Conan O'Brien tried his hand at the Irish language while filming a small role on the long-running Irish language soap opera "Ros na Rún" in Co Galway.
O'Brien was in Ireland earlier this year to film for his new travel show "Conan O'Brien Must Go," which debuted on Max yesterday, April 18.
The Irish American funnyman was offered a cameo on TG4's "Ros na Rún" during his visit.
In the new behind-the-scenes clip shared by "Ros na Rún" on April 19, O'Brien meets with the show's ever-so-patient production manager Mairead Campbell, who explained that the title of the Irish series translates to 'Valley of the Secrets.'
“So everyone speaks Irish on this show and really, this is a cultural effort to bring Irish back,” O’Brien said to Campbell before trying out his Irish language lines.
“I’ve noticed that in Ireland, they’ll have the sign in English and also in Irish, which is beautiful," O'Brien remarked.
He added: “It is not an easy language this Irish language.”
Campbell said: “It’s not, but we’ll see how you do today. Get a little bit of help, you’ll do fine.”
Shifting into his trademark humor, O’Brien questioned why he was cast as a delivery man instead of as “a sexy man who’s come to town and has maybe an affair.”
Campbell said: “No harm, Conan, but we have to be true to life as well. You know, it is a soap. Delivery man, we thought, was a great fit.”
Taken aback, O'Brien replied: “So you thought it was impossible for me to play a sexy man? Is that what you’re saying?”
Campbell said: “Look it, you make it as sexy as you want, but also, it is soap portraying real life, so, delivery man, I think, is a great fit.”
O’Brien then asked what role Colin Farrell would have been cast in.
“Sexy delivery man,” Campbell quickly replied with a laugh.
Campbell continued to match O'Brien's humor with ease as the two went back and forth. Finally, O'Brien relented with a big smile and laugh and said: “Oh, I’m back home where I belong.”
Getting down to business, linguistics coach Kevin Hussey brought out cue cards with the phonetic spelling of O'Brien's Irish language lines.
“So what this is, you made this for an idiot,” O’Brien said looking at the cue cards.
“For beginners,” Campbell and Hussey offered after a pause.
“That’s very nice,” an unconvinced O’Brien said, “thank you both.”
O'Brien then tried the phonetic pronunciations of his Irish lines, which he managed fairly well, impressing Campbell and Hussey.
However, in a statement ahead of his Irish language debut, O'Brien did say: "I apologize in advance for inadvertently butchering my Mother Tongue."
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