NZ Listener
(NZ Magazine)
28 November 1998

Many thanks to Liz Wilson for the transcript

NZL_LL.jpg (120905 bytes)Lucy, Kevin and (finally!!) Renee both get decent mentions in the November 28 NZ Listener. No trash mag this!!!

The Editorial (editor Paul Little) is discussing the recent TV Awards, and the poor reception given the winner of the Best Comedy Script.......

"Perhaps having a national sense of humour would help. We won't have a real one of those until we can laugh at ourselves with teeth ungritted. And perhaps the fact that comedy, more than any other medium, needs time to grow its audience ... is responsible. Its requirements are certainly antithetical to the instant audience numbers demanded by today's prgrammers.

nzl_ks.jpg (57459 bytes)"When presenter Renee O'Connor observed, bravely, given her audience, that in the past year New Zealanders had had been delighted by many comedy programmes and amused by some, I knew exactly how she felt.

"And it's also significant that in several categories only two nominees could be found: Maori Language Programming, Drama (Shortland Street and Xena: Warrior Princess - whichever won, the result was going to to be a political statement) and Director, Multi-Camera......"

And later in the less serious column SINCE YOU ASKED

"So, who was the Queen of the Television Awards? The competition was intense, with Her Worship Christine Fletcher [Mayor of Auckland] garnishing her mayoral chain with a herbaceous border of little green ribbons, denoting her commitment to local content quotas, and "Ms local quotas herself" Helen Clark [Leader of the Opposition] getting a rapturous reception from the potential recipients of her party's cultural policy. The Topp Twins, of course, having filed to do a Bill Clinton and "splash out on a dress", somewhat lowered the tone, but the star of an American production thata currently does the job of a local quota by employing most of the country's TV talent was the most regal on the night. Yes, LUCY LAWLESS, resplendent in shimmering red silk-satin and glittering choker, left the warrior bit at work and became a princess pure and simple for the evening. And, we are happy to relate, she did not join the ranks of adoring female celebrities and producers who shall remain nameless, calling for host KEVIN SMITH to remove his attire during the performance of his band the Wide Lapels (whose rendition of the Osmond Brothers' 70s classic Crazy Horses was one of the high points of the night)."

 

 

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