Back in the days before 30gb download files and region-locked downloadable content, video games were delivered on floppy disk with a physical tome of instructions. Liam Maguren explains why Doom had the best of them all. Modern games pour a lot into their prologues. It’s very tricky to balance a well-rounded gameplay tutorial with a story … Read more
After the finale of The Bachelor NZ, some of the greatest minds in the country* assemble to talk about what they’ve learned from Mauger Jordan and the bacholerettes this season. Duncan Greive on some Maugerly dangerous sex advice Despite all the helicopters and extreme water sports, there were no injuries this season beyond Erin’s cold – … Read more
The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. This week they watched the finale, an episode accurately summed up by Jordan with the immortal words: “that one will do”. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. Join … Read more
Amid reports of NZME and Fairfax NZ being carved off from their Australian owners, former Herald editor-in-chief Tim Murphy considers the prospects for a merger between NZ’s two big newspaper groups DitchMe. AbandonMe. MarryMe off to Fairfax. The Australian owner of the New Zealand Herald and NewstalkZB and a clutch of lesser radio stations, websites … Read more
A horse walks into a bar, and the bartender says, “No, the book awards are next door.” Mein gott! The book awards are on tonight, in a matter of hours, any minute! There will be so many intellectuals as well as publishers. And the thing that will be occupying the thoughts and anxieties of just … Read more
A junior Newshub reporter made an error at a Reserve Bank lockup in February. There were bound to be consequences, but now Governor Graeme Wheeler is just being a dick about it, says former MediaWorks head of news Mark Jennings. It takes a lot to shock or shake a Newshub reporter these days. The Weldon … Read more
Opinion: Publishing the names of thousands of people who have dealt with Mossack Fonseca irrespective of wrongdoing is reckless, unfair, and worthy of Kafka’s The Trial, argues Ben Thomas. The internet loves lists. “The 28 Most Unfortunate Names In Sport”; “23 Friends Quotes That Never Stop Being Funny”, “17 Delicious Salads You Should Pack For … Read more
Yesterday the Herald previewed its admirable #betterthanthis series on domestic violence by attempting to address the elephant in its room: Tony Veitch. Unfortunately the broadcaster used his column to paint himself as the real victim, says Delaney Mes. New Zealand has the highest rate of family and intimate-partner violence in the world. New Zealand Police … Read more
During the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, ‘Behind the LOLs’ will reveal the inner workings of some of our finest comedy talent. Today: Alice Brine. 7.05AM I’m on a plane from Wellington to Auckland and I’ve got crook guts. I always get farty when I’m on a plane and it’s so annoying – mainly for the fact … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Harry’s bus nightmare, Victoria’s pregnancy prank and some postcode envy for 90210. 1) Finn takes Kelly and Brenda to the Peach Pit and orders an extra serving of questionable paternity How sure are we that Finn is Chris’ son? I’m talking tangible … Read more
The Crusaders once again show that they’re a force to be reckoned with in Scotty Stevenson’s latest Super Rugby power rankings. 1. Crusaders Rd 11: 38-5 v Reds Last week: 3 (up 2) The Crusaders decided it would be best if they used Friday night as an opposed training session. Did this team really ever get … Read more
Michael Field covered Tony Veitch’s original trial and reported on the release of his police file. He writes that the broadcaster’s column yesterday was just another instance of his abdicating responsibility for his actions. A long time ago I sat in a court as a judge pulled a black handkerchief over his white wig and passed a sentence … Read more
Our resident Outlander fanatic Tara Ward shares her thoughts from the much-anticipated return of time-travel romance series. Contains spoilers. And smoulders. Episode five was titled ‘Untimely Ressurection’ or ‘Claire Screws Everyone Over To Suit Herself’. Like a runaway steamroller bedecked in beautiful botanical silks, Claire rampaged her way through the cobbled Parisian streets and pummeled anyone … Read more
As the tension builds towards tomorrow night’s Ockham national book awards, Graeme Lay shudders to recall the time the award for best novel went to a bogan – and Steve Braunias barges his way in at the end of the story, and adds a highly unusual postscript. Book awards are wonderful. They’re also fraught. Glittering … Read more
Announcing the debut of ‘Business is Boring’ a brand new weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound will speak with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and text. On Facebook the other day I saw a post … Read more
