Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL SHOW: Ben's weird balloon exchange in the park

Episode Date: December 3, 2025

On today’s show:  Will we have a costume-themed funeral for Ben? How a Facebook Marketplace deal leads to a weird balloon exchange in a park Jono's mate was on his restricted license for 30 years! A “Survive till 25” video sparks concern for Jono Is Megan's music listening age her real age? We chat to our entertainment reporter about Thanksgiving in NYC Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFAST Facebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & MeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The John O'Ben and Megan podcast, thanks to Dilma. Goodness really does taste great. Dilma, making the world a better tea. Welcome to the podcast where we're basically trying to design a bit of a game for road trips around summertime, a little bingo card that people can take with them. They can pick up from gas petrol service stations. And you need to mark some things off that you see. We want suggestions for that bingo card.

And a lot of people have text to you some good ones. A dog on the driver's lap. Oh, yeah. More unusual ones, obviously, I'm going to read out. You couldn't have your dog on your lap when you were driving. He's a lot of dog. It looked like he was driving. Exactly.

A two-toned car? Yeah, one of the cars that just, you know. Oh, yeah, like the doors are different colour. Yeah, I always love one of those. What about those sort of station wagons who have like nine kayaks and 13 bikes and dogs in the back as well? That's really good. Someone's saying a, someone doing a roadside wee, which something you see out of summer.

I can't help with two wins to see someone. You know, someone's up, a bit of motivation. Yeah, that's what they need. And someone driving with a face mask. You don't see that too often these days. But, yeah, we went through COVID times. Oh, I thought you meant like a sheet mask, like a moisture. I guess that's another one as well.

Or one of those, like, yeah. That's my default face mask now. Yeah, I suppose. It's good that we've gone back to that, rather than the face masks that we did have with the COVID. And the Bella clava seemed to have taken off too. So they're popular out there in the moment. Yeah. So they've, yeah, we've left behind the COVID masks, which is good.

I think the most people wear them now is if they're sick and they're not wanting to pass anything on which is selfless I don't do that do you? No we've just gone back

We've just forgotten all of that protocol Yeah well I think it was just trauma For a lot of us Wouldn't that whole time So it's nice to go I don't want to wear a mask Ever again in my life Remember if you're sick stay at home

Geez this show I'd say collectively One of us has been sick Probably every week of the year And we haven't had days off So you make a plow Oh, we're back to the plowing on. We're ploughing on stage.

Well, we're ploughing on with a bit of a balloon story first up on the podcast. What I was made to meet, well, I met up with a guy in the park and I'll tell you more. John O'Benn and Megan. The podcast. The heads. My wife, very good in making things, you know, last and using things again. She doesn't like waste. She has problems with costumes.

She's like, you're going to use these again when I buy costumes and things like that? Single use. And you're like, probably not. But they're there. I'm not putting them. in landfill. We go on walks though and I've told you about this and I'm like, is this a walk walk or is this

for you to pick up rubbish along the beach and roads and stuff? Maybe she needs to do her own conservation walks. She does. She's very good like that. Without being grim, when you pass away though. She's got a lot to. The landfill.

I don't know what they're going to do. Big costume party. Everyone can help yourself to costume. Maybe everyone can wear a costume to your funeral. Oh my God. Great idea. I love it. Hit the door you can pick one.

Oh, what are you? I'm an ATM machine. And take it home with you. And take it home with you. It would be great. It's what he would have a shop. I love it. No matter way to pay respects to this man.

Or the avocado. Yeah, wait, there's a choice is yours. You get him one of the first picks, all right, Megan. Okay, great. Yeah, but over last weekend. You're going to leave it in your funeral. Those costumes with the fans will be, you know, the big blow-up ones he's gone.

A cacophony of fans. I love it. Everything about that I love. Apart the fact that I'm dead. A bit of a part of that, everything is great. So, my last weekend, my wife's mom, her mom had a big birthday. day and she had her brothers back from the States and you've got quite a few people over

there and they bought one of the brothers bought a whole lot of balloons like helium balloons for that and we're at our place there's about 20 balloons the day after the party I'm up I'm like let's tidy this place now I'll be out that's six a m party's done let's get rid of you know like no remnants of celebration I'm going to pop all these balloons and get rid of them what in the morning how was well I'm like today's the day I'm going to put my wife I said no no firstly you're not going to do it and secondly I'll put it on Facebook marketplace and see if someone wants to come pick up the balloons for free. Does this quite often.

And I'm like, great, but then you get some random person coming around to the house. And the balloons are a little shriveled up and wrinkled by the... She's such a good woman. I'm like, great, you can do that, but let's not having the meet-up point at the house. So then I get the message later on the day going, hey, because my wife's not driving, because the back-arbrushing, can you take these 20 balloons to the park? Wow, you said not at the house. Oh, geez, I had to put 20 balloons in the car, drive to the park at the road.

and wait for some guy I'd never met before this is a weirdest feeling driving, especially into a park with balloons in your car you're like, so it's just you're like, hello children

and you're looking at all these other cars like this the person come to pick up the balloons and they say what it is get out there and holding these balloons to give to this guy I'd never met before

Was he grateful? He was like yeah he's also been sent there by his wife and he had like a daughter's birthday that was coming up and it was like yeah the following day so it was actually lovely

They got past off but it was just such a Did it feel like you're about to hook up with them or some sort of elicit sort of deal or something in the park? Was anyone watching this exchange take place? Were there people on the park? Yeah, well, there were people on the, like a skateboard ram and a basketball court and stuff? Like, what are these two grown men doing? I've seen a lot of stuff dealt in this car park, but never helium balloon.

