Podcasts about Jack Tame

Maroš Šefčovič: Trump's tariffs and Europe's trade position by Q+A with Jack Tame

Yesterday on Jack Tame's show, I was talking about the new Springsteen film - Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere - and Jack asked me why there have been so many music biopics recently? It got me thinking about how musicians and their origin stories and struggles with fame have always made for good films, and we've always made them. But Jack is right, there have been quite a few biopics about musicians recently - think Better Man about Robbie Williams, A Complete Unknown about Bob Dylan, Bob Marley: One Love, Back to Black about Amy Winehouse, Maria about Maria Callas … and there's plenty more on the way. In 2028, each Beatle is getting their own film, thanks to director Sam Mendes. The truth of the matter is probably that they make money. Marvel and comic book superhero cinema dominance is cooling off, and so in recent years Hollywood has turned to the music biopic genre to replace it. It makes sense really. Like comic book heroes, many of these artists lives are steeped in mythology perfect to mine for drama, their stories are part of pop culture. And apart from paying for music rights - they aren't too expensive to make. And, we love them. We love the comfort of their familiarity and a bit of nostalgia. The music industry also love music biopics, it's a wonderful way for the industry to reconnect an artist with their audience and create new fans. The Springsteen movie is about the making of his acoustic, folk inspired album Nebraska. I listened to the album in the car on the way home from watching the film. Tick, job done. For me, the genre was revitalised with 2005's Walk the Line, which told the story of flawed genius Johnny Cash and his wife June's relationship. It told it - warts and all. Around that time, Ray, about Ray Charles, was also released, as was Control, the story of the troubled life and times of Ian Curtis, lead singer of new wave band Joy Division. Since then, we have been tapping our toes and reliving our own relationships with the music of Elvis, Elton John, Freddie Mercury and NWA. As popular as the genre is, and as much as we enjoy the ride, it's tricky for filmmakers to get these films right. Artists' stories often follow the same narrative beats so can be samey, but it can be risky taking a unique approach. Taking on a lead role can be rewarding for actors in awards season, but fans are judgy when watching an interpretation of their heroes. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is a good case in point. Aside from a few concert scenes, mostly we watch Springsteen record an album in his bedroom and studio while slipping into depression. It's hardly a glossy, mainstream rollicking ride. If you're looking for something to watch this long weekend, and watching Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen isn't your thing, then hunt out some of our own music stories - which have been turned into excellent documentaries. Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds, The Chills: The Triumph & Tragedy of Martin Phillipps, Alien Weaponry - Thrash Metal and Te Reo Māori, Shihad - Beautiful Machine, Heavenly Pop Hits - The Flying Nun Story. So many good choices. It's also worth noting Life in One Chord - the Shayne Carter story - will be available to rent from DOC PLAY from November 6th. All beautifully told stories that enrich our lives. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was such a rookie mistake. I was tramping in the Kahurangi, last summer. The Douglas Range, 1000m above sea level. And after we'd pitched a tent, as the sun got heavy and the surrounding hills cast their shadows long and deep, I realised I'd screwed up, big time. Zzzzzz. Zzzzzz. Zzzzzz. What made the error so much worse was that it wasn't a bit of absent-minded forgetfulness. I'd carefully considered my options before loading my pack. It wasn't that I'd forgotten to bring long johns or pants. It's that I'd *chosen* not to pack them. Up top I had a poly-prop, jumper and jacket. But down bottom I had shorts… and that was it. Zzzzz. Zzzzzzzz. The only way to keep sandflies from biting is to keep moving. And the last thing you feel like doing after 8 or 10 hours of steady climbing… is keep moving. As if to wallow in my own stupidity, I ended up treading a middle ground. Moving just enough so as not to rest, but not enough to stop the sandflies from completely devouring me. Still, I've had worse experiences with them. I'll not forget my night at the mouth of the Heaphy River, where the swarms were so thick they hung in the skies like pockets of buzzing black smoke. Walking by, you had to make sure to close your mouth so as not to catch a bit of extra protein. And you know what? I'd still take a sandfly over a biting gnat. I once chose to visit one of Utah's national parks on a Sunday in the middle of biting gnat season. The locals call them ‘moose flies' which I suppose could be cos' they hang around moose, or just as feasibly in my experience because the gnats are a comparable size. It wasn't just the itching that killed me, though. My bare legs were soon covered in blood. I returned to Salt Lake City to discover every pharmacy closed for the rest of the weekend and spent the night lying in a tepid bath, trying to stave off shock. Often it's the obvious downside to natural beauty. If it's a beautiful natural landscape… there will be