This Warriors season seems to be shaping up as a disaster, but still has a way to go before it’s officially worse than 2004, writes Andrew Mulligan. When you lose an NRL game 42-0, it’s bad. When you have to discipline six players for getting so hammered they couldn’t crawl out of bed, pop a … Read more
The shock resignation of Hilary Barry from Mediaworks represents a bigger blow than any of the other high profile TV3 newsroom departures, says Duncan Greive. Last night, just before 9pm, news broke that Hilary Barry had become the latest and biggest casualty of the Mark Weldon era at Mediaworks. It’s a cataclysmic event for the organisation, … Read more
If the chore of cobbling together and interacting with real people for a roleplaying session is too much, Joseph Harper has the mobile game for you. We all know Dungeons and Dragons and the Call of Cthulu etc are cool. There is almost nothing as good as putting on a bonnie wee Scotty boy accent … Read more
The Royal Wedding may have been five years ago today, but it remains an imprinted memory for many New Zealanders. Zoe Scheltema remembers the long, the short and the hats of watching it all unfold on live television. Five years ago, the world was absolutely gripped by what was being described as “the wedding of … 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 get amongst week one of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. The trio discuss the Comedy Gala, 5.30pm … Read more
Alex Casey assembles her favourite celebrity appearances from the BBC comedy Extras, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Forever shadowed by The Office, and more recently Ricky Gervais’ atrociously long pre-recorded intro to the NZ Comedy Festival, Extras is the wondrous second TV comedy masterpiece from Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais. I love Extras. I love … Read more
The Spinoff Editorial Board rules on whether Nick Smith was right when he said housing is more affordable in Auckland now than when National came to power. This morning, Housing Minister Nick Smith made the following statement on Morning Report: “If you look at the Massey University Housing Affordability Index, independently produced by that university, … Read more
Madeleine Chapman and her Aunty Henga assess the skills, builds, and tattoos in Game of Bros, Māori television’s reality quest for the ultimate Polynesian warrior. The Game of Bros champion has been crowned after seven long weeks of baby oil, Ludus hoodies, and coconut cream. While the whole series has been primarily focused on the humour and silliness, this finale … Read more
Is my broker the asshole? His advice seemed utterly outrageous, but at the same time completely rational, writes Jesse Mulligan. I had journalist Matt Nippert on my RNZ show this week. He’d done some calculations based on house price inflation and Lotto first-division inflation and worked out that by the year 2039, if you correctly … Read more
New verse by Wellington writer, academic and editor Harry Ricketts. Having trouble with your relationship? You may or may not be to blame. Don’t delay ‒ contact Dumper & Co today. Does he or she play home and away? Suspect them of being bi, straight or gay? Having trouble with your relationship? Some like it … Read more
Is the tide turning in NZ and globally on drug laws? Alison Mau hosts an expert panel discussion with Russell Brown, Kevin Hague, Hirini Kaa and Chris Wilkins. Drugs, drugs, drugs, drugs, drugs. Marijuana, marijuana. The timeless musings of MC OJ and the Rhythm Slave might well describe the array of news headlines in recent … Read more
The limited run series Containment promises a healthy dose of viruses with a side of emotional trauma. After one episode, Aaron Yap was left feeling less than satisfied. The sight of someone spewing blood and mucus out their nostrils will probably never lose its inherent ickiness. Containment knows this. Throughout its pilot episode, the show thrives on this … Read more
After 14 years, Ratchet and Clank are back! Don Rowe delves deep into Ratchet and Clank 2016 to see how, after all this time, the game stacks up. Amoeboids! O’ green bastards, chlorophyllic Matryoshka’s of slime! Knock one down and two take its place, shambling and leering and grasping. From all angles they slither, loitering in the … Read more
The Warriors lost badly on ANZAC Day, and now they’re being accused of disrespecting the combatants in a military campaign that happened 101 years ago. That’s dumb, writes Jamie Wall. April 25th, 2016 won’t go down as a day to remember for the Warriors. Not only was the team’s 42-0 loss devoid of any positives, it was … Read more
