New Zealand humour
Encyclopedia
New Zealand humour bears some similarities to the body of humour of many other English-speaking
countries. There are, however, several regional differences.
and Jacob Rajan
) often utilise these differences in their routines. Unlike the UK the word Asian in New Zealand means those of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese etc. descent. Those from the Indian subcontinent, India, Pakistan etc. or Fijian Indian are generally referred to as Indians.
New Zealand's remote and agricultural nature is also a regular comedy catalyst, especially the well-known ratio between people and sheep in the country. The pioneering, backwoods spirit is also commonly used in comedy, as in the stereotypical farmer, Fred Dagg
, and the yarns spun by New Zealand writer Barry Crump
.
humour (and vice versa) — even at the highest diplomatic level. During the 1980s, then Prime Minister of New Zealand
Robert Muldoon
was asked about the increasing exodus
of New Zealanders leaving the country to work in Australia. His comment was that by doing so, they were raising the average IQ of both countries. The joke derives from the Will Rogers phenomenon
.
In general terms, Australians are stereotyped in New Zealand humour as being brash, boorish, lazy and more than a little stupid. New Zealanders, in return, are seen by Aussies as being dull, stupid and mocked as 'South Seas Poms' on account of their supposedly closer ties with Britain ('Pom' is a slang word for 'English person' which is used by New Zealanders and Australians).
ns tell said jokes about New Zealanders, and New Zealanders tell them about Australians. The English on the other hand reserve sheep jokes for Welsh
.
Some sheep jokes also take differences in the accent into account. In one example, a farmer who is having unnatural relations with a sheep is asked if he should rather be shearing the sheep, to which he replies "I'm not shearing this sheep with anyone!" Here shearing
is taken to be the pronunciation of the word sharing spoken with a New Zealand accent, as some New Zealand speakers pronounce sharing with the same pronunciation as shearing.
Other sheep jokes (or "ewe-phemisms") include puns on song titles which contain the word ewe. For example, a performing band may announce they are playing the song "There Will Never Be Another You
", and follow up by saying that it is particularly bad news for any Australians in the audience.
While other people make jokes about New Zealanders and sheep, New Zealanders themselves are not averse to a bit of sheep humour. In mid-2000, Grant Gillon
, then a New Zealand Member of Parliament
, caused controversy when he asked the following question during a debate on genetic engineering:
Commonly used insults that Australians use are the terms 'Sheep-shagger' & 'Ram-Rooter'.
fashion.
Australians also often poke fun at New Zealander's pronunciation of the words "fish and chips" becoming "fush en chups", although the vowel is either a schwa
or almost dropped altogether. This is to great frustration of any New Zealander living abroad, who can expect to be repeatedly asked to repeat themselves or say "fish and chips", "yes" or "six".
It should be noted though that through a strong Australian accent the words "fish and chips" sounds more
like "feesh and cheeps" to a New Zealander.
is New Zealand's largest city and Aucklanders are regarded by many as boorish and insular. Aucklanders are often referred to as JAFA
s or "Just Another Fucking Aucklander" and jokes are made about their out-of-touch, soft, city lifestyle and Nouveau riche
practices, such as inappropriate use of Pajeros
and other 4x4s
exclusively on city streets. This tendency is not helped by many Aucklanders affecting to not believe that civilisation exists south of the Bombay Hills.
During and after the 1998 Auckland power crisis
there were many jokes made about it:
is located in the Roaring Forties
and has geography that intensifies the effects of the prevailing winds leading to its nickname "Windy Wellington". Other New Zealanders making jokes about Wellington concentrate on this aspect.
, as the name suggests, is New Zealand's southernmost province, is seen as remote and has a reputation for inbreeding.
, known to New Zealanders as Fred Dagg
, who played the stereotypical farmer with precision and style. His wit has in recent years allowed him to extend his repertoire to a series of biting satire
s, particularly of politicians. He has also found an outlet in television series such as The Games and films such as Death In Brunswick
.
