HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND. THEY'RE THE QUIET SIDELINE SAVIOUR OF SPECTATING PUNISHING WINTER SPORTS AND THE SIDE-KICK TO FRIDAY NIGHT FAST FOOD. BUT ARE WE IN FOR A SHORTAGE OF HOT CHIPS AFTER CYCLONE GABRIELLE PUNISHED OUR POTATO PADDOCKS? (LAID-BACK MUSIC) CHIPS, SPECIFICALLY HOT CHIPS. FRIES. IT SAID THE FRENCH WERE THE FIRST TO FRY CHUNKS OF POTATO AND SELL THEM ON THE STREET. ALTHOUGH BELGIUM TRIES TO CLAIM THE FRY, TOO, BUT REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGINS, NOWADAYS, THEY'RE KIWI AS. SYNONYMOUS WITH SUMMER, CRUCIAL IN THE COLD, BUT WITH WILD WEATHER WIPING OUT PADDOCKS OF POTATOES, COULD WE BE STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF A SHORTAGE? AND COULD THE CHIPS BE DOWN ON HOT CHIPS? AND FOR MORE ON THIS, WE'RE JOINED BY POTATOES NZ CHAIR PAUL OLSEN. GOOD TO SEE YOU, PAUL. HOW BAD HAS THE WEATHER BEEN FOR POTATO CROPS THIS YEAR? YEAH, WELL, GUESS YOU'D SUMMARISE IT` IT'S BEEN A MIXED BAG ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE THAT THE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS IN FEBRUARY IN THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE NORTH ISLAND, ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, THEY AFFECTED A LOT OF CROPS AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, PROBABLY AFFECTED THEM SORT OF AT LEAST 50% OR SO. SO PRETTY HARSH. SO GIVEN THE MIXED BAG, IS THAT GOING TO LEAD TO A SHORTAGE OF CHIPS AND FRIES, OR ARE WE OK? THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, THERE WON'T BE A SHORTAGE. WE WILL BE OK. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE A FEW CHALLENGES. I THINK DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAS PROBABLY BEEN PRETTY CHALLENGED IN RECENT WEEKS. AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO GO TOO FAR TO FIGURE OUT THE FERRY` THE FERRIES WE'VE GOT AT THE MOMENT BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH ISLAND ARE A LITTLE BIT TEMPERAMENTAL. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS AFFECTED, PRODUCT COMING FROM THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH, VICE VERSA. PAUL, WHAT'S THE BEST POTATO FOR CHIPS? WELL, A PROCESSOR PROBABLY LIKES, LIKE A RUSSET BURBANK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ` GOOD CHARACTERISTICS, MEETS SPECIFICATIONS WELL, BUT FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'D DEFINITELY BE AN AGRIA. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ALL-ROUND POTATO AND BRILLIANT FOR CHIPS. SO THAT'D BE WHERE I'D SIT. PAUL I'D HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU. IN FACT I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE MAKES ANYTHING OTHER` OTHER THAN JERSEY BENNES. PUT THEM ASIDE. BUT WHY IS ANYONE BUYING ANYTHING OTHER THAN AN AGRIA POTATO? BECAUSE I WOULD SAY FOR MASHING, FOR BAKING, ANYTHING, IT IS TRULY THE KING OF POTATOES. YEAH, LOOK, AGRIA ` THEY'RE A GREAT POTATO FOR PROBABLY THE CONSUMER, I'D SAY. AS FAR AS ACTUALLY GROWING, STORING AND THAT SORT OF THING, THEY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT