Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL: Our Last Show For The Year!

Episode Date: December 15, 2022

Today on the Jono and Ben show we have a huge show! including the Auckland Gospel Choir, Ruby Tui and some great christmas yarns!   Summer poddys will be out every few days, have a great break.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora, this podcast brought to you by Challenge Service Stations. It's Jono and Ben here for the last potty of 2022, one for the history books. We'll wrap this year up and say, spank it on the bottom and send it on its way. Yeah, it's been a busy year, but it's been a fun year though. It's been a high point for you this year. In what? In what term? Just general terms. Do you want me to drill down on medical?

Things we've done at work things that we've done or things we've done okay yeah I'll categorise it that's what I mean you know let's go

because then if I go oh hey meeting Dwayne the Rock Johnson was the high point of my year and then you know you're like what about your family mate

okay I would say that I was actually my high point of the year has been hanging out with my kids and you're like yeah no

so I'm not falling for your trap again okay we'll categorise them for you okay let's go personal personal high point of the year has been hanging out with my kids and you're like yeah no I'm not falling for your trap again okay we'll categorise them for you okay let's go personal personal high point of the personal life oh personal life like hey

you know like I don't I don't want to get soppy get soppy no I don't you know like I'm like I'm really proud of my

my kids you know they're good they're wonderful kids you know so I'm very proud of the people they're becoming so it's cool

I'm with you on that one yeah I'm proud of your kids too my kids my kids bloody no shambles no no yeah yeah uh okay professional uh professional well yeah the rock was pretty cool uh go to see him and uh he remembered us that was awesome making you run a bloody marathon around the sky tower remember that i do and you did it the world's slowest marathon man hobbles around skytown you did a marathon around the top of the skytown that was pretty epic and going around the country and doing the bunnings even though eating 41 sausages was tough and it took a while for that

to come out it was great it was still becoming out in 2025 it was actually really cool to meet a whole lot of people that listen to the show you know traveling everywhere and people turned up for some reason people turned up to see us we're only in places for half an hour and random times of the day you know we're going to be in new plymouth between 9 30 and 10 and there were people there waiting for us which is really really cool people taking time out of their day to see us so that was awesome that's right that was yeah that was you pretty much summed up my highlights as well what about the traffic light tour was that yeah that was a lot of sugar as well that was that was that was pretty much done in a day or as well. What about the traffic light tour? Was that up there for you as well? Yeah, that was a lot of sugar as well.

That was pretty much done in a day or so where like the traffic light's finished, let's go out and drink a whole lot of traffic lights and whew. What a way to commemorate a system we all kind of knew. Yeah, by the end of it, that traffic light thing was, anyway, it's done now. Then they kept doing the prep,

they kept going on for about months doing like, oh, the alert level updates. No one cares, mate. You no one cares you're right hey are we still in oh no we're all on an alert level don't give a shit anymore mate it's very true now yeah i do feel like a little bit that with the articles there's lots of articles going the covid at this you're like okay we're all far here it's around it's around we're having to deal with it and obviously everyone you want everyone to be safe as well but at the same time it feels like it's reality that we're all going here. It's around. It's around. We're having to deal with it. And obviously you want everyone to be safe as well. But at the same time, it feels like it's a reality

that we're all going to have to just live with. Isn't it how amazing, how quickly we've just all become chill with it? In a three-year period. Yeah. When we had one, the idea of one case coming to this country, we were bloody in full meltdown mode.

Checking locations of interest and go, oh my God, I went to that supermarket. Yeah, but before the person, you know? I literally just hugged a man and I'm pretty sure he had COVID. I have like 90 apes or a year and I'm like, oh well. Someone, we won't say who it was,

went to a social occasion the other day and someone was like, yeah, I've got COVID. That was probably getting a little too comfortable. Everyone's frowning upon that. Don't do that. Everyone's plowing on, but don't say you're plowing on. No. You know.

Let people talk behind your back, but don't admit it. Do the responsible thing. Yeah. But at the same time, we are having to live with it in the world. So navigate our way through it. Hey, well, thank you for listening to the podcast this year as well. We do appreciate you. There's not many of you, but to the podcast this year as well. We do appreciate you. There's not many of you,

but thank you. There's a few. Again, people would listen to the podcast. It will come up to us around the place. Hopefully next year we'll make the top 100

in Portugal again. Where do we dip out of there? Yeah, Poland. Poland. Polish charts. Yeah, we'll try and claw back those Polish figures in the podcast.

It'll be a New Year's resolution. A bit more Polish news and updates, I think, throughout the podcast. The Polish charts. Yeah, we'll try and claw back those Polish figures on the podcast. It'll be a New Year's resolution. A bit more Polish news and updates, I think, throughout the podcast. I think it might just push us back into the top 100. Not polling well over there. In Poland. All right. We'll be back in a few weeks' time,

but enjoy the podcast, and we'll catch you soon. Also, sorry, sorry. No, mate, we'll be back. Yeah, you go. There's going to be every week like three or four of our favourite interviews throughout the year popping up on the feed.

Oh, nice. So stay tuned for that. Some of the best moments. Hopefully they're scheduled properly. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Scrolling through your feed. All right, here is the least credible news source, copied and pasted from the most credible news sites.

What's going on, Ben? Well, obviously a lot of news this week. Jacinda Ardern was caught on what they say is a hot mic, a hot microphone. She was caught making a comment about ACT Party leader David Seymour. Yeah, she called him an arrogant prick, and I've never heard the term hot mic. It sort of leads connotations of a sexy-looking microphone, doesn't it? It does. Mike McRoberts has always been the hot mic to me.

He's the only hot mic in our house. Yeah, I didn't know there was another one. I mean, we could redesign the mics, have sort of more of a phallic approach. They might be hot mics, but we spoke to Jacinda Ardern yesterday, and we said to her, you know, you called David Seymour an arrogant prick,

and Seymour responded. He was like, I've been called a lot worse, and now they've come together. Yeah, they have. Yeah, they've come together, basically they have, they've come together basically with something that's going to raise some money for charity as well and it's over $50,000 of this so they've basically signed

an official sort of apology thing together commemorating it and it's going up there for prostate cancer. David Seymour talked about it on the news. Look a one of a kind parliamentary record signed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and one-time arrogant PrEP leader David Seymour.

We're going to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, helping pricks everywhere. If you want to help a good charitable cause, vote early and vote often. And what a key we resolution to a minor skirmish to do good at Christmastime. Why the Prostate Cancer Foundation? Well, we wanted to be able to say And what a Kiwi resolution to a minor skirmish to do good at Christmas time. Why the Prostate Cancer Foundation?

Well, we wanted to be able to say that we're helping pricks everywhere and the prostate's about as close as we could get. Yeah, the lovely thing. Lovely thing they're doing right now. I was $50,000 in the last count. And that's the only document that National, us, their acting label will ever sign. Well, yeah. It's good on her, good on him, and doing it for a great cause. Mine are skirmish.

