Paul Mescal clears up ‘ugly’ Irish stereotypes in Saturday Night Live monologue

By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter

Paul Mescal cleared up “some ugly stereotypes about the Irish” during his Saturday Night Live monologue on the US sketch comedy show.

His show debut also involved him flying on a broomstick singing “there’s no place like Rome”, in a nod to the new Wicked movie, for a sketch where Gladiator II had been turned into a musical.

The Normal People star (28) said: “I do take great pride in being Irish.

“The Irish people have been through a lot, you know, centuries of British occupation, the great famine, mass emigration, that U2 album that automatically got downloaded on everyone’s phones.

“So before we start the show, I just want to clear up some ugly stereotypes about the Irish.

“For example, there’s a nasty rumour that Irish people have sex with our cousins, right? That’s offensive and ridiculous. We have sex with our second cousins.

“People also think the Irish hate British people. That’s not true. We just don’t consider them people.

“Sometimes people ask me if I think Notre Dame’s mascot, the Fighting Irish, is offensive. Not at all.

“We do the same thing with the Americans.

“In fact, my high school’s mascot was the fighting fat asses.”

Then, in reference to commentary online about the shorts Mescal has been pictured wearing, he said: “A lot of people ask if we wear kilts, no, that’s the Scottish.

“Traditionally, the Irish wear short shorts.”

Recent monologues on the programme have come from stars including comedian John Mulaney and singers Charli XCX and Ariana Grande.