Other examples include Tony Martin
of 1980s sketch show, The D-Generation
fame. Three compilations of the national radio program Martin/Molloy
earned him ARIA
awards. He has also written and directed the movie Bad Eggs
.
Pamela Stephenson
was born in New Zealand, made her name in Australia, went to England and starred in the sketch comedy Not the Nine O'Clock News
and currently lives in America with her husband Billy Connolly
.
However it was Billy T James who was to dominate New Zealand comedy through the eighties. His first major role being the lead in TVNZ's Radio Times
. James went on to gain his own self titled show. Loved and hated for his irreverent portrayal of Maori, his characters, along with John Clarke
's Fred Dagg
were, until very recently, to set the benchmark for New Zealand comedy.
Alan Brough
appears on Spicks and Specks as a writer and team captain. In 2004 he was one third of the radio show Tough Love with Mick Molloy
. He has also appeared in several movies such as Bad Eggs
For several years during the 1970s and 1980s, New Zealand television featured a satirical send-up of current affairs entitled A Week of It. This series, and particularly its two main stars, David McPhail
and Jon Gadsby
, became for several years a mainstay of New Zealand comedy.
One of New Zealand film director Peter Jackson
's first films was Meet the Feebles
, a riotous sexual puppet romp that ends in mass murder.
Some more recent New Zealand comedians worthy of mention are:
See also: :Category:New Zealand cartoonists
See also: Culture of New Zealand#Comedy
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
countries. There are, however, several regional differences.
The New Zealand experience
New Zealand is a country that is isolated from much of the rest of the world geographically. New Zealanders are predominantly New Zealand European, although there exists a notable number of Asians, Polynesians and Māori. It is perhaps not surprising that these two situations lead to a humour that often has as a basis the newcomer trying to assimilate themselves with the new country. The intermingled strands of Māori, British, mainland European, Polynesian, Indian and Asian that have made the country their home each look at the land and each other in a different way, and these differences are often the focal point of humour. Comedians from minority groups (such as Raybon KanRaybon Kan
Raybon Kan is a Masterton, New Zealand-born Han Chinese comedian and newspaper columnist.-Early life and family:Kan's family moved to Wellington, New Zealand soon after his birth, where he began his education at St Mark's Church School and continued through to Wellington College where he was...
and Jacob Rajan
Jacob Rajan
Jacob Rajan is a New Zealand playwright and actor. His highly successful plays include the trilogy Krishnan's Dairy, The Candlestick Maker and The Pickle King. Another work was The Dentist's Chair. In 2002, he received the prestigious Laureate Art Award.Rajan studied acting and at Toi Whakaari New...
) often utilise these differences in their routines. Unlike the UK the word Asian in New Zealand means those of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese etc. descent. Those from the Indian subcontinent, India, Pakistan etc. or Fijian Indian are generally referred to as Indians.
New Zealand's remote and agricultural nature is also a regular comedy catalyst, especially the well-known ratio between people and sheep in the country. The pioneering, backwoods spirit is also commonly used in comedy, as in the stereotypical farmer, Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg is a fictional archetype satirist from New Zealand created and acted on stage, film and television by satirist John Clarke. Clarke graced New Zealand TV screens as Dagg during the mid to late 1970s, "taking the piss" out of the post-pioneering Kiwi bloke and ‘blokesses’.When Clarke first...
, and the yarns spun by New Zealand writer Barry Crump
Barry Crump
Barry John Crump MBE was a New Zealand author of semi-autobiographical comic novels based on his image as a rugged outdoors man...
.
The Trans-Tasman rivalry
Australians are the butt of KiwiKiwi (people)
Kiwi is the nickname used internationally for people from New Zealand, as well as being a relatively common self-reference. The name derives from the kiwi, a flightless bird, which is native to, and the national symbol of, New Zealand...
humour (and vice versa) — even at the highest diplomatic level. During the 1980s, then Prime Minister of New Zealand
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
was asked about the increasing exodus
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
of New Zealanders leaving the country to work in Australia. His comment was that by doing so, they were raising the average IQ of both countries. The joke derives from the Will Rogers phenomenon
Will Rogers phenomenon
The Will Rogers phenomenon is obtained when moving an element from one set to another set raises the average values of both sets. It is based on the following quote, attributed to comedian Will Rogers:...
