RTE viewers had some strong viewers after watching Monday night's episode of Claire Byrne Live.
The show hosted a panel discussion on the Oscars drama that saw Will Smith smack Chris Rock across the face. During Sunday evening's 94th Academy Awards, Chris made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head, which is cut short as she suffers from alopecia.
Will then walked onto the stage and slapped Chris across the face.
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The panel discussion on Claire Byrne consisted of a psychoanalyst and journalist as well as comedian Ardal O'Hanlon, who played Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted, and who spoke about his experience of being physically attacked as a comedian.
O'Hanlon told Claire Byrne that a Church of England cleric approached him in a church carpark while Ardal was in-between scenes, grabbing him by his lapels, pinning him up against a wall.
"He had a real go at me for ridiculing clerics generally because of Father Ted... making fools of people like him, people weren't taking him seriously," he said.
"Going back to the Will Smith incident, obviously you try not to respond in the heat of the moment. Once you meet people face to face and have a chat with them, you can usually diffuse tensions... we're living in this febrile kind of world at the moment".
Many viewers were surprise that Father Ted actor O'Hanlon was invited onto the show to discuss the topic.
One said: "RTÉ bringing on an actual Psychoanalyst to discuss why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock, as well as a woman to say 'won’t someone please think of the children', and Fr. Dougal Maguire."
"TV Licence money well spent! #CBLive"
A second commented : "They're discussing THE SLAP on Claire Byrne Live with Father Dougal.
"It's time to give all TV Licence money to TG4 and TG4 alone."
While a third joked: "Next week Claire will discuss the kardashians love lives! #cblive"
One viewer said out: "Storm in a teacup, two millionaire celebrities involved in something that will only increase both their revenues, win win #cblive"
Another wrote: "#cblive discussing a light slap at an awards ceremony involving people on a different planet, even got Dougal on for this thoughts. What the bloody hell is going on please?"
A poll carried out for Claire Byrne Live by Amárach Research asked members of the public whether Will Smith was right to hit Chris Rock at the Oscars.
22% of Irish people answered that they thought Will Smith was in the right, while 61% said he was wrong, and 17% didn't know, according to the data.
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