The illusion is shattered.

RTÉ News really is having a rough start to the year. First Teresa Mannion had to deal with someone overzealously waving an American flag behind here in Galway and last night, while talking about the Golden Globes, Brian O'Donovan was let down by his background display which was revealed to be no more than a screen hooked up to an Apple TV.

How do we know it's an Apple TV? Because it looks like someone decided to go flicking around on it just as O'Donovan began to speak.

And to think, all these years we just assumed they were set up somewhere with a great view of the White House.

Many, like Darren Clearly, caught the action on Twitter, but if you want to see it for yourself, you can check it out on the RTÉ Player.