Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL SHOW: Could this unfair advantage have cost us the 10k race?

Episode Date: February 15, 2026

On today’s show:  During the 10k race Matty and PJ's ferry somehow left late but arrived early, sparking conspiracy theories... Valentine’s Day at the Papas household featured zero flowers but Megan's hubby did something else! The Reason Jono Had to Confess to one of our 10K Race Drivers! Why Megan had to drag a 23kg suitcase through Wellington... + stay to the end to find out A new twist that gets revealed in the 10k race! Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFAST Facebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & MeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jono Ben and Megan podcast thanks to Dilma. Goodness really does taste great. Dilma, making the world a better tea. It's podcast time. Here we go. On a Monday, Megan's in the middle of eating some sort of, it looks good, the breakfast, whatever you're eating today. It looks a bit better than the...

It's my lunch. It's my lunch. The depressing pancakes that you do eat. Megan eats the exact same thing every day. Yeah, every day. Yeah, I suppose, yeah, probably breakfast. Dinner, obviously, you mix it up, all right? I usually just have chicken soup that I make myself.

Every day. And the pressure cooking. So you'll have, as we said, depressing blueberry pancakes, which are we, they're only depressing because they're healthy. No, but they've got nothing on. There's no sweetness. Yeah. That's the maple syrup thing. And then you wouldn't want that every day, would you?

Maple syrup. Let's see what you're doing it. I've never seen your lunch, though. This is a restaurant, cafe quality lunch you've made yourself here. Like the, I thought you were going to give me shit about my cardboard cracking. I hadn't seen that. I just thought maybe it's on like a delicious bagel or something. Is that Riveta?

Ravita, crackers, cottage cheese, avo, tomato. Avo looks good. It's good, it's good. You picked a good avo. It's hard to find a good avo at the moment. It is. Jeez, even if you get a hard one, they take like two weeks to even get to edible, don't they? Yeah.

Put them next to the bananas and everything. They're working hard. And you miss it and it's brown. You're like, oh, I had like a two-day window. Sometimes they go from rock hard to rotten within 24 hours. Yeah. Anyway, we're not here complaining about avocados. But avocados, they are.

I would like to. Tell you what it's been a little bit of a hack in our household. I've only just discovered, might have been around for ages. They actually have the spreadable stuff in the fridge. Have you seen that? Don't wince. Yeah, it doesn't taste the same.

No. But I know you can get it as well. Yeah, you can. Yeah, for the lazy louts. They really do just give you a very small window, don't they? Yeah. Hard, hard, hard, hard, hard, now eat you. You miss it.

Mist it. Miss it. It's on you. Go buy more of me for 20 bucks It's like if you're speeding along like a motorway Say 100Ks And all of a sudden something That's to turn off you're like whoa

You know you just can't get back there You know You don't even so you might not be in the mood for avocado When it's ready Yeah exactly Anyway we'll enjoy your lunch Thanks And you enjoy the podcast

We do a lot of recapping Reflecting on the 10K race last week A generous act from our rivals in the afternoon show Maddie and PJ You'll hear about Now that I'm finally eating I might have been a little bit grumpy. I might have been hangary during the show, so I apologize to that.

Megan said she had a whingy eight to nine hour. So you'll hear that all edited back to back. I'm sorry. Without the songs and ads in between. Oh, God. There we go. Have you whatever you're eating and then we'll get to that. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast.

The Hits. Last week, we were both shows, the afternoon show and us were out and about all over New Zealand. The Hits $10,000 race. Yes, so we raced. We had the North Island, Maddie and PJ had the South Island. It was the first to the beehive. Which secure themselves in their show $10,000 to give away however they wanted. Yeah, we hitchhiked through both islands, and as luck would have it, their ferry departed 15 minutes late.

But turned up 20 minutes early, Maddie and PJ took it out. They were the first to the beehive. Yeah, well done to Maddie and PJ. It was very close. We were tracking them on the ferry tracker in the car. We were trying to race from Palmerston North to Wellington. It was within about a 10-minute window at the end of the race. Because we could see, you can follow it.

We could see the boat literally parking. And it was early. Turns out that Maddie and BJ had gone up to the, do you say cockpit? Yep. Up to the... Deep into the cockpit. And persuaded them to go a little bit faster. Bluebridge.

Bluebridge, absolutely delivered for them. Although, however Bluebridge have made a ride for their own back now, because now if they're ever running late, they'll be like, hey, for the novelty radio race, you turn to them. up, you left late, you turn up 20 minutes early, but it's like when the airline goes, we can make up a bit of a time of the air. You're like, well, do that all the time.

Like, just go that fast all the time. If you can go faster, anyway, it's not the time to solve that problem. But as we were driving to Wellington, in a bit of a stressed-out situation, thanks to Patty the Baddy and his Suzuki Swift, he pushed that thing to its emotional limits, that swift. We started brainstorming what would we do with the money if we want.