Are you here for the helium? 20 balloons. I'm like, thanks, Amanda. That was a weird five minutes that I'll never get back. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The hits. This looks like there's been a bit of bribery. allegations around some

Auckland VTNZ officers and people trying to get a little bribery, get some things passed through for their cars That's why I couldn't be a driving instructor Yeah, try to get their licence Because you would accept the bribes? Yeah, yeah There's not many bribes in radio I wouldn't be a police officer

I couldn't do anything that would involve bribes Because you'd get me I'd do it Back in the day I think they used to pay our bosses So I don't know if they're still in the industry But the record companies would give the money To pay songs, wouldn't they? I don't think that's happening anymore

You know what we want to do, just throw cash unnecessarily away. No, but yeah, so there's... Well, we're going to play the song anyway, but thank you. Allegations of bribery when people come to getting their licenses, and we're talking about licenses earlier today, and you just said something that shocked us. Oh, yeah, my friend, my really good mate, Mark, who he phoned me last week, and he's like, guess what I've just done?

He's I just went and got my full license. And I was like... How old's Mark, if you're like... He's 45, 46. Wow, so he has been on his restrictors since he was 15, or as soon as you could get it. He ran and got everything done really quickly and just sat on his restricted for, what's that, 30 years. He took it into the VTNZ. Here, here's 20 bucks, mate.

And then the guy behind the counter was like, thank you for the money. No, allegedly. Allegedly. Good saving there, Ben. If they take us at the court, he whispered allegedly. And the guy behind the counters are, I have worked here a very long time and accepted so many bribes. This is the first time I've ever seen this in his career.

30 years. He's been sitting on his restricted. Wait, so he couldn't drive past 10pm as a 40-something. Alleged, allegedly. And he didn't. Supposedly. Definitely didn't. Yeah, well, because many people do fail them.

Don't they? Failed the licenses as well. Oh yeah, I failed multiple times. Three. Just doesn't surprise anyone, right? No. If anyone was going to fail their license, it would be you. A lot of concentration-based reasons.

Maybe you shouldn't be on the road. No, 100% shouldn't be on the road. I do make a little retraction. But you may have right, but you get on the road. Wait, does Mark have children? No. Oh, okay, because I was like you can't drive anyone who doesn't have a full license, so you can't drive any kids.

Yeah, no, people have done prison sentences shorter than he has had as restricted license. It's a long time. I do have a retraction to make when it comes to her licenses. The other day, my daughter, you know, who's now could sit to her license. to get to that, I've been like, she's not doing enough, she's not reading the road code, and she's just doing the quizzes online. You're like, she's never going to get it. Yeah, well, I said, they need to get more stuck into the road code.

And she got 35 out of 35 of her thing, and so she passed. 100% I think that's known as. Yeah, no, well done. Well done. So are you having to make a public apology now? Public apology to my daughter, Siena. So, yeah, well, I'm going to, it's got a learner's now. Nothing worse than as a parent being proven wrong by your kids. I know. I mean, that's why I had kids. So there was some humans who just had to listen to what I say and take a gospel and think it was great.

It gets less and enjoy it where your kids are young, Megan, because less and less, you know. How many times did you sit your license? I failed my learners twice, I think. Oh, okay. Did you fail? No, I didn't fail. No.

No, I just studied hard. I had a shocking park, but I did really well driving around and then back in at the police station of Master, and I had a bit of a shocking part. Like he's like, reverse back into that. And I think he'd already done all the okay paperwork. Because he looked and he goes, you're not normally that bad. I'm like, no, nah.

And he's like, oh, good then. And off my wets. I was like, yeah, great. So there's too much admin to redo. Yeah, fair enough. Okay, so we chuck this open. How many times did you fail your license? John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast, the Hits.

We're talking about the most about the times. People have failed at their licenses. So many calls coming through. Yeah. Drivers' license. Some amazing calls coming through. Antoinette, not you, your daughter. Yeah, we went to three different BTNZ to drive.

Right. Will you accept money? Will you accept bribery? How about this one? No, one guy got in the car and reclined his chair back and wound the window down. Well, the one testing guy? Yeah, the testing guy. For like a snooze?

Yeah, almost. And then he failed her because she drove too slow around the subdivision. Was he even a testing officer? He probably wasn't, actually. He just some guy wanted to sleep in the car. Sounds like he's hiding from the cops or something. Some of the testing people we had were unbelievable I went three times in the back seat

because you're allowed to go and I couldn't believe it One guy turned up in Jandall And then said that You had to wear decent footwear When you're sitting in your driver's license Nothing about the passengers though He's a passenger though

Can't give me comfy It was a very expensive exercise I tell you So she got it in the end though Got it in the end, and now she drives ambulances. Oh, amazing. A happy ending to that story. Hey, good on you, Antoinette.

You're going to have a great day. Thank you. Janeo, welcome. Hi. You were a driving instructor. I am a driving instructor, but I was a testing officer. You must have seen some stuff. Well, you know, it's definitely interesting.

How many times has anyone failed the license, same person? Same person, he came back eight times. Ooh, okay And what was he doing wrong? Yeah, what? Well, every time we went out, it got worse and worse, and he was doing more and more dangerous things every time we went out.

The poor guy was probably in his head, you know, he'd be putting so much pressure on himself. Getting nervous. I think most of them do that anyway. They put pressure on themselves, and it's like it's just a drive with somebody that has to sit there because you're all new learners.