Right. Everyone's kind of moved on from it, but great that they're doing something for charity as well. A lot of Christmas parties on. You might be overindulging over the weekend. And on TikTok, there is a pharmacist from the United States of America who's put out what she claims is a 100% effective hangover cure. This is something that you need to have before going to sleep

or first thing in the morning. The single-handedly most effective way of getting rid of an alcohol hangover is doing something that I like to call the oral banana bag. The banana bag is an IV fluid that is used in hospitals for patients who are going through alcohol withdrawal. It prevents them from dehydration and helps replenish those electrolytes yeah so what she what she said is basically uh you're used to take a b complex vitamin folic acid supplement magnesium and electrolyte drink and you're you're pretty much good to go if you remember those five ingredients

at one o'clock in the morning when you're stumbling home from well i guess if you had them on hand knowing yeah four yeah four ingredients b complex vitamin folic acid supplement magnesium and Ingredients at 1 o'clock in the morning when you're stumbling home from the... Well, I guess if you had them on hand, knowing, yeah. Four ingredients, a B-complex vitamin, folic acid supplement, magnesium, and an electrolyte drink. Another good theory is just waking up and ploughing into it again. Fighting through those first three. Or a pie and a Powerade or something like that. Yeah, just kidding.

That's the classic Kiwi. The Kiwi. It's like bloody the biblical water, isn't it? Yeah. The holy water is It's like bloody the biblical water, isn't it? Yeah. The holy water is a Powerade and a pie. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Last night, the next and final three episodes of the Netflix doco, Harry and Meghan dropped on Netflix.

The first three episodes of the doco, 81 million viewing hours globally in the first week, more than any other Netflix documentary. So a lot of world watching it, a lot of eyes on it. That who, who, who, who? Oh, Enti, our Hollywood insider guy, he said Netflix do a really good job of finding a statistic, much like the radio industry do when we get our results.

You know, like we, if we really zero down, and boy, we are killing it with people who visit 24-hour chemists between the hours of one and two in the morning. That's right. We are smashing it with that audience. Harry and Meghan last night. Well, in those three episodes revealed what they claim was a fateful phone call between them and the queen just before Mexit as well. The how they were denied being able to see her. A lot of rift in the family, royal family, like Harry was saying that William and Charles were yelling at him. It was quite full on as well.

That was one of the big things they talked about last night. And just the hounding from the tabloids, the stress that it caused, you know, like where they were living, their location was announced to the world a couple of times. Breakdown of Meghan's mental health and also her miscarriage as well, which sadly Harry puts down to obviously just the hounding, the relentless hounding of the media. It's interesting, isn't it?

Because you're not going to hear the royal family side of the story. You know, their stance is always shut up, keep tight-lipped, don't make a fuss. Although in saying that sorry to like um that there was statements that they put out press releases that harry like saying oh william and harry all good and the brother the brother bond is together and he's like i had nothing to do with the statement i didn't say you know so that's they are putting out little things to the side of their story in their way but they're right they're probably not going to respond to a netflix doco thomas markle jr we're going to be talking to her of their story in their way. But you're right, they're probably not going to respond to a Netflix doco.

Thomas Markle Jr., we're going to be talking to him, Megan Markle's brother, 10 past 8 this morning. I would love to play him this bit of audio where Megan basically said she didn't have a father in her life, and this is why Charles walked her down the aisle. Harry's dad is very charming. And I said to him, like, I've lost my dad in this. So him as my father-in-law was really important to me.

So I asked him to walk me down the aisle. I imagine that would be pretty hurting for the Markle family. Obviously had a good relationship early on. She talks about being a daddy's girl and, you know, is talking a couple of times a day. So things have kind of taken a bit of a turn somewhere along the line. So, well, yeah, as you said before, Thomas Markle Jr. is going to be joining us just after 8 o'clock. We attacked the last three episodes like velociraptors, didn't we?

You, producer Humphrey, and myself, we each took an episode. So all I've watched of this whole thing is... One episode out of the six? No, I've watched episode one like seven minutes of it it then I fell asleep because they were just rambling on about how they met and then I've watched all of episode four and that's probably

all I'll ever see and then I'll hear inflammatory grabs on the news and that'll be my coverage I just feel so sorry for them

I just watch and just like that's what they want you to feel and I do and I do they told their side of the story

I get it and I meant to feel that but I do I do feel really you know like just told their side of the story. I get it. And I'm meant to feel that, but I do. I do feel really, you know, like just horrible, relentless. Choppers circulating for 24 hours outside their place. You know, drones in the air. You know, they're having to build barricades around the house they were staying in. Paparazzi's are cutting the fence and getting through and stuff like that.

It just be like, there's no time to go away from any of that. You don't go, okay, you've had your hour. Now I'm going to go back to my home. It's just relentless. But one thing I did find really interesting as well is even Meghan, Harry, you know, they're superstars.

They're so famous. But have a listen to this. Beyonce just texted. Really? Shut up. Just checking in. Just checking in. Just casual.

I still can't believe she knows who I am. Beyonce just texted. How's that? believe she knows who I am. Beyonce just texted. How's that? Just during the interview. Yeah. Geez, I'd be like that if Beyonce texted me. Just checking in.

Beyonce just checking in. So there you go. That's pretty incredible. That's nice of Beyonce to just check in, isn't it? Lovely. Oh, she's just checked in with our show as well. What do you want to tell her? She's nice.

She wants to play a bit more music. Mitch James? You can get some Mitch James on, Beyonce. It's weird she wouldn't want to tell her she's nice she wants to play a bit more music Mitch James you can get some Mitch James on you Beyonce it's weird she wouldn't request one of her own songs big fan of Mitch James

21 yeah no we can do 21 for you Beyonce no worries let's just reply back the hits the Jono and Ben podcast fast approaching

not only Christmas but the end of the year and at the start of the year we actually made 22 predictions for the year that was 2022. Now, a lot of them were, 90% of them were joke predictions, really, weren't they?

Yeah. Well, we thought they were jokes, but then some of them actually eventuated. They did start out as a common low bar comedy that we tend to provide. But some of them eventuated. And you want to go through the highlights, Ben, boys? You want to brag at the end of the year? There's a few here that I think we need to reflect on. Some that we got right, some that we got wrong, but

we started with a couple of, well, easy-ish ones. Briscoes to have a sale. Specifically Manchester. The Warriors to make the finals. The New Zealand Warriors or the Golden State Warriors. Yeah, so there was two options here. Briscoes to have a sale. I mean, that was obviously, we just wanted one.

We wanted an easy win. Easy runs on the board there. And the Golden State Warriors, well. So there was two options there. Briscoes have a sale. I mean, that was obviously, we just wanted one. We wanted an easy win. You know, easy runs on the board there. And the Golden State Warriors, well, they won. They won last year. Let's not talk about the other Warriors. I mean, I really hoped it was the New Zealand Warriors, but they didn't. Anyway, so we got those. We got those. Well done.

Well done. Some more stuff we got. We looked at the Royal Family. Jono to stay bald, unless there's some huge advancements in hair medicine. The Queen decides to step down. Harry and Meghan make amends. No one speaks of Prince Andrew ever again. Pete Davidson to date another famous woman. Probably the Queen.