TEMPERAMENTAL. SO FROM A GROWER BASE, WE SORT OF` YOU'D NEED A SORT OF A MIX TO COME ACROSS THE BOARD IF YOU LIKE. SO YEAH. NOW, WILL MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO CHANGE THE KIND OF POTATOES THEY USE FOR CHIPS? UM, IN SOME INSTANCES, THEY POSSIBLY WILL. BUT THINK DEFINITELY IN THE NEXT WEEK WHILE UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE POTATOES AND OF THE CHOSEN VARIETY. BUT YOU KNOW, AS WE PROGRESS LATER IN THE SEASON, THINGS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING. BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THE POTATO GROWERS, AND IT'S THE SAME AS THE PROCESSES. THEY'D WALK OVER HOT COALS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONSUMERS IN NEW ZEALAND HAD POTATOES ON THEIR PLATE AT NIGHT. BLESS THEM. SO AND WHEN DO YOU THINK THINGS WILL START TO IMPROVE? SO, I MEAN, A POTATO CROP NORMALLY TAKES 120 TO 150 DAYS TO GROW FROM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT IN THE PADDOCK. THERE'S NEW PLANTINGS AT THE MOMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, GIVE IT ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO AND, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE NEW POTATOES IF YOU LIKE. SO YEAH, THERE'LL BE POTATOES THIS WEEK. THEY'LL BE POTATOES IN A MONTH'S TIME AND THERE'LL BE POTATOES FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER. SO YEAH. GOOD TO HEAR. PHEW! THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAUL. LOVELY TO TALK TO YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU. CAPTIONS BY JESSIE PURU, SAM BAKER AND REBECCA SCHOLTZ. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 YOU LOVE AND AGRIA. I DO LOVE AN AGRIA POTATO. I AM THE ONE AT THE SUPERMARKET LOOKING AT ALL OF THE LABELS. I DO LOVE THEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WOULD BUY OUR RUA OVER AND AGRIA. I'VE HAD SOME DELICIOUS NADINE'S OVER THE YEARS. WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT KIWIS MOVING TO AUSTRALIA TO ESCAPE THE HIGH COST OF LIVING. BUT ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA, THEY COULD BE HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. TONIGHT WE REVEAL WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSES AND THE BEST WAGE GROWTH IN NZ. (GENTLE MUSIC) FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS MARVEL OF MOTHER NATURE ` THE EYE-WATERINGLY BEAUTIFUL WEST COAST ` A STRETCH OF COASTLINE FROM KARAMEA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO JACKSON BAY. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE SHEER BEAUTY OF THESE REGIONS. THE COAST COULD BE YOUR SOLUTION TO THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS. FOR STARTERS, IT HAS SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST AFFORDABLE HOMES. WHAT COSTS THE AVERAGE KIWI NEARLY $1M WOULD COST A COASTER LESS THAN $400,000. AND WHILE IT TAKES THE AVERAGE KIWI NEARLY 10 YEARS TO SAVE FOR A HOUSE, SOMEONE IN THE GREY DISTRICT WOULD ONLY NEED TO SAVE FOR FIVE. THE WAGES AREN'T BAD EITHER. THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR SAW THE HIGHEST