Saturday Morning for Saturday 19 October 2019

8:10  Alastair Campbell : Brexit latest

British MPs vote tomorrow (Saturday UK time) on the amended Brexit deal that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has negotiated with the European Union.

Meanwhile, the former Labour Party press secretary Alastair Campbell will join a major public rally in Parliament Square calling for another public vote to approve  any deal.

After a career advising successive Labour governments and PM Tony Blair, Mr Campbell remains active in politics as an outspoken critic of the Brexit process and the UK's plans to leave the EU.

He helped set up a newspaper, The New European, which campaigns to stop Brexit, and is an adviser to the People's Vote Campaign which is organising tomorrow's public march.

He's also a prolific writer having written 14 books in the past ten years, including eight volumes of diaries, four novels, and a personal memoir about his experience of depression. He lists his main interests outside work as running, cycling, bagpipes and following Burnley Football Club.

 

8:35  A sporting achievement? Eliud Kipchoge and the sub-two-hour marathon

Last weekend was exciting for distance running fans. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge broke the "unbreakable" two-hour marathon barrier and compatriot Brigid Kosgei smashed a 16 year old women's marathon world record by more than a minute.

Kosgei's record was achieved during a standard competitive marathon race in Chicago, but Kipchoge's attempt involved a major commercial sponsor and precisely engineered non-race conditions: a wind break of a pace setting runners, a guiding laser beam, and performance-enhancing Nike Vaporfly shoes.

Former international athlete and exercise science writer Alex Hutchinson weighs in on the uneasy mix of commerce, technology and sport.

9:05 Billy Connolly -  Tall Tales and Wee Stories

Beloved Scottish comedian, musician, actor and storyteller Billy Connolly retired from live stand-up comedy at the end of last year as a result of the progress of Parkinson's disease, the degenerative neurological condition he was diagnosed with in 2013.

He's still working as a television presenter and has just released a book Tall Tales and Wee Stories which includes his most famous routines.

Kim will talk to him from his home in Florida where he still enjoys fishing, drawing and keeping the local manatee population well fed!

 

 

 

9:30 Matire Harwood - Champion for Māori health

Dr Matire Harwood (Ngāpuhi) has devoted her career to issues relating to Māori health. She works as a GP in a busy medical centre in South Auckland, teaches at The University of Auckland's Medical School, is recognised for her work as a community leader, and also conducts medical research in areas including asthma, stroke, heart disease and diabetes.

Her work's been recognised this week with the Health Research Council's Te Tohu Rapuora Award, at the Royal Society Te Apārangi Honours ceremony.

10:05 Michael Connelly -  Mega selling crime writer on his new Harry Bosch book

Michael Connelly is a crime fiction writer whose 31 books have sold more than 60 million copies.

Since his first novel The Black Echo (1992) other books like Blood Work and most notably The Lincoln Lawyer have been turned into popular films. And in others, like Dark Sacred Night and his latest The Night Fire he follows the career of his major protagonist, the LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, and his efforts to crack dastardly crimes and cold cases.

Michael Connelly will be in Wellington on Friday 8 November and in Auckland on Saturday 9 November. Details here

10:30 Poet Michael Pedersen - "the throaty voice of modern Scotland"

Scottish poet and writer Michael Pedersen co-runs and founded Neu! Reekie! a UK arts collective which produces shows all over the globe and hosts take-overs for National Galleries, National Museums and major festivals.

His most recent poetry collection, Oyster was illustrated by and performed as a live show with Frightened Rabbit's Scott Hutchison.

Michael will read some poems, including Oyster, which recalls his later-to-be girlfriend (and vegetarian) Hollie McNish's first oral encounter with a bivalve mollusc.

Michael Pedersen is in Wellington next month for the Verb Festival before embarking on a nationwide tour with poet Tourette's (aka Dominic Hoey) and author, rapper and poet Omar Musa. Details here.

Please note that this interview references suicide. There are helpline numbers at the bottom of this page.

11:05 Marc Taddei - Fanfare For The Common Man

Marc Taddei is a classically trained trombonist who is the music director of Orchestra Wellington.

On Saturday evening at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington the orchestra plays Aaron Copland's Third Symphony, and violinist Amalia Hall performs Samuel Barber's violin concerto, in an American double bill called 'Fanfare For The Common Man'.

Kim asks him about the challenges of operating an orchestra in the capital alongside a better-financed incumbent (the NZSO), his appearance on the TV series Grand Designs New Zealand, and his innovative attempts to get more people interested in classical music.

 

11:45 Mike Arthur - Documenting the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

The Pastafarian faith claims 30 million devotees worldwide including over 4000 New Zealanders according to last year's census.

The religion revolves around the idea that the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster (and his 'noodly appendages'). Its adherents' headwear of choice is the colander, and they close their written communications 'R'Amen' as the mark of their faith.

It was founded in 2005 by graduate student Bobby Henderson 'as a response to Christian fundamentalists demanding the teaching of creationism in Kansas school science classes'.

Mike Arthur (himself a Pastafarian) has recently directed a documentary feature film on the religion: I, Pastafari

It's a story with a strong New Zealand dimension too; the world's first Pastafarian wedding was held in Akaroa in 2016, and in 2017 Björn Oback became the first person in the world to swear an oath of affirmation on the holy text of The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, when he used it to swear allegiance to New Zealand in a citizenship ceremony.

Books mentioned in this show

Tall Tales and Wee Stories
Billy Connolly
ISBN: 9781529361346
Published by Hachette

The Night Fire
Michael Connelly
ISBN: 9781760876012
Published by Allen and Unwin

Where to get help:

Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354  or text HELP to 4357
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up: online chat (3pm-10pm) or 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 helpline (12pm-10pm weekdays, 3pm-11pm weekends)
Kidsline (ages 5-18): 0800 543 754 (24/7)
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
Healthline: 0800 611 116
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

 

 

Music played in this show

Song: Walk through Fire
Artist: Yola
Played at 8:42

Song: The Long Good Bye
Artist:  Clydie King
Played at 10:06

Song: The Fanfare for the Common Man
Artist London Philharmonic Orchestra
Played at 11:16

Song: Copland's Symphony No.3 - 4 Molto deliberator Fanfare Allegro risoluto
Artist New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Played at 11:24

Song: The Fanfare for the Common Man
Artist Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Played at 11:39