The Graham Norton Show has a certain atmosphere that helps it stand out as one of the most entertaining late-night TV shows in the world. But much of its success depends on the guest's willingness to play along. One legendary actor couldn't hit his mark, leading Graham Norton to call him out.
Norton keeps things loose and free-flowing when guests sit down on his red couch. There are typically three to four celebrities at a time, meaning Norton has the difficult task of giving everyone their time, keeping things moving, and ensuring the audience stays entertained.
And after decades of working in late-night TV, Norton knows who he'd pick as one of the most boring guests of all-time: Robert De Niro.
"He's not a storyteller, or very verbal," Norton said in 2018 of the Oscar-winner. "He's a benign presence" (via DailyMail).
De Niro has visited The Graham Norton Show four times. However, it doesn't sound like the actor improved his performance over those appearances. Norton explained that De Niro doesn't have the storytelling abilities that make for a good late-night TV guest.
"Last time he started telling a story — he went on and on. We were all leaning in, willing it to be amazing ... then he finally went, 'why am I telling this?' Nobody had an answer. We cut it."
Robert De Niro didn't exactly have great moments on The Graham Norton Show
De Niro's two most memorable moments on Norton's couch don't have much to do with him. The first standout moment came when actor Tom Hiddleston did his De Niro impression to the legendary actor. De Niro acted as you'd expect, considering he's probably been subjected to hundreds of impressions of his voice and facial expressions.
The other moment came when De Niro railed against Donald Trump. The actor called the president a "gangster," lecturing the UK crowd about the American politician.
Other moments of De Niro on The Graham Norton Show have shared anecdotes of dinner with Cher, his drink of choice, and acting tips. It isn't exactly the type of stuff that gets audiences on the edge of their seat or fans eager to watch the clips online.
Norton isn't the only late-night TV host to reveal an awkward encounter with the Hollywood legend. Jimmy Fallon also found it uncomfortable to chat with De Niro.
At 81 years old, Robert De Niro isn't changing his style. But as long as he keeps putting out quality films, he's likely to have a standing invitation in late-night TV.