for the big night. Current odds include:

• Ryan to perform a full song during the show – 5/6
• Ryan to break one of the toys during the show – 6/4
• Ryan to make a child cry – 7/1
• Ryan to hit an audience member with a thrown toy – 8/1
• Ryan to swear during the show – 33/1
• Ryan to announce there’s no such thing as Santa – 100/1

Just us, or do PP not seem to have much faith in Tubs?

€10 on the broken toy, easy money...

 

“One for everybody in the audience”:

The tradition died with Gaybo, but it comes back once a year for this show. Every person in the audience for the Toy Show looks completely ridiculous, but you’d happily swap places with them for the chance to bring home the impressive haul of goodies they get. Jammy feckers. 

 

Grumpy dads in Christmas hats. Always a highlight...

 

Hon’ the culchies: 

Never mind the polished and slick routines of The Billie Barry Kids, more often than not it the children who travelled to the Big Schmoke who make a lasting impression. This one was as country as it gets, and we loved him. 

 

It’s a man who presents it, but it’s a woman who made it:

Explains a lot. Go on ya good thing!

 

Not everyone’s a fan:

So beloved is the Toy Show that when someone (who IS she?!) passes up the chance to head along, an entire country is outraged. Hilarious.

 

The first turkey of Christmas:

The Late Late Show regularly features dodgy birds, but on this occasion it’s not Twink. Instead, Dustin the Turkey flies in for his regular visit, complete with hugely insulting gift for resident presenter.  

 

You’re reminded of the simple pleasures:

No matter how swanky the toys get, the Toy Show always leaves room for highlighting the joy of reading. The panel of book reviewers is better than any Arts programme RTÉ have ever created, and regularly features standout stars of the show. Speaking of…

Thanks Gaybo! The books segment lives on...

 

There’s always one:

The child that makes the show their own. They become a national treasure overnight, and none more so than JohnJoe Brennan. This clip of his appearance has been viewed almost half a million times on YouTube. We're responsible for more of those views than we should be...