SALARY GROWTH IN THE COUNTRY AND THE THIRD-HIGHEST AVERAGE SALARY NATIONWIDE AFTER WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND. SO HOW DID THIS REGION END UP PUNCHING WELL ABOVE ITS WEIGHT? AND HEATH MILNE FROM DEVELOPMENT WEST COAST IS HERE NOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, HEATH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US HOW THE COAST ACHIEVED THE WINNING COMBINATION OF GOOD WAGE GROWTH AND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YEAH, WELL, I THINK IT GOES BACK TO` THE COAST HAS TAKEN A FEW ECONOMIC HITS OVER THE YEARS. THEY PROBABLY STARTED BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AS FAR AS THAT MASSIVE GROWTH IN HOUSE PRICES. SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT NOW, HOUSE PRICES ON THE WEST COAST ARE UNDER $400,000 ON AVERAGE. AND THAT COMPARES TO CLOSE TO A MILLION AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND BY THE WAY, AVERAGE SALARIES ON THE WEST COAST ARE THIRD IN THE COUNTRY, BEHIND ONLY AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. HEATH, YOU MENTIONED THE TOURISM SECTOR TAKING A HIT. HOW'S IT FARING NOW? YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, SOME BUSINESSES DID HAVE TO CLOSE OVER COVID, BUT I CAN TELL YOU LAST SUMMER WE HAD A REALLY GOOD` GOOD COMEBACK, AND WE HAD A HIGHER` THE MONTH OF DECEMBER RIGHT THROUGH TO FEBRUARY WAS THE HIGHEST WE'VE EVER HAD. IT'S QUIET NOW. IT'S WINTERTIME. SO THAT'S PRETTY NORMAL. BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A REALLY GOOD SUMMER. THERE'S GOOD FORWARD BOOKINGS AND A LOT OF NEW PRODUCTS COMING ON THE MARKET THAT WILL SHOWCASE THE WEST COAST TO THOSE PEOPLE. TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE VIBE ON THE WEST COAST. WHAT CAN THE TOWNIES EXPECT FROM COASTERS? WELL, YEAH, COASTERS ARE STILL COASTERS. WE LIKE A BIT OF FOOTY AND A BIT OF BANTER, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE IS CHANGING AS THE REST OF THE WORLD. THERE'S A REAL BELIEF IN THAT WORK-LIFE BALANCE HERE. AND YOU'VE GOT NATURE AT YOUR DOORSTEP. YOU KNOW, KIDS CAN ACTUALLY GET OUT THERE AND BE KIDS. CHRISTCHURCH IS ONLY` YOU KNOW, FROM WHERE I LIVE, JUST OVER TWO HOURS AWAY. AND CHRISTCHURCH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CAN GET YOU ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. SO WE'VE JUST GOT IT ALL, REALLY. AND, HEATH, WHAT SORT OF JOBS ARE AVAILABLE? YEAH, WE'VE GOT VACANCIES IN ALL SECTORS. IT WAS PRETTY HIGHLIGHTED TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY WAS SHORT OF STAFF, AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER SECTORS THAT WE'VE GOT DEMAND FOR ` WE'VE GOT THE PRIMARY SECTOR, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THE ECONOMY, SO FARMING AND MANUFACTURING, RIGHT THROUGH TO JOBS IN NATURE. WE'VE GOT PUBLIC SECTOR ROLES THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FILL, AND THAT'S SORT OF ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS. SO IT'S REALLY ACROSS THE BOARD. THAT'S AWESOME TO HEAR. THERE'S GOT TO BE A DOWNSIDE, THOUGH. LET'S JUST ASK ONE PROBING QUESTION ABOUT THE WEATHER. I MEAN, DOES IT EVER RAIN ON THE WEST COAST? (CHUCKLES) WELL, HILARY, WE DO LIVE IN A RAINFOREST, SO WE DO GET SOME RAIN. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, LAST YEAR AND EVEN RIGHT THROUGH TILL THE LATEST FIGURES, THE WEST COAST HAS HAD THE SECOND-HIGHEST SUNSHINE HOURS IN THE COUNTRY. AND THAT'S JUST BEHIND SOUTHLAND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN AUCKLAND; I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT. OH, WE KNOW IT. (BOTH LAUGH) THANK YOU SO MUCH, HEATH. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND. MY PLEASURE. A WONDERFUL PLACE. IT'S NO SECRET WE LOVE A LAUGH IN THE SEVEN SHARP OFFICE. BUT IN DAYS GONE BY, MERRIMENT HAD TO BE SCHEDULED. ONE ENTERTAINMENT CLUB THAT STARTED WITH A MEETING OF BEER-SWILLING SCHOLARS IN LONDON IN THE 1800S IS STILL GOING STRONG IN NEW ZEALAND. RACHEL PARKIN EXPLAINS. (EASY-GOING GUITAR MUSIC) JUST SOUTH OF TIMARU, WAIMATE IS WALLABY COUNTRY. BUT TODAY, WE'RE HUNTING SAVAGES. (GRUNTS) WE'RE TOLD THIS IS THEIR LAIR. YOU DON'T SEEM VERY SAVAGE. NO. (GIGGLES) AU CONTRAIRE, THIS TRIBE IS TRES GENTIL... OH, WE ARE VERY CIVILISED. ...WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY SILLY. HOORAY! (LAUGHTER) HOORAY! THE WAIMATE SAVAGE AND ENTERTAINMENT CLUB HOME TO SMILES, SCALES... # NU-NU NU-NU. ...AND SOUP FOR THE SOUL. OUR SINGING GROUP IS CALLED S'OUP. IT'S A NAME INVENTED BY OUR FRIEND JOHN FENWICK. HE PASSED RECENTLY. SO ` S, APOSTROPHE, O-U-P? YES. EXACTLY. BECAUSE YOU'RE A BIT FANCY. I AM VERY FANCY. IT'S A FANCY WEEK FOR THESE SONGBIRDS. THEIR HUMBLE LITTLE CLUB GEARING UP TO TURN 100. YES. ENORMOUS! 100 YEARS. WE HAVE 100 GUESTS, WHICH IS A NICE COINCIDENCE. (UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC) THIS IS OUR MEMORIAL BOOK. JAN HERE HAS DONE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK. A MILESTONE CERTAINLY WORTH CELEBRATING 166 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST EVER SAVAGE CLUB STARTED IN LONDON. READS: A GROUP OF MERRY FELLOWS, WHO DELIGHTED IN IRREVERENCE... WHISPERS: SOUNDS A BIT LIKE SEVEN SHARP. THERE WAS A FAMOUS POET CALLED RICHARD SAVAGE WHO WAS FAMOUS FOR SARCASTIC POETRY. NOW, THIS WAS AN ALL-MAN'S CLUB, POSH PEOPLE, WHO WERE (POSHLY) 'OOH, JOLLY GOOD' TOGETHER AND ENTERTAINED EACH OTHER, JUST FOR THE SHEER FUN OF IT. THE MEN USED TO GO FOR THEIR NIGHT OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO WOMEN. DID THEY NOT HAVE A NIGHT OUT? PERHAPS THEY HAD TOO MANY BABIES. I THINK THEY WERE AT HOME DOING THE DISHES. YES. LUCKY MEN. ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT, DON'T THEY? (LAUGHS) OR DID. WE'RE GETTING THERE, PAM. WE'RE GETTING THERE. YES. WE'RE IMPROVING. NOW THERE ARE SAVAGE CLUBS AROUND THE WORLD. AND TIMES, THANK GOODNESS, HAVE CHANGED. WOMEN RULE THE ROOST HERE. INA'S MOTHER HEN. WONDERFUL LADY. WONDERFUL LADY. THAT'S NO SMALL ORDER EITHER, AS S'OUP SINGS ITS WAY THROUGH 11 DECADES... HERE WE GO! THE '20S! ...REHEARSING FOR THE BIG CENTENNIAL. (METRONOME CLICKS LOUDLY) IT WAS A BIG SHOCK WHEN I SAID WE'LL DO FAT FREDDY'S