something that'll give you an itchy bite. At least there's one place on Earth you could still safely wear shorts. Sure, you might be a bit nippy striding down the streets of Reykjavik in your stubbies, but at the very least you could be sure there were no sandflies. There were no biting gnats. No midges. No moose flies. No mozzies. That was at least, until this week. Scientists have confirmed that for the first time, the World's deadliest creature has reached the last country on Earth. Iceland officially has mosquitoes. And while sure, Iceland is not the Amazon. They're not at risk of a Dengue Fever outbreak, You can still safely leave the Deet at home. The truth is that the discover probably represents more than just an ecological quirk. At an individual level, sure, it's a potential nuisance. But what confirming mosquitoes in Iceland says about the state of the planet is probably far more serious. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"An amusing story about the lengthy & complex arrangements around an appointment with an oral (dental) surgeon this week. Spoiler alert: My tooth fell out before I got there." Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to share an interesting story about complications at the dentist. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Boyega has legendary status for his ability to say that he's fought with a lightsaber, stood up to the Empire, and been an integral part of a brand-new generation of sci-fi. John shot to fame as former stormtrooper Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and has since carved out an incredible reputation as an actor, producer, activist and storyteller with real purpose. This weekend, John is in New Zealand for the Armageddon Expo's massive 30th anniversary event, and he caught up with Jack Tame ahead of the convention. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville joins Jack Tame to discuss the latest sports news. The NPC final, Canterbury vs Otago, who will walk away with the trophy? Jason Holland has retired as attack coach for the All Blacks, what's next for him? And the White Ferns exit the cricket world cup following a difficult run in Sri Lanka. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Is the Government right to get rid of its climate disclosure rules for listed companies? Did anybody actually care? Tomorrow's mega-strike is set to begin. Polls indicate over half of Kiwis support the strike. What do we make of all this? What's your secret to cooking a good sausage? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, CTU's new president Sandra Grey, and researcher Kali Mercier.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has slashed New Zealand's methane targets, saying they're more realistic for farmers. Q+A asks him what impact it may have on the country's international commitments and trade deals. . As Energy Minister, Watts is facing calls to do something about the energy industry. It follows the closure of multiple businesses which cited high energy prices as a factor. . Watts is also questioned about the sustainability of the local government sector as it tackles rates rises, infrastructure deficits, and low voter turnout. . Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand on Air.

Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger passed away this week. He served from 1990-1997 and secured National's largest ever victory in the 1990 election. Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to share his personal experiences with Jim Bolger, who he once met at a café on the Kapiti coast. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cillian Murphy and Tracey Ullman are the stars of new Netflix movie 'Steve', adapted from a book written by Max Porter. And Kiera Knightley stars with Guy Pearce and Hannah Waddingham in another book adaptation. Francesca Rudkin joined Jack Tame to give a rundown of the two movies, including their highs and lows. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I flew to Greymouth the morning after Pike River first blew. I was there, in and out, for several weeks. I keenly remember those first few days of waiting. Of hope. Checking our phones. Checking our phones. Checking our phones. It's a cliche, I know. But time moves so slowly when you're watching a clock. I remember the calculations. How much air? Water? Food? I remember the international media pouring into Greymouth. I remember the despair on the Wednesday afternoon when the families were called in for an update. The mine had blown again. The men were all dead. One of the great privileges of being a journalist is that you get to meet lots of interesting people and experience lots of different things. I've certainly had more than my share of pinch-myself moments over the years. But for all the elections and Olympics and Donald Trump rallies I've been lucky to attend one the most memorable afternoons of my life was the afternoon of the Pike River memorial. You might recall it. It was less than a fortnight after the men went missing... a big public event at a racecourse just out of town. But instead of going, I decided to stay the afternoon in Greymouth. And I've never experienced anything like it. It. Was. Empty. Not a car. Not an open shop. Not a soul. You could walk down the painted line in the middle of the road. There was no one. Everyone was gone because a piece of everyone was gone. The loss was absolute. It still seems a bit