.
In general terms, Australians are stereotyped in New Zealand humour as being brash, boorish, lazy and more than a little stupid. New Zealanders, in return, are seen by Aussies as being dull, stupid and mocked as 'South Seas Poms' on account of their supposedly closer ties with Britain ('Pom' is a slang word for 'English person' which is used by New Zealanders and Australians).
Sheep jokes
There are a large number of (mainly crude) sheep jokes. As befitting the trans-Tasman rivalry, AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
ns tell said jokes about New Zealanders, and New Zealanders tell them about Australians. The English on the other hand reserve sheep jokes for Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Some sheep jokes also take differences in the accent into account. In one example, a farmer who is having unnatural relations with a sheep is asked if he should rather be shearing the sheep, to which he replies "I'm not shearing this sheep with anyone!" Here shearing
Sheep shearer
A sheep shearer is a worker who uses -blade or machine shears to remove wool from domestic sheep during crutching or shearing.-History:...
is taken to be the pronunciation of the word sharing spoken with a New Zealand accent, as some New Zealand speakers pronounce sharing with the same pronunciation as shearing.
Other sheep jokes (or "ewe-phemisms") include puns on song titles which contain the word ewe. For example, a performing band may announce they are playing the song "There Will Never Be Another You
There Will Never Be Another You
"There Will Never Be Another You" is a popular song with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Mack Gordon for the Twentieth Century Fox musical Iceland starring Sonja Henie...
", and follow up by saying that it is particularly bad news for any Australians in the audience.
While other people make jokes about New Zealanders and sheep, New Zealanders themselves are not averse to a bit of sheep humour. In mid-2000, Grant Gillon
Grant Gillon
Grant Gillon is a New Zealand politician. He was a member of parliament between 1996 and 2002, representing the Alliance Party.-Career:Gillon's political career began when he joined the Democratic Party...
, then a New Zealand Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, caused controversy when he asked the following question during a debate on genetic engineering:
"I want to ask the minister whether, no pun intended, it's appropriate in this case for a woman's body parts to be inserted into a sheep when that has normally been the domain of Tory males?"
Commonly used insults that Australians use are the terms 'Sheep-shagger' & 'Ram-Rooter'.
Accents
The difference between the accents of the two countries is a constant source of amusement. Many New Zealanders gain an infinite amount of enjoyment out of the perceived similarity between Australians' pronunciation of the word 'six' and its similarity with the word 'sex' - However, Australians' perceive this to be the other way round. New Zealanders also often mock Australians by speaking the Australian accent in a stereotypically Steve IrwinSteve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
fashion.
Australians also often poke fun at New Zealander's pronunciation of the words "fish and chips" becoming "fush en chups", although the vowel is either a schwa
Schwa
In linguistics, specifically phonetics and phonology, schwa can mean the following:*An unstressed and toneless neutral vowel sound in some languages, often but not necessarily a mid-central vowel...
or almost dropped altogether. This is to great frustration of any New Zealander living abroad, who can expect to be repeatedly asked to repeat themselves or say "fish and chips", "yes" or "six".
It should be noted though that through a strong Australian accent the words "fish and chips" sounds more
like "feesh and cheeps" to a New Zealander.
- See also: New Zealand EnglishNew Zealand EnglishNew Zealand English is the dialect of the English language used in New Zealand.The English language was established in New Zealand by colonists during the 19th century. It is one of "the newest native-speaker variet[ies] of the English language in existence, a variety which has developed and...