All of those transpired. Apart from Pete Davidson dating the Queen. No, but he's got another famous relationship, another celebrity. I'm going to take my hat off. You've stayed bald. Yeah, well done. I mean, obviously the Queen, which sadly she's no longer with us,

but she's not in charge anymore. But yeah, they haven't made amends, I guess, is probably where we got things wrong. Prince Andrew? Yeah, we haven't spoken to him. He's dead. Let's not speak to him. That's what the royal family have been saying.

Yeah, so we looked at some movie predictions as well. Jane Campion wins the Oscar for Best Director, then goes off the grid for many years until her next, That's what the royal family have been saying. Yeah. So we looked at some movie productions as well. Jane Campion wins the Oscar for Best Director, then goes off the grid for many years until her next Oscar win. Rita Ora and Taika Waititi get engaged and we lose our shit. It's going to be great. Oh, Ben. Yeah.

Oh, Ben. That's a spicy Ben there. Not mate. Don't bring the tone down on this show. How's that? How's that? Jane Campion, Oscar. She won an Oscar, and has anyone heard from Jane Campion since?

I keep texting her. I haven't heard anything back. She disappears for 20 years, and she'll come back and win another Academy Award. Beyonce's texting me, but not Jane Campion. And Taika and Risa, they got engaged. Oh, mate. We've done pretty well. Have we got one more, Producer Joel?

Yeah, this is a pretty obvious one. The new 2022 all-black jersey's unveiled. Spoiler alert, it remains all black. Nailed it. Nailed it. So we're going to have to make 23 predictions for the year 2023, all right? What are you predicting? Here's a wild one, okay?

I'm going to chuck it out early. Ardern, she's stepping down before the next election. I'll leave that with you. You did say that in the last one as well. I'm not sure if you can repeat predictions. Did I say it with that confidence though? Because that sounded bloody confident. You can't keep saying it.

I just used your surname. I was like, Ardern, she's stepping down next election. That sounded like I knew what I was talking about. Like I had an inside word. There was actually one more prediction you guys made that came very, very close. We won 49 medals in the Commonwealth Games this year. Most ever, right?

Yeah, you guys said this. New Zealand will win 50 medals at the Commonwealth Games. If we don't, we'll break it down per capita to make ourselves feel better. Wow, we're actually pretty good at that. Should have actually bought another medal just for them. There was actually one. The beach volleyball team came fourth on the last day as well. I don't want to blame anyone we're not going to blame anyone.

No, we're blaming the beach volleyball team. If you're going to blame anyone, those bloody beach volleyballers let us down. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Last night on TVNZ2, Shortland Street had the final episode for the year. And is it the end of Shortland Street? Oh, fire ambulances. It looked like the whole hospital burned down. Not the actual Shortland Street,

so it could be the end of Shortland Street, the hospital. I don't know if Dr Chris Warner, Michael Galvin, who's on the phone right now, is going to give us any more details he may be sworn to secrecy it's no longer a cliffhanger who our guest is it's Dr Chris Warner himself, Michael Galvin, how are you? I'm terrific, I'm terrific, thank you very much for having me anytime mate, We love catching up with you. Now, how many cliffies

have you been through? Well, I don't know. I've been on through 26 of our 30 years, so that must be 26 cliffhangers, because there's one every year. Oh no, sorry, once there was one year where there wasn't. Instead of a cliffhanger, they had

a birth, and it was all happy, and nobody watched it. Oh, really? Yeah, nothing bad happens. So that's why something bad happens every Christmas, is because it gets better ratings. Hey, Jesus was born on Christmas Day. Everyone was pretty pumped about that,

but no one was watching Shortland Street when they had a birth. No, no, no. That wouldn't make it onto Shortland Street, I'm afraid. Do you think if it was a real hospital, you know, a real place for people, people would be like, I'm taking annual leave early. I'm not working December because it's too risky, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that's the elephant in the room.

No one talks about, you know, let's get out of here for Christmas because remember that last Christmas someone died? Oh, and remember before that we had the terrorist attack? Oh, and then when the volcano erupted, it's like, yeah, totally. No, get out of here for Christmas because remember that last Christmas someone died Oh and remember for that we had the terrorist attack. Oh and then with a volcano erupted. It's like yeah, totally Yeah, no get out of there, but we don't we hang around Well, maybe it's because there was that one year that one year that shining light where there was just a nice birth Yeah, that's the one everyone remembers do you know that yeah in real life you've affected this radio show as well because you came in uh it was probably six months ago yeah and you ordered uh like you brought in a coffee and now the coffee was in a small little cup and it was called a piccolo right yeah no i i

think i ordered a piccolo but i think what only got was a short black okay and we were like what's a piccolo do you explain to us what a piccolo is? Do you explain what a piccolo is? It's just got a little, it's like a short black with a little bit of milk in it. So, and ever since then, Jono, without a word of a lie, has been ordering, well, in Auckland, in the comfort of Auckland, piccolos every day. He has a piccolo.

It's all thanks to you. I'm so honoured. I'm so honoured. Do you enjoy your piccolo? It has changed my coffee game. Now, but what has, and you probably suffer the same fate, what it has done, though, is, for example, if Ben goes across the road to get us coffees,

he has to come back with this tiny little thimble of a cup. It spills everywhere over there. Hot thing on my hands because you can't put a lid on it. Because they haven't created a lid for the tiny cup. Okay. You know, I'm so looking forward to the next time I go to your studio. And, man, I just know what I'm going to order. You can have a piccolo with Jono.

We can both order one. The thing is, what I like, because we go out of Auckland a lot. You know, the shows are around the country. We spend a lot of time out of Auckland. But Jono, he's too scared to order a piccolo outside of Auckland. I concur. Yeah, I'm with you on that one yeah i wouldn't do it either i like wellington wellington has a good yeah i need to crush it she crushed it

yeah but it's like you can see him though with coffee he's like not especially not if you come from auckland because you you know it's already starting with the w there it's like yeah okay and you couldn't get a more pretentious sounding coffee as well absolutely absolutely yeah we're in parliament we're in Palmerston North and the lady said, what would you like for coffee? And Ben could see me starting to order.

And he goes, not here, mate. Not here. Thank you very much for influencing Jono. Now, Dr. Michael Galvin, a character that has been loved on our screens for so many years.

Dr. Michael. You mean Dr. Chris Warner? I get them confused too. I get them confused. Something's not right there. I've given you a doctor status now. A doctorate. I deserve to get an honorary one from somewhere, surely.

Yeah, like AUT or something. The cliffhanger last night, really intense. I mean, the hospital burning down. I mean, if an actor is, you know, not going to be around, someone's going to die, as you said, when do they find out? How do they find out? Usually you get a

bit of notice, like you should get like a couple of months or something, but if they're really busy, they you might not really know until you read the script. So it can be, it's a brutal world, I'm telling you. It's brutal. Yeah, but it's great for the producers because they don't have to have the awkward conversation.

And they get a more realistic performance, you know, the grief and the horror. It's like, I got no job! But I'm coming back, right? I'm coming back from this. You're like, we'll see. Coming back from this. We'll see. Hey, we'll see. Coming back from this. We'll see.

