Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - BONUS: Suzanne Paul's Flashback Friday!

Episode Date: May 4, 2023

We chat to iconic Kiwi Suzanne Paul about her commercials for this weeks Flashback Friday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now we have a very special guest for Flashback Friday You know this is where we look back on New Zealand when New Zealand was a simpler time Ben The cost of living was better People weren't getting relentlessly bullied on the internet It was a great time A time where you could chuff a dart in the car with the kids. Oh, my God.

Maybe some things went better. With the windows wound up. And today we've actually got a very special guest for Flashback Friday. You'll know her as the infomercial queen. The only queen in my life. It's Suzanne Paul. Hey, good morning, boys. How are you?

Nice to talk to you. Now, we are looking back at some iconic moments that we do on a Flashback Friday. Natural glow. Natural glow was when you first sort of burst onto our screens. Natural glow is made up of thousands of luminous spheres that reflect the light to give you a flawless-looking complexion in seconds. And the more you apply, the darker you become. When did that all start?

That was, I arrived here in 1991. So it was round about there. So 30-odd years ago, love. And the thousands of luminous spheres, such an iconic line. Yes, that's right. Who could forget? Can I ask, what were luminous spheres? Who?

After hell, I don't know. Someone obviously did. Someone obviously did as well. Somebody did and shoved them in there. How did you get on TV, on New Zealand TV? Well, it was my product, so I put myself on there. I invented the product, got it made. I was selling it in shops and malls,

and then I thought, need to speed this up a bit, go on the telly with it. There I was. That was it. And because you came to New Zealand, and it basically just started with nothing. I did, yes. I think I had about $18 or something.

But I knew I could get work selling straight away. I've always been in selling, and people always want stuff sold. You've just got to find somebody, usually, that's got something, and you can just talk them into letting you sell it to all of them. That's how it works. You're a very inspirational person, Suzanne. And another one of my favorites, another one of my favoritesites, another one of my favourites from the

Suzanne Paul era was a dance music hit. It was a banger from the 90s. David Guetta, step aside. I'm going to play you a song. Here we go. She's like, no, no. Take a boy into

the wild. Loads of fun. To the blue mountain. Very smart. fun. Loads of fun. To the Blue Monkey. Very smart. Very smart. Thousands of luminous spheres. Once we start, we won't want to stop. Call now. Call now.

I'm going to put my hand up there. Feels good too. The Blue Monkey. Now, this was a song that charted. It went well on the charts. It did. It went well on the charts. It did. It was very popular, you know, get down, get funky, everybody do the Blue Monkey.

What's not to love? It did seem like a good idea after Butlerport one night. That's what happened. I didn't know. I thought that was the Blue Monkey like a euphemism for some dance floor drug. Did you write the lyrics? How did it happen?

Yes. You did. No, it was just nonsense. It was just all lines from my advert. And the Blue Monkey was a nightclub I used to go in, a Sunderland bit of a dive. It was named after that. Oh, that's very cool.

Now, we are in the UK. We're in London. Oh, great. The King's Coronation. Now, we are in the UK. We're in London. Oh, great. The King's Coronation. Are you looking forward to that over the weekend? Oh, yes, I am. I can't wait because my adverts will be shown during it, I hope. Oh, I saw you, buddy.

Liquorland. Liquorland. I've got Flight Centre, Arnott's Biscuits, Burger King, some of the same department. But wait, there's more. Yes, I have. Are you? But wait, there's more. Are you doing ads for all of those companies? Yes, all in the same theme.

But, you know, so, yeah, they're hilarious. I think in 30 years' time, you'll be doing Flashback Friday and saying, I'd probably be dead, but you'd be saying, remember when Tud 4 did those coronation ads, you see? I love it how the New Zealand advertising industry is like, there's only one British person good enough for this. So good. That's right. What should we do?

What's one thing that you'd recommend us doing in London? Go and find a really old fish and chip shop, but get steak pudding, chips, gravy, and mushy peas. Go and get that. Oh, some mushy peas. Steak pudding sounds delightfully disturbing. Oh, it's great. Steak pudding, chips, and gravy.

Got the gravy on your chips there. Oh, Suzanne Paul, you are, as John has said before, a legend. We love your work. It's so great to have you still, you know, on the TV as well. Enjoy the King's Coronation. Thanks for your time. You too. Thanks, guys.

Have a great time there. Bye.