Living Without - Kevin Black
"Kevin has a strict daily routine, part of which is about to be taken away — throwing his life into turmoil." The Kevin in question is Solid Gold FM DJ Kevin Black, and the essential part of his everyday routine being removed is … sleep. This second episode of the 2001 Touchdown reality series — in which varied participants deal with deprivation — sees ’Blackie' slowly but surely disintegrating over 70 sleepless hours. Despite caffeine, gym and jigsaws, his performance at memory game Simon suffers, he faces hallucinations, and the delirious results are heard over the airwaves.
Kevin Blackatini and the Frigids
Kevin Blackatini was star radio DJ Kevin Black, while The Frigids came from Radio Hauraki’s creative team. Together they concocted novelty hit ‘The Fridge’ which spoofed Deane Waretini’s chart topping 1981 single ‘The Bridge’. Their exercise in domestic appliance love was written by Kim Adamson, Tom Davidson and Hugh Walsh, with Adamson providing the vocal and Blackie as frontman. Despite the kazoo playing, the endeavour did have a serious side, with proceeds going to the family of a colleague recently killed in a car crash. Kevin Black died in 2013.
The Fridge
Prank phone calls were more radio DJ Kevin Black’s on-air stock in trade, but he fronted an unlikely Top 20 hit with this spoof of Deane Waretini’s 1981 chart topper ‘The Bridge’. With more than a little help from his Radio Hauraki creative team, a plea for cross cultural harmony was transformed into a novelty song celebration of a largely unsung domestic appliance. Blackie was front and centre with the souped up fridge in the video shot by TVNZ in Wellington, but producer Kim Adamson was the singer and co-writer (in addition to playing the dodgy salesman).
Paul Casserly - Funny As Interview
With a career born from student radio, Paul Casserly shifted his focus from music to television in the 1990s.
Tim Batt - Funny As Interview
After starting in radio, comedian Tim Batt found his place with podcasts, including The Worst Idea of All Time — New Zealand’s most globally successful podcast. He discusses podcasts in this Funny As interview, and also talks about: Watching a “painfully shy” Guy Williams perform his first stand-up show His first radio job, learning from legendary DJ Kevin Black The challenges of being a political comedian in a small democracy Comedians moving into the commentary space, and whether that's good for society Working with comedian Guy Montgomery on The Worst Idea of All Time How 7 Days made it respectable to be a comedian in New Zealand Being "livid" when youth channel TVNZ U was cancelled — after “honing some of the best comedians in our part of the world”
Restoring the Mauri of Lake Omapere
This 76-minute documentary looks at efforts to restore the mauri (life spirit) of Northland's Lake Omapere, a large fresh water lake — and taonga to the Ngāpuhi people — made toxic by pollution. Simon Marler's film offers a timely challenge to New Zealand's 100% Pure branding, and an argument for kaitiakitanga (guardianship) that respects ecological and spiritual well-being. There is spectacular footage of the lake's endangered long-finned eel. Barry Barclay in Onfilm called the film "powerful, sobering". It screened at the 2008 National Geographic All Roads Film Festival.