Madeleine Chapman 
These are cruel days for white old men who feel silenced. We scour the country to find the last remaining safe spaces for these struggling titans. It’s hard out here for a pimp. But it’s even harder out here for those who don’t know what song or movie that’s referencing. In other words, it’s hard … Read more
Ever wanted to make an unfunny joke and be deeply offensive at the same time? Harcourts has all the answers you need. As time moves forward with irreverence, being progressive can sometimes mean merely trying to stay afloat in an ocean of acronyms, causes, and political correctness. Luckily there’s one thing we can all agree belongs in … Read more
Every little advantage counts in Parliament. Madeleine Chapman and Ra Pomare critically analyse the power sits of Question Time. No one has the time or energy to watch Parliament TV. It’s boring as hell. Except when it’s not. Question Time can be entertaining in the same way it’s sometimes entertaining to listen to kids argue: … Read more
Madeleine Chapman asks, “Has there ever been a good question asked by an audience member at a literary festival?” Her experience at the Auckland Writers Festival suggests the answer is no, uh-uh, never. The first question I heard at the Auckland Writers Festival was a woman asking Washington Post journalist Amy Goldstein why, in her … Read more
Everyone loves a cameo, and JessB has them all for you in her new music video for ‘Set It Off’. Has there ever been a bad cameo? Cameo creme – good. Cameo necklace – a classic. Cameo, singers of hit song ‘Word Up’ – a treasure. Even Anchorman 2, a hugely disappointing movie, had satisfying … Read more
In modern sport it’s hard to tell what’s more important: the hi-tech equipment, or the athlete themselves. Ahead of his appearance at Techweek’18, Olympic cyclist and America’s Cup cyclor Simon Van Velthooven talks to Madeleine Chapman about the increasingly important role of technology in sport. When you achieve something as impressive as an Olympic medal, it’s … Read more
Nine complaints made to regulator following Spinoff investigation published last week. The Commerce Commission has opened an investigation into the accuracy of the labelling of some WORLD garments after it received nine complaints. The inquiry follows the Spinoff’s publication last week of an investigation revealing that t-shirts manufactured in Bangladesh had WORLD labels attached saying … Read more
Social media can be an effective tool for police in finding missing persons and suspects. But where is the line and was it crossed this week? Revenge is so many things. It’s a dish best served cold. It’s sweet but not fattening. It’s an acid that burns its holder. Justice is nothing. Justice is just. … Read more
Last October, Onzo rental bikes, with no gears and airless tyres, appeared around Auckland city as a commuter option. Madeleine Chapman decided to see just how far she could commute on one in a day. It took nine hours for me to feel genuine fear on my Onzo bike ride to Huntly, and it was … Read more
The outspoken ethical fashion champion has contacted The Spinoff with further comments about the garments that were manufactured offshore but boast ‘Made in NZ’ tags. Following the publication this morning of a story revealing the provenance of garments being sold at WORLD with a “Fabriqué en Nouvelle Zélande” label attached, the fashion house’s founder Dame Denise … Read more
Exclusive: Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet of New Zealand fashion pioneer WORLD is this country’s most out-spoken critic of off-shore manufacturing. Yet a Spinoff investigation has revealed that multiple garments labeled as made in New Zealand are manufactured in China and Bangladesh. “When did you last look at the label to see where it was made?” – … Read more
Madeleine Chapman has written a column about Kate Hawkesby’s column about Deborah Hill Cone’s column about Deborah Hill Cone’s column about Clarke Gayford, and this is that column. There’s something about Deborah Hill Cone and Kate Hawkesby that keeps nagging me every time I see their columns. At first I thought it was outrage, then … Read more
Two restaurants with the exact same name operate beside each other in Mt Albert. But which is the real Mt Albert BBQ Noodle House? Madeleine Chapman eats and investigates. Occupying the heart of the Mt Albert food district are two rival restaurants right next door to each other. Both make cheap, generously portioned, delicious Chinese … Read more
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know will never fully leave your ageing body, remember the true reasons for the season. Death, suffering, betrayal, … Read more
Former US president Barack Obama is in New Zealand for three days. You might not get to see him but as Madeleine Chapman shows, you can still travel like him. It’s easy to like Barack Obama. It’s even easier to like him when his successor has the charisma of a lit turd. Soon after his … Read more