DROP, AND THEY SAID 'WHO THE HECK IS THAT?' (LAUGHS) DO YOU HAVE A FEW WANDERING EYES AROUND THESE PARTS? WE HAVE A LOT OF WANDERING EYES AROUND THESE PARTS, AND IF YOU'RE NOT CURIOUS IN LIFE, YOU BECOME BLOOMIN' BORING. (LAUGHS) AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT ` HAVING FUN AND A GIGGLE. AND YOU CAN MAKE A MISTAKE, AND WHEN YOU DO YOU, JUST LAUGH IT OFF! WHAT BROUGHT YOU ALONG? AH, WELL, THE ENTERTAINMENT SIDE OF IT PROBABLY... AND MY WIFE. FRIENDSHIP. THE FUN. MUSIC. NOT TO MENTION, THE THRILL OF PERFORMING. # I SHOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE JUST THE SAME AS THAT. # THERE ARE JUST TWO SIMPLE RULES AT SAVAGE CLUB ` LEAVE POLITICS AND RELIGION AT THE DOOR. AND... IF YOU CAN'T HAVE FUN, DON'T COME. EXACTLY. AMEN. YEAH. (LAUGHS) FINISHED? YEP. (LAUGHS) E WHAI AKE NEI, COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` IT WOULDN'T BE FRIDAY WITHOUT ANIMALS WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE NEWS. YES, OUR FRIDAY COUNTDOWN IS UP NEXT. PLUS, MEET YOUNG MASON. HE INSPIRES, HE'S RESILIENT AND SUPER BRAVE. SO THERE'S A SUPER SURPRISE COMING FOR HIM. ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN JUST A MOMENT. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT MASON MILLAN. DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA AT JUST 2, HE ENDURED MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF CHEMOTHERAPY. HE'S NOW 9 AND CANCER FREE, AND HIS STORY CAUGHT THE EYE OF THE JUDGES IN OUR DEFENDERS OF TOMORROW COMPETITION RUN BY OUR FRIENDS AT LAND ROVER. WHICH IS WHY MASON AND HIS DAD ARE ABOUT TO BOARD A PLANE BOUND FOR FRANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE RUGBY WORLD CUP. WE'VE PARTNERED WITH LAND ROVER TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MASON AHEAD OF HIS ROLE AS A MASCOT FOR OUR NATIONAL TEAM. (UPBEAT MUSIC) ON A WEST AUCKLAND FIELD FOR THE SATURDAY GAME, MASON MILLAN MAY LOOK LIKE EVERY OTHER RUGBY MAD KID, BUT AT JUST 9 YEARS OLD, THIS SON OF A FIREFIGHTER HAS SPENT A THIRD OF HIS LIFE BATTLING CANCER. MY SON WAS TWO WHEN WE FOUND OUT HE HAD LEUKAEMIA. LEUKAEMIA, A CANCER OF THE BODY'S BLOOD-FORMING TISSUES, IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF CHILDHOOD CANCER IN NEW ZEALAND. I GUESS AT THE START YOU'RE AFRAID, OBVIOUSLY. YOU'RE REALLY NERVOUS AND UNSURE ABOUT WHAT THE JOURNEY WILL LOOK LIKE. THE TREATMENT HAS A 90% SUCCESS RATE, BUT IT'S GRUELLING AND LONG. HE HAD TO HAVE CHEMOTHERAPY FOR JUST OVER THREE YEARS. EVEN IN THE DARKEST MOMENTS, HOWEVER, VICTORIA AND IVAN FOUND INSPIRATION CLOSE TO HOME. WELL, I THINK A HUGE PART OF IT IS MASON. HE'S HELPED US KEEP THAT POSITIVITY UP, AND HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SO BRAVE AND FACED HIS TREATMENT, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEEN TIMES I KNOW THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD FOR HIM AND SCARY, BUT HE BOUNCES BACK. (UPBEAT MUSIC) NOW MASON IS CANCER FREE. AND WHEN VICTORIA AND IVAN HEARD LAND ROVER DEFENDER WAS LOOKING FOR INSPIRING YOUNG KIWIS TO SEND TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH A SHOT. HE INSPIRES; HE GIVES PEOPLE HOPE. HE'S RESILIENT; HE'S DETERMINED; HE'S COURAGEOUS, JUST LIKE... HE'S SUPER BRAVE. JUST LIKE THE ALL BLACKS, YOU KNOW. LIKE, HE, I THINK, EXEMPLIFIES THAT THAT BATTLER. THE JUDGES AGREED, NAMING MASON AS ONE OF FOUR KIWI DEFENDERS OF TOMORROW WHO'LL FLY TO FRANCE TO BE MASCOTS. IT'S AN EXCELLENT DREAM FOR MASON TO MEET THE ALL BLACKS. HOW'S YOUR BODIES? EVERYONE'S BODIES ALL RIGHT? WE ASKED IVAN, WHO'S MASON'S RUGBY COACH, TO BREAK THE NEWS TO HIS SON AT TRAINING. I'M NERVOUS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M NERVOUS TO TALK TO MY SON. LIKE, I TALK TO MY SON ALL THE TIME. BUT I'M NERVOUS TO SEE HOW HE REACTS, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW HIS TEAM REACTS. FIRST, THERE'S A WARM-UP, THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE BIG REVEAL. SO WE ENTERED THIS VIDEO. THERE'S HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES OF REALLY DESERVING KIDS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED TO SAY... THAT HIS VIDEO WAS CHOSEN. AND MASON, YOU ARE A DEFENDER OF TOMORROW, AND YOU'RE GOING TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP. WE'RE GOING TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP IN FRANCE. (GASPS) (ALL CHEER) (UPLIFTING MUSIC) BACK HOME, AS THE REALITY SINKS IN, MASON REFLECTS ON THE MOMENT HE GOT THE NEWS. I THOUGHT IT WAS, LIKE, THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. IT WAS JUST SURREAL, YOU KNOW. IT WAS SUCH A CRAZY THING. I'M A HUGE ALL BLACKS FAN, AND SO IS MASON, OBVIOUSLY. WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORLD CUP AND ABOUT WATCHING IT AND TALKING ABOUT GETTING UP EARLY AND WATCHING GAMES TOGETHER AND THINGS. AND NOW, WE'RE LEARNING FRENCH WORDS AND PHRASES, AND WE'RE, LIKE, PLANNING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. AND JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE THE BOYS OUT THERE ON THE FIELD, TOO. DURING MASON'S TREATMENT, VICTORIA AND IVAN WERE INSPIRED BY THE STORIES OF CHILDREN WHO'D BEATEN LEUKAEMIA. THEY HOPE SHARING MASON'S JOURNEY CAN DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS. TO SEE HIM RUN OUT THERE WITH THE ALL BLACKS ` HE'S A KID; HE'S PLAYING RUGBY; HE'S DOING SPORTS; HE'S GOING TO SCHOOL; HE'S LOVING THIS BEST LIFE, YOU KNOW. IF THAT CAN GIVE AT LEAST ONE FAMILY HOPE, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE VERY HAPPY. YEAH. IT'S ALL WORTH IT. MOUSE AND AS A SPECIAL KID. WHAT A LOVELY BOY. OK, BUCKLE UP. YOU KNOW WHAT TIME OF THE WEEK IT IS. YOU GOT IT. HERE'S THE FRIDAY COUNTDOWN. # IT'S THE FRIDAY COUNTDOWN. # IN 'ANIMALS WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T BE' NEWS, AN INNOCENT SCENE IN SUBURBAN AMERICA. BUT LOOK OUT, IT'S A RATTLESNAKE. NEK MINNIT, A COURIER SPOTS THE DEADLY CREEPER AND TAKES IT AWAY TO LIVE ON A FARM, BEFORE TEXTING THE RESIDENT WITH A MESSAGE ` IT SAID (READS) 'I HOPE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PET RATTLESNAKE 'AT YOUR FRONT DOOR BECAUSE I KILLED HIM. MATT.' THIS IS A BABY GIRAFFE WITH A