Random Play: The Pope, the Veitch, his Spies and my Brother
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"a peculiarly Auckland culture that baffles outsiders"
Yes, that did seem a little odd, including the implication that the only people who refer to "Mercs" and "Beamers" live in Auckland. It is, however, tied up with the desperate attempts to manufacture a celebrity culture, which isn't exclusively "Auckland" but seems to be centred there because that's where most of the mass media is based. Wellingtonians seem to go out of their way not to appear excited by TV presenters, reality TV "stars" and goss mags, though indie filmmakers, musicians and obscure writers are a different story of course.
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It’s because the vacuous “Celebrity Treasure Island” type celebrities are based in Auckland.
In contrast, when the country’s best political radio broadcaster gets done for a pretty full-on DIC recently, it barely creates a ripple in Wellington.
And in Dunedin they have a mayor that can sing, and even that doesn’t get him into the magazines.
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If they did know and didn't do that, then what does that tell us about them?
Perhaps that they are part of the PR industry? I don't read those columns myself (not being an Aucklander) so can't really comment.
One thing I do find amusing is that in his days in Auckland Ali Williams was the hellraiser who got sent home from a tour for drinking.
A season in Christchurch flatting with Richie McCaw sees him as the knight in shining armour wading in to break up fights on the strip.
What that says about either city, is anyone's guess. Ali rehabilitated by Robbie's and Richie's good influence, or Christchurch more hell-raising than Auckland.
What I have thought for a while that s that if anyone does a modern-day remake of Henry V (like the BBC did of Much Ado, Taming of the Shrew and so forth), then Ali is a modern-day Prince Hal.
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What I have thought for a while that s that if anyone does a modern-day remake of Henry V (like the BBC did of Much Ado, Taming of the Shrew and so forth), then Ali is a modern-day Prince Hal.
Well, I wonder if there's some Kiwi Sondheim who could bang up a version of Follies, because there's a few re-born rugby player who could belt out I'm Still Here (song begins at 2.20) with just that right edge of desperation and futility:
And I'm sure someone could bang him up a tastefully peekaboo gown. -
And in Dunedin they have a mayor that can sing, and even that doesn’t get him into the magazines.
The other week he was on the front page of the ODT singing in a full wedding dress, with veil. I think that makes him about 5 times the mayor than John Banks. Nyer.
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All very interesting - but how was Kasey Chambers? :)
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What that says about either city, is anyone's guess.
Dear Auckland,
Plz do not send us all your munters. Kthnxbai.
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Hello, I should bring to the table a couple of the better papal protest t-shirt slogans...
For those not aware, the state government recently legislated that it would be an offence to 'annoy' pilgrims... to the cost of $5500!
- The Pope touched me down under
- My invisible friend is better than your invisible friend
- Too many Christians, not enough lions – Randwick 2008PS. Sorry to hear of your bad Red Eye experience Graham, it's still a great store for getting the work of local artists...
Cheers, Martin
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martin w wrote:
For those not aware, the state government recently legislated that it would be an offence to 'annoy' pilgrims... to the cost of $5500!
It always astonishes (and alarms) me that Australia has no protection for freedom of expression.
And it makes me think that New Zealand should be much more grateful to Geoffrey Palmer for our Bill of Rights...
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Dear Auckland,
Plz do not send us all your munters. Kthnxbai.
Coals to Newcastle ...
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Wellingtonians seem to go out of their way not to appear excited by TV presenters, reality TV "stars" and goss mags, though indie filmmakers, musicians and obscure writers are a different story of course.
What has happened up here is a complex business, entwined with the public relations industry. You bung your PR client heaps for staging a "launch" on a Tuesday night. But to validate that launch, you need to make sure that some celebrities turn up. So you have to create a celebrity culture ...
Saunders did once actually explain how one enters the celebrity lists, starting with gatecrashing if necessary (trivially easy) then schmoozing the PR company, handing out business cards etc. Once you establish that you are in fact someone who will turn up to the opening of an envelope on a rainy Tuesday night, you're on your way ...
The apparently talentless Aja Rock is probably the champ of all this, having wangled her way onto Celebrity Treasure Island without actually being a celebrity, and basing her subsequent celebrity career on having been on the programme. She did also hook up with a wealthy, tasteless used car dealer. That works too.
It's a porny sort of scene in more than one way.
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Coals to Newcastle ...
Ooo, burn!
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This was their time in the sun again, and they seemed to be out in force too.
*sigh* And when the issues around morality come up some are just a little to willing to think the religious should be consulted.
And there is a rumor the pope does have a boyfriend.Oh I long for the days when to be a celeb it was de riguer to have done copious amounts of drugs, and still be able to get on stage and do a blistering set.
