"Spunky11, you've just stolen my thunder! I've watched Susan Boyle's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" on Youtube, more times than I can remember and the fact that Patti Lupone has said Susan's version is flawless is a great compliment from a lady who's been a star for many years now. I'd like to hear Mandy Pantikin sing the song from "Les Miserables" that Jamie Pugh sang on BGT, darn it, I've forgotten them name but it begins "God on high, hear my prayer", it's a beautiful song. I would love to see this show because I doubt they'll come back to NZ for some time and I don't think I'll be off to New York anytime soon. Here's a suggestion spunky11, if I win the tickets will you come with me to the show! Deal or No Deal?!"
"Ted E Bare should retire to a mansion with all his mate's like Tom E Gun (Tommy Gunn) and other funny furry entertainer's and have people wait on them hand and foot 'cos they've been such great entertainer's over the year's. Ted E Bare would get bored if wasn't making people laugh so I guess he would have to have alot of people/pet friends around him to keep him company and laugh at his jokes."
"I agree with Circusfan_13, The Wheel of Death because it is the most dangerous act in the world. I just want someone to teach me how to do the split's without hurting myself, I've been wanting to learn this for ages, so is there anyone out there who can teach me how to do this, it's one of my must do's before I fall off my mortal coil."
"Why do you think some Wine Shops play Classical Music? It's been proven that if this is the case the person on the lookout for a bottle of wine or two will choose an expensive wine, rather than one that's been marked down. Wine and great music makes people feel important and educated even if their just White Trash like me, but hey, who cares, all kinds of music makes people feel good about themselves. I would love to hear Jose Carreras sing because he is one of the greats and he's beaten cancer to boot."
"My dream is to adopt a child from Russia or the Ukraine and give her/him a good start in life. There are around 100,000 neglected children in this part of the world and I just wish it was easier for myself and other's to adopt because some of these children spend their entire lives living in orphanages. I would love to see Tina Cross sing with the NZSO, I remember when she sang "Nothing but Dreams" at the Pacific Song Contest and the whole family knew it was a winner. But we also remember THAT DRESS she wore, it was magnificent. She was wearing a stunning dress long before Liz Hurley came on the scene and wore her Gianni Versace 'Safety Pin' Dress that wowed everyone in1994, well Liz, Tina was way ahead of you!"
"Dame Malvina, because I loved the way she sang the national anthem with such pride when the All Blacks played the British Lions back in 2005. Also, she's a counties lass, and her son played rugby for Counties (before it became Counties-Manukau) and I'm a Counties girl, so I'm biased. She has had a brilliant career, maybe not as public as Dame Kiri's but she has sung in the most famous of Opera Houses all over the world."
"Eric Clapton has sung rock'n roll and ballads, he's versatile and he's a legend. 'Layla' has got to be one of the best rock tributes for the love of a woman ever written, and 'Would you know my name' is the most heart-wrenching tribute to a lost child. I would love to read about Eric Clapton's life, his falling in love with George Harrison's wife, the death of his child and his friendship's in the music world. I'm a biography nut, I've read more biographies than I've had hot dinners. This would be a great read."
"Here goes! Normal weather patterns, in my day ( Oh, crikey did I really write that), Winter was April to September, Summer, October thru to March, athlete's competing for the love of their country instead of their love of money, no athlete loses these days, their all millionaires, how about going back to the days of basic good manners instead of F*** ing this and F***ing that is part of everyday conversation, (Please don't tell me to get F***ed just cos I don't like it!) I'm nostalgic for hokey pokey ice-cream in a cone, variety of sports coverage on free to air TV, more kiwi entertainer's on TV apart from 'Dancing with the Stars' , there's not much to choose from, how about a variety show on Sunday night's with singer's, dancer's, comedian's etc.."
"The funniest thing I ever saw on TV was Trevor Mallard, Minister for Sport and Pete Hodgson, Minister for Whatever, trying to dance at some office get-together. You've never seen anything so hilarious in your life. If I had known politician's were that funny I'd give up my day job and apply for a position as a press secretary for one of those guy's."
"SPITTING! WILL EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOUNG, OLD, RICH, POOR, WHATEVER ETHNIC GROUP YOU ARE, PLEASE STOP SPITTING IN PUBLIC! There, I said it. It's obviously the new fashion to get rid of your phlegm in public, you can't blame watching a rugby game on TV and seeing all those players spit onto the pitch when they're having a break while the ref gives a red card to somebody. Keep your phlegm where it aught to stay, in your throat, take it like a man or woman and swallow the darn thing!"