Regional humour
Many regional stereotypes have arisen over the years and jokes are told about other regions based on these stereotypes.Auckland
AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
is New Zealand's largest city and Aucklanders are regarded by many as boorish and insular. Aucklanders are often referred to as JAFA
Jafa
Jafa is a slang term for a resident of Auckland, New Zealand. It is the acronym for Just Another Fucking Aucklander or used as a insult to Aucklanders...
s or "Just Another Fucking Aucklander" and jokes are made about their out-of-touch, soft, city lifestyle and Nouveau riche
Nouveau riche
The nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...
practices, such as inappropriate use of Pajeros
Mitsubishi Pajero
The Mitsubishi Pajero is a sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. It was named after Leopardus pajeros, the Pampas Cat which is native to the Patagonia plateau region of southern Argentina. However, since pajero is an offensive term for "wanker" in Spanish, alternative names have...
and other 4x4s
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
exclusively on city streets. This tendency is not helped by many Aucklanders affecting to not believe that civilisation exists south of the Bombay Hills.
During and after the 1998 Auckland power crisis
1998 Auckland power crisis
The 1998 Auckland power crisis was a five-week-long power outage.Almost all of downtown Auckland in New Zealand was supplied electricity by Mercury Energy via four power cables, two of them 40-year-old oil-filled cables that were past their replacement date. One of the cables failed on 20 January,...
there were many jokes made about it:
- Q: If there are power shortages, which will you keep running, the cappuccinoCappuccinoA cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The name comes from the Capuchin friars, referring to the colour of their habits.- Definition :...
machine or the air conditioner?
A: Both. - Q: What did Aucklanders use before they had candles?
A: Electricity.
Wellington
WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
is located in the Roaring Forties
Roaring Forties
The Roaring Forties is the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 49 degrees. Air displaced from the Equator towards the South Pole, which travels close to the surface between the latitudes of 30 and 60 degrees south, combines...
and has geography that intensifies the effects of the prevailing winds leading to its nickname "Windy Wellington". Other New Zealanders making jokes about Wellington concentrate on this aspect.
- Q: Why is Wellington so windy....?
A: Cause Auckland sucks ... and ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
blows. Wellington is just the empty void in between.
Southland
SouthlandSouthland District
Southland District is a territorial authority in the South Island of New Zealand. Southland District covers the majority of the land area of Southland Region, although the region also covers Gore District, Invercargill City and adjacent territorial waters...
, as the name suggests, is New Zealand's southernmost province, is seen as remote and has a reputation for inbreeding.
- Southland: 100,000 people and only seven surnames.
- Q: What's the Southland definition of MiscegenationMiscegenationMiscegenation is the mixing of different racial groups through marriage, cohabitation, sexual relations, and procreation....
?
A: Marrying a second cousin.
Comedians
Ironically, some of New Zealand's best known comedians have for many years been working almost exclusively in Australia. This includes John ClarkeJohn Clarke (satirist)
John Morrison Clarke is a New Zealand-born Australian comedian, writer, and satirist. He was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and has lived in Australia since the late 1970s...
, known to New Zealanders as Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg is a fictional archetype satirist from New Zealand created and acted on stage, film and television by satirist John Clarke. Clarke graced New Zealand TV screens as Dagg during the mid to late 1970s, "taking the piss" out of the post-pioneering Kiwi bloke and ‘blokesses’.When Clarke first...
, who played the stereotypical farmer with precision and style. His wit has in recent years allowed him to extend his repertoire to a series of biting satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
s, particularly of politicians. He has also found an outlet in television series such as The Games and films such as Death In Brunswick
Death in Brunswick
Death in Brunswick is a 1991 Australian film starring Sam Neill, Zoe Carides and John Clarke.-Plot:Set and filmed in Brunswick, a Melbourne suburb, it deals with a humble chef, Carl who gets a job at a sleazy nightclub owned by Yanni Voulgaris...
.