It's that easy. Well, you know, I saw a video. Kobe Bryant. popped up on my Instagram feed. He's like, pressure's not even a thing. The only thing that creates pressure is your head. He's like, pressure doesn't exist. You put the pressure on yourself.

I know, but that's easier to say. And he's Kobe Bryant, you know. He's not some dude trying to sit as a driver's license for the seventh time. Oh, that's great, Jane. Any other war stories from the road? I've had a few hairy moments. One guy pulled out in front of a truck doing 100K.

And then he turned around and said, That's why I failed my test last time. It's like, well, can you figure it out something? Can you learn anything? When you've got to learn, there's a gap, you've got to go, though. You know, you've got to go, you've got to go. Jane, really appreciate your call. Got a text here, 4487 as well.

I've been on my learner since 2003. I drive the car, not the card, says the text, which is a great way to approach it. It's my 40th next year, and for my birthday present, I'm going to go from my restricted. I don't get it. I drive the car, not the card. He's like, the skills are based in his driving.

It doesn't matter what the driver's license said. According to the law, they might have something else to say by that. The card, not the card, Megan. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast, the hits. Listen, I had a minor social media scandal. It's just emerged over the last few days. I really had not thought too much about it. And I woke up Sunday morning.

And you know when you freshly wake up, you look like a sack of sadness, you know? Yeah. And I was, oh, this is funny, how terrible I look. Why don't I film a video? Do you remember that phrase that we're all saying, survive to 25? You know, last year, 2024, we were getting through the COVID years. It'd been some rough economic times. Yeah.

And so in my head, I was like, oh, this could be a funny observational piece of content where I'm like, I survived to 25. And look at me, I feel, you know, even worse than I did this time last year. And so, yeah, I posted this. And then producer Troy after seeing this. Hey guys, how are you? Remember last year and we kept saying to each other

Hey, survive till 25 It's all going to be fine Hey mate, what do you get? And it goes through and then I just go, look at me That I did, December 24 Sore Hips I feel worse, I mean, Jesus, look at me And so anyway, this took us

So you're going for a sort of comedic Comedics, so yeah It was all meant to be comedies And then Troy comes in Monday And he's like Megan's just posted up the photo Look at the imagery And I look like a man

Who's freshly divorced Been away Just finished a night shift And hung over at the same time People genuinely Concerned via welfare Some people have shared some beautiful things About now going through tough times

You're like this is a joke from you And then so the comment section Is the mix of some crying emojis For people who know me And then the others is a cry for help And sort of a welfare check Troy People say they're ready to talk to you

If you need to talk and stuff. Oh my God, they aren't. And then they're telling you, look, I loved Jono and Ben on TV, like, you're okay, mate. And I don't know what to say to these people. Because someone's tagged in John Kewan going, you need to help this guy, mate.

Producer Troy, your sister messages you. I love you, bro. You did give a lot of joy over those years with Ben. Yeah, my sister sent that to me, she sent that to me on Facebook and said, Is Jono All Good? This video made me really sad. So it didn't have comedy angles around a lot of people.

Did you see it? No, and I haven't until then, yeah. No, to be honest, I saw it when it popped up on my Instagram and I was like, oh God, what's he doing? Scroll. I was like, that's too close. That makes me uncomfortable. And then that's what I thought most people would do. But now it's turned into like, oh, it's okay,

mate, if you ever need a hand? I mean, lovely, lovely gesture from people. No, it's funny because all the women that have worked with you just did cry laughing face. Yeah. And then everyone else is like, are you okay? And then I've figured out what the issue was. Because I kept going to survive for 25. So people

were thinking the age 25, you just got to get it 25, but they weren't aware of the popular, what I thought was a pretty popular, say? And then so someone's like, you can do it, mate, if you make it to 26, then 27, get to your 30s. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so there's a lot of mixed messaging. Wait, no one

believes that you're 25. No, and one of the comments was like, I thought you were 55, not 25. So, it went over a lot of people, yeah, I had a shock up. Do you need a gatekeeper on your social media? Well, it's a bit of a sporadic shitstorm, to be honest, that account.

John O'Benn and Megan, the podcast, The Hits. And in Christchurch right now from the afternoon show, Maddie and PJ is PJ. She's auditioning for a choir. Her school choir, which she missed out on. And also still in the Mariah Carey game. Good morning. Good morning. Season's greetings.

How's Otahee this morning? It's fabulous. I've actually had a bit of a sleep, and she was a big day yesterday. What do you sound like you're off three days of rhythm and vines right now? You're like, gillet-o, babe. Well, because I've been working on my vocals, and you've got to treat the voice like your... You're like deeper than John and Ben right now.

Yeah, you do. You sound really low. Yeah, I'm doing a bit of alto. Now, I'm working, because I'm singing with the choir today, and I've got a solo, and I think I'm going to go low over high. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. So yesterday, what was a bit? Was it a bit of a practice or an audition?

What was it yesterday when you sung? Yes, it was the audition, and basically I was writing the wrongs of the past where I didn't make it into the chamber choir. I did get in, and so today's the actual big day where I do the performance and in front of students, and I don't know how, but I've wrangled a solo verse. Jeez, now here's, we've actually got some audio just been loaded of you singing yesterday. Oh, don't do it. People don't want to hear bad singing on the way.

I'm going to hear it. The audition, here we go. way to get my life again you can handle me said I'm out of I'm out of love me I love me I'm just I'm not sure if that was good or bad your enthusiasm is great though I great enthusiasm it was just actually like at the time I didn't realize it but I was really yelling and I had like veins coming out of my way to get my life again No, but I'm working on breast control. Okay.