surreal. Mining has never been the safest industry, and the Coast has more than its share of tragic history hidden in its magnificent bush-covered valleys, but that almost every player on a rugby pitch could go in for a shift and never come home – in modern New Zealand – is still shocking to me. I watched Pike River the film this week. I found it very affecting. It's interesting to note the director Rob Sarkies also directed Out of the Blue, the film about Aramoana. He waited 16 years after the massacre to make and release that film. He's waited almost as long for Pike River. He's really got a knack for sensitively telling some of the most painful-but-important New Zealand stories. But there's a big and obvious difference between Out of the Blue and Pike River. The Pike River story still isn't over. Police and the Crown Solicitor are still deciding whether to lay criminal charges. After all of those days waiting to see if their boys might have somehow survived, all of those weeks and then months and then years to see if the mine could be re-entered, if they could recover the remains of their loved ones... The families of the Pike 29 are still waiting. The media left town. In a way, the World moved on. But you get the sense, after 15 years, that a little part of Greymouth is still hollowed out. Still waiting for justice. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people think about money in terms of days. Wealthy people think about money in decades. Here's how to think about money differently: Based on this calculator. Ed McKnight joined Jack Tame to look at how Kiwis view their money, and why we should start counting decades, not days. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been almost 15 years since the Pike River mining disaster in which 29 men lost their lives. A new film tells the true story of the tragedy and its aftermath through the eyes of Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse - 2 women at the forefront of the fight for justice. In the disaster, Anna lost her husband Milton. Sonya lost her son Ben, while another of her sons, Daniel, was one of just two survivors. The pair joined Jack Tame this morning to discuss the disaster and the film's release. Pike River will be in cinemas from the 30th of October 2025. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Dawning is a collaborative album from Icelandic composer and producer Ólafur Arnalds, and the late Irish singer-songwriter Talos. The album blends the two musician's iconic styles to take listeners on a journey of raw emotion and evasive hope, and serves as a reminder of the legacy left by Talos. All the artwork was made by Talos himself. James Irwin joined Jack Tame to review the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people think about money in terms of days. Wealthy people think about money in decades. Here's how to think about money differently: Based on this calculator. Ed McKnight joined Jack Tame to look at how Kiwis view their money, and why we should start counting decades, not days. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Kiwiblog writer and Curia pollster David Farrar and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! It's been a controversial couple of days for the Māori Party. Do we see the party splitting apart? Do we think Labour will officially rule out working with them before next year's election? A new poll in the Post has indicated Chris Bishop is the successor in waiting for Luxon - what do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fifth solo studio album from American musician Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override is packed full. It's a triple album, with a total of 30 tracks, created with the intention of overwhelming the ‘ennui' that was being squeezed into his life with his own creative works. He's credited the prolific output to his belief that creativity “eats darkness”. James Irwin joined Jack Tame to review the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple of interesting quotes came to light this week – one from the late Jane Goodall and the other from Queen Camilla. Kevin Milne joined Jack Tame to chat about the two quotes and his thoughts on them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raised at the bottom of the world, Sam Cullen is on his way up. The Invercargill-born musician is rising in the music world, having already performed on the main stage at Rhythm & Vines, as well as playing on some of the coolest stages around the country. He's been working quietly behind the scenes on his self-titled debut album, which is set to release soon. Some of the songs on the album, he revealed to Jack Tame, are about five or six years old. “It's kind of been less of a, I'm going to sit down and write an album,” Cullen said. “But the last five years of my life, these are like, the best songs I've written and haven't released yet.” Only being 25 years old, this means the songs were written throughout the early days of his adulthood – resulting in themes of coming of age and entering adulthood weaving throughout the album. “I'm pretty proud of it and excited to have it out.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 1News reporters Yvonne Tahana, Abbey Wakefield, and Ali Pugh; artist and activist Tāme Iti; former Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse; NZ Initiative local government specialist Nick Clark; and ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar.