Other examples include Tony Martin
Tony Martin (comedian)
Tony Francis Martin is a comedian and writer from Te Kuiti, New Zealand who has had a successful TV, radio, stand-up and film career in Australia.- Career :...
of 1980s sketch show, The D-Generation
The D-Generation
The D-Generation was a popular and influential Australian TV sketch comedy show, produced and broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for two series, between 1986 and 1987...
fame. Three compilations of the national radio program Martin/Molloy
Martin/Molloy
Martin/Molloy was an Australian radio program starring Tony Martin and Mick Molloy, both formerly of The D-Generation and The Late Show. It was broadcast nationwide on 54 radio stations for two hours on weekday evenings between 1995 and 1998....
earned him ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
awards. He has also written and directed the movie Bad Eggs
Bad Eggs
Bad Eggs is a 2003 Australian comedy movie, written and directed by Tony Martin. It stars Mick Molloy, Bob Franklin and Judith Lucy, with Alan Brough, Bill Hunter, Marshall Napier, Nicholas Bell, Steven Vidler, Shaun Micallef, Robyn Nevin, Brett Swain, Denis Moore and Pete Smith having supporting...
.
Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Helen Stephenson Connolly is a New Zealand-born Australian clinical psychologist and writer now resident in the United Kingdom. She is best known for her work as an actress and comedian during the 1980s...
was born in New Zealand, made her name in Australia, went to England and starred in the sketch comedy Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy...
and currently lives in America with her husband Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
.
However it was Billy T James who was to dominate New Zealand comedy through the eighties. His first major role being the lead in TVNZ's Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
. James went on to gain his own self titled show. Loved and hated for his irreverent portrayal of Maori, his characters, along with John Clarke
John Clarke (satirist)
John Morrison Clarke is a New Zealand-born Australian comedian, writer, and satirist. He was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and has lived in Australia since the late 1970s...
's Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg
Fred Dagg is a fictional archetype satirist from New Zealand created and acted on stage, film and television by satirist John Clarke. Clarke graced New Zealand TV screens as Dagg during the mid to late 1970s, "taking the piss" out of the post-pioneering Kiwi bloke and ‘blokesses’.When Clarke first...
were, until very recently, to set the benchmark for New Zealand comedy.
Alan Brough
Alan Brough
Alan Brough is a New Zealand actor and comedian.Brough worked as an actor in Wellington and Auckland, mainly in live theatre...
appears on Spicks and Specks as a writer and team captain. In 2004 he was one third of the radio show Tough Love with Mick Molloy
Tough Love with Mick Molloy
ToughLove was an Australian comedic radio talk program broadcast from Melbourne through the Triple M network from 12:00PM - 1:00PM AEST in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide....
. He has also appeared in several movies such as Bad Eggs
Bad Eggs
Bad Eggs is a 2003 Australian comedy movie, written and directed by Tony Martin. It stars Mick Molloy, Bob Franklin and Judith Lucy, with Alan Brough, Bill Hunter, Marshall Napier, Nicholas Bell, Steven Vidler, Shaun Micallef, Robyn Nevin, Brett Swain, Denis Moore and Pete Smith having supporting...
For several years during the 1970s and 1980s, New Zealand television featured a satirical send-up of current affairs entitled A Week of It. This series, and particularly its two main stars, David McPhail
David McPhail
David Alexander McPhail, ONZM, QSM is a New Zealand comedic actor and writer. He is most famous for the political satire show McPhail and Gadsby in which he co-starred with Jon Gadsby....
and Jon Gadsby
Jon Gadsby
Jon Gadsby QSO is a New Zealand television comedian and writer, most well known for his role in the comedy series McPhail and Gadsby co-starring alongside David McPhail.-Biography:...
, became for several years a mainstay of New Zealand comedy.
One of New Zealand film director Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's first films was Meet the Feebles
Meet the Feebles
Meet the Feebles is a 1989 black comedy film directed by Peter Jackson. It features Jim Henson-esque puppets in a perverse comic satire. Like Henson's Muppets, the Feebles are animal-figured puppets assembled together as members of a theatre troupe...
, a riotous sexual puppet romp that ends in mass murder.
Some more recent New Zealand comedians worthy of mention are:
- Michèle A’Court, notable female comedian.
- Jim HopkinsJim HopkinsJim Hopkins is a New Zealand celebrity well-known for his work in television, radio and theatre.-Biography:Hopkins was scriptwriter for "Close to Home", presenter of "Fast Forward", "Don't Tell Me", "The Inventors", "Dateline Monday", a performer on The BNZ Festival Debates, and radio talkback...