What are your voices gone, mate? I know. That's why I sound like I've had a bend. You really put your everything into that performance feature. I kind of liked it. Give it your all. Okay, so that was yesterday. Now, speaking of songs as well, because you are the last of the announcers here on the Hits radio station.

It hasn't heard Mariah Carey's all I want for Christmas. Tomorrow, the game's going to wrap up. We're going to have to start playing the game. Are you still in the game as of now? Yeah. Yeah, it was touch and go. I don't know how I managed to get my. way into the Kudu Lounge yesterday it was a freak sort of pass I don't usually go in

there but I was in there and and there were so many Christmas songs I'd been warned they play Christmas Jones and I was literally like eating my Krantzki with such anxiety I was like is it gonna come on just a solo Kranski do you just have one Kranski on a plate two and then two of those little potato hashies I don't know it was the Parmy one oh yeah nice oh yeah no yeah lovely stuff and and so you're so I can't believe you're still in. I know. I know, but it's getting so close.

Like, I have had so many near misses on social. And, like, every other bloody video is a Christmas video. And I know it's going to get me. You're going to a school, too, and kids, they love pranking. They love, you know. They all know that you're in the game. I know. So, we've got a school, that's dangerous.

I think if I am still in the game, Mattie might start running me through, like, I don't know, we might go through Valentine's in Christ's later. Yeah, nice. Dangerous. Yeah. All right. Well, good luck. Can you take us out with a little line from your solo today,

a head of Manny and PJ's choir. I'm singing the school song. I'm singing the school song and it's called Weo One. Okay, so it goes, Everyone is in this world together. Living day by day is best we can. Oh, you'll stop me there. I'll stop me there.

It's the same no, not to, oh, no, wait. She should let me stop me. I'm in the way to get my life again. You can handle me! Oh, PJ, good luck today. Good luck. Staying in the Mariah Carey game. See if you can get through to tomorrow to clock the game.

We'll catch you though, mate. See, babe. I love you, bye. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Head. Road trips. Guys have made a list. The New Zealand has made a list.

They're not just made a list. You know, sometimes when we're like, oh, Christchurch has made one of the top 20 most. beautiful cities in the world sitting at number 20 we're number one we're number one we're number one beautiful beach most beautiful beach no it's not the most beautiful beach what else could we possibly be number one for friendliest friend or friendliest yeah we're not we're not we're not really we pretend to be friendly don't we no yeah we try and have a friendly image outwardly facing to the rest of the world you come here yeah we chase just under our durn out of the country she's not coming

back we're only friendly to you but until you stick your head up and then we'll chop it off No, it's the sexiest accents in the world. Yeah. We're number one on the sex. And I reckon here's a theory. I reckon they put us at number one so they could hear every radio show going, we're on the sexiest list of the sexiest accents. And they'll be like, look at these idiots saying sixly.

It sounds like they're soxious accents. We're the soxious. No one thinks. No one thinks we're sexy, do they? Like when you travel, like if you travel because of family in the States, people go, I love your accent. I'm like, I just think they're taking the piss. that's all you do but they're like cute don't they not like sexy just I guess we're inoffensive

we're non-threatening but it's not sexy you're right but anyway let's take it let's take it new Zealand sexist accent according to daily worldwide what about like the Italian Italians are in there okay so what we thought we do right now is let's try and get five five people on the year the top five sexiest accents so I guess we've got New Zealand covered we've got between us we've got New Zealand covered right let's try and get you know anyone listening any gender right now but you just have to have the accent from one of these countries. So number two, South Africa. Oh, we've got lots of South Africans, this thing.

Number three, are you going to go songs for all these? No, I'm working hard here. Irish is number three. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Irish is really good. Now I'm going to move on to it. There you go. Italian, number four.

God, he's going quick. He's going quick. Italians would be up there for me. Yeah, okay, and number five is Australian. It's Italian music time John O'Bennon and Megan The podcast The hits

Pro trips Guys have made a list The New Zealand has made a list And not just made a list You know sometimes When we're like Oh Christchurch has made

One of the top 20 Most Beautiful Cities in the world Sitting at number 20 We're number one We're number one on this list Beautiful Beach Most Beautiful Beach No it's not the most beautiful beach

What else could we possibly be number one for Safest All friendlier Yeah, we can be friendly. Well, though, we're not real. We pretend to be friendly, don't we? No, yeah, yeah. We try and have a friendly image outwardly facing to the rest of the world.

We'll talk on your back. Yeah. We chased Jacinda Arduen out of the country. She's not coming back. We're only friendly to you, but until you stick your head up and then we'll chop it off. No, it's the sexiest accents in the world. Yeah. We're number one on the sex.

And I reckon here's a theory. I reckon they put us at number one so they could hear every radio show going, we're on the sexiest list of the sexiest accents. And they'll be like, look, look, these idiots saying soxie. It sounds like they're soxious accents. We're the Soxious. No one thinks we're sexy, do they?

Like when you travel, like travel because we're family in the States, people go, I love your accent. I'm like, I just think they're taking the posse out of me. You know, that's all you do. No, they think we're cute, don't they? Not like sexy. Just I guess we're inoffensive, aren't we? We're non-threatening.

But it's not sexy, you're right. But anyway, let's take it. Let's take it, New Zealand, sexy accent according to daily worldwide. What about, like, the Italian. Italians are in there. Okay, so what we thought we do right now is let's try and get five people on the year. The top five, sexiest accents. So I guess we've got New Zealand covered.

