An essay by long-time bad dude Iain Sharp on the state of book reviewing in New Zealand – and the preponderance of witless fucking “round-ups.” When I met the poet Lauris Edmond for the first time in 1990, she peered hard at me and announced with her trademark directness, “In person you seem quite gentlemanly, … Read more
Alex Casey assembles her contestant power rankings for week three, including near-death experiences, cocktail kisses and a spectacular vomit from the frontrunner. It was a week that promised “thrills and spills” on The Bachelor NZ, a promise that mostly delivered on one contestant – and shortly after the entire nation – being sick in their mouths. … Read more
Forced to follow Anika Moa’s commands to the letter, José Barbosa must complete one level in a video game. Like all our gaming content, this video comes to you with the loving assistance of Bigpipe, an ISP that ain’t no dirty rat.
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. What has happened to our beloved show? Jane, Alex and Duncan open by trying to figure that out, eventually … Read more
The Black Caps have rolled India and squeezed Australia, but now it’s time to take on Pakistan – a team that almost always find a way to break our hearts. Few things make Kiwi cricket fans tremble more than squaring off with Pakistan in the midst of a world tournament. Just mention 1992 (the Inzamam … Read more
Dan Taipua’s Save State series presents five gaming relics that every collector needs in their shrine/garage, from the essential basics to the very rare and frustratingly pointless. In this the fourth installment, Dan investigates the discordant world of music gaming. 5. Game Boy Camera Cameras are mostly famous for their ability to take photographs and … Read more
As the Black Caps make a winning start to the T20 World Cup, Julia Hollingsworth remembers the time she lost big in a meeting with Dan Vettori. A year ago, I met cricketing legend and part-time heartthrob Daniel Vettori. It was the height of Cricket World Cup fever. The weather was unseasonably hot, and everyone was suddenly a … Read more
In a week-long series, Alex Casey gets reality star Chrystal Chenery’s take on the world over coffee and scones. First up: Chrystal shares some wisdom for our new Bachelorettes based on her time in the mansion last year. Chrystal became a reality star that outshone almost all other offerings in the ashes of the great MediaWorks … Read more
The first week of the World T20 has come and gone and the Black Caps have already beaten two of the pre-tournament favourites: India and Australia. Alex Chapman assesses the captaincy of Kane Williamson and the bold selections behind the success. And he sounds a warning ahead of Pakistan, too. When Simon Doull suggested a … Read more
Colin Hogg reviews Sinatra: The Chairman, by James Kaplan (Hachette, $40). According to this new book, the only reason the mobster Sam Giancana didn’t have his famous troublemaking pal Frank Sinatra knocked off was that he loved the singer’s voice so much. It was a lucky thing for Sinatra the infamous killer was a fan, … Read more
Fifty years ago, Peter Arnett became the first, and only, New Zealander to win the Pulitzer Prize, for his coverage of the Vietnam War. Ben Stanley met Arnett at his Los Angeles home – and learned about the silent season of our greatest newsman. First published in the summer 2015 issue of Barkers’ 1972 magazine. … Read more
Madeleine Chapman takes a look at the differences between how the men’s and women’s teams are treated at the T20 World Cups taking place in India. The Twenty20 World Cup is underway in India and, as we all know, the Black Caps are in fine form, eerily similar to their fine form at the World Cup … Read more
An extract from From the Podium, a collection of tales from orchestras around the world by former Auckland Symphony Orchestra conductor, Gary Daverne. I hate outdoor concerts and avoid them if possible. Lighting can be hopelessly inadequate. Engineers seem to always want to light from the front, so the audience can see the players, but … Read more
TVNZ’s Filthy Rich cost $400k per episode to make, a pricetag 10 times that of Māori Television’s new drama Kairākau. Duncan Greive compares the two investments. Earlier this week, I received an email from a person I’d never heard from before. “It would be good for you to do a comparitive analysis on the following low budget … Read more
The Brumbies finally lose top spot after their first defeat of the season, and somehow get replaced by a team they beat 52-10. Scotty Stevenson power ranks round four of the Super Rugby season. 1. Hurricanes Rd 4: 41-6 v Force Last week: 4 (up 3) There is an irony here that the team to replace … Read more