, most notable for his red-rimmed spectacles. - Rhys DarbyRhys DarbyRhys Montague Darby is an actor and stand-up comedian from New Zealand, known for his energetic physical comedy routines, telling stories accompanied with mime and sound effects of things such as machinery and animals...
, stand up comedian most notorious for his portrayal of Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
manager 'Murray'. - Raybon KanRaybon KanRaybon Kan is a Masterton, New Zealand-born Han Chinese comedian and newspaper columnist.-Early life and family:Kan's family moved to Wellington, New Zealand soon after his birth, where he began his education at St Mark's Church School and continued through to Wellington College where he was...
, former journalist and lawyer turned comedian. - Cal WilsonCal WilsonCal Wilson is a New Zealand stand-up comedian and radio and television personality. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is well known in Australia through her appearances on television and radio.-Biography:...
, appearing on Thank God You're HereThank God You're HereThank God You're Here is an Australian television improvised comedy program created by Working Dog Productions, which premiered on Network Ten on 5 April 2006, and aired for the first three seasons with Seven for the fourth season...
several times and performing at the Melbourne International Comedy FestivalMelbourne International Comedy FestivalThe Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the third-largest international comedy festival in the world and the largest cultural event in Australia. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks in April typically opening on or around April Fool's Day...
numerous times. Her career in Australia extended to a regular drive-time radio show and weekly coverage of Australian IdolAustralian IdolAustralian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
. - Jeremy Elwood, who has been a New Zealand resident for ten years. During that time he has established himself as a rising star of the local stand-up comedy circuit. His routine combines social commentary with music and song.
- Bret McKenzieBret McKenzieBret Peter Tarrant McKenzie is a comedian, actor, musician and producer, best known for being one half of the Grammy Award winning musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Jemaine Clement....
and Jemaine ClementJemaine ClementJemaine Clement is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.-Early life:...
, form the partnership 'Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
', now a HBO television seriesFlight of the Conchords (TV series)Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
, which "follows the trials and tribulations of a two man, digi-folk band from New Zealand as they try to make a name for themselves in their adopted home of New York City". - Taika Cohen (also known as Taika WaititiTaika WaititiTaika Waititi , also known as Taika Cohen, is a New Zealand-born film director, writer, painter, comedian and actor named as one of Varietys "ten new directors to watch" in 2007....
), Academy Award nominated film director and stand-up comedian. Most recently director and star of the 2010 film 'Boy'Boy (2010 film)Boy is a 2010 New Zealand coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi and financed by the New Zealand Film Commission. In New Zealand, the film has eclipsed previous records for a first week's box office takings for a local production...
. - Benjamin Crellin, is considered the black sheep of New Zealand comedy. Benjamin makes heavy use of irony and satire. He featured regularly in the Kiwi comedy circuit prior to his move to the UK. He has previously toured Canada, South Africa and Australia
- Rhys Mathewson is the 2010 winner of the prestigious Billy T award. With this award, he joins the ranks of Dai HenwoodDai HenwoodDai Henwood is a New Zealand comedian and interpretive dancer . He is best known for his hosting of several television shows found on C4 but also performs stand up comedy.A little known fact on Dai is that he has spent a year in Northern America as expedition leader for a privatley funded...
, Steve WrigleySteve WrigleySteve Wrigley is a New Zealand comedian. He has worked at many different events and shows, notably ZM radio station, New Zealand Comedy Festivals, The Improvisors, and is a regular cast member on the comedy newspanel show 7 Days....
, and many of New Zealand's most celebrated local comedy stars. - New Zealand also has an ever-growing crop of exceptional newcomers, soon to break out onto the comedy scene. Some notable new comedians are Rose Matafeo, Heidi O'Loughlin, Rhys Mathewson, Guy Williams, TJ McDonald, The Comediettes (consisting of Sarah Harpur and Jim StantonJim StantonJim Stanton is a composer and writer.-Musician:Stanton was a drummer with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in the mid-1960s. He played with various small groups and big bands through the 1960s and early 1970s...