The All Whites were playing Poland yesterday in the build up for next year's World Cup. I saw about half of the game. Although we ultimately lost, my main takeaway was that we looked alright. All Whites of old would have faced potential humiliation in a game against Poland – not this team. But for whatever reason I was also struck by one of the challenges that led to a yellow card in the match, and the way in which the players reacted. To be clear, it was nothing special. A heavy, clumsy challenge, but one which happens in every top tier football game and probably every Sunday league golden oldies 40+ social game too. The tackle came in. The ref blew his whistle. And in a moment, players from both teams immediately crowded him out. I don't get it. I don't understand why football, of all sports, lets players rush the referee, getting right up in their face to theatrically plead innocence or insist that an opponent should be more harshly sentenced. Sure, the rules state that players can be penalised for dissent, but it happens so rarely. Instead, you see them rush the ref all the time in top level games. Sometimes half a team will run in. It can take minutes to restore order. I get that sport is emotional, but it's a curious exercise to compare what football will generally allow players to do to referees with other, more violent sports. In rugby, there's no way referees would stand for it. There's a very clear process. If you've got a problem, your captain is welcome to bring it to the ref, but if any other players push the line, they risk being penalised. Most players get it pretty quickly. In American football, if you give much more than a ‘yes sir' to one of the officials, you'll be penalised for unsportsmanlike conduct or ejected from the game. They have trialled similar things in football. They looked at a blue card option in which referees could sin-bin players for dissent. They looked at rules where only captains could approach referees. But so far it hasn't been adopted in the top leagues with the most money, the most viewers, and the most influence. Apparently one of the concerns is that cracking down on player treatment of referees will suppress some of the emotion in the game, and emotion makes it fun to watch. But I dunno. I reckon by being so loosey-goosey and allowing ten or a dozen players to all get up in the ref's face at once, they've ended up incentivising histrionic behaviour. Now, if a player makes a heavy tackle and knows they're probably in the wrong, they have to go up and scream and yell and stamp their feet at their supposed cruel treatment, because they know the other team will be making just as much of a scene, trying to get them punished. It's like an arms race – you have to match your opponent's outrage. Football is a near-perfect team sport. It's beautifully simple. The barriers to entry are basically non-existent. The scope for creativity and flare is vast. But if there is one way the beautiful game might be improved just a bit, it's the way players treat the referee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk, Race Relations Commissioner Melissa Derby, and global tax expert Michael Keen.

Spring has sprung and it's the perfect time to pick up a few simple, sustainable habits that connect you to nature. Kate Hall has a few suggestions that she joined Jack Tame to delve into, including: Plant and swap: Sow quick wins like salad greens, radishes, and herbs. Share or swap seeds and seedlings with neighbours. Line-drying: The spring winds are free! Ditch the dryer and line-dry for that “fresh air” scent and big energy savings. Clean-out & donate: Spring clean time! Sort your wardrobe, kids' toys, or kitchen gear. Donate or swap rather than binning - it keeps items in circulation. Eco-picnics: Pack homemade snacks in jars and containers, bring reusable cups and cutlery, and enjoy local parks or beaches waste-free. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylor Swift has released her hotly anticipated 12th album 'The Life of a Showgirl'. It's a shift away from the bleakness of her previous album 'The Tortured Poets Department', Swift describing it as a 'vibrant and lively' project. However while it's a departure from TTPD, it's almost a return to for the pop superstar, filled with upbeat pop and soft rock songs - the album centring around her relationship with her fiancé Travis Kelce. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to give his thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bit of a change in focus for Jeremy Redmore. While most will know him from the rock band Midnight Youth, Redmore is going through a bit of a creative evolution, turning his attention to children's music. But it's not the sugar-rush pop you might be expecting, the music instead following a —surprisingly emotional— narrative. Redmore told Jack Tame it all started when he was writing a children's book about the superpowers that can be found in singing – the way you can find identity and energy through song. “That was a book about singing, so I had to have a song,” he said. “I did the song, and I really enjoyed releasing kid's music.” It was at that point he started wondering anyone else felt this way about the power of singing, and so he started researching. “Turns out there's all this amazing stuff that happens when kids sing and adults sing as well, but especially when people sing in groups.” “So I had the opportunity to record an album of songs, and I thought, let's make this really intentional.