Hey, lovely catching up with you, Michael. Always a pleasure. You're a wonderful person, very genuine, and everyone we talk to from the show always says that when you meet Michael Galvin, he's just as amazing as you want him to be. So we do appreciate your time, mate. So thank you very much. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to you and yours too. Lovely. The Hits, the Jono and Ben Podcast Avatars in Cinemas right now just released this week so it's pretty exciting a movie that was the second movie of you know it's been 13 years since the first one made in New Zealand

and I think they filmed 39 of them when they were here so they're all going to be rolled out over the next 5 to 10 years just reading about Matt Damon you know obviously no famous superstar actor, Matt Damon. Now he was offered the main role in Avatar back in the day. This is the Sam Worthington role? Yeah. So that first role, he was offered it.

James Cameron came to him and said, hey, I want you to be the main role. I want to paint you all blue. Yeah. And I'll give you 10%. Not only will I pay you for it, I'll give you 10 not only will i pay you for it i'll give you 10 of the profits and matt david went oh look i'm in the middle of the born the born movies or the born movies there's a lot going on running around the world i'm being chased all over the place i've got 49 different aliases i know he turned it down two so the first movie 2.92 billion 2.92 billion

the highest grossing movie of all time so not you know and more movies 10 percent of that oh like did he say 10 10 percent of like it would have been like i think i read before there's something like he's basically turned down 600 million or something like that something ridiculous it's like matt damon i mean it's not like it's not like matt damon's struggling you know like it's not like he's going to the supermarket and going, oh, cheese is expensive. But still, for Matt Damon, that's still like... It's a kick in the guts. It is.

You'd almost not want to go and see the movies just out of protest. But he can't. He doesn't have a crystal ball. But safe to say, if you're going to put your chips in with anyone, James Cameron's a safe bet. Yeah, that's right.

Now we are wrapping up the year, looking back at some of the highlights. And so we thought we'd put the year into song. Here it is, Wrapping Up, the year that is 2022. Wrapping it up, Wrapping Up 22. It's Jono and Ben 2. Blackburn's made us proud to be Kiwi. Jacinda told farmers to go carbon zero

and Taylor Swift said she was the anti-hero. We debated Ann Foster and Ray Zeray. Chris Luxon sang Got pills, I've gotta pay. We learnt that Pete Davidson has big privates. The media kept saying Cost of living crisis.

Wrapping it up, wrapping up 22 is our review. J-Lo and Ben again tied the knot. David Seymour was... Under attack by sex bots. We said our goodbyes to Her Majesty the Queen. Insta-babes got DMs from... Adam Levine.

Benny toured the world with her song Glitter. Elon Musk sacked heaps of people at... Twitter. Tin foil hats camped on Parliament's front lawn. Even after Mallard... Ordered sprlers turned on. Johnny and Amber went to court to fight it out. Will Smith said...

Keep the vote and out of my... Chloe made Tristan take a paternity. Seymour said lockdown was... An eternity. Britney got married, vowed to be loyal. British PM got confused for... Minor royals. Winning Winter Olympics and gold was the proof.

And Dad's on TV said, Crazy, she went off the roof. Wrapping it up, wrapping up 22. We bid you adieu. Wrapping it up, wrapping up 22. Yeah, uh, it's through. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Normally heading into the weekend, we open up the phone lines to find out who's having the best weekend

and we award some prizes. Yeah, not today though. Shush your lips because you want to talk about the best laid holiday plans coming up there. But who's having the best holiday? Yeah, like who's got some plans that are heading away? Maybe you're visiting family. Maybe you're going around the country.

Whatever you're doing. Maybe you're just having it at home after a full on year. Whatever we want to know on 100 The Hits. Who's having the best holiday? Ben, you're going to go and see family overseas, aren't you? Now, we haven't mentioned this. You're going to America, and Ben's going to go see family. And we've kind of kept this hidden, swept it under the rug.

Ben is Donald Trump's niece. So he's going to catch up with the Trump at Mar-a-Lago or whatever it's called, Mar-a-Lago, Mar-a-la-la-la in Florida and see his wonderful family. But yeah, some truth to what you're saying, but nothing to do with Donald Trump. Yeah, my wife, her brothers and their cousins, my kids and stuff as well, their families live in the States,

both as sets of brothers wouldn't have connected for years so yeah we're going over to San Fran for Christmas to hang out with the family it'll be real cool to get the cousins together

they've got little girls and you know we've got little girls so they haven't seen each other as you say for years and years since COVID so we're going over there to San Fran for Christmas

which is exciting now it's no secret also another thing that we have to keep suppressed on this show is Ben's love of cricket and just all things sport in general yeah like i have to just go i try and avoid it i know i manage it don't worry guys i'll manage it because otherwise this would turn into radio sport and race what ended so yeah that's how successful your station would be okay so but you are going

to a couple you're dragging your wife i'm sure she's going to enjoy it, but it's definitely a more you event that you're going to like three different sporting events over there. Yeah, like I'm going to a football game, then going to two NBA games, my wife and I are going to a Golden State Warriors game. How pumped is she compared to how pumped you are? No, she's actually really pumped. She's pumped.

She's actually pumped. To be fair, she's excited about it because I said, oh, do you want to do it? She's like, yeah, absolutely, we'll go um and we're going to the lake the lakers as well it's my dream a bucket list dream to see lebron james my favorite player play but i'm just like now he's going to get injured and he won't play imagine if you saw lebron james and you're sitting next to dwayne the rock johnson i think he would explode everywhere just be a giant explosion of Ben boys but what you're

doing which I you brought up yesterday said it in passing you're going to this game the Golden State

Warriors San Francisco the basketball team yeah yeah and what are you doing well I was thinking it'd be

funny to wear my New Zealand Warriors top to the game like just to wear my beanie so it's like wearing a Warriors the wrong Warriors to the game. Like just to wear my beanie. So it's like wearing a Warriors, the wrong Warriors to the wrong,

you know, it just is, like this would be a great social post. So this is the stuff he's thinking about. Like he's got, you know, there's probably Visa stuff to fill out. Easties, do you have to do an Eastie or something? I need to do some of that. The tickets, the pay, there's a lot to do.

And he's like, okay, what's the, is this for Instagram? You'll do this for Instagram? Yeah, we'll do that for Instagram, yeah. And then, but that's all you'll use it for. Like, you're not going to wear that beanie or that top for the remainder of the trip. So just for a brief moment, you're going to take a photo and probably confuse the people who are sitting around you at the basketball game.

Like, what is going to, like, in your head, I just want to know what would justify all of this effort. Like, how many likes do you need on Instagram? Oh, like a couple of hundred likes would be nice. A couple of hundred? Yeah. You'd be like, well, that was worthwhile. Yeah, worth taking a top over and a beanie across as well, you know?

Yeah. Well, I want your limited suitcase space. Yeah, true. When you return, I want you to tell me if it was all worth the effort. Well, I'll do that for you. I'll post that at the game. I'll like it just so you can get to your goal of 200. Yeah.

You can chalk that one up. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Do you know one of my favourite moments of this year has just happened then when Ben was

singing along to a moment in that song when she goes I can make an explosion. I like that bit where she's quite quiet and she's quite breathy. I can make an explosion.

This is my fight song. Yeah, she brings it right down and then she pulls it back up again. That's why it's such an epic song. Beautiful. 0800 The Hits such an epic song. Beautiful.

