*Meh*
That's about it really. Nothing majorly memorable, though I thought the choir from St Mary's School for Deaf Girls (website here) was interesting.
Nothing traditional or what you'd be alright seeing - no Billy Barry kids, no Zig and Zag, Podge and Rodge, Dustin or Soky, no June Rodgers or anything related to Irish acts or performances on over Christmas.
No focus on Irish toymakers or manufacturers. No memorable appearances from major celebrities or personalities apart from Top Gear presenters Jeremy, Richard and James. Nicky Byrne dropped in with the twins. Sarah Ferguson popped in for a minute or two basically to say she was in Eason's of O' Connell Street tomorrow at 12 noon. McFly put in a mediocre performance. There was a video plug from Ben Stiller and Chris Rock for Madagascar 2. Nothing worthwhile, nothing unique.
As David pointed out, only two Irish authors mentioned in the book reviews, they cut to ad break during Kilkenny's St Canice's Jazz band performance - who had arranged a special medley for the show and no doubt practised loads and Pat referred to the whole I don't want the tickets incident of last week so much that it became tedious.
As Suzy said, the camera work during the dance-fusion exercise by the Hood Rats was appalling. Some of the young presenters - Gabriella, the book reviewer, Robert the milkshake maker and Mark Boylan from Offaly were excellent, but overall it was stilted, over rehearsed and wooden.
More and more it's just one long advertisement with little personality, humour or soul. There were few aww moments, no opportunities for children to shine, no inspiring or emotional moments.
Fine, The Late Late Toy show, Irish tradition that it is, has never been brilliant, but surely to God it could be better? In fact, the only thing that made it any way interesting were the conversations on Twitter and the live blog, something Anton seems to have agreed with.
Is The Late Late Toy Show only on because it's a tradition, not that there's a need for it?
Did you see it? If so, what did you think? And if not, did you purposely not watch it?
