Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Entertainment news

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  • barnaclebarnes,

    And And All Tomorrow's Parties is coming to Australia. Would be nice to catch that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 90 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    And are MGMT and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. yet to come?

    They can't. I'm out the country on Jan 19th so THEY JUST CAN'T OK!!!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    the new series of The Pretender is tremendous.

    But why is all the good stuff on so late? I know I can internet it later but still...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Rachel Prosser,

    I listened in to the Pretender while doing some work. But the other two people in the room, who were watching it decided to channel hop after being distracted and irritated by the inordinate amount of Quaxing (if I use that term correctly).

    In other words: no f****g sentence was f****ing complete without using the word f*****g, so they f***ed off and changed the channel.

    When I tuned in I felt that that got old really quickly.

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2008 • 228 posts Report Reply

  • Rachel Prosser,

    oooh, all those asterisks made the formatting look interesting. Not intended on my part

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2008 • 228 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    But why is all the good stuff on so late?

    Hadyn, MySky. MyyyyyyySkyyyyy...

    ('I'm your doctor/one you need/have some coke/have some weed... I'm your pusherman...')

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Hadyn, MySky.

    When the magic MySky fairies come round and give me MySky for free, that's when I'll use it. (I suppose I could finally build myself that PVR I always keep putting off)

    MyyyyyyySkyyyyy...

    Though it is a compelling argument...

    Now I see that the Pretender is full of Quaxing, I understand it's late night slot.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    ('I'm your doctor/one you need/have some coke/have some weed... I'm your pusherman...')

    I miss Curtis, of all the performers in all the stadiums in all the world, why did a lighting rig have to fall on his head?

    *glares at Bono*

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • stephen walker,

    </quote>Simian Mobile Sound System</quote>

    i assume you mean Simian Mobile Disco?

    if so, these people (???) followed Underworld at an all-night gig in Tokyo (well, Makuhari) last November.

    (Oblivion Ball: Underworld, The Orb, Simian Mobile Disco, 120 Days, Andrew Weatherall)

    all i can say is...be there...in the correct state of mind.
    you may never be the same again.

    nagano • Since Nov 2006 • 646 posts Report Reply

  • Bevan Shortridge,

    Speaking of made up MPs (the Pretender), dunno if you caught Sunday's Mediawatch, Russell, but you were namechecked a couple of times in that regard. It mentioned a piece by the Herald's John Drinnan on blogs that said you were on message with Labour and that you'd probably get offered a place on the Labour list for next election (although I cannot find the Drinnan piece online). However, Mediawatch said you were already spoken for, and played a news item from the previous Monday on National Radio that spoke of "Green MP Russell Brown" (intending Russel Norman). It's in the last five minutes of the show's podcast/mp3.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 122 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    i assume you mean Simian Mobile Disco?

    Er, yeah. I think I was channelling LCD Soundsystem from last year when I typed that ...

    But, apart from that, what you say sounds most encouraging.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jose Barbosa,

    I liked all the political entanglements and counter dealing in The Pretender, all that was quite gripping and really well done.

    But I can't say I found it funny. I laughed twice while watching the two episodes and both of those occurred while Joel Tolbeck was on screen.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 64 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It mentioned a piece by the Herald's John Drinnan on blogs that said you were on message with Labour and that you'd probably get offered a place on the Labour list for next election

    *sigh* And hasn't Drinnan also said more than once that David Farrar is a National Party employee? I know distinguishing between past and present tense is trivial pedantry, but really it's a little rich seeing MSM folks bitching about how the blogosphere is made up of functionally illiterate boobs who don't let the truth get in the way of a good rant while getting basic matters of fact wrong.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Now I see that the Pretender is full of Quaxing, I understand it's late night slot.

    I'm sorry to be in the minority on this (because I'm gagging for a good political satire), but The Pretender is... meh.

    I've nothing against a good seasoning of vulgar Anglo-Saxon (otherwise I wouldn't have a massive hag-fag crush on Robyn Malcolm and Antonia Prebble), but it's a hell of a lot of salt on a pretty bland pudding.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I agree with Jose and Craig - mildly interesting but sure aint funny.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It mentioned a piece by the Herald's John Drinnan on blogs that said you were on message with Labour and that you'd probably get offered a place on the Labour list for next election

    It was Drinnan filling space in particularly witless way.

    The phrase "on message" has implications to which I do not take kindly, and the bit about the list place was presumably a failed joke. Meh.

    But apart from that, his list of campaign commentators was very lazy. If he'd actually been on the case, he'd have mentioned Ben Thomas and Gordon Campbell, and perhaps even Steve Pierson/Clinton Smith. What he did write was lame.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jose Barbosa,

    I think it's more than mildly interesting. It's just that the wheeling and dealing part of it, particularly in the second episode, is much better than the attempts at comedy.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 64 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I agree with Jose and Craig - mildly interesting but sure aint funny.

    And to be fair, political satire is damn hard to do well. I've been watching The Games on TVNZ6, and Yes, (Prime) Minister is still the gold standard. You can enjoy both shows without knowing a damn thing about Australian or British politics (or the freak-a-palooza that is the Olympics, come to that), because of the pure joy of sublime casts just showing off with truly witty material.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and here's something the writer of The Pretender could learn from Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Some of the best episodes of Yes, Minister were when the central trio broke type and Jim Hacker turned out to be not quite so gormless after all, even on occasion leaving Sir Humphrey lost for obscurant persiflage, while Bernard showed hitherto untapped reserves of rat-like cunning.

    Dennis Plant is a stupid right-wing bigot whose talents exist in direct inverse proportion to his ego. OK, you've got a type -- so what?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Jose, sorry to mischaracterise your position by association. Craig, I agree political satire is very hard to do, and I respect anyone who tries. Just wish this were more.. well.. funny.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Dennis Plant is a stupid right-wing bigot whose talents exist in direct inverse proportion to his ego. OK, you've got a type -- so what?

    Well it's still early in the season. You can't break type every episode.

    It sounds like the perfect premise for political satire (note I have only seen a few episodes of the first series). Have someone be incredibly awkward (while avoiding obvious jokes stolen from the office) and have them offset with the straight guy who is quite competent.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And how do you poke fun at politicians, when out in the surreal world you've got George Hawkins getting (literally) Bible-bashed at Manurewa Baptist?

    I'm a terrible human being, but over breakfast I choked on my coffee when the better half said "Is this what they mean by the Church Militant?" :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    "Is this what they mean by the Church Militant?"

    You can't go around doing things like that to politicians!

    I hope they threw the book at him!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I like the quote in the Herald article:

    Family Party candidate Richard Lewis, a former frontline policeman, said: "It's a sad day when a long-time servant of the people gets treated like that at a public meeting."

    My first reaction was "is he talking about George Hawkins, or about the bible?"

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • PeterC,

    Hi Russell et al. thanks for the kind words, and the criticisms.

    Particularly interesting to note people picking up on the political maneuvering over the comedy ratio, which - while not exactly deliberate - is definitely the case, at least for the first 2 eps. I'm glad it worked for some though.

    Personally,the first 3 were the ones I was most worried about (and I'm just talking about the writing here; the directions/acting/production are uniformly excellent all the way through). imho, (and at the risk of sounding like a huckster) while it's by no means anywhere near perfect, it kinda hits its stride at Ep4 (although tbh, I never really know how people are going to react, there may well be total disagreement).

    PS I always kinda felt The Games was over-rated. Frontline however, now that's gold standard.

    Since Oct 2008 • 4 posts Report Reply

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