800 The Hits is our phone number. Love to get your calls on right now, 4487. What's your holiday plans? Share it with us and we could be hooking you up with pastas to either Megaland, which is in Auckland, or some Hell Pizza as well. We're going to go to Tauranga first, shall we? We'll head to Kimbo. Morena Kim, how are you?

Morena, I'm really good. Looking forward to my holiday. All right, you come on to Bragg because we usually head to Kimbo. Morena, Kim, how are you? Morena, I'm really good. Looking forward to my holiday. All right, you come on to Braga because we usually do best weekend. It's the best holiday. Talk to us, Kim. Give it to us straight. My workmates are not happy about it. Oh, what's happening?

What are you doing? I am flying to Miami, Florida on Thursday next week with my son, his partner, and meeting my daughter who's she's hiring a Mustang to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Is anyone not going to America? Am I the only person not going to America?

No, I think a lot of people are. That sounds incredible. Kimbo, she's going to Miami. Not all of it. We're having Christmas with my grandson's family. They're getting to meet my grandson, their grandson.

And then my daughter and I are off to New York City for New Year's. Oh, in the snow. Yeah. Wow. Hot and cold. Times Square.

That'll be incredible. No wonder your workmates hate you. I hate you. That is it. Well, that's going to be No wonder your workmates hate you. I hate you. That is it. Well, that's going to be a great holiday hold there, Kim. We're going to go to Nismo. You're on, Nizzy.

How are you? Nismo. Yeah, how are you? How are you, boys? Yeah, guys. We're doing well, mate. How are you going? Yeah, pretty good.

Pretty good. All right. Going coromandel fishing. Got a batch booked there for a week for my kids. Nice. Yeah, do some charter boats fishing and hopefully catch some snapper. See, that is a beautiful New Zealand holiday. It's a summer holiday.

That sounds amazing. Yeah, catching snapper and stuff. I always get quite sick on a boat. Do you? No, I'm not too bad. You go out fishing every now and then, don't you? north and with the family it's you know nismo ben claimed he came back from new year's this year and he was like i was out there boogie boarding and i caught a snapper with my mouth or something i came back in with a snapper i caught a snapper and i did

catch a snapper snapper while boogie boarding yeah but then when the full story was a snapper. I caught a snapper and I did catch a snapper. Caught a snapper while boogie boarding. Yeah, but the full story was the snapper was recently deceased before I got there. Was it a lifeless snapper? Yeah, and I scooped it out with the boogie board and I came back

and looking like a legend. Everyone on the beach was like, oh my God, that guy just... Could boogie boarding look any cooler? Now the man has a dead

lifeless snapper resting on it. He caught a snapper boogie-boogie. It was a talk at the beach. At least he got something, you know? Did you bring up some serving tray? Yeah, I was like, what I just brought back, family. Hunting and gathering.

Hey, Nismo, that sounds like a great holiday, mate, you hold there. We're going to go to Shania. You're on. Best holiday, Shania. So I'm going to my mother-in-law's, and then my father-in-law's, and then I've got my mum's, and then we're going for a five, six-day trip

in High Hora up north. Ooh, lovely. Camping? Yes. Oh, a lot of family time. Jeez, a lot of family time you're packing in, aren't you? You sort of said, I'm going to my mother-in-law's, then my father-in-law's.

You had a little bit of disdain. No, no, never. No, that sounds great. Good family time. Well, now we need to decide who's having the best holiday. It's Christmas, mate. We're going to give everyone a prize today. Let's put them all on the phone there, Producer Joel.

It doesn't matter if it's Christmas or not. You give everyone a prize. 12 months of the year. Kim, Shania, Nismo, you're all going to Megaland. We'll hook you guys up. Megaland or some hell pizza coming your way. Megaland looks incredible if you're in the Auckland region. An epic 35-metre long obstacle course,

43 challenging obstacles for adults and kids as well. Now, I must apologise. Shania, I've been calling you Shania and you are Shania. I was going to say something but I didn't want to be so rude. Man, I don't feel like a woman. Man, I feel like an idiot. That's such a Kiwi way. You're like, oh, that would have been rude for me to correct the guy who's calling me Shania.

I've been called it all my life so it comes new to me. But remember Shania Twain? Yeah, no, that's calling me Shania. I've been called it all my life, so it comes new to me. But remember Shania Twain? Yeah, no, that's right. Shania Twain. The Chronicles of Shania. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. We want to give you a double pass to one of the most amazing events of 2023. This is our event calendar.

Jono and Ben's Christmas event calendar, thanks to Frontier Touring. Yeah, give us a call right now. 0800 the hits. It works much like an advent calendar, but instead of we opening up a little box and we pull out some chocolate, we're pulling out a double pass to one of the amazing concerts of 2023. Thanks to Frontier Touring. I imagine you've got an advent calendar rocking around your room. Yeah right well yeah the kids have got one with the little chocolates in there yeah sorry never enough chocolate to satisfy though is it are you one of these people i imagine as a kid you would have mowed through the whole month at the start i didn't even open up the doors you could just peel off the whole front of it just like um you're, why worry about it? Why ration it out every day?

25 in a row. The whole thing, the whole month of Christmas, counting it down. Giving away some magnificent tickets this week. Elton John tickets. Ed Sheeran, Lord Marlon Williams as well. There are some amazing gigs coming next year as well. Yeah, so pretty incredible. So thank you so much to Frontier Touring for this double pass we're giving away each day.

We've got some calls coming through now on 0800. The hits, your friends will be very jealous. There'll be a lot of jealousy. Venting from the event winner today over these tickets. Have we got a winner on the phone there, Producer Humphrey? I can see him stressed out in his summer shirt next door, panicking. He looks casual. He looks casual in his summer shirt, but at the top, when you see his face,

he's very stressed out. We're going to go to Tauranga, get Stacey on. Welcome. How are you? Good morning. I'm good, thank you. How are you? Stacey?

Mate, could not be better. What are you doing for Chrissie? Just the usual family, campaign brickie, you know, barbecue brickie, all of that kind of stuff. Now, we've also just heard we've been given a double pass for the event calendar, a double pass to Ben Boyce's gun show. Oh, yeah. Would you like a couple of tickets to Ben Boyce's gun show?

It's not a very good show. Yeah, well, see, I could give away those. Your guns are looking magnificent. We saw them the other day. Mate, I don't know if that's the case. How do you like that bloody liver king guy? Do you need to come clean? What's going on in there?

I'll write it up. All right. What number between one and five would you like? Four, please. Okay. We'll open door number four on the event calendar. Where's it going to be? Oh, Elton John. You've got a double pass to Elton John.

He's performing in Auckland and Christchurch, and you're going to be going along to see him. That is so cool. Thank you so much. At any point throughout the morning, you're like, why did I get out of bed this morning? This is the reason, Stacey. That is why.

Thank you so much. That's awesome. When you collect the tickets, you'll have to meet Ben. Thank you so much. That's awesome. When you collect the tickets, you'll have to meet Ben and me in the car park outside the stadium. Make sure no one is following you and bring unmarked bills. Okay, okay. And I'll get Ben to wear a singlet so you can see his gums.