If we won, right? If we win, we'll give them five grand. A wonderful gesture. If we actually win, we give them five grand, haven't we? That's not what we said. We said, if they win, we're going to be like, oh, well, as the people show,

we were going to spread five grand for you or show five grand for our show. If we win, the 10 grand is ours. Suckos! That's our game plan, Patty. If Patty's got an impassion speech you'll like to make, if we lose, what are you going to say? Well, there's five people, and whoever the winner is, you could give two grand to the other ones each.

So then you've got, so Mattie and PJ would get four grand and you guys would get six grand bamboozled them with numbers couldn't quite get Paddy's logic on that one so that was well I was okay with giving them five grand but Megan was like no

we'll just say we'll go need if we lose no I knew your plan all along you're going to throw me under the bus yeah I did and we're live after Mattie and PJ and he's doing it again now live after Maddie and PJ had won the race

is what we had to say to them we did promise them the five grand But then they actually, they phoned you, didn't they? They did, yeah. We kind of felt like we put them on the spot. This is, this makes us feel like horrible human beings, because this is Friday afternoon, you got a phone call? Well, Ben, we put it out to the pay pole.

Listening to the show earlier this afternoon, and we have decided that we're going to give you $4,000 to give away on your show, and we'll keep six, so then we get majority, but then it's pretty much split. Wow. Are you really? Truly, because honestly, Ben, this has just been the best, most fun, unbelievable week. Yeah, but Maddie still wants to win so we get an extra grand. You've still got branding rights.

Yeah, exactly. And you look like even better people now as well, because I don't have any way you've given the money. Do I accept, no, I accept because it's not for us. It's to give to people that we're going to be the top of the day. So they've, the philanthropic efforts of Maddie and PJ, Wow, now generous, kind, but also suspicious. What? Are we forever in their debt now?

Oh, a little bit, but it's not for us, though. It's not for us. That's the thing. Like, it's for our show to give away. Yeah, so I reckon after. It's not that philanthropic, because they're not getting the money anyway. They didn't, it says who was going to. It's not, they don't get to keep the money.

You're a savage, bro. You were going to give them. They're like, oh, we give away six grand. But it's like, they don't get to keep any of it. We actually get, oh, Liggas, why wonderful is you, she should be it. I look at it. I can tell, Megan was a bit quiet after the race, wasn't you? I couldn't tell if you were tired or upset.

We lost. I was trying. I was trying. But you know Maddie would have been the same. If Maddie had lost, he would not be. He was like, let's go get a drink. I'm like, she was very silent at the drinks. Okay, well, I think it's wonderful.

We got four grand to give away on the show. We need to decide after 8 o'clock and you can help us decide. How are we going to give that money away? So stick with us. Ben and Megan the podcast. Over the weekend, of course, was Valentine's Day on Saturday for those who choose to celebrate it. My daughter was asking me all about the weekend,

and it was hard to bring my... What's Valentine's Day about? Because we were heading away. Didn't catch up with my wife because she was away. We didn't see each other, obviously. She said, what's Valentine's Day about? It was hard not to go. It's just a big commercial thing without, you know?

I was like, oh, some people were into it. It's a good day to celebrate relationship. If you're into it or not. But it doesn't have to be a commercial day. That's what I always say. You don't have to go and buy anything. It's just a special day. Remember that for what you're about to say.

So we don't usually like do anything significant. We're usually just chill. So remember that for what you're about to say. So thanks to Dilmar, our wonderful partners, proud partners of this show. Dillmore are doing the Dillamard do-over. So we can give you $200 cash and a whole lot of Dillmar tea as well. If you've had an underwhelming Valentine's Day, and you're a bit disappointed like Megan.

So why was Love Not in the Air at the Papa's household? Okay, okay. So I don't ever expect anything. But over the years, Andrew has made a tradition. It's kind of the one time he buys me flowers. Okay, okay. So what tradition comes the expectation? Yeah.

Because he was like, you know, like every girl deserves flowers and he always, like, every year would buy me flowers. So this year... Here we go. What did he do this year? No flowers. Do do do do. There were no flowers.

And so he goes, can you just go get my water bottle from your car? And I was like, okay. I went out. So this is on Valentine's Day. Yeah, I went out to my car, opened it. There's no drink bottle. The car inside, though, immaculate. He's cleaned the car.

I turn around and he's standing beside me, like gritting like a Cheshire cat being like, and I cleaned your car. And then I stood back and looked at the outside. and he was like, no, no, not the outside. He's only did the interior. Half the job, okay. He's cleaned the inside. Which is, you know, that is a treat.

Compare it to flowers. You've got three days max with flowers before they start dying, you know. Clean car, that's a good fortnight of enjoyment. It might last, well, who knows, maybe a week, you know. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's also for him. And a lot more effort, you know.