), Brad Zimmerman, Urzila Carlson, and Fasitua Amosa. - Jarred ChristmasJarred ChristmasJarred Christmas is a comedian from New Zealand who makes his living in the United Kingdom. He does much work with the BBC, and won the Chortle Comedy Award for Best Compere. He is also known for being in Pot Noodle adverts....
is an ex-pat New Zealand comic, who makes his living in the United Kingdom. He does much work with the BBC, and won the Chortle comedy award for Best Compere. - Madeleine SamiMadeleine SamiMadeleine Jane Sami is a New Zealand actress, comedian and musician.Madeleine was raised in the Onehunga suburb of Auckland, New Zealand; and attended Onehunga High School. She is of Irish and Fiji Indian heritage. Madeleine starred in the long running New Zealand soap Shortland Street from...
an Fijian Indian/Irish comedian from Auckland. Most known for TV series Super City (tv series)Super City (TV series)Super City is a New Zealand television comedy series starring Madeleine Sami and directed by Taika Waititi . It premiered on the TV3 network in 2011....
and performing in the play No2.
Comedy films
- Goodbye Pork PieGoodbye Pork PieGoodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
(1981) - Tally Ho
- Came a Hot FridayCame a Hot FridayCame a Hot Friday is a 1985 New Zealand made comedy film starring some of New Zealand's best-known actors and comedians, based on the 1964 novel by Ronald Hugh Morrieson.-Plot:...
(1985) - Old ScoresOld ScoresOld Scores is a 1991 film jointly produced by New Zealand and Wales, based around the two countries' mutual national sport of rugby union. It is notable for the appearance of a large number of legendary Welsh and New Zealand international rugby players in supporting roles...
(1991) - The Price of MilkThe Price of MilkThe Price of Milk is a 2000 film from New Zealand. It was directed by Harry Sinclair. This film is set in rural New Zealand where a farmer, Rob , gets engaged to his love, Lucinda . But Lucinda is worried about their relationship losing its spark and she continues pushing him to try and keep the...
(2000) - StickmenStickmen (film)Stickmen is a 2001 New Zealand film directed by Hamish Rothwell and starring Robbie Magasiva.- Synopsis :Thomas , Jack and Wayne are the best of mates. Each of them lives their life the way they play pool. Thomas is either absolutely brilliant or absolutely crap. Jack is always slick, cool and...
(2001) - Tongan NinjaTongan NinjaTongan Ninja is a 2002 full length kung-fu action-comedy directed by Jason Stutter and filmed in New Zealand. The film has received recent notoriety for co-starring and being co-written by Jemaine Clement, star of the HBO comedy Flight of the Conchords...
(2002) - Sione's WeddingSione's WeddingSione's Wedding , is a 2006 comedic film directed by Chris Graham and written by James Griffin and Oscar Kightley, and produced by South Pacific Pictures.- Plot :...
(2006) - Black SheepBlack Sheep (2007 film)Black Sheep is a New Zealand made comedy horror film written and directed by Jonathan King. North American distribution rights were acquired by The Weinstein Company and IFC Films. The Weinstein Company released the film on DVD on 9 October 2007 under their Dimension Extreme brand through Genius...
(2007) - The Devil Dared Me ToThe Devil Dared Me ToThe Devil Dared Me To is a New Zealand film written by and starring Chris Stapp and Matt Heath. The film revolves around a fictional stuntman, Randy Cambell, who aspires to be the greatest living New Zealander in that profession...
(2007) - Men Shouldn't SingMen Shouldn't SingMen Shouldn't Sing is a musical comedy New Zealand film written by Jeff Clark and composed by Michael Bell. It tells the story of a group of strangers, snatched from their homes, who wake to find that they spontaneously break into song and dance whenever they feel a heightened emotion...
(2007) - Eagle vs SharkEagle vs SharkEagle vs Shark is a 2007 New Zealand romantic comedy film directed by Taika Waititi and financed by the New Zealand Film Commission. The screenplay was also written by Waititi, based on the character of Lily created by Loren Horsley....
