Comedy

Flick Electric Co.

She won comedy's top award for her jaw-dropping show about eloping to the UK as a teen. In a new podcast, that story is fleshed out in all its shocking glory. 

The not so secret life of Angella Dravid

Who's the man under the mo'? Alex Casey meets Heath Franklin, aka Chopper. 

How Heath Franklin became Chopper

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After a truly dismal year, the comedian is back onstage with his new show, Sorry Bout It.

Tofiga isn’t sorry about it

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In this special episode, we welcome you back to Waterdeep Mountain High, a Dungeons & Dragons podcast set in a below average school in the mystical land of Faerun.

Waterdeep Mountain High: Welcome to the Home of the Dragon Burger

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This year’s International Comedy Festival was a roaring success, but some comedians have turned the spotlight on audiences. Are they too timid? Do our hecklers suck? Josie Adams sizes things up

The quiet problem with New Zealand’s comedy audiences

Welcome back (for the final time!) to Waterdeep Mountain High, a Dungeons & Dragons podcast set in a below average school in the mystical land of Faerun.

Waterdeep Mountain High: School’s Out… Forever? Part 3

Welcome back to Waterdeep Mountain High, a Dungeons & Dragons podcast set in a below average school in the mystical land of Faerun.

Waterdeep Mountain High: School’s Out… Forever? Part 2

Waterdeep Mountain High: School’s Out… Forever? Part 1

Waterdeep Mountain High: Bullies and Fungus, part 2

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The NZ International Comedy Festival kicked off last night with its traditional opener, the NZ Comedy Gala. But this year, among the local and international comedians, there was a whole lot of racism. 

It’s 2018 and a white comedian mimicked a Thai woman at the NZ Comedy Gala

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Podcast host, comedian and big-brained Brit Andy Zaltzman will be coming to New Zealand later this year for the comedy festival. He spoke to Alex Braae about politics, satire, and the game he can't get enough of.<br />
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Podcast: Andy Zaltzman can’t stop talking cricket

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The 2018 Billy T Award Nominees were announced today. Sam Brooks goes deep on who they are, and why this slate is so great.

The 2018 Billy T nominees are here, and they’re pretty damn great

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The NZ International Comedy Festival is over for another year, and so our two Comedy co-editors Sam Brooks and Natasha Hoyland take their final bows. Read on for their farewell messages. 

That’s a wrap! Comedy editors Sam and Natasha look back at this year’s Comedy Festival

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Spinoff Comedy co-editor Sam Brooks takes a look at the recent history of the Billy T Award, what felt different about this year's nominees, and what that means for New Zealand's comedy industry as a whole.

What does The Billy T Award mean in 2017?

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Urzila Carlson is straight up the biggest comedian in the country today. Spinoff Comedy co-editor Sam Brooks talks to her about how she got so good at being funny.

‘I don’t leave the door open for bullshit to come in’: A conversation with Urzila Carlson

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There’s the Billy T Award, there’s the Fred Award, but now we’ve got comedy co-editor Sam Brooks’ completely biased and very serious comedy festival awards.

The Brooks Awards: Sam Brooks hands out his very serious Comedy Fest gongs

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For the fourth and final episode of our comedy festival podcast, actor, writer and comedy expert Chelsea McEwan Millar is joined by comedy co-editors Sam Brooks and Natasha Hoyland. 

The Laugh-Off’s fourth and final episode: the wrap up

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For years New Zealand comedy has – with some notable exceptions – had a reputation as something of a boys' club. Last night its three key awards were all won by women for the first time. Natasha Hoyland, a young comedian herself, describes how that moment felt.

If women aren’t funny, how come they took out all the awards at Last Laughs?

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Rose Matafeo won the Fred Award last night. It's New Zealand's most prestigious comedy award, along with the Billy T Award (which she has also won). Sam Brooks talks to her about her comedy, life overseas, and their shared passion for musical flop Nine.

‘Performing to 50 women and 10 men is the ideal ratio’: Rose Matafeo on making award-winning comedy

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On the heels of today's Fred nominee announcements, comedian Jonny Potts digs deep into the non-Fred Dagg work of John Clarke, including a book, a podcast and some handy YouTube clips.

Beyond the gumboot: The non-Dagg work of John Clarke

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An essential guide to all the holes you can drive through in this country.

All 28 road tunnels in New Zealand ranked from worst to best

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When faced with an abundance of radiant, fairly priced produce, I will always buy too much. But I refuse to let anything go to waste.

How to make the most of your market haul

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The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham

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The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18

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The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience.

What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānau

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Barcelona's city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? And why can't we do it here?

How superblocks can help reimagine city life

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Yes, they're better for the environment. No, that's not a good enough reason for me to use them. 

Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period products

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The government's plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start.

20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last year

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Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? 

All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to best

We didn’t know what to do about the Comedy Festival, so convened a motley trio of know-nothing punters to talk about it.

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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 starts, crowd work, along with the shows of Hamish Parkinson, Rose Matafeo, Felicity Ward, Natasha Hoyland, LOL Models, Matt Okine and Camping.

The Spinoff

ComedyApril 29, 2016

The Spinoff’s Unnamed Comedy Festival Podcast, week one: early starts, late arrivals and why you must go Camping

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ComedyApril 29, 2016

The Spinoff’s Unnamed Comedy Festival Podcast, week one: early starts, late arrivals and why you must go Camping

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