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the Mangle-Munching Forest there's a Nickle-Nackle tree, growing Nickle-Nackle berries that are red as red can be. I'll be very careful so as not to give up the end, but would you believe it's been fifty years since first those words were penned? That first sentence I read you is from Lynley Dodd's Nickle-Nackle Tree. It's a kid's counting book that's a bit of a Dr Seuss-ian take on New Zealand birds. And it was first published in 1976, five decades ago next year. Truthfully, I don't think I've opened The Nickle-Nackle Tree since it was read to me as a kid. But after our newborn son was gifted a copy, it didn't take long to commit most of the Nickle-Nackle Tree to memory. My son can't crawl or speak or catch himself when he topples over, but he can put out his fat little hand and turn the pages as we read. Lynley Dodd enjoys a bit of market dominance at our place. We've got heaps of kid's books, but there's just something about the language of her stories that gives them that extra degree… that extra edge. Whether it's Slinky Malinky or Zachary Quack or a Dragon in a Wagon, her rhyming is technically flawless. The cadence has a perfect, musical quality. If you've ever written a poem and tried to perform it aloud, you might appreciate it – that flow is much harder to achieve than you might think. Lynley Dodd's books use such rich language: jumbly! Rapscallion! Skedaddled! And I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know this until my son was born, but she illustrates her books herself, and she does a beautiful job. Of all her work, of course, Hairy Maclary is top of the pops. It's amazing to me how those stories connect with different children. When my friends in New York had a kid a few years ago, I sent them the complete Hairy Maclary, expecting that it'd be discarded soon enough for plastic monster trucks and iPads and big city things. Truthfully, I thought it might be a bit quaint for them or perhaps lost in translation. After all, America doesn't have dairies! But my friends and their son loved it. And I mean really loved it. Today, their book has that wonderful, taped up, slightly tatty quality of having been read hundreds of times. And that's the thing about children's books. They're designed to be read aloud, and they're designed to be re-read and re-read and re-read again. It takes a special kind of genius to write a re-readable story that's still fun for its reader to say aloud. That doesn't drive its reader mad! And think about the impact someone like Lynley Dodd has had. The countless moments of joy she's sparked. Is there anyone in New Zealand who couldn't finish this sentence: Hercules Morse, as big as a …? Of course not. I reckon children's storybooks are an art form for which a lot of people grossly underestimate just how talented you need to be in order to absolutely nail it. You know what I mean? It's the sort of thing that seems easy enough but is far more complex than most of us imagine. And I say art form, because finding a blissful blend of story, language, and images, something that delights children and adults, really is an art form. It's taken becoming a parent for me to properly appreciate just how talented the best of the best really are. And if the current reading habits in our household are anything to go by… I'd put Dame Lynley Dodd right up there. Five decades since she started publishing, her books haven't lost any of their magic. They delight my son today as much as they delighted me when I was a kid. They haven't lost a scintilla of relevance or appeal. Funny eh… how quality stands the test of time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government finally unveiled its energy reform plan after plenty of anticipation. What did we make of it? Does it go far enough? Nigel Latta has passed away - what will we remember about him? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kerrin Leoni: Why I'd be a better Auckland mayor than Wayne Brown by Q+A with Jack Tame

Rents are on the decline and housing is becoming increasingly affordable – but is the property market crashing? Ed McKnight joined Jack Tame to look at some of the biggest property crashes in world history, and how they compare to New Zealand's current property market. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Yardley is a seasoned traveller. He's been all around the globe, experiencing nearly everything you can imagine, and as a result, is quite familiar with scams and swindlers. He joined Jack Tame to delve into a couple of the most common scams affecting travellers – plus tips on keeping yourself safe from theft. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mariah Carey is back – and it's not for Christmas. ‘Here For It All' is the sixteenth studio album from the American superstar and her first album since the release of 2018's ‘Caution'. The album blends pop, R&B, gospel, and hip-hop, celebrating and building on every era of Carey's iconic career. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to give his thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stewart Copeland's drumming helped define a generation. As one third of The Police, he played at some of the biggest venues not only in New Zealand, but in the world. He went on to work extensively in composing for film and TV. And now, 18 years since his last visit to New Zealand, Copeland is returning for a very special spoken word tour - ‘Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood, And Other Adventures'. He told Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame this type of show is a bit more of an intellectual exercise than playing the drums. “Actually having to form sentences and so on, is a little more challenging,” Copeland said. “Fortunately in my 70-something years, I've had a couple of adventures, which are fun to talk about.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With former Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations Colin Keating, and Auckland mayoral candidates Wayne Brown and Kerrin Leoni.

