The Late Late Show owl The Late Late Show owl "The Late Late Show" owl is a motif that has been used by the world's longest-running chat show, "The Late Late Show" on RTÉ One television, since its inception in 1962. The owl symbol (a barn owl) is the only remaining theme from the classic format other than the show's name and the traditional annual ‘toy show’ edition. The first thing Ryan Tubridy said when announcing his plans for his takeover as host in August 2009 was: "I can tell you that the owl is not dead". Tubridy posed for photographs on the set holding
The Gerry Ryan Show new show in that slot "the biggest prize right now in radio". The now cross-media event "Operation Transformation" originated on "The Gerry Ryan Show". In 2010, Ryan launched "Undercurrents", a Friday slot airing unsigned unplaylisted Irish acts who then had their details published on his website. The "Irish Independent"s John Meagher disagreed that this was typical of RTÉ 2fm and Gerry Ryan. A spin-off show of the demoed songs premiered on RTÉ 2XM on 5 March 2010, presented by "GRS" researcher John Bela Reilly. Following Ryan's untimely death on 30 April 2010, Meagher hoped "Undercurrents" would be continued by his