Even if it's cold, I'm still wearing a singlet. Two shows for the price of one, baby. Alright, you enjoy Elton John. Have yourself a wonderful Christmas. Thank you so much. You guys too. Merry Christmas. Good on you.

Ruby Tui, an absolute legend. I just love this lady so much. Black Fern Ruby Tui is joining us next after the amazing year the Black Ferns had this year. It's Pink 733 on The Hits. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. We're looking back at the year that was 2022 and one of the highlights for New Zealand

and one of the personal highlights for me was I was lucky enough to go along and see that game and the Black Ferns winning the World Cup, it was incredible. And one of the stars of the Black Ferns, she sung Tu Tere Mai Ngai Iwi at the end of the game with the crowd as well. She was awesome through the whole tournament.

I think she's on the phone right now. Ruby Tui. How did you know it was me? Mate, well, yeah, true. That's a bit freaky, isn't it? Oh, no. It flashes up. We've got a computer screen and it flashed up Ruby Tui and it says New Zealand.

So is your name Ruby Tui? I bloody think so, apparently. And you are in New Zealand? Yes. Oh, there we go. I don't know. Well, how have you been, mate? so, apparently. And you are in New Zealand? Yes. Oh, there we go. I don't know. Well, how have you been, mate? Oh, good.

I'm on my last top of the book tour today. I'm looking forward to it. You've had a busy 2022, haven't you? It's been shocker. Probably similar to your guys' lives. Well, no. I mean, no, we're not off winning World Cups in front of sold-out stadiums, having a book released, having the Prime Minister bring in a birthday cake

on our birthday. That's next level. No, it's been really fun. I think all of us, all 32 of us are still buzzing. It's been ages. I don't know if you're still allowed to be buzzing, but we're still bloody happy. No, you're allowed to buzz for as long as you want to buzz, you guys.

You've made New Zealand so proud this year. It's certainly the highlight of 2022 for this country. What has been the highlight? Like Ben said, you've just done so much over the last 12 months. What has been the one highlight for you? Jeez. I think just like the whole World Cup, just because of what the Black Ferns went through,

like the end of year tour last year was really sombre and didn't know if we had a coach. Bang, everyone just kind of, like, everybody in that squad, there wasn't a single person that wasn't like, whatever it takes to win this thing, we're willing to do. And it's really hard to

get a group to all kind of buy in that quickly, but it was like, you couldn't be there if you weren't all in, so straight away, we just, we were like, we're it. Like, there's no one else. We have to do this, so. And the fan base. I mean, it was so cool to see that spiral, you know,

and snowball as well. And then to be, you know, like, you couldn't get tickets for the final. That was crazy. That was so funny. And because, like, everyone, all the organisers and that didn't want to put us at Eden Park. Like, you know, they were like, oh, no, you won't sell tickets.

We'll just put you somewhere else, somewhere. Like, you have to show everyone that when you put in the effort for the people, they put in the effort for you. It was, yeah, man, it was buzzy. I've never done anything like it. Man, I just love New Zealand, eh? It was so awesome. I mean, as a dad with two young daughters,

we went along to the final. So it was awesome to see a packed stadium for women's sport in New Zealand and you're so inspiring and such great role models and you play the game with so much fun. Did you come along? Came along. I was trying to get tickets. I was in there.

I missed out the first time. Then I got the second one and bought some for the family and it was awesome. My daughters wrote a poem. Afterwards, they were so inspired by you guys. Wow, that's so cool that it came along because I'm always like, that final was something special and if you missed out,

you just missed out on history. Oh, it was amazing. He took a sign as well, but the sign was blocking people's view. I wrote on the back, sorry if it blocks your view, but we did. We made a sign, we went along. It was incredible. It was one of the best, if not the best, sporting occasion I've been to. It was incredible. It was one of the best, if not the best, sporting occasion I've been to.

Yeah, it was incredible. And I think, honestly, it's buzzing me out. As a kid, even myself, we didn't know or see any black friends to be like, oh, I want to be like them. I want to be like them. And so I was telling my teammates about it. Now they're like, oh, I want to be like them. And they're saying our names.

It's buzzing us out. We dreamed of it, but we didn't think it'd be us you know yeah oh well I'm glad I'm glad it is and you guys are just

loving every moment and treating it with absolute respect and dignity too it's incredible now Ruby over New Year's mate

what are we doing where are we going where are we where are we heading New Year's Eve Rhythm and Vines what's happening I pray and I hope

that I'll legit be sleeping none of us have like slept or eaten probably What's happening? I pray and I hope that I'll legit be sleeping. None of us have slept or eaten properly. Just everyday chocker. Even when you put in a training session, it's horrible because we haven't slept. It's just been carnage, man, since the World Cup. Every day.

Yeah, man, I hope when New Year's comes, I've had to sleep. You sound tired. You do. You sound buggered. Oh, yeah, it's been a year. Oh, it's been a crazy year, a full year, but actually one of the best years of my life,

and I think of women's rugby. Not just us this year, the Black Friends this year, but all the Black Friends that have ever been, over 200 of them, and those who know, we're just standing on their shoulders because all those Black Friends that worked so hard, worked their butts off. Now, we're professional now, and they never were those Black Ferns that worked so hard, worked their butts off. We're professional now. They never were.

We just want to shake all their hands and say, thank you, we did this for you. It's been an epic story and an epic journey. Seriously, where are you guys from? I was there with the fam. It went along. It was incredible. As I say, my daughters, they wrote a poem afterwards the next day.

They were so inspired by it about the Black Ferns. It was awesome. Do you remember a little bit of it? Oh yeah, obviously. Oh do you want to hear the poem? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think we got it here. I'll just search it out mate. Hold on. Dear Black Ferns, watching you win was so great to see. Thank you for inspiring Kiwi kids like me. Whether you're on the field or when the game is done

You always be yourself and have lots of fun fun thank you for showing us girls what we can do new zealand is so very proud of you what an amazing young woman yeah sienna and indy wrote that for you they were so inspired the next day they're like we've written i've written a poem you're like what for it's not school they've been to the blackfords so they were very inspired they've never written us a poem, mate. No, I was like, what about for Jono and Ben? Hey, please tell her thank you so much, and I can't wait to see her achieve and follow all her dreams, mate.

That's so cool. Thank you. Oh, very, very cool. Hey, we love catching up with you, Ruby. Congratulations on such an amazing year. I hope you get that sleep you deserve, and we'll go buy your book. I imagine that's selling so well at the moment. It seems like such a great read, so go buy that if you see it around in the stores.

I appreciate you boys so much. Merry Christmas to everyone, and anyone who supported any of us in any way. It means so much, and peace out, baby. We'll catch you soon, boys. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Let's go. Jono and Ben, with five words for 5K.

Stop any time to keep the cash. Thank you. Or play on to win more. It's our Game of Word Association. We play it every morning at this time. On the hints, you tell us what pops into your head. After we tell you five words, you match as many with us as you can. You win some cash.

Should we get Emily on from Christchurch? Why not? How are you, Em? I'm great. How are you? Oh, what was that? Were you just asking if we had Thomas Markle Jr. on from Christchurch? Why not? How are you, Em? I'm great. Go, how are you? Oh, what was that? Were you just asking if we had Thomas Markle Jr. on at 10 past 8? Were you asking that?