Trouble overwhelming? Panic setting in? James Dann offers a few reasons to stop despairing over the Warriors’ terrible start. After a third successive loss, and on the brink of setting a record for their most consecutive losses, many Warriors fans might be thinking this could be another season to forget. But James Dann’s original 1995 … Read more
The latest thing to carry the Tom Clancy cattle brand is The Division. It’s a much hyped online multiplayer game set in a dystopian New York. While it’s all a bit bloody grim, Liam Maguren chronicles the off-game diversions one can create for oneself in the crumbling aftermath of a societal meltdown. Ubisoft are fan-bloody-tastic … Read more
Tara Ward brings you her Shortland Street Power Rankings for last week, including Bella’s DIY nightmare, and the arrival of the first transgender character to Ferndale. 1) Nicole is Emmeline Pankhurst “Give me more nurses, or I quit! And while you’re at it, put Crunchie bars back in the vending machines!” Nicole’s uprising was confronting … Read more
Morgan Godfery’s collection of new progressive thinking is weighed down by a lot of old left ideas, writes Ben Thomas, from the other side of the political divide. The tagline of BWB Texts is “short books on big subjects by great New Zealand writers”, although a more appropriate description of its latest anthology, The Interregnum: … Read more
Opinion: The forthcoming select committee review into assisted dying should represent a welcome opportunity for reasoned debate on an important issue. It’s unfortunate then, says Gareth Morgan, that the committee’s chair has already made up his mind. After the much publicised struggle and death of Lecretia Seales, former MP Maryan Street presented a petition to Parliament … Read more
This weekend 3 Kiwi fighters will step into the ring during this weekend’s UFC Fight Night. Don Rowe, who has money on our boys, loads up the PS4 and EA’s brand new UFC 2 to project what chances he has of winning big. Our gaming coverage comes right to your sweet little hands thanks to Bigpipe, … Read more
New verse by Auckland priest Jenny Blood. Sun I found the sun shining beside me when I woke this morning so I took that sun and pinned it to the wall
Madeleine Chapman and her Aunty Henga assess the skills, builds, and tattoos in Game of Bros, a reality quest for the ultimate Polynesian warrior. Game of Bros premiered last night on Māori television after much anticipation and illegal advertising. The show seeks to find the ultimate island warrior, pitting twelve men against each other in various traditional tasks. … Read more
Sean Plunket’s “hua” diatribe was symptomatic of widespread silencing of dissent. But the Booker-winning novelist’s exhortation to “eloquence, imagination, and reasoned debate” shows the debate isn’t over yet, writes Andrew Dean in this extract from The Interregnum: Rethinking New Zealand Giveaway: The Spinoff has two copies of The Interregnum to give away, courtesey of Bridget … Read more
Joanna McLeod assembles a list of meals to match each macabre masterpiece from Hannibal season one. Simply hover the mouse over each dish to see the original inspiration from the show… if you dare. This post contains imagery that may be disturbing or NSFW. You might think a stomach-churningly gory show like Hannibal would be the … Read more
Linda Burgess urges you to read a new novel by a modern master – My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (Random House.) Elizabeth Strout is my current literary crush – though I’m fairly sure that this time, it’s the real thing. She is fabulous. Damn her, she knows everything, and she puts just a … Read more
Scotty Stevenson welcomes Mark Stafford, radio host and sports commentator, to the Spinoff podcast bunker. This week Scotty gets heated up about the place of the TMO in refereeing decisions; Nehe Milner-Skudder’s exit from the competition; the Chief’s “killer” schedule and the continually woeful story of the Reds. Listen to the whole thing right now, or save … Read more
What’s the difference between a “normal” name and a “bogan” one? A few hundred years and many thousand dollars in household income, says Madeleine Holden. The best bogan baby names of 2016 have been revealed, with “best” here meaning “most likely to provoke a satisfyingly superior smirk”. The bogan baby names list is an annual … Read more
Last week the advertising world came together for its annual night of backslapping at the Viaduct Events Centre. But the Axis Awards are more than just an excuse for a booze-up, says an anonymous creative director – they can make or break careers. The Axis Awards show: the night when advertising creatives swap their Chuck Taylors … Read more