I make no bones about it – I'm a bit of an Apple yuppy. I was hooked at a critical time. Travelling across the US as a one-man tv-news-making band, I often found myself in seat 32B on a cut-price red-eye flight, totally dependent on a laptop with sufficient grunt to edit HD video for hours at a time, and sufficient durability so that when it got knocked about in the overhead locker, the casing would remain in one piece. And the way these companies work is that the moment you rely on them for one thing, they get their claws out and squeeze you ever closer. I went from being a MacBook user, to an iPhone user, to an iPad user, to an AirPod user, to an iCloud subscriber, too. I'm more or less trapped within the system now. Locked into paying Apple every month until I leave this mortal world. But finally, I think I'm drawing the line. Apple has just released its latest Apple Watch and finally caught up to much of the smart device competition by giving users a daily sleep score. The idea is that you wear your watch to bed. It measures your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, temperature, and your movement. It records what time you go down, the number of disturbances you have, your various sleep cycles, and how much time you ultimately spend between the sheets. And then, 1-100, it gives you a score. Of course, you can be smart scored on all manner of things in life, these days. You can get a smart toothbrush that'll connect to an app on your phone and give you personalised feedback on your brushing technique. Breezed over a lower molar too quickly? That'll affect your score. You can get a smart razor that'll do the same thing. Pushed a bit hard on a tricky chin dimple? Stiff cheese. That'll affect your score. You can buy a smart water bottle that'll score your hydration. You can be scored on your light exposure and your posture. Apparently if you're really curious, there's even a market in devices that'll score individual sexual wellbeing. Just maybe don't Google them at work. But to me, at least, there's a fundamental contradiction at the heart of the sleep score concept. If I'm having a bad night's sleep, few things are guaranteed to make it worse than knowing I'm being assessed. I'd get anxious. I'd stress out, toss and turn, flip my pillow back and forth. And for what? Just to read a number in the morning that tells me what I already know. I don't need a smart watch or a special ring to know I've had a bad night's sleep. I know because I feel bad. So I should've gone to bed earlier or shouldn't have had that late afternoon coffee? I should've turned off those other screens and devices earlier? Thank you, but instead of looking up a score I'll look in the mirror instead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The New Zealand Herald released its latest Mood of the Boardroom survey and Chris Luxon and Nicola Willis are out of Cabinet's top 10 performers. Can they turn things around? What do we think of our new Reserve Bank Governor? She seems very committed to transparency - do we think that's what our central bank needs? Tory Whanau has revealed she wants to run for Parliament. Do we think this is a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last few years have been filled with highs and lows for Tami Neilson, but out of the emotional rollercoaster comes ‘Neon Cowgirl'. It represents Neilson's lifelong dream of chasing Nashville and country music – a love letter to the literal Neon Cowgirl in downtown Nashville that watched Neilson grow up and chase her dreams. Music reviewer James Irwin isn't the biggest fan of country, but this album might change his mind. He joined Jack Tame to give his thoughts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been an extraordinary week in Nepal – going from protests and revolution to a new government and peace in a flash. Mike Yardley arrived in Kathmandu a few days into the upheaval and can assure that he's had no issues during his time in the area. He joined Jack Tame to delve into what his experience has been like and the highlights of his trip. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With HSBC economist Paul Bloxham, Christchurch mayoral candidates Sara Templeton and Phil Mauger, and 1News US Correspondent Logan Church.

Kaylee Bell is one of the most accomplished voices in the New Zealand country music scene. She's not only the most streamed female country musician in Australasia, but has a Country Music Award for Global Country Artist to her name. ‘Cowboy Up', Bell's new album, releases next week – an album she made in the midst of being pregnant. “This record was particularly fun to make,” she told Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame. “I was about 34 weeks pregnant when my producer flew out from Nashville .... to bring a bit of Nashville to New Zealand to make the record.” Previously the record making process was hectic, but ‘Cowboy Up' came about more collaboratively, created slowly in a studio at home. “I was like, this is how I want to make my records now,” Bell told Tame. “It just felt like such a wholesome way to make a record.