Of course. Worldwide exclusive interview with Thomas Markle Jr. I don't know if she was asking that. Well, can you ask that, Emily? Go, take two. What's happening at 10 past 8? Oh, big question. We've got Thomas Markle Jr., Megan Markle's brother,

fresh off the Netflix doco, the latest three episodes. 10 past 8. Funny, big question. We've got Thomas Markle Jr., Megan Markle's brother, fresh off the Netflix stocko, the latest three episodes. 10 past 8. Funny you asked, Emily. Great question. Hey, Emily, what are you going to do with $5,000 if you win it, mate? It'll be very boring. It would go towards the children and new school year bills and all that sort of stuff. Kids are boring.

Kids are boring. School bills, they're boring as well i hear you emily it's got to it's got to happen though you got to pay them bills who do you want to send into the sound proof booth um ben maybe ben boy she's hitting it now do you know we've given just done the tally over fifty thousand dollars this year has been given away and also seventy thousand dollars in hush money to cover up all the Ben's shenanigans. Now that's what the spreadsheet looks like for this show. Let's get some words out of your mouth, Emily. And when you use some cash, first word you think of when you hear tinsel? Decoration.

Decoration. That's beautiful. Turkey? Dinner. Turkey dinner. Carol. Christmas. Gift. Present. Christmas.

Party. Christmas party. Party. Am I making a second-guess party? No, sorry. You're locking it in. I'm going to go with my gut. You go with that gut.

You've got a great gut, Emily. Let's get Ben out of the soundproof booth. We're just talking about Emily's gut health. Very healthy gut. All right. She's going with it this morning. What do you do, Emily? I'm a registered nurse.

I work in operating theatres. Oh, wow. Are you heading to work at the moment? No, I am not. I'm home today. Got the day off. I've got a couple of young kids at home. Thank you.

Thank you very much for everything you've done. Thank you. You guys are working hard, understaffed, long hours, and it's appreciated. I know. So short staffed at the moment. Yeah. John, I can pick up a couple of ships over the holidays. Yeah, what do you want me to do?

Do you want me to chip it on a bloody open heart or something? All right, let's try and win you some money. Let's head to the first word. Word one, $25. For $25, Ben Boyce, tinsel. What do you think of tinsel? Decoration? Or tinselitis is another gag we like to make,

but I was picking Emily wouldn't know about that. So, yeah, decoration. $50 word. Do you want to go to that, Em? Yes, of course. Word two, $50. Turkey. Dinner?

Oh! That was the one I was shaking on. Dinner or roast was the other one I had, yeah. $50, that's not going to put the kids through school next year, Emily, so I'm gathering you want to march on? Yes, please. Word three, $100.

Chris. Oh, what's he done? Warner? Chris Warner, we had him earlier on the show. Chris Warner, we had him on the show. Just remembering

that wonderful interview we had after the... Yeah, it'll be on the podcast if you want to know. Yeah. Chris Warner, just getting a plug in for that. Carol.

Carol. What would you think? Carol Hirschfeld? She getting a plug in for that. Carol. Carol. What would you think? Carol Hirschfeld? She got her later on the show. Yeah, no, I'm not thinking of Carol Hirschfeld. Okay, so that's the word. Yeah.

Okay. Carol. Christmas? The answer I was looking for was Chris Warner, but Emily, that was a bit of a, yeah,

that's on me. I'm sorry. That's a Christmas gift, that one for you. Now, do you want to go to the next word? This is for $500. Yes, please. Word four, $500. Gift.

Present. Oh, $500, Emily. That is yours. You've got $500. Now you need to decide. Do you want to risk it all? Do you want to, $500, Emily. That is yours. You've got $500. Now you need to decide. Do you want to risk it all? Do you want to take $500?

A lot of cash? A lot of cash. I know. I know. I'm going to risk it all. Oh, you're going to risk it all. She's going to risk it all. Oh, no.

Okay. $5,000. We're doing it. Here we go. Work five. $5,000. Now think hard about this. Okay? Think5,000. We're doing it. Here we go. Word five. $5,000. Now think hard about this. Okay? Think hard about this.

Producer Behemst has come in with his confetti cannon ready to spray it all over us. Okay. Okay. Let's try and do this. This will be a great Christmas. Christmas is the last word. Christmas. First thing, I'm going to go with my gut.

Tree. Tree. Oh! Don to go with my gut, tree. Don't go with your gut, go with Emily's gut. She's got better. Go with her gut, mate. What's her gut saying? Party, Christmas party. Yeah, that's good too.

Emily, I'm so sorry, mate. You're going to miss out on the $5,000. That's okay. Thanks for having me. Mate, you know what? We're going to give you $100. Oh, thank you. Put that towards your Christmas.

Yeah, you can use that this Christmas. But thank you for listening. You go and have a great time with family and friends, all right? All right. Thanks so much, guys. Yeah, now we've got a Christmas choir, the Auckland Gospel Choir joining us very shortly to sing some more Christmas songs. What about the Hits Breakfast Radio Choir?

I thought we were going to... Choir? You somehow put a Q in choir. I thought we were going to be doing the sing-alongs this year. No, we're not good at singing, but we actually heard this choir at the Santa Parade, the Farmer Santa Parade, and they were incredible. Yeah, we did some deals, didn't we?

We were like, we've got to get you on the radio show, guys. And they'll blow your mind, I tell you what. And I tell you what, they're blowing our speakers in here this morning as well. Producer Joel's been moving. What's been going on, Matt? A bit of feedback? High drama. I think I blew my eardrum as well.

How do we get the feedback going again, Tudor? No, please don't do that. Don't do that. But we were actually talking yesterday because we were at a Christmas store. We were talking about some unique Christmas traditions. Seems like a lot of families around the country will have a little tradition, something unique to their family. Yeah, I mean like maybe two drunk uncles start bickering late in the afternoon.

It's a tradition no one wants, but you're right, it does happen. Well, you know, in our household, I guess we always watch three movies before Christmas. The Elf, Home Alone, and probably The Grinch as well. We always watch those in the December month. You're not binging them all, they're just sort of spread out. We spread out, make sure before Christmas, that's on the to-do list, read the night before Christmas to the kids still even though they're you know before Christmas

and my wife tried to introduce the last few years opening one present before Christmas the night before and I was like what I know about this yeah you know

do you like just more Christmas morning do you I like the yeah the anticipation especially as an adult you don't get many many presents these days so at least

the anticipation of it oh a bit of like an entree present yeah she said, we used to do this in our family, but I haven't, it hasn't quite. But it probably gets the kids

too fizzed up, doesn't it? Yeah. Once you start, it's like, like Ben, when you, you know,

you crack open your first pokey machine, you put that first dollar in, you can't stop, can you? They've got the taste. Your mum does the lovely thing you were saying,

you stay in the Christmas store for your family. Yeah, the shop we were in, she takes the kids, Oscar and Poppy, and they pick a decoration or something. Every year they do it with Granny Annie, she's called. The problem is they walk in there and they're like, oh, well, that 10-foot Santa does back flips.