But then the 2006 replay of "Berlin" wouldnt have been as mighty, once you got used to the directors "contributions".Glad to see you survived sans insurance.
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What has happened up here is a complex business, entwined with the public relations industry. You bung your PR client heaps for staging a "launch" on a Tuesday night. But to validate that launch, you need to make sure that some celebrities turn up. So you have to create a celebrity culture ...
Where elsewhere, you do it the old-fashioned way of falling out of the right birth canal, going to the right schools, belonging to the right clubs, marry well (and expensively), then divorce even better (and expensively for the poor shmuck you've tossed off, and not in a fun way). Make sure any envolope being opened is one you paid for, and even better if it's a benefit for the fashionable nasty of the week. Behave badly within decorous limits, and pretend to disdain the media while assiduously courting them.
Not that I'm saying its necessarily a bad thing -- I'm far too big a fan of Edith Wharton, and biographies of the Mitford Sisters to get away with that.
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"This was their time in the sun again, and they seemed to be out in force too."
You seem to be talking of Ozzy Catholics as 'other'.
Australia is a majority Catholic CountryReligions:
Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census) CIA World Factbook. -
"The Pope touched me down under"
That T-shirt would do well amonst a few of my friends . -
I saw Pope Paul VI pass through Taylor Square on his way to Randwick raceourse during his 1970 Sydney stopover. The Italian family from the shop next door became highly emotional as they received the Papal blessing from Il Papa in his Popemobile, with black-clad granny shedding real tears like one of those miraculous statues that Catholics are said to be so fond of.
After the Pope had passed by a South Sydney Council garbage truck hove into view, with the garbos blessing the crowd from atop the trash. The devout catholics, including Italian granny, weren't in the least offended - they seemed to enjoy the joke as much as the infidels.
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3410,
26.4% is not a majority.
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26.4% is not a majority.
And even if Catholics form a plurality in Australia (and are pouring shitloads of money into economy Sydneyside), that's not the point. Catholics have the same rights to go about their legitimate and lawful business - and be free from harassment, intimidation and criminal nogoodnikery - as everyone else. No less, but certainly no more.
And if some fuckwits are going around indulging in juvenile provocation -- well, that's the price (however distasteful) of living in a pluralistic where you don't have thug clerics empowered to deal to people who offend their religious sensibilities. Some Catholic may care to consider that there are parts of the world where walking down the street with a Bible under your arm and a rosary in your hands could lead to a rain of very, very bad shit falling on their heads.
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It is World Youth Day, any protest needs to be PG in nature and so issues held against the Pope (who has a few - he was Hitler Youth - although not by choice) need to be ballanced against the biggest kids fest - like forever.
Coupled with the new authoritarian age of the War of Terror that has captured the imagination of all domestic police forces.
I really don't see Sydney becoming a theocracy with an Ozzy version of Swiss Guards poncing around. Rather a protective tendancy towards the kids and the Cops own authoritarian issues at play.
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Wellingtonians seem to go out of their way not to appear excited by TV presenters, reality TV "stars" and goss mags, though indie filmmakers, musicians and obscure writers are a different story of course.
Yes, but then that would be because Wellington is NZ's Capital of Culture according to this article
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Gag! Argh! That person had obviously never been to Dunedin! (which is, of course, the cultural capital of the ANZ!)
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Yes, but then that would be because Wellington is NZ's Capital of Culture according to this article
Someone should tell Rupert de Paula that 'plethora' (as in "grab a bite to eat in one of Wellington’s plethora of restaurants") is neither a compliment or a synonym for 'lots and lots'. Plethora comes from the Greek for 'fullness', and is used in English to describe and excess or overabundance. Or in an archaic usage, a morbid condition due to excess of blood in the body.
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Why do we need a cultural capital at all?
Let the regions do their thing. Taranaki has a fair bit of cultural capital, with their World Music, Parihaka, Len Lye, and the other acts that travel the regions.
Christchurch has a long running Theatre Sports (which I think I am responsible for the demise of the amateur part - I was that bad) and a steady Theatre Company of shows, a bit middle age in focus but you've gotta follow the dollars.
Wellington is the King of Corp Sponsors and Govt benefactors & I was really impressed with some of the Auckland Art.
I think there is a lack of live music around, not big name bands but just locals playing in the back of the pub. It may be the death of venues to play that's the issue. Irish, Jazz & Blues are all I can think of around town for live music, no rock - own or covers hmm.
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Aucklanders and Wellintonistas can still rest safely in their beds knowing that in Christchurch your fame still depends on what boat your forebears arrived on!?
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