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's expected shakeup of the tech job market Bloomberg is reporting that President Trump is looking to slap a $100,000 fee on the visa popular with tech firms to access top international talent. The White House claims the visa is being used to undercut American workers and give too many high paying jobs to people from overseas. There are 85,000 of these visas available each year and many end up going to the top tech companies, but there is abuse of the system by outsourcing and staffing companies flooding the lottery with duplicate candidates. Jack Tame's desire for one Apple operating system to rule them all is a step closer Having used the latest OS 26 across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, it's clear Apple is converging the design patterns. It feels like we're now just one step away from having a single OS across all devices. On iPad, the multi-tasking is much, much more MacBook like. Meta had an absolute demo fail live on stage while showing off their AI glasses They were trying to show how their AI agent could help you while cooking —it could see the ingredients and help you step by step— but it didn't go to plan. It kept responding with things it wasn't being asked for and the poor 'content creator' paid to do the demo got flustered and blamed the WiFi. It wasn't the WiFi, but reason was kind of amusing – when the demo asked "Live AI" to do a thing, every device in the room heard it and all tried to respond at the same time. And worse, because they were all connected to the same internet, all their requests went to the same special demo server only expecting to deal with ONE device. Face palm. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the years I lived in New York, I always had visiting Kiwis crashing on my couch. And more often than not, when they came to town and were listing off the things they wanted to do in the Big Apple, they'd make it a priority to try and get into the audience at one of late shows. I went to Letterman and Colbert. I actually bumped into Jimmy Fallon at his studio when I interviewed the leader of his band for this show. Back then, just a decade ago, late night hosts were more than mega-stars. Their shows were institutions. Even with social media, it felt like their programmes or versions of them were set to exist in some form for decades to come. How quickly things change. I really love the US, but Jimmy Kimmel's suspension feels like another little moment in which we are watching a superpower destroy itself in real time. To be clear, I'm not a huge fan of Jimmy Kimmel. He's fine I guess, but I wouldn't seek him out. I thought his comments about Charlie Kirk's assassination were pretty distasteful. But they were flippant, passing comments, that were clearly the opinion of a comedian. And to see the head of the Federal Communications Commission react by threatening broadcasters for airing Kimmel's show was extraordinary. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said. Yeesh. First, there's the hypocrisy. It's only a few months since Vice-President JD Vance told the Munich Security Conference this: “I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns or, worse yet, shutting down media… protects nothing. In fact, it is the most sure-fire way to destroy democracy.” Interesting. Now his government agency is threatening to remove the broadcasting licenses of companies who broadcast views they don't like. ‘Cos nothing honours the memory of a proud free speech advocate who was literally murdered while speaking, by actively suppressing, limiting, and punishing the speech of his critics. Perhaps even more remarkable is the way in which these media companies are routinely capitulating. On multiple occasions now, big corporates have wilted under pressure in order to try and curry favour with the President and protect their business interests. Paramount and CBS capitulated with his 60 Minutes complaint. Just two weeks later, they fired Stephen Colbert, the best comedian on late night and a frequent brutal critic of the President. And for now, at least, Kimmel is gone too. It's interesting to compare the ways in which media companies have dealt with pressure from the White House and the ways other countries have dealt with the US tariffs. It's pretty similar. Instead of organising a collective response, grouping together with a collective resistance to the pressure, the big acronyms, the likes of CBS and ABC are acting in what they think is their own self-interest. They cut a deal and try to move on. Whether they're international leaders or media executives, everyone is stooping to kiss the ring. But is there any evidence it works? If you give a bully your lunch money, does he leave you alone thereafter? Or does he come back for more? They think it's in their self-interest to acquiesce, but one capitulation leads to another, and another... it snowballs, and before you know it, the President of the United States is deciding which comedians are allowed on TV. He now says some networks that are critical of him should have their licenses taken away. Like everything, it's hard to know it it's a serious idea. But the mere suggestion is so profoundly un-democratic, so profoundly un-American. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, political commentator and lawyer Liam Hehir and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's another case of a judge ordering police to give back a gang member's patch. Is there a loophole that needs fixing here? Rawiri Waititi made headlines after he only answered questions in te reo Māori in Parliament. What do we make of this? Should we make it easier for overseas born kids with Māori heritage to gain citizenship? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the three candidates leading Wellington's mayoral race, Commissioner of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori Professor Rawinia Higgins, Labour MP for Manurewa Arena Williams, and former Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt.