We've got between us, we've got New Zealand covered, right? Let's try and get, you know, anyone listening, any gender right now, but you just have to have the accent from one of these countries. So number two, South Africa. Oh, we've got lots of South Africans, this thing. Number three, are you going to go to songs for all these, mate, you're really, okay. I'm working hard here. Irish is number three.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, sexy accent. Yeah, Irish is really. Good, isn't it? Now I'm going to move on to it. There we go. Italian? Number four? God, he's going quick. He's going quick. I'm just a majority. I was going to list them off. Italians would be up there for me.

Yeah, okay. And number five is Australian. That's Italian music time. John O'Ben and Megan. The podcast. The Hats. The sexiest accents have just been released by, well, I mean, it's not like it's been a huge worldwide vote. But hey, we'll take it. Yeah.

I don't know who voted in the 60s acts. But New Zealand's number one. And we'll take it. I think last time we dropped back to like number 20 so I don't know what changes in the period of 12 months we've increased our Riz levels

guys congratulations Risen through the roof Rizzling away So the goal is to try and get the top five 60est accents on So we've got New Zealand covered Right

Well not that we're six But we just got the New Zealand accent I can't imagine like You know the romantic Mills and Boone type novels You can't Shades or anything like that Yeah you can't imagine

Isn't that being sort of an audio book of a New Zealander? I'm from New Zealand. He walked into the room with his shirt off. I said, do you want to have a hoon? He said, yeah, all right, yeah, nah. Yeah, nah. So what do you mean? Did you mean, yeah or nah?

It was a little confusing. Yeah, you're right. Consent is a weird one when you go, yeah or nah, isn't it? But anyway. Okay, so we've got New Zealand covered. So we need to get through the top five. Okay. So South African was on the list.

We need a South African, which is number two. Let's Africa Pauli Hi Are you from South Africa I am from Ketong in South Africa You sound slightly less sexy than we do Do you honestly think

Because we're not sure New Zealand's the most sexiest accent Do you think of South African accent Is number two in the world I was actually very surprised But depends on whether you're English speaking or Afrikaan speaking but I definitely rate the Kiwi accent I can't. I find

South African and hey don't I say it is it's very any offence to this but very authoritative isn't it? South African Yes it can be and it can sound quite direct and quite a flash at home but depending from whereabouts in South Africa you come from again. Yeah and you'll be like

come to the bedroom that was a terrible it was terrible don't do the access no okay don't do any of the accent this is why we got the people on okay Father you to not do it Okay Okay, so we got number two

Thanks so much for calling up Pauline We've got number two You're so welcome Have an awesome day See you too Pauline Listen to it Listen to it Good listen to that all day

All right now Number three was Ireland Have we got an Irish person on the phone Yes we do Up in the morning into you Is your name Sylvia Park Yes it is

Is it It's also the name Of a very popular mall Sylvia Park Oh really I didn't know that no one's brought that up wow okay so do you think I mean the Irish accent I think it's a sexy sounding accent

it's deserved it of top five I think you earn your place there what do you think oh definitely definitely I'm surprised we're not number one actually yeah it probably deserve to be much better than the Kiwi accent we don't we don't we don't no we don't the Kiwi accent is good I'm married to a Kiwi okay well thank you very much

we're going to need to try and complete two more people we need an Italian and an Australian and an Australian Oh, wait, 100 of the hats. Well, we do talk to, hopefully, there's Daniela. Daniela. Oh, chow. Goodjourno. How come I'm not first?

I know. Oh, babes. I think the Italian should be first, hands down. Goodjourno, be bella gent. We are so much better. So much. He's romantic, romantic. Romantic.

You've romanced us out of the park. And New Zealand, we can't compete with that, Daniela. Yeah, but apparently. you do for some strange reason then I'm proud of you guys That's a pity Congratulations isn't it Can you say chuck a saucy on the

Barbie mate? Say again what I need to pay a sausage On the Barbie mate Chuck a sausage on the Barbie mate No it's not great No that's so sick You really made the Italian accent Chuck a Barbie on the sauce

No what? No again stop Again I said there's not to the accent No accents. Well, we're going to have some complications of China comes through. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you so much, Daniel.

Okay, now, what do we need one more? Australia. We need the Australian now, our trans-Tasman buddies. Have we got anyone Australian that can give us a call under the Hits? Hello, the Hits? Hello. Hey, are you Australian? I, oh, oh, oh.

Hey! Where about you're from, mate? I'm from Central Queensland in Australia. Australia. I'm from Australia, but. I don't think us all the Aussies deserve. to be in the top five. Jono Ben and Megan, the podcast, the hits.

Now, we're just looking at Megan's end of year Spotify wrapped, and I'm just on the verge of sneezing, sorry, you pick it up. Yeah, so this is what happens at the end of the year. You know, obviously we're radio hard, but every now and again, you like to listen to a song again, a specific song. Hard for radio. And you can basically Spotify or Apple Music,

or wherever you get your things. At the end of the year, they go, these are the songs that you've listened to when you're not listening to the radio. Yeah, it's always a very confronting moment. Yeah, it's quite interesting. Right? A lot of the times kids or other family members can dictate your musical taste at the end of the year, right? Yeah.

I have a tendency, and we've spoken about this before. I listened to one song for like three weeks, nonstop. Like I mean non-stop. It's on loop, right. On loop in the car. And my number one song is a song that I listened to at the start of the year when her album was released. And it's just a random track from her album, Mayhem. Lady Gaga's my number one song.