"I gotta admit I don't shave my legs that often. I think I have the mentality of a gypsy, love my freedom, love music, theater, I think there's a frustrated actor in me somewhere!"
"I remember the Murdoch Saga vividly, the media coverage, the photo of the Welsh Security Guard with his black eye (some security guard!), all the talk back in little ol' New Zild about the whole thing. The captain Ian Kirkpatrick years later said he wished he and other teammates had stood up for Keith a bit more the outcome would have been different and Murdoch may not have panicked once he got to Australia, got off the plane as quickly as he could and bolted into the Australian outback. Australia's big and empty so Keith had no problem getting some privacy, unlike New Zealand where he probably would have been hounded by all and sundry until he was forced to leave. The guy made the right decision getting off the plane when he did. I'd love to see this play because it got a really great review in the paper the other day and I haven't seen a play in ages."
"Loved 'Dancing with the Star' and if there is a dance I would like to learn it would be the Waltz, cos it's slow and I'm not getting any younger, and it's romantic, you wear those lovely flowing dresses, I think I could handle that."
"I'll tell you why, but only because you've asked. Okay, here goes, I'm from Pukekohe! SOUTH AUCKLAND!!! Nothing wrong with that, only if your John Hawkesby, maybe. I remember the telethon we had in the early 1990's and two cast member's from Coronation Street came out for it, Barbara Knox, who plays Rita Fairclough and Kevin Kennedy who played Curly Watts, well, it was time for someone to make a trip to Pukekohe and Johnny boy told Kiwi's that good old Kevvie would go to Puke to collect some money for the charity, before adding, "well somebody had to go there, I suppose!!" I felt humiliated, aggreived, insulted, you name it, I felt it!. Now looking back on it I think it's the funniest thing he said that day. Poor little me was just too young and sensitive to get it. If your from Pukekohe, say it with pride, cos nobody else will!"
"I used to play the violin, badly, when I was young, but classical music was a big part of my upbringing and New Zealand has some of the finest Orchestra's in the world and leading musician's and conductor's are always more than willing to come to the other side of the world to work with them here."
"Soul or Seoul? Anyway, right now I'm reading a great biography about the legendary Sam Cooke, y'know, 'You Send Me', 'Chaingang', his beautiful, smooth, dulcet voice was more soulful than any singer before or after, and the ladies just swooned, no problems there I might add, poor guy even got murdered over one."
"Because if we don't support Kiwi music, these talented people will keep moving to Australia, and we all know what Australians do when kiwis with talent move across the ditch, they end up claiming them as their own. Stuff that!"
"The greatest try in Rugby Union History was between The Barbarians and The All Blacks in 1973, unfortunately it was the Baa Baas who scored the try, it began from behind the kiwi goal line and past through the hands of nearly every famous British player at that time, David Duckham, Gerald Davies, JPR Williams, and many more dipping and diving and weaving their way around the All Black defence and it was absolutely amazing to watch and it was LIVE on television, I think maybe the first year New Zealand had live TV from anywhere. Awesome!"
on An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin 3 years ago
on Strassman: Ted E's Farewell Tour 3 years ago
on Le Grand Cirque 3 years ago
on Jose Carreras 3 years ago
on WOMAD New Zealand 2009 3 years ago
on Nothing But Dreams 3 years ago
on Dame Malvina Major and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa 3 years ago
on Eric Clapton 3 years ago
on Nostalgia by Ishinha (Auckland Festival 2009) 3 years ago
on Southside Comedy 4 years ago
on A Horse Story: Blinkers and Spurs 4 years ago
on Gypsy Fever 4! 4 years ago
on Finding Murdoch 4 years ago
on Peter Urlich Dine and Dance 4 years ago
on Lenny Henry 4 years ago
on NYTC's 'Grease' 4 years ago
on NZSO Nikolaj Znaider 4 years ago
on Mary J. Blige: CANCELLED 4 years ago
on Monkey Magic II, The Hot Grits, An Emerald City 4 years ago
on Keith Quinn, Peter Montgomery, Graham Lowe -- Talking Sport 4 years ago