US TELEVISION PRESENTER Conan O’Brien is set to make his Irish TV drama debut on Ros na Rún in this week’s episode of the Irish-language show, which airs on TG4 at 8:30pm tomorrow.
The Irish-American comedian is most famous for hosting late-night talk shows like The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, but he was also a writer on The Simpsons and the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live.
O’Brien’s fans have been looking forward to his appearance on TG4 since the first clip of the episode dropped a week ago.
O’Brien is making his cameo on Ros na Rún in the role of “delivery man”.
TG4′s billing of the episode reads: “Ros na Rún’s village rogue and publican, Tadhg Ó Direáin is faced with a feisty delivery man who’s having none of Tadhg’s arrogant nonsense.
“Standing his ground, the new Ros na Rún delivery man is certainly no push over for Tadhg, as a war of words is declared between the two in Tigh Thaidhg.”
In one clip released ahead of the episode’s airing tomorrow night, O’Brien enters Tadhg’s pub holding a bunch of balloons and says, “Dia Dhuit” (hello), to which the publican responds, “Céard atá fhail le sin?” (What’s the story with that?).
“Balloons!” O’Brien replies enthusiastically.
Another video released to The Journal by TG4 shows O’Brien at the Ros na Rún studio in Connemara meeting members of the crew and his linguistics coach Kevin Hussey, who coached and challenged him to learn his first lines as Gaeilge.
Rehearsals were reportedly “full of laughter” and O’Brien was apparently very impressed with the set in An Spidéal.
The episode was filmed back in January while O’Brien was visiting Ireland for his travel show Conan Must Go, which is on HBO Max.
“Getting to work with the cast and crew of ‘Ros Na Run’ was a delightful highlight of my trip to Ireland, and I apologize in advance for inadvertently butchering my Mother Tongue,” said O’Brien.
According to a spokesperson for TG4, O’Brien “totally immersed himself” behind the scenes of Ros na Rún.
“He enjoyed the craic and banter in hair and make-up, as well as with the cast and crew,
not to mention the explosions of laughter while learning his lines and taking direction,” the broadcaster said.
“It was thrilling to get the request from Conan O’Brien that he wanted to have a cameo appearance in Season 28. Who better to pair the famous US TV personality and Comedian with than our very own leading legend Tadhg O’Direán, played by Macdara O Fatharta?” said Marion Ní Loingsigh, Ros na Rún’s series producer.
Conan O’Brien now joins a number of other famous faces who have shown up on Ros na Rún, who include English actor Stephen Fry and country singer Daniel O’Donnell.
Ros na Rún is broadcast twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday at 8.30pm on TG4 with an omnibus on Sunday evening at 7.30pm and is also available on the TG4 and RTE players.
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