‘Good advice’ So, Al Porter ditched THIS on-stage habit for… Gay Byrne

Most of us grew up knowing that when it came to Irish icons, Gay Byrne wasn't far off it. 

Whether it was hearing his radio show on days off school, waiting on the Tayto and Club Orange you got once The Late Late kicked off on a Friday night or giving The Meaning of Life a cursory glance as an adult, Uncle Gaybo has been with us every step of the way.

So, it's probably no surprise that when Tallaght-born comedian, Al Porter, was offered some sage advice from the man himself, he grabbed it with both hands.

Speaking to RSVP, Al revealed that Gay had suggested he ditch the booze during performances after seeing the young comedian struggle to keep up after downing pints.

"I had a beer on stage with me at the gig and I was drinking the beer and the audience started to cheer, 'down it, 'down it' and I did. I had told a guy on the crew when I finished  my pint to put another one at the side of the stage," Al recalled.

"He put one out and the audience thought it was a joke so they started to say 'down it, down it'. So, for the craic, I downed that one too and for the next couple of jokes, I had to suppress getting sick on stage," he admitted.

Explaining that the situation hadn't escaped Gay, Al said: "Nobody really noticed, but Gay did. He told me he loved the show, but then said, 'Don't drink on stage, it's not professional and I don't like it. You are in control, not the audience.'"

And, according to Al, he's been on the water ever since.

Mr. Byrne? You job here is done.