Tom Sainsbury is a comedian, actor, writer, director, podcaster. And these are just a few of the many hats he wears.

I’ve been a fan of Tom’s social media videos for ages, so this was an honor to get to sit down and learn a bit more about the man behind the hundreds of characters he has bought to life.

We spent the first 20 minutes talking about the inner workings of his social media sketches where he is the master of observation. He has a massive talent for mimicking the mannerisms of New Zealanders.

We discuss his upbringing in rural Waikato and how being a farm kid steered him towards becoming a vegan.

His sexuality. Why he is 75% gay and why he didn’t come out to his parents until he was 28.

His journey as a sperm donor for a lesbian couple and his role as a biological parent.

His awkward encounter with Katy Perry in Las Vegas

The huge lie he told to land his first ever acting job.

Why he practices Buddhism and much more.

I get the feeling Tom is possibly more comfortable observing and channeling others than revealing too much of himself, so this was a real treat.

I loved it and I hope you do as well.

***

Tom Sainsbury and friends are on stage at Auckland's Q theatre until December 7 for "Camping"

Here is the link for tickets, times, etc....

https://silotheatre.co.nz/show/camping

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

What can I tell you about Dai Henwood?

There's the stuff that you may already know- he is funny, talented, successful and popular. Everyone loves Dai.

Then there’s the stuff you may not know- he is one of the kindest people you could ever meet, generous, caring, resilient, strong, brave, intelligent, introspective, thoughtful....

He was diagnosed with incurable cancer in 2020.

He went public with the news in 2022.

And since then, he has somehow managed to coexist with this hideous disease and adjust to his new normal.

This year alone, amongst other work commitments, while undergoing grueling treatment, he has written a book and made an incredible 3-part documentary about his cancer journey. We recorded this chat around the same time this documentary came out, so we do chat about that at length.

If you missed it, you can watch it on demand on ThreeNow: https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/live-and-let-dai/1725307694444

Dai was a guest on the podcast last year. This episode is an update on the life of Dai.

***

This episode has been brought to you by the legends at the Generate KiwiSaver Scheme.

When it comes to KiwiSaver, “set it and forget it” is not a good plan. You could miss out on extra money simply by choosing the wrong fund for your age and stage.

Generate pride themselves on giving great KiwiSaver advice – something they’ve won awards for.

When they signed on as a podcast sponsor over a year ago, I met with one of their advisors to talk through my KiwiSaver goals and objectives so I can personally swear by it.

Getting some good advice now can help you get your future sorted.

To book a chat with a Generate advisor, and view a copy of their product disclosure statement, head to:

https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

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

Margo and Rosa Flannagan are Two Raw Sisters.

These two South Island siblings have carved a niche for themselves as New Zealand’s go-to when it comes to plant-based meals.

These girls are such fun company: they are driven and successful. And open books. So, I jumped at the chance to have them back on my podcast.

On top of recently starting their own podcast and releasing an app, they have also put out their FIFTH recipe book- More Salad.

This is an update into the lives of Rosa and Margo:

Marriage, pregnancy, a move to Melbourne and even a peep show in Amsterdam.

We also go back and explore the early years-why they hated each other as teens and how they healed severe health issues using food as medicine.

The aesthetic of their books and brand are beautiful and perfect. But their lives, like all of us, are imperfect.

This is part of the Two Raw Sisters story.

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

Mark Graham is the greatest NZ rugby league player of all time!

The G.O.A.T acronym gets thrown round a lot these days but the man known as "Sharko" IS the real deal:

He was named NZ rugby league player of the century.

He’s the first Kiwi inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame.

18 tests for the Kiwis as captain and Warriors coach for 2 seasons.

And he did all this playing in an era when rugby league was so brutal he broke almost every bone in his body.

Now this humble Kiwi legend has a documentary all about his life and career made by his son, Luke. It’s called Sharko- look out for it. I’ve seen it twice and I love it.

This podcast is a small part of the Mark Graham story.

***

Thanks so much to my show sponsors, the Generate KiwiSaver scheme who have been supporting the show for over a year now.

If you have a KiwiSaver and it is not with Generate you should consider switching over. There is a reason these guys win so many awards.

“Set it and forget it” is the strategy that most kiwis adopt when it comes to their KiwiSaver. And that is NOT a good plan- You could miss out on extra money simply by choosing the wrong fund for your age and stage of life.