Theories have been circulating suggesting the mysterious figure behind the Panama Papers leaks may in fact be the NZ-based internet entrepreneur. The Spinoff begins its fearless mission to unmask John Doe by asking, is it you, Kim Dotcom? Rare is the day when the two most voluble and entertaining thought leaders of the New Zealand … Read more
We didn’t know what to do about the Comedy Festival, so convened a motley trio of know-nothing punters to talk about it. Host Alex Casey is joined by The Spinoff editor Duncan Greive and internet sensation Paul Williams to discuss the second week of the New Zealand Comedy Festival. Acts assessed include James Acaster, … Read more
Opinion: Changes at Māori TV give great cause for concern. The chief executive should be encouraging coverage critical of the establishment, not shutting it down, writes Green Party MP Marama Davidson I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of hearing bad news about Māori TV. Whenever Māori TV is mentioned in the media, it’s … Read more
Compiling the best reading of the week from your friendly local website. Hayden Donnell and Duncan Greive: Coup on at MediaWorks “There is a threat of mass resignations across TV and Radio, not just news,” said a senior Mediaworks source. “If there are no actions by the Board in the next 48 hours then resignations at … Read more
The prime minister has suggested his lawyer was sloppy in his choice of wording in an email two years ago. Now, on assurances regarding Mossack Fonseca, is the sloppiness getting even sloppier? On April 13, the prime minister was widely reported as saying he had been assured that his longstanding personal lawyer, Ken Whitney, had … Read more
Madeleine Chapman watches Sidewalk Karaoke, the new homespun singing competition by Māori TV. Sidewalk Karaoke, the latest release on Māori TV, is exactly what you would expect: karaoke sung on the sidewalk. Think Singstar on wheels. Think cracking highs when sober. Think shopping mall talent quest outside the mall. The budget is shamelessly sparse – no … Read more
Pushbike hardouts rejoice: Giro D’Italia is nearly upon us. Cycle correspondent Joseph Harper could’ve droned on about pelotons, but instead he got got right down to business with the content all of us secretly desired. There’s a lot to love about the Giro. The world loves the Tour de France and its maillot jaune, but honestly, the Giro’s maglia rosa is … Read more
The latest episode of our bi-weekly pop music chat for umusic, shot and edited by The Spinoff’s own José Barbosa. It involves two pop rookies – The Spinoff’s Alex Casey and bFM’s Joseph Harper – listening to state-of-the-art pop music and having a chat about it. Simple. This week they discuss Broods, Ladyhawke and Nick … Read more
A few weeks ago a mysterious TradeMe listing revealed that the iconic New Zealand music magazine RipItUp was for sale. Yesterday there was happier news, when the redoubtable industry legend Simon Grigg was revealed as having purchased the invaluable archives. Steve Newall interviews him below about his purchase, and his plans. Steve Newall: When you came across … Read more
The NRL may or may not be the greatest sports competition on Earth, but it is definitely home to the greatest fan-made banners. James Dann selects six of the best. Rugby league has given so much to our culture over the years. Mullets. Russell Crowe. The term “Hopoate”. But what has often been overlooked is its contribution to … Read more
The Australian government has spent $6 million on a bizarre feature-length movie to warn away potential asylum seekers from the Middle East. Josh Drummond sat down with a Farsi-speaking interpreter to watch it. It’s dark in The Spinoff offices, late on a Sunday, and I can’t find the light switch. What little light there is … Read more
Better late than never, host Alex Casey is joined by comedian and writer Michele A’Court and Mana magazine editor Leonie Hayden to talk about what April held for women in New Zealand. That is to say the Henderson hemline controversy, harassment in the music industry and an extended conversation about vaginas. Pour yourself a cup … Read more
Calum Henderson watches I Can’t Stop Farting, a TVNZ On Demand documentary about those afflicted with bad smells and sounds. Sarah counts her farts. She keeps a daily tally, using a colour-coded system: red for “loud”, blue for “silent”, and green for “smelly”. On a bad day she farts 40 to 50 times, which is apparently almost … Read more
Two new poems by the amazing David Eggleton, a finalist in next week’s Ockham national book award for his noisy book of visions, The Conch Trumpet (Otago University Press). Floral Clock Dawn’s orange soak rinses the copper lid that floats over Noel Lane’s kava bowl back of the War Museum, the front’s white colonnade, and Ferro-Concrete … Read more