(2007) - BoyBoy (2010 film)Boy is a 2010 New Zealand coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi and financed by the New Zealand Film Commission. In New Zealand, the film has eclipsed previous records for a first week's box office takings for a local production...
(2010)
Cartoons
- Footrot FlatsFootrot FlatsFootrot Flats was a comic strip written by New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball. It ran from 1975 until 1994 in newspapers around the world, though the unpublished strips continued to be released in book form until 2000...
- Stanley
- Bogor
See also: :Category:New Zealand cartoonists
See also: Culture of New Zealand#Comedy
Comedy television
- Seven Days7 Days (New Zealand)7 Days is a New Zealand comedy gameshow similar to the British program Have I Got News for You, hosted by Jeremy Corbett. Paul Ego and Dai Henwood usually appear on each episode, along with other comedians, who form teams and answer questions about news stories from the last week.-Show format:At...
- Glide Time
- A Week Of It
- The Billy T. JamesBilly T. JamesBilly T James, , born William James Te Wehi Taitoko, was a New Zealand entertainer, comedian and actor. He starred in numerous TV shows and variety programmes and performed on stage and in motion pictures.-Career:...
Show - Serial Killers
- Bro'TownBro'Townbro'Town is a New Zealand Television animated series. The show used a comedy based format, targeted at a young adult audience.The series is set amongst New Zealand's fast growing Pacific Islander community, and focuses on a central cast of five young boys...
- The Pretender
- Seven Periods with Mr GormsbySeven Periods with Mr GormsbySeven Periods with Mr Gormsby is a satirical New Zealand television series, created and written by Danny Mulheron , Dave Armstrong and Tom Scott. It stars David McPhail as the titular Mr Gormsby, whose politically incorrect attitudes and "old school" teaching style clash and contrast with the...
- Eating Media LunchEating Media LunchEating Media Lunch was a satirical New Zealand news show hosted by Jeremy Wells. It aired on TV 2 and online on from 2003 to 2008. The show was frequently controversial during its run.- Notable episodes :...
- Pulp SportPulp SportPulp Sport was a TV show filmed in New Zealand, that mixes sport with various styles of comedy. The hosts Jamie Linehan and Ben Boyce act under their respective pseudonyms Bill and Ben, performing a half hour of various sports based skits...
- Moon TVMoon TVMoon TV is a New Zealand television comedy show. It is produced by Leigh Hart . In 2006 the show received NZD$176,324 in funding from New Zealand On Air for six half-hour episodes, to screen on TV2....
- Back Of The YBack Of The Y Masterpiece TelevisionBack Of The Y previously known as Back Of The Y Masterpiece Television is a cult New Zealand TV series, created by Chris Stapp and Matt Heath. Featuring such memorable characters as Randy Campbell, Danny Parker, Dick Johansonson, Cindy Cockburn and Spanners Watson, the show glorified stunts and...
- Flight of the ConchordsFlight of the ConchordsFlight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
- Outrageous FortuneOutrageous Fortune (TV series)Outrageous Fortune was a New Zealand comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and was produced by South Pacific Pictures...
- Facelift
- Wanna-BenWanna-BenWANNA-BEn is a comedy show, themed each week on a different celebrity and their achievements. The series is hosted by kiwi entertainer Ben Boyce, former co-host of Pulp Sport, Ben Boyce is looking for a new job. However, rather than looking for a boring, everyday desk job, he looks for one that is...
- Super City (tv series)Super City (TV series)Super City is a New Zealand television comedy series starring Madeleine Sami and directed by Taika Waititi . It premiered on the TV3 network in 2011....
- The Jono ProjectThe Jono ProjectThe Jono Project is a satirical news and entertainment show hosted by Jono Pryor. The programme first aired on C4 in 2010 and is a reincarnation of the Qantas Award winning "Jono’s New Show", which ran for two seasons until cancelled by C4, due to budget cuts.It was revised in 2010, and now airs...