Oh, okay. What's the song called? How bad do you want me? Turns out you want to do her quite badly For three weeks And then never again You've got a message Is one of her top

I'm in 0.02 Top listener Well not surprised if you're playing it non-stop for three weeks So she delivered a personal message to media Well not personal but our message Here we are Hi everybody Spotify Rapp

This is Lady Gaga I am so so grateful to every single one of you for listening to my album this year. And then she goes on with lovely platitudes. It's a good album. Yeah, no, good on you. There you go.

What's yours? Oh, you're a real interesting when you look at it. We're real Billy Joel buzz this year as well. Billy Joel. Yeah, me and the kids love in Billy Joel at the moment. So, yeah, like Vienna's my top song as well, which is a great song. It's a great song with Billy Joel. What's your average listening age?

Yeah, well, it's weird. But then my second biggest song, Olivia, Rodrigo, from high school musical the TV series All I want Great Jan And then this other one is third Where Sierra my daughter

was auditioning for Lae Miz And we had to listen to this Wow On my own From Lai Miserabs Juergen Spotify was like Should we cancel his account? Yeah so a real

And then Luke Combs was like number four Real eclectic max They're like what is this guy Who is this guy Yeah This mine is The Bruce who are a group of a trio of tenors

who sung the South African national anthem This is my number one song Because you made me learn the anthem Yes, a tonnees to learn the anthem Ofrica And so this is this number one song Which is, you're right You're listening to that non-stop for a couple

This actually makes me happy Because now I know you actually try I did honestly I try Which is even worse though Because it was terrible actually harsher for me but the poor bros they'll be like man we're

popping off in New Zealand I didn't get a personal message from the brusers going who was second Billy Jell's not giving me one although he probably can't work out how to do it on his phone that's at that age

Megan your average listening age is what 26 okay okay but I think K-pop Demon Hunter's brought my average down producer Grace who's you know 24 her average listening age

was 37 as well so you're older than and she had Chapel Rowan give her a personal message. Hi, it's Charles. Hello. Thank you for listening to my music this year. So she enjoyed Chapo Roes' music.

Oh, Shish, Chappell. She goes on, doesn't she? Hey, next. That bag on and oh, I love you so much. Thanks, you don't, you don't. You love the money. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The hits.

We love catching up with Nicole. She hosts a radio show in New York. She is an American correspondent, and I officially join this right now. I assume she's just come back from Thanksgiving, Nicole. In Florida. I did. So let's talk about that, because obviously we don't have Thanksgiving here in New Zealand,

but that seems like the big holiday in America for many people, right? I mean, yeah, it's certainly a big holiday because it's sort of like the one that like everybody does. We need to celebrate stealing other people's land. I'm joking. That's what a lot of those anniversaries and celebrations are is just a big hoo-ha about stealing land off people, isn't it? Yeah, like, I mean, we just love revisionist history. That's just like what we do here in the United States of America. So how does it work?

Obviously, you know, not everyone celebrates Christmas. I understand that. You know, America's very good at saying happy holidays over there for, you know, to be inclusive in that regard, I guess. But how does it work with having that so close to Christmas? Because you're having your big meal and Thanksgiving and then you're having another one at Christmas? Yes. The happy holidays is like for that and then like also like for like Hanukkah and Christmas and all those things. And it's more about when you decorate.

So it's like there's a big debate here. you put up the Christmas tree, when you put up all of the lights, some people do it like right after Halloween, which is like vile, I think. Early November, geez. Yeah, like most people feel like the second Thanksgiving's done, like once it, like it's the Thanksgiving's over, you put everything up, which I'm kind of with. I'm Jewish, so I celebrate Hanukkah and my husband's Irish Catholic, so he celebrates Christmas.

So my kids get double the fun and I go double broke. Amazing. Excuse my ignorance. What do you do for Hanukkah? Oh, you light candles each night and you say prayer. and have like potato lotcas and all this yummy Jewish food and get a present each night. It feels like a whack Christmas if you want to know the truth for someone who was like grew up with and always felt left out that I didn't get like the Christmas tree and like on Christmas we were doing

what Jews do and we were eating Chinese food and going to the movies because everybody else was celebrating Christmas. That's like kind of like the big joke but it's like it's a real one. Is it during the same period though? Yeah. I mean like for the Hanukkah like sort of moves around like sometimes it's really. right smack dab in the middle and overlaps with Christmas into the new year.

Sometimes it's super early and done before Christmas. This year it starts on December 15th, so it will be done before Christmas comes. And you say that you get a prison tonight, so how long does Hanukkah last for? Eight nights, eight crazy nights. So you have eight candles and each night you light another candle and then you get a gift.

Is it like little prisons? Or could you get like a pair of shoes and a handbag every day? It's technically supposed to be like as big as Christmas, right? So like, and for us now, Like, I don't want to feel like Hanukkah blows Christmas as fun. So then we, like, shoot ourselves in the foot because I'm trying to get as good a gift for every Hanukkah night. And my husband wants to kill me because he's like, we literally have no more money.

Yeah, your kids are, you're right. They're in this sweet spot, aren't they? Yeah. Yeah, they are hooked up, man. And when I was young, if you want a really good laugh, I did feel so left out that my mom bought a little itty-bitty-bitty Christmas tree. Like, and she called it the Hanukkah bush. And somehow, she gets it. This is your little Hanukkah bush.

I had a little Hanukkah bush, and she would put my sister and my eight presents each. She would put 16 gifts underneath. And each night after we lit the candles, we would go get to choose a gift underneath our Hanukkah bush. And that's how I felt semi-included. Oh, that's very nice. I like the gift distribution of that, though. Sometimes you, not that when you're an adult, you get many presents, but you can get overwhelmed on the one day and you don't appreciate each. Yeah.

