BBJ - 31/1/2015 18:02
Gay Byrne has chewed in and spat out countless interviewees over the years and I cannot imagine for one split second that he was in any way discomfited by Mr Fry's comments. For Gay, it has always been about making the programme interesting. If it's controversial, so much the better. He is a truly legendary broadcaster.
Gay Byrne is, after all, the man who introduced "sex" to Ireland, courtesy of "The Late, Late Show" which is now one of the longest running TV shows ever. "The Bishop and the nightie scandal" is one such epoch-making incident in that show's fabled history. (Very tame, in reality, but it did cause ripples at the time and Mr Byrne was denounced from numerous pulpits.)
Gay, who turned 80 last year, has now retired, well sort of, and "The Meaning of Life" is just a little money-spinner. He enjoys life in his home in Howth, a very pleasant peninsula on the outskirts of Dublin, and can often be seem zooming around on his Harley-Davidson.
Gay may have looked shocked but I doubt that he was. That would have been for the benefit of the cameras.
Bear in mind that this programme will be on Irish television at 10.30pm tomorrow night and I think I'm right in saying that RTE put the clip up on youtube. They are obviously trying to lure the punters into staying up to watch.