With Mastermind returning to our screens this week for the first time in over 25 years, Calum Henderson visits the set to watch the brainiacs at work. A couple of days before I went to watch the new series of Mastermind being filmed, I emailed the show’s publicist asking if she could tell me the … Read more
Yesterday we published a furious denunciation of slam poetry which felt like it demanded a counterweight. Comedian and performance poet Penny Ashton – the founder of Poetry Idol – offered her services, and we gladly accepted. Today I happily pulled on my bohemian attire – including a T-Shirt that says “Feminist Buzz Killing It” – and sat down … Read more
Whena Owen reports on the slow gutting of Te Papa Press. Farewell afternoon teas are a very Wellington ritual where public servants gather around the nearly departed, politely chatting and nibbling at gluten-free cake. The team leader’s speech will first attempt a joke then list the many virtues of their subordinate who is finally handed vouchers and … Read more
Complaining about the boring Super Rugby season? An English rugby fan writes in to remind us how lucky we are. Southern Hemisphere rugby is, usually, the best rugby on planet. There, I’ve said it. Often, as a person from the Northern Hemisphere and an Englishman to boot this is not an easy thing to let pass your … Read more
For Throwback Thursday this week, Claire Adamson arms herself with a bottle of wine and revisits the worst comedy series that New Zealand has ever made. In the early ’90s, a young and misguided television station called TV3 made a show so terrible that its name has become a byword for bad TV in this … Read more
During the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, ‘Behind the LOLs’ will reveal the inner workings of some of our finest comedy talent. A comedian’s writing process is something that is rarely discussed, and especially not in detail. Most people might not even have a clue about how stand up is written. Some may even get it confused … Read more
Alex Casey delivers her power rankings for week eight on The Bachelor NZ, including more Middle Earth than you can shake an earring at, and the pact that broke the camel’s back. Happy to report that it only took until week eight of The Bachelor NZ for something to happen that made me cry with laughter. It began … Read more
There’s a new Bachelor, a new mansion, and the same old dorks talking about it. The Fantasy Suite is The Spinoff’s weekly podcast about The Bachelor NZ, hosted by Jane Yee with Alex Casey and Duncan Greive. Have a listen below, or download here on iTunes, or here on Stitcher. This week in The Fantasy … Read more
Duncan Greive interviews Emily Edrosa as Street Chant’s long-delayed second album Hauora is released, and discusses the often-grim realities of life as a woman in the New Zealand music industry. Content warning: contains discussion of sexual assault. I met with Emily Edrosa twice in April. We went to a pub near my office, and each time she was wearing a Street Chant t-shirt. … Read more
Land tax is a good idea. But the proposal to lump it on non-residents alone just invites go-betweens to take advantage. Time for a properly coherent tax policy, argues Gareth Morgan. John Key has floated the idea of an annual land tax on foreign buyers of residential real estate as one response to the influx … 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, Hamish Parkinson reveals his four-step process for comedy success. Book tickets to 2015 Billy T Award winner Hamish Parkinson’s NZ International Comedy Festival Show: Moon Baby
Beauden Barrett is bad at kicking, but there’s no rule saying he has to keep doing it. Why can’t his teammates step up? The Hurricanes lost to the Chiefs on Saturday in what is being called one of the better games this Super Rugby season – I was there and do not agree. Beauden Barrett … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Leanne’s street talk, Ali’s book tease, and the Warner’s controversial new room. 1) Norelle calls time on Ferndale and everything else basically This was a bloody howler. The tears poured down my face like Huka Falls in flood when Norelle passed away, with … Read more
Steve Braunias watches a deeply morbid episode of meandering ’70s action-adventure Kung Fu. Warning: content may be disturbing. Every second Wednesday my daughter and three of her pals come over to the house after school before their dance lesson, and they always ask for macaroni and Kung Fu. I tape it from the Jones Channel and one … 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. Life in Paris is one giant mystery. Which knife does Murtagh use first at dinner? Which carriage should Claire take to visit the poor? Which is hotter, brunette or auburn? This week Jamie and Claire are up … Read more