$400. Yeah, scale it down. What about that little bit of tinsel over there? So there's a bit of negotiating that has to go on. They meet in the middle ground. You mentioned before that we've got family that live in the States, and they used to send us, that was their tradition, they would send the White House, you know, where the president lives,

they make every year a little Christmas ornament with a little story behind it dating back to something that happened at the White House or the history, and they would send us that every year. That would be the thing, we'd put it on the tree. We'd be like, oh, here's the White House or the History, and they would send us that every year. That would be the thing. We'd put it on the tree. We'd be like, oh, here's the White House ornament this year. But then Donald Trump became president. That kind of stopped.

They kind of stopped buying. I imagine they carried on making the ornaments, but they stopped buying the ornaments and sending them to us. Did they have an ornament commemorating the riots or something? I don't know. That's probably, yeah. Stormed through. As soon as Trump got in, they were like, oh, yeah.

They just stopped doing that. Maybe it was just like a can of spray tan or something dangling on your Christmas tree. 4487, actually, if you've got any unique family traditions, we'd love to hear from you this morning. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. This is very exciting, Jono. We've got some guests in the studio. Yeah, we do. The Auckland Gospel Choir.

How are you? They some guests in the studio. Yeah, we do. The Auckland Gospel Choir. How are you? They even respond in unison. It was a little pitchy, that response, though, I think, I guess. It's just so awesome to have you here. We heard you at the Farmers' Christmas Parade. You're incredible, so it's great to have you in here. Yeah, and we have Tony, head of the choir, choir boss, Tony. How are you, mate?

Kia ora. I'm great, thank you. Kia ora. It's lovely to have you here. How long have you guys been doing your thing? Ten years. It's our 10th anniversary this year. Wow.

And just saying, the 30 performances you've got to go between now and Christmas. Yep. And we've probably already done 30 already. Oh, jeez. They're bloody wheeling you out today. I saw you on Breakfast TV. Now you're over here. How many performances have you got today Tony?

Just this one What's your favourite Christmas song to sing Tony? You personally Me personally Probably the one we sang this morning Oh okay On Holy Night Oh on Breakfast

You saved your favourite for Breakfast did you? You saved your favourite for Manny McLean. I see how this works. Hey, we're going to get you guys to sing a couple of songs now. Is that all right? Yeah, all good. It'd be awkward if you said no now. Actually, we're not in the mood to sing.

All right, we're going to kick it off with what, Tony? Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, the Auckland Gospel Choir will hand it over to you. Rockin' around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party house Mistletoe hung where you can see

every couple tries to stop. Rocking around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring. Later we'll have some pumpkin pie and we'll do some caroling. You will get a sentimental feeling when you hear voices singing, let's be jolly. Deck the halls with boughs of holly, rocking around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday. Everyone dancing merrily in the new old fashioned way. Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock. Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring.

Slowing and blowing the bushels of fun. Now the jingle hop has begun. Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell twister Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time Dancing and prancing in jingle bell square In the frosty air What a bright time, it's the right time To rock the night away Jingle bell time, it's the right time to rock the night away.

Jingle bell time. It's the swell time to go riding in a one horse sleigh. Giddy up, jingle horse. Pick up your feet. Jingle around the clock. Mix and a mingle and a jingle bell beat. That's the jingle bell rock What a bright time, it's the right time

To rock the night away Jingle bell time, it's the swell time To go riding in a one horse sleigh Giddy up jingle horse, pick up your feet. Jingle around the club. Mix and a-mingle in a jingle bell beat. That's the jingle bell. That's the jingle bell.

That's the jingle bell rhyme. Merry Christmas. Wow, the voices of a thousand angels. Yeah, so awesome. That's the Auckland Gospel Choir here on the hits. Now, can we ask you an honest question? Was that the most awkward concert you've had to do? With two awkward white guys, middle-aged white guys, kind of dancing. Yeah, not fully committed. We weren't committed.

Yeah, what did you think? Was it a bit awkward? No. Oh, good. You guys are too nice. I'll tell you what was awkward is the fact that the text correspondence we've been having with Simon here, right?

Oh, Simon. Now, so what happened is Simon's been liaising with producer Humphrey. Yeah. Producer Humphrey asked me for Simon's details we had met at the Santa Parade and I said I have you saved in my phone as Simon

but I said this is Sam's details but then it auto corrected to S-A-N for some reason and so producer Humphrey's been calling Simon S-A-N for about 7 days and you had to correct him after six days of cops.

By the way, it is Simon, but we'll be here. And it's incredible. So thank you for being here. I think we've got one more song, if you don't mind. Yeah, what do you guys want to do next? All I want for Christmas is you. And all I want for Christmas is another song. Yes.

Here we go. Let's kick it off. Gospel Choir, it's 8.32. It is The Hits, Jono and Ben in your mornings. The Hits, the Jono and Ben podcast. Jono and Ben's Thank You Very Much with Challenge. Yes, you can nominate someone who's done great things this year and say thank you very much.

All thanks to Challenge. Every day this week we've been hooking up someone. It's been a nice moment giving our $500 Challenge gift card for the holiday season. Challenge proud to put the service back into service stations. Thank you very much.

It's been a wonderful campaign, isn't it? All week based on heartfelt stories, petrol, and a questionable pun. But that's all we needed to get these great stories

on the radio and a lot of beautiful people out there in this country doing some wonderful acts of kindness. None of them are in the studio at the moment. No.

But they're all out there and we're going to call one of them now. Hello? Are we going through there, Producer Joel? We're going to go through to Christine, who's been nominated. You're looking a little shaky, mate. What's going on?

The last thing I need is you talking about Christmas blues after the choir came in. Yeah, the choir were amazing. Beautiful performance as well, by the way. Live in the studio. That was incredible. Hello. Christine, how are you?

Yeah, good, thank you. What's your favourite radio show here? That's good. I love doing this. What is it? What's your favourite radio show? Well, I normally listen to more FM. Oh, get her off the radio!

It was a great Christmas day right up until that. No, she's a more, a McCormaniac. A Gary McCormaniac. She's a fan. Oh, get out. No, listen. What's wrong? Hey, it's Jono.

I've been calling from the Hits radio station this morning. You're live on the air right now because you've been, you've got a $500 fuel voucher coming. No, she does it now, mate. No, you do. Come in your way. You've been nominated for being the most wonderful mother, doing babysitting whenever your brother or basically from Porky and Jake.

I don't know if Porky's the real name there, but that's over to you. Porky and Jake. Oh, really? Porky and Jake gang members. They sound like, yeah. His real name's Ryan Oh But they've said

You're a wonderful mother You help out with babysitting You chuck a smile On their dial You're awesome And we want to wish you A merry Christmas And give you a $500

Fuel voucher Oh man That's just awesome Thank you so much And I'll change My radio station That's what I wanted I was just about to Thank you so much. And I'll change my radio station. That's what I wanted. I was just about to ask you, have we flipped you?

We're tuned. There you have. All it took was a $500 petrol voucher. We could do that to everyone in the country. We'd be looking good. Hey, Christine, you go and have a wonderful Christmas with your family and whanau and look after yourself, all right? Oh, thank you so much.

Merry Christmas. Good on you.