Yeah, like, I feel like if I was, it was just Christmas, like you sort of like blow your load on Christmas. Here, it's like, you like make it last. Hey, could I ask about holidays? Because in New Zealand, it's our summertime around Christmas. And it feels like New Zealand kind of shuts down. It's very hard to get anything done if you want to book your car and things like that. Places just shut around about that time of year after Christmas, January. But in America, how soon are people back into work after Christmas?

Like, not until after New Year's. Christmas comes and then we're, like, we're off usually a couple days before Christmas through the new year. But are you talking like you're back at work like the second? end of January. Yes. Yes. We are. January's done for us. Yeah, pretty much. Well, not for everyone, obviously, but it does feel like it's very, it takes a slow start to the year in many years. We're on time in January.

So are you guys all going on vacation? I won't speak to you in January? Maybe, you might have us March. No, we're back in January. We are in January. But it's a slow start. John O'Benon and Megan, the podcast. The Hits. Of course, the real iconic Christmas movie. Such great character in that movie. Who is my favourite character

of that movie? So much disdain. He kind of reminds me of you. He's like, if I get number one, I'm going to play naked. What do you know? Industry's beating the soul out of him. We're getting into the Christmas spirit here on the hit.

It's not too long to go. Now it is 7-10, but we got talking about this. And I feel like every household has a place where they just put clutter, where they just put the stuff they don't know where to put other stuff. The random item dumping ground. The Fruit Bowl seems as a general.

It's quite a popular, popular location for people on the team to dump a lot of stuff. That's not fruit. Yeah. I don't have a fruit. Like I don't, we don't have a, because 99% of our fruit stays in the fridge, apart from bananas. So there's no real need for a fruit bowl in house. You've got to get in quick with the bananas. Yeah.

So, geez, that's a race against time, isn't it, once you've got the bananas out? Yeah. Yeah, I'm saying, we just got bananas in the fruit bowl. We've got a random little glass jar just full of drawing pins. I don't think I've ever purchased a drawing pin in my life, but this thing's littered with them. pipe cleaners, buttons. Why don't you just chuck them out?

Exactly. I don't know. Buttons that you'll have all good intention of sewing back onto things that never get sewed back onto things. Little rubbers, copper coins. Like coins from hundreds of years ago. Just all sit in this glass jar.

God. I have a junk drawer, but I don't do the fruit bowl because our fruit bowl is like things fall through it. Yeah, one of those wire. A wire one. So it's not going to hold anything other than fruit. By our front door, We have a sort of like a, I guess the little thing that's got a couple plants on a little table type thing.

And that's got two drawers and I just love putting stuff in those. My wife's like, we need to clear that out. I'm like, why? It's not affecting anyone. It's all like cards, you get random 10, give, I like, he hates piles. I feel like you would be like a real clean freak. I love it. I hate anything on top of that, but in the drawers I'm like, hey, it's the out of sight, out of mind.

I'm like, he's not clean. He just shoves stuff away. Yeah, yeah. I like getting, yeah, the surface is clean and stuff like that. But I love, yeah. You put stuff away. you don't see it, that's fine. Yeah.

And that's just two drawers full of just all sorts of old sunglasses and need to get fixed, just all sorts of random stuff. Well, I live with a clean freak, so I can't, I would shuffling... Can you leave a pile of stuff? Oh, God, no. No. Could you have a draw like that? That stuff was like outside of mind?

Yeah, but even that drawer is quite tidy. Right. It's got like a different boy. And then every time, every now and then we'll open it up and be like, we need to give this a clean out. I'm like, we don't. That's the one place. He's trying to clean out the junk drawer.

Yeah, that's the one place in the house that just, you know. I love how it always sort of starts either with like a solo letter or a one document. Then people are like, oh, this is a pile. So you can just keep piling, piling, piling. All of a sudden you end up with 34 old magazines. I do try the letter pile, but it doesn't last more than a day and it's gone. He's like, what are you doing with this? Why is this here?

I bought my wife from my office max or whatever, just a little container that people put on the desk. And that's her pile. I put all the stuff in there because otherwise I just put it away. Okay, I wait a hundred hits. Where is your random item? dumping ground in your house. What have you got in there? Coming to Christmas, you're going to get more random items,

particularly from Christmas crackers, too. A lot of that stuff ends up in our glass jar. Yeah, 4487 on the text. A little screwdriver is tiny, tiny little screwdriver. You don't need to clean out. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast, the hits. And we're talking this morning about where you keep the junk in your house. There's often things, the knick-knacks, little bits and pieces that, you know,

you don't know where to put, and they all seem to end up somewhere. Where is that somewhere? Uh, so it's a bit of support group for, uh, for everyone. Hoarders. Yeah. There's no household that doesn't have a random item dumping zone at all. Uh, so we're going to go to Johan. Welcome in New Plymouth.

How are you, mate? Morning, Kim. Oh, yeah, we're good, thank you. Getting ready for Christmas and all those things. How's the career run going, Johan? Oh, look, we doubled up our volumes and we flat tack, mate. It's a long, long, long hours. How much, yeah, how many hours are you doing a day at the moment, may?

You must be 12 hours? Oh, at least, yeah. We started at 4.30, and sometimes we get home at 5 o'clock. Wow. Big days, big days. She's. Yeah, we'll go good on you. Thanks for doing that for everyone around the country.