Having arrived home from holiday a short few weeks ago, Kevin Milne's recent travel experiences are still fresh in his mind. Every time you travel, you learn something new, and this time around he learned that there's a better way to book your flights. He joined Jack Tame to pass on the tips and tricks he learned. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Knox is one of the country's most esteemed authors, known best for her novels ‘Vintner's Luck' and ‘The Absolute Book'. She's also a dab hand at essay collections and young adult stories, though it had been over a decade since she last wrote for a younger audience. That changed with the release of ‘Kings of this World', a young adult novel focused on the sole survivor of a cult massacre. The book is a long time coming, Knox having written it over the span of several years. “I had the bad habit of writing several books at the same time,” she told Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame. “I developed the strategy when I had a lot of distractions in my life, and I decided to distract myself, so I had some power over that.” “And then I came out of it and thought I'd solved the problem and could always keep doing that, but no,” she told Tame. “Bad habit.” Writing young adult fiction is not dissimilar to writing for adults, but there is one central principle Knox abides by when writing for younger audiences. “You can't deprive the readers of hope,” she explained. “With that in mind, I was able to write a, you know, pretty scary thriller, and I don't think that young readers need to be defended from suspense and fear and things like that.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wondered why you can't stick to an exercise routine or why you hate the gym when everyone else seems to love it? You could be doing the wrong type of exercise for your personality type. A recent UK study looked at how personality types could predict how enjoyable people find different exercise routines and who can stick to them. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss the research. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Sheeran has released his eighth studio album: ‘Play'. It's the first of a new series of themed albums, with titles based on electronic media buttons – ‘Pause', ‘Fast Forward', ‘Rewind', and ‘Stop' set to follow. Although there's plenty of new influences and stylistic changes, with traditional Indian percussion, Hindi and Punjabi vocals, and a guest appearance from Bengali singer Arijit Singh, the core of Ed Sheeran's musical style is clear. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tell you what, when I saw the latest migration statistics this week and the net 47,000 New Zealand citizens who'd decided to move overseas in the last year, I had an instantaneous reaction. You sure about that? I wondered. I know our economy isn't exactly thriving, but have you checked any news headlines lately? Israel had just bombed Qatar. Russian drones were being shot down in Poland. The British government was in disarray. Charlie Kirk had just been assassinated. Put it this way: a sustained economic malaise isn't half as bad as some of the other problems facing the world right now. You know how when there's a really big news event it's all anyone wants to talk about? As terrible a week as it's been for the world, it's been even worse on social media. A great week, nay, a vintage week for bad takes. Tom Phillips is a prime example. To think, even for a moment, that a man who's been using his children in armed robberies, who's deprived them of any outside social connections or formal education, who's kept them in horrible, cold, dirty conditions and then ultimately exposed them to a Police shootout, to think that guy is misunderstood or is some kind of hero shows our species perhaps isn't as developed as we'd all like to think. The Charlie Kirk assassination social media fallout was maybe even worse. His death really affected me. I've been following Charlie Kirk for years. I saw him speak in person when he first came to significant prominence at the Republican Convention in 2016. His assassination has been one of those moments in which it feels like we're watching a global superpower decline in real time. The video was everywhere, multiple angles of a father being shot in the throat in front of his family, reposted, retweeted, re-upped. The algorithm feeding a bloodlust. And then the profound division. Incredible bad faith takes on both sides of a political and cultural chasm. People openly celebrating his murder, others neglecting the ways in which they have excused, minimised, or ignored political violence in the recent past. I truly think social media is responsible for some of worst aspects of our fraying world. It takes the worst parts of our nature as a species and acts a force multiplier. And yet, it retains the capacity every now and then to pull off something great. A terrible week for the world ended with a bit of goodness on the Golden Bay Community Noticeboard Facebook page, last night. Back in July, epic rainfall at the top of the South Island dislodged a bench from its spot next to the Takaka River. It was a memorial bench, heavy timber, beautifully crafted to remember a young man named Jack who passed back in 2018. But yesterday, Mum forwarded a post on Facebook through to the family chat. Jack's bench had been found! After being swept away in the flooding, it had travelled the six or seven kilometres down the Takaka River and into the ocean. Then, over two months, it had somehow navigated the roughly 160kms from the river mouth, across Cook Straight, around D'Urville Island, to wash up, albeit with a few barnacles, on Waikanae Beach on the Kapiti Coast. Crazy! Amazing! But how to get Jack's bench home after such an epic journey? “I'll do it free of charge, get in touch,” said someone called Steve. A little faith in the world, restored. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! What did we think of the Tākuta Ferris video? What does this mean for Labour's political future? New information about the Phillips hideout suggests they've had help until very recently according to police who are now trying to track down accomplices. What do we make of this? It's been revealed Luxon and Albanese's helicopter mountain trip cost $44,000. Are we upset with this? Would we pay $4,000 for an iPhone? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.