To sleep or not to sleep? Madeleine Chapman stays overnight at Max Richter’s eight hour show and realises how tired she is. Being tired is a privilege that must be earned, and I earned it for the first time as a 23 year old. I used to think being tired meant being sleepy. I thought … Read more
Teeks, Emily King, and Tank and the Bangas performed together in a three-part outdoor event for Auckland Arts Festival. Madeleine Chapman was there. Tank and the Bangas couldn’t hear themselves. It was a disappointing start to the much anticipated final act of an otherwise flawless three-part event. I had seriously considered not even going after … Read more
Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten 181 runs in yesterday’s ODI victory against the England men’s team. Madeleine ChapMAN accurately reports. After his heroic innings, Ross Taylor stood on the boundary rope at University Oval and stared adoringly at his wife, Victoria Brown. She was largely to thank for this moment, having also been a top … Read more
James Blunt may be a world-class entertainer but his crowd at Spark Arena last night were anything but. Madeleine Chapman reviews one of her favourite artists. The worst part of the James Blunt concert was the crowd. The best part was everything else. James Blunt, the man everyone loves to hate because of a song … Read more
Grace Jones performed at Auckland City Limits to an enthusiastic crowd. Then Dan Carter appeared and ruined everything. Madeleine Chapman reports. When the end of days arrives and humans are on a slip’n’slide to oblivion, the skies will open, light will beam down from the heavens, and Dan Carter will appear on a big screen … Read more
Rent Week 2018: Madeleine Chapman spends a long, soul-sucking day at an Auckland tenancy tribunal. It’s 10:30am at the tenancy tribunal in Auckland District Court and everyone would rather be somewhere else. The first case of the day features two property managers in sleek attire who wait outside the courtroom and talk about friends and … Read more
On Monday night, Seven Sharp aired a segment warning against the left-leaning political extremist groups, aka meme pages, on Facebook. Madeleine Chapman expands on the report. It’s a dangerous world out there for young people. No one drives safely, everyone drinks too much, and there’s MDMA laced with something more dangerous than MDMA. But there’s a new … Read more
Australian 60 Minutes presenter Charles Wooley this week revealed himself to be in love, or “smitten”, with Jacinda Ardern. Madeleine Chapman watched and wept. Charles Wooley just wanted to ask Jacinda Ardern out for a date. It’s not that complicated. Except it is, because he did so via a 13 minute creep fest of an interview for 60 … Read more
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous, both 16, won bronze medals at the Winter Olympics this week. Their efforts add to an ever-growing list of impressive achievements by New Zealand teenagers. When the world ends and New Zealand must present its best self for God’s judgment, it will be as a teenager. I spent a couple of … Read more
The appointment of Jessica Mutch and Tova O’Brien to TV’s top parliamentary positions means the leading editors in the press gallery are all women. Madeleine Chapman asks four of them whether that matters, and about the broader state of play in 2018. With the announcement that Tova O’Brien and Jessica Mutch will assume the role of … Read more
With each passing week, a new international profile of Jacinda Ardern is published. Having studied them all, Madeleine Chapman presents a simple DIY guide. Dinosaurs. A robust exchange of views in the ACT caucus. An international story on New Zealand that doesn’t mention Middle Earth. These are three things that don’t exist in 2018. Profiles … Read more
Today is Valentine’s Day but for two very rich authors, every day is a day for romance. Nicholas Sparks and Danielle Steel go head-to-head in a battle for the trashy romance crown. Ten year old me browsed the books tables at the school fair. At 3pm, stalls were winding down and the tired volunteer mums … Read more
A pair of tourists have sparked outrage after admitting to eating at the Sisters of Compassion soup kitchen in Wellington to save money. Madeleine Chapman presents a few more money saving tips for tourists. On Thursday Stuff reported that a couple of tourists (a tourist couple), Enoch and Anna, have been travelling New Zealand living … Read more
Auckland artist and influencer Andrew Steel recently debuted a major work about consent. The post blew up then, just as quickly, disappeared. On January 22 Auckland artist Andrew Steel announced his latest work “Safe From Harm”. It debuted as a series of photos on his Instagram account, with accompanying text which encouraged women to talk … Read more