Yeah, appreciate it. Now, we're keeping you junk. No, we're in your house. My mom's a bit like Ben, need free, like my wife, you know, my mom. Fraudian, fraudier, they're like a mom sometimes, I'm sure we don't get into that. Let's wipe that one out. Yeah, it's fine. We have a key drawer, and then we have everything drawer in the one that'll stand in the dining room, a small little nice wooden stand.

Yeah, but then we have a business desk, and that's got six drawers, and that's full. Oh, so hold on, you've got a drawer specifically designated to keys? Oh, look, the key drawer is full of keys, and then it flows over to the next draw, which is the everything draw, and that's full of everything. and then it flows over to work desks. Now let me tell you something. I've got a three-bay shed. It's about 200 square meters. It's full of crap.

Jeez, how many keys the FDMTFT at the whole drawer designated to it? I have got about 200 keys on it because I might use those keys at some stage. And most of it's a much problem. Just at some stage in your life. Yes. And so we just filled up a skip with rubbish. And I can't see any more floor space than I had to see it.

Well, good luck with that. We really appreciate your sharing it with us. Good on you, Johan. Get back to your courier. Nicky, morning to you, your random item dumping zone in the house. It's the top drawer of everywhere I go, and I just pick it up and take it with me. So I don't actually, like, empty out of drawer when I move

because I have this, like, complete fear that I'm going to move to in your house. And something in that drawer I'm going to absolutely need. So you take the whole drawer. with you basically put in a bag and take it 100%. I mean what? Because then at least I know that that is the designated junk draw and it's got every, what happens if there's like exactly you said a small

screwdriver and I need it in the new house and I don't have it but I would have had it. Quickly there's someone here from the Victorian times I'll get a pipe cleaner for his pipe. How are you? It's the greatest gift in the whole world. I have to say that sometimes the back of

my car may also have be considered a junk draw. Love box is kind of one of those. Oh, yeah, you can shut. That's a good way to just shove stuff. Or the little thing in between the seats. Yeah. I always think if my house is clean, it doesn't matter about my car.

Yeah, I'm kind of the same. In my boot, I've just got so much stuff in my boot. And the mechanic told my wife, she's like, it looks like he lives out of his heart when they had to check it from a warrant and fitness. Are you guys okay? Yeah. You're going to arrive with the relationship. Hey, good on you, Nicky, go and have a wonderful Christmas.

You too. Check her. I've figured out where my junk drawer is. It's my handbag. It's just got all kinds. There you go, go into it. There's pills. There's everything in there.

There's anti-flam. I've got wipes. I don't know why. My kids aren't with me. Do you know the thing with the handbags too is, do you go, oh, can you grab that out of the handbag? And if you put your hand into your handbag, you know where exactly everything is blind. You can do it blind.

You guys root around in there. We do root around in there. It drives me nuts. It's a giant mess, mate. John O'Ben and Megan The podcast, the hits. Last night, producer Troy, you've just mentioned you spent a long time doing what?

Looking for half of a vitamin C tablo. So you've got a new tradition, a nightly tradition with your lovely lifelong partner, Neve. Lifelong TBC partner, Neve. Asteris. It's not something that producer Troy says. He doesn't go TBC like that's something

that Jono's just seen in. I've added into the mix. We're going travelling, so we're trying to stay healthy. so we're having a regular thing to take a vitamin C tablet every night before bed. Taking your vitamins, good. Okay. And to make it fun, we're lobbing them to each other and trying to catch it in each other's mouth. Unnecessary.

So I don't think... A lot of fun household. I don't think vitamins needed that, but anyway. It's for us. We need the joy in our life. Yeah, okay. Get through vitamins. I'm taking away that TBC after hearing this.

And it's going to be a lifelong partnership. And I threw the tablet to Neve, and she went to catch it in her mouth, and it hit her front tooth. Oh, yeah. Split in half One half landed at her feet The other half disappeared So half the vitamin's gone Half the vitamin's gone

And Neva's like Oh I can't see it there Can't see it there Oh well I'll go to bed Did she have the half vitamin She had the half She's gonna be deficient though Isn't she

Missing the other half You're right But I couldn't let it go I couldn't let it go I'm like it has to be somewhere I can't go to bed Not knowing where this is You could have

You 100% could have No I fully understand I would have done the same thing I would have been lying in bed going, oh, I probably didn't check that cushion. I probably didn't check the cushion. Oh, it could be in the fruit bowl. And so... You just need to, it irks you. You need to know where it's gone.

And so I started doing crazy things. Getting up on a chair looking on the windowsills. Wow. Pulling all the books out of the bookcase, looking behind the books and opening all these drawers. And I, after two hours... Two hours. Wow. Wow. I had a great clean of the lounge. I found it. And it was in the lip, in the almost like recess of the, of the

of one of the drawers that you pull out in the kitchen and it was like in where you put your hand to pull out the drawer and leave uh asleep by this time obviously she doesn't have the energy to stay awake because she's missed her half a vitamin she's had you're full vitamin you're ready to go here opened up this drawer I went name I found out come here come here and she sleepily comes up the stairs oh she came back out she came back on her she's definitely not a TBC she's she's lifelong she's locked in yeah like they're doing that I'm like I'm like showing her like like like I've presented like the cure to cancer and she's like oh wow you found it yeah cool

that was what the response to do though exactly given the situation after two hours of work though it's not what I wanted you guys are definitely still in the honeymoon phase because there's some yeah that wouldn't have gone the same way no no you're right yeah and so what I know there's this, was there a seven second rule, whatever, for eating, what's a two-hour rule for eating violations? I'm not having it.

Like, eat it. I had it. Oh, wow, you must be fizzing right now. One point five tablets down.