Guys,
I have to say that when I first saw him on TV he was presenting the Rose of Tralee.
I thought he had won the compère of that show in a competition, he seemed so terrible.
I have since watched several Tubridy Tonight shows and his current incarnation the Late Late Show host.
I should say I am old enough to remember Gaybo before he became Greybo and cringed with audiences when Kenny took over, a post I am convinced he only got into in his last three shows BTW.
Tubridy for my money takes a long time to grow on people, but his quirky wit and ugly looks disarm guests, which he then proceeds to unpeel using excellent research material.
There is none of the almost embarrassing ingratiation of a Kenny, nor the patronising of a Gay Byrne, just an ugly guy doing a difficult job and making it look easy.
Like Byrne, he doesn't gel with everyone, but he does so more often than not, and brings an unusual feel to his interviews - less ingratiating, more irritating, which tends to throw the guests off guard until they see the glint in his eye and then he has them.
Watch three consecutive shows is my advice and see how you feel then.
ONQ.