DIFFERENCE. CAN YOU SPOT IT? THAT'S RIGHT. THIS LITTLE G HAS LOST HER SPOTS. IF YOU FIND THEM, PLEASE SEND THEM TO THE TENNESSEE ZOO. CATS CERTAINLY DON'T BELONG IN THE MIDDLE OF WILDFIRES. DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS OF HER HOME, A WOMAN IN HAWAII WAS SUPER STOKED WHEN SHE FOUND HER PUSS-CATS HAD SURVIVED THE INFERNO. LOOK AT MY KITTY. HOW IS MY LITTLE GIRL? HOW'S MY LITTLE GIRL? AND I THINK THIS WALL RIGHT HERE HELPED WITH THE HEAT. BREAK OUT THE NAPISAN. BEHOLD 3000 WHITE-CLAD FOLLOWERS OF THE UNIVERSAL WHITE BROTHERHOOD PERFORMING RITUALS DURING A THREE-DAY FESTIVAL OF DANCE AT BULGARIA'S RILA MOUNTAINS. THE VIBE IS A MIX OF CHRISTIANITY AND INDIAN MYSTICISM. I FEEL LIKE A COSMIC NEW HUMAN. I RECKON THEY SHOULD PIVOT TO A BIT OF TEST CRICKET WHILE THEY'RE AT IT. THE ROBOTS ARE COMING, AND THEY'RE LOOKING PRETTY DAMN REAL. NO, NOT THIS ONE. THAT'S A REAL DUDE... I THINK. ALTHOUGH IT WAS PRETTY HARD TO TELL THE TRUTH FROM SCIENCE FICTION AT THE WORLD ROBOT CONFERENCE IN BEIJING THIS WEEK, AS DEVELOPERS SHOWED OFF THEIR LATEST CONTRAPTIONS. BUT EVEN I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE ARE NOT REAL DOGS. THEY ARE WAY TOO WELL-BEHAVED. WHO'S A GOOD BOY? AND WHILE AI AND DEEPFAKES ARE USED BY SCAMMERS, IT'S MORE FUN WHEN PEOPLE LIKE TOMMY BRENNAN TASK THE TECH TO MAKE FUN THINGS, LIKE A NATURE DOCO ABOUT HIS CAT IN THE STYLE OF DAVID ATTENBOROUGH. AI DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: HE VENTURES OUT INTO THE GRASSLANDS, A WORLD WHERE EXCESS CURIOSITY CAN LEAD TO A TRAGIC MISHAP. THIS GRASS HE HAS DISCOVERED WILL LATER CAUSE HIM TO VIOLENTLY PROJECTILE VOMIT IN THE HUMAN'S BED IF HE'S NOT CAREFUL. KNOWING THIS, THE HUMAN URGES HIM TO STOP EATING IT... YET HE REFUSES. TONIGHT WILL BE A LONG NIGHT FOR THE HUMAN, TO SAY THE LEAST. AND AT NUMBER... THE LINE-UP FOR THIS YEAR'S OTHERS WAY MUSIC FESTIVAL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. AND IF YOU LOVE '90S HIP-HOP AS MUCH AS I DO, YOU'LL BE CHUFFED THAT THE SOULS OF MISCHIEF ARE HEADLINING THE LEGENDARY K ROAD EVENT IN DECEMBER. RAPS: # YEAH, THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93 'TIL... # THIS IS HOW WE CHILL FROM 93... # I BE COOLIN', SCHOOL'S IN SESSION, BUT I'M FRESH IN. # RAPPIN', SO I TAKE TIME OFF TO NEVER RHYME SOFT. # I'M OFF ON MY OWN S... WITH MY OWN CLIQUE. # ROLL MANY BACK ROADS WITH A FAT STOG' AND BLUNT, FOLDIN' RUNTS... # LOVE SOULS OF MISCHIEF WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. ON THE SHOW NEXT WEEK, THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW DINING EXPERIENCE DUE TO HIT YOUR TASTE BUDS, AND WHY IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR CHEFS AND CUSTOMERS. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY, THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. THE REPAIR SHOP IS UP NEXT. HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND, AND WE'LL SEE YOU ON MONDAY. PO MARIE, CHEERIO. UP THE WAHS. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER, REBECCA SCHOLTZ AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023