Bubbah is the household name, face and voice in NZ as Tina from the Turners Cars commercials (one of New Zealand’s most iconic ad campaigns in recent years).

Tina’s real name is Bubbah. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate.

Her real name is Sieni Tiani Leo’o Olo. But because that is the same name as her grandmother, she was given the family nickname Bubbah as a toddler, and it has stuck.

This is a rare and wide-ranging conversation and Bubbah open’s like never before.

+ We talk about her upbringing in a busy South Auckland household of 17 people. And how roasting is her family’s love language.

+ Why she is turning her back on the spotlight and leaving New Zealand to move to Samoa fulltime.

+ The whole back story about Tina from Turners and how it’s changed her life.

+ Her unlikely friendship formed on Celebrity Treasure Island with Christian Cullen.

+ Why she avoids social media, her views on cancel culture and so much more.

This conversation has a bit of everything. It’s unpredictable, funny, moving, and real. Bubbah- unfiltered and unforgettable.

In 250 episodes I’ve never met anyone like Bubbah! I think she’s awesome. I love her perspective on life, and I hope you do too.

***

Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns for their clients- you can see their latest returns for yourself on their website.

I became a client when they came on board as the show sponsor and it’s been a gamechanger for me personally- I’m kicking myself for not doing it years earlier.

You can book a no obligation chat with one of their awesome KiwiSaver advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser, so this is just general advice. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Braunias is one of New Zealand’s most well-known and respected writers and journalists, known for his dry wit and ability to blend sharp observation with emotional

depth. (thanks for that Chat GPT!)

Thousands of Kiwis are fans of Steve’s work, whether its one of his 14 books or columns that he has written for almost every newspaper or magazine in New Zealand. But this very rare podcast appearance may be a side of Steve Braunias that has never been seen before.

We talk about everything from aging and anxiety to family, food, and the strange comfort of public transport- Steve is 65 and has never held a driver’s license.

There’s reflection, vulnerability, a few incredibly emotional moments – and plenty of signature Braunias dry humor.

This is the first time we met. I wasn’t sure how we would get on (because I find him quite intimidating (just because of his superior intellect and his way with words).

But I really enjoyed our conversation, and I hope you do too.

***

Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

If I could ask you to do one big favour — for me and for yourself — it would be to consider getting KiwiSaver advice from Generate, like I did.

The decisions you make with your KiwiSaver now could have a big impact on how much you have to live on in retirement. And if you’ve never had KiwiSaver advice before, you could be missing out.

Generate has a strong track record of long-term performance — You can check out their latest returns on their website.

They also have advisers who can come to you and help you figure out the right KiwiSaver setup for your goals — no pressure, just good advice.

I met with one when Generate came on board as a sponsor back in 2023 — and honestly, I wish I’d done it sooner.

Head to generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom to book a chat

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — everyone’s situation is different, so I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Braunias is one of New Zealand’s best known and most loved writers.

He has spent decades journaling New Zealand life with a writing style and turn of phrase that is unlike anyone else.

On top of regular columns for newspapers and magazines he has written 14 books.

In his latest book, Polkinghorne: The Trial of the Century, he turns his attention to one of the country’s most fascinating and disturbing court trials.

Steve sat through every minute of every day of the nine-week High court trial, taking in everything that was going on,

In this episode, Steve shares his thoughts on Philip Polkinghorne after spending over two months watching him, hearing every detail of his life and even having various one on one conversations with him in and around court.

We talk about the personal toll of writing about human tragedy, his process, his regrets, and the moral dilemmas that come with telling these sorts of stories.

The next episode of the Dom Harvey Podcast will be more of a standard podcast episode where we get to deconstruct the intriguing life and career of Steve Braunias. But this one here is the section of our podcast that focused exclusively on Polkinghorne- the book, the trial and the man himself.

****

Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns for their clients- you can see their latest returns for yourself on their website.

I became a client when they came on board as the show sponsor and it’s been a gamechanger for me personally- I’m kicking myself for not doing it years earlier.

You can book a no obligation chat with one of their awesome KiwiSaver advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.