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Saturday Morning for Saturday 8 May 2021

Possum

Possum Photo: supplied

8:10 Peter Young: Fight for the Wild – Aotearoa vs predators

Peter Young

Peter Young Photo: supplied

Documentary filmmaker Peter Young discusses his biggest project to date – the battle to save Aotearoa’s native species from an army of predators.

Every year, introduced predators devour the eggs and chicks of  26 million native New Zealand birds, as well as countless insects, amphibians, reptiles and plants.

In 2016 Predator Free 2050 began, targeting rats, stoats and possums. It is Aotearoa’s most ambitious conservation effort ever and involves hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders.

Peter Young’s Fight for the Wild documents the battle to protect native species and explores the idea of a Predator Free 2050.

The first episode of the four-part documentary and the podcast will be released on RNZ on 10 May. The series will also screen on TVNZ 1 from 15 May.

8:30 Christina Sweeney-Baird: The End of Men

Christina Sweeney-Baird’s debut novel The End of Men is centred around a global virus to which women are immune and which kills 90 percent of the world’s men.

It all seems very timely, but was actually prescient, as the book was completed in 2019.

Christina Sweeney-Baird studied law at the University of Cambridge and works as a corporate litigation lawyer. She has been published as a freelance journalist in The Huffington Post and The Independent.

The End of Men was longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award.

The End of Men collage

The End of Men collage Photo: supplied

9:05 Jonathan Drori: The secret and surprising life of plants

For his new book Around the World in 80 Plants, Jonathan Drori traversed the globe, aiming to reveal the science of plants by showing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore.

Drori was a BBC executive producer and director, responsible for more than 50 popular BBC science and technology documentaries and series.

He makes short films for plant and seed-collecting expeditions and is also known for several TED talks on pollen, seeds, and the little tricks that flowers play.

He is the author of Around the World in 80 Trees.

Jonathan Drori

Jonathan Drori Photo: supplied

10:05 Playing favorites with Pic Picot

Pic Picot and Fido

Pic Picot and Fido Photo: Supplied

Before coming to public attention as a peanut butter baron Pic Picot had already lived a full and picaresque life.

By the time he was 21, he had earned enough from making leather goods to pay for his first OE. Back in New Zealand, he took to furniture-making, learning the trade from an English craftsman.

 

He quickly learned that giftware sold better at Christmas than bespoke tables. Pic's Panic Packs – glass-fronted emergency boxes of tea-bags, cigarettes, condoms, and toilet paper – proved quick to make and were easy and fun to sell.

 

It wasn't until he had retired that he started making peanut butter. He sold a few jars at the local farmers' market. 

 

Twelve years later he opened his third factory, Pic's Peanut Butter World. Today he employs 50 people and exports throughout the world.

 

He's just released a book: Pic: Adventures in Sailing, Business and Love.

 

He'll share some of his favourite songs with us.

Pic Picot as a child (approximately 2 years of age)

Pic with his sisters, Judy and Robyn

Pic with his involvement in the world’s first cannabis fertiliser

Pic during one of his sailing adventures

Pic and his daughter Bridie

11:05 Danny Elfman: Film score maestro releases solo album

Danny Elfman

Danny Elfman Photo: supplied / Silvia Grav

Danny Elfman is best known for writing the theme tune for The Simpsons, but as a film composer he's had a stellar career – four Oscar nominations and collaborations with directors Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson and Ang Lee.

Beginning with his first score on Tim Burton’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Elfman has scored over 100 films, including: Milk, Good Will Hunting, Big Fish, Men in Black, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Justice League, and Spiderman.

He's due to release Big Mess, his first solo album in 30 years, on June 11.

11:35 Tainui Tukiwaho - Racists Anonymous

"Racists Anonymous: the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop being racist."

Tainui Tukiwaho is the director of Racists Anonymous, a new show at Auckland’s Te Pou Theatre, Aotearoa's only independent kaupapa Māori-led theatre venue.

Tukiwaho co-founded Te Pou, and leads the Māori-language-driven Te Rēhia Theatre Company.

Since graduating from Unitec in 2001 he has worked as an actor, director, producer, and writer. As an actor, he is most well known for his 2011 portrayal of Kiwi icon Billy T James in Billy.

Tainui Tukiwaho (centre) with (l-r) Te Arohanui Way Korewha, Tuakoi Ohia, Acacia O'Connor, Ngāhiriwa Rauhina

Tainui Tukiwaho (centre) with (l-r) Te Arohanui Way Korewha, Tuakoi Ohia, Acacia O'Connor, Ngāhiriwa Rauhina Photo: supplied

Books mentioned in this show:

The End of Men
By Christina Sweeney-Baird
ISBN: 9780008407933
Published by HarperCollins

Around the World in 80 Plants
Jonathan Drori. Illustrated by Lucille Clerc.
ISBN 9781786272300
Published by Thames & Hudson Australia

Pic: Adventures in sailing, business, and love
By Pic Picot
ISBN 9780473548599
Published by Nationwide Books

Music played in this show

Song: Ilomilo
Artist: Billie Eilish
Played at 8.30

Song: U Don't Dans 2 Tekno Anymore
Artist: Alabama 3
played at 10:17

Song: Ripple (2013 remastered)
Artist: The Grateful Dead
played at 10:26

Song: Willin
Artist: Little Feat
played at 10:35

Song: Anthem
Artist: Leonard Cohen
played at 10:47

Song: Way Down In the Hole
Artist: Blind Boys of Alabama
played at 10:58

Song: Dumcane
Artist: Kevin Morby
played at 11:35