Generate pride themselves on giving great KiwiSaver advice. I have experienced it first hand and, I know I’m supposed to say nice things about them, but it genuinely was helpful, informative, quick and easy.

Getting some good advice now can help you get your future sorted.

Head to: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

There you can book a free no-strings-attached chat with a Generate adviser and view a copy of their product disclosure statement.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

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

Sonya Williams is an absolute powerhouse businesswoman who has played a big part in how Kiwis invest- her and a group of friends started a company called Sharesies in 2016. Fast forward 7 years and...

700,000 Kiwis and Aussies now call themselves customers, including 40,000 children.

Sharesies employs 230 people

The company is valued at $500 million

And Sonya and the Sharesies team are just getting started!

This is a small part of the Sonya Williams story.

We talk in depth about Sharesies: the past present and future. As well as lots of other stuff:

The impact of her dad’s brain injury when she was 16.

Why she wore her mum’s clothes to her first job interview

Why she is fiercely defensive of her hometown, Levin.

Why the first year of being a mum was so much more challenging that the first year of starting up a business.

And so much more from a woman who has helped turn a simple idea into a groundbreaking business venture.

This conversation was both easy and challenging- easy because we are family. But challenging because Sonya is so humble and unassuming- she has achieved so much, but definitely isn’t one to sing her own praises…or take compliments from podcasting cousins!

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

Sir John Key was the Prime Minister of NZ from 2008 until he stood down towards the end of his third term in 2016.

These days he spends his time on various boards. And when he isn’t flying in his helicopter, you’ll find him on a golf course or with his wife Bronagh.

Sir John came into the brand new Podlab studios and was generous enough to give me two hours of his time to cover a wide range of topics including:

His relationship with Christopher Luxon

His thoughts on Trump and American politics

His reflections on running NZ during the Christchurch earthquakes

Holidaying with the Queen, the infamous three-way handshake and other gaffes, regrets from his time as PM and so much more!

***

This episode was made possible thanks to the legends at Generate.

Making a deliberate KiwiSaver plan now can really help you out later in life.

You should talk to Generate – they’re a Kiwi-owned KiwiSaver provider, with a track record of strong long-term performance.

Book a chat with an adviser at: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

This no obligation chat won’t cost you anything apart from a little bit of time.

You can view a copy of their product disclosure statement on their website. The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

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

Tony Johnson is one of New Zealand’s greatest sports broadcasters of all time.

He has been part of the country’s sports media landscape for decades and, despite being retirement age, is still at the top of his game as the voice of rugby in New Zealand..

We cover some of the Tony Johnson story here. On his first long form podcast ever:

Hosting TV3 News with John Hawkesby when the station launched in the 90s.

Reflections on working with Paul Holmes on his Newstalk ZB breakfast radio show.

His health scare with prostate cancer. And why he has now become an ambassador for men’s health.

Then the commentary stuff: his preparation and perfectionism, the bloopers, his thoughts on Scott Robertson and Leon McDonald and much more.

This episode is packed full of great stories and insights from a great New Zealander who has seen it all, done it all. AND is still doing it all.

***

This episode is sponsored by Betcha.

Betcha is New Zealand’s newest sports betting app that is made for kiwis.

Betcha is giving you up to $50 in bonus cash if you sign up today with their deposit match offer!

T&Cs apply.

Download the app and Bet It Out!

R18. Bet Responsibly.

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

Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis are rowers who won gold medals at the Paris Olympics in the women's double scull.

What made this achievement even more remarkable is the back story- they won silver at the Tokyo Olympics then took time off from sport to start their families.

Lucy had a baby boy. Brooke had a baby girl.

In this podcast you will hear first-hand how these Supremum’s overcame sleep deprivation, societal expectations, and the demands of high-performance rowing to win Olympic Gold with an incredible skin-of-the-teeth victory in Paris.

***

Thanks to my mates at Generate for sponsoring this episode.

When it comes to KiwiSaver, “set it and forget it” is not a good plan.

You could miss out on extra money simply by choosing the wrong fund for your age and stage.

Generate pride themselves on giving great KiwiSaver advice – something they’ve won awards for.

I can vouch for this too- when they came on board as a sponsor, I switched my KiwiSaver over to Generate and linked up with one of their advisors for a one-on-one meeting which was super helpful.

Head to: https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/dom

To book a chat with a Generate adviser and view a copy of their product disclosure statement.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

**The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**

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