He dries my car sometimes and every time he's like, God, your car's dirty. So it's, you know, technically for him. But I was like, oh, that's nice. It's a 20 minute trip to the florist to get flowers. I'd say an hour, an hour plus to do the interior properly of a vehicle. But is this what romance is when you've been married ages. I mean, could he have done that next weekend as just a chore, potentially? Yeah.

Did he disguise it as a present? Maybe. So, okay, so I'm a little bit underwhelming for you. Well, it's great. I got into the car this morning and I was like, it is clean. Yeah, there you go. It is clean. It's the gift that will keep on giving until you make it dirty again.

Love is in the air. Okay, so like Megan, well, you're a little underwhelmed with your Valentine's Day. Maybe it's something that you normally celebrate or you hoped you were going to be celebrating and your partner. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Hedon's case, he was cleaning the car. That's where her husband was on Saturday. But I would like a ring, I would like it, I'd like it, they'd have a ring for Valentine's Day. A little bit underwhelmed by a lover gesture.

You're saying yes, it is a lovely gesture. Yeah, no, it was great. It was great. But usually like every year, I don't ask for it, but he just gives me flowers. He set a precedent. I know, and I didn't think I cared, but then this year there was no flowers, and I was like, oh. He slipped his toes in the Valentine's game, and he's got to keep doing it. He does, yeah, but now he's also thinking a few years into the marriage, a few years deep into the marriage,

he's like, practicality. Sometimes wins over romance, does it? Yeah. Sometimes, you should appreciate that, Megan. Now, I'm trying to find a different song to lovers in the air, but I feel like... What's wrong with lovers in the air? I mean, it's fine. I just feel like I'm doing...

There's a lot of love songs out there are, but I feel like I'm just doing... Radio in 1990 season playing this. Anyway, you're a little bit underwhelmed by your Valentine's Day. We've got $200 to give away to one caller right now. I know 800 the hits and some Dilma tea as well. Thanks to Dilma. It's the Dilma do-over.

Happy New Year to you, Shania. Happy New Year to you too. Lovers in the air, apparently. Not at your house, though. What happened? Well, so the day before Valentine's Day is our wedding anniversary and this year we hit 21 years. Oh, congrats. Congrats.

Congrats. Thank you. And I started getting a cold, and then we had plans to go away Saturday night. And then the Airbnb got flooded with the bad weather, so we couldn't go. So we spent all weekend at home, and I was nursing a cold, so that was fun. Okay. Well, that's not down to his negligence. Oh, yeah, but that's still disappointing, though, isn't it?

Okay, we'll take another call. You hold here. Shinaw are in the running for 200. Jamie, it's a happy new year to you. underwhelming Valentine's Day. What happened, mate? Well, I feel a bit mean.

He said, got up and he said, oh, and happy Valentine's Day and went to kiss me and I was like, wait, no, no,

I don't believe in Valentine's Day. You should love me every single day. I love you every single day. We celebrate love every day, not on this day. Oh, so this is the one day you weren't to smoochid? You're like, not today.

I'm not, fair enough. It's too commercial. I'm not kissing commercial. My lips aren't selling out for anything. Okay. I like, okay. Denied him love, what I would say.

Now she's like, oh, I regret it. Okay, on the draw, okay. So far on these two occasions, the partners haven't been letting them down. Yeah, yeah, you're right. Here to Taranaki and Dana. Good morning. Good morning. And lovely to have you on.

Is the weather rough in your place? Yeah, it's raining and I'm driving to work. Oh, be careful. Be careful. on those roads and you sounded a little depressed, a little dead inside after Valentine's Day. What happened? So we planned to do our valentines on the Friday

because we were having a family day on the Saturday with the kids. We go to the warehouse. My husband's like, yeah, go buy it, I'll buy it for you. We get to check out and he walks off. What was he buying for you? He was trying to get me to buy everything and then I had to pay for all my things myself anyway.

He's like, go night. babe, I'll get it. I'll get it. Pretty much. And then he walks off. Oh, that's how sounds quite underwhelming. You went for a shopping spree? Yeah, maybe the car needed moving or something.

He had a P60 or something, you know? It might have been one of those occasions. I'll tell you what, I feel like he may have let you down there, so Dilmar's not going to let you down. We're going to give you $200 and a Dilmarte prize pack as well. Oh, that's amazing. Hey, congratulations. Congratulations.

Thank you. And thank you to Jamie and Schneier as well. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Hits. A big week for 660 last week on Friday release their fifth studio album right here right now and also played the New Zealand Convention City to open that up and they join us in the studio. Jai, Chris Amacho from 660.

Welcome. Hey. Yeah, great. New album, fifth album? Very exciting. Yeah. Oh, hell you, man. I can't wait to finally share all our hard mahie with the world.

What does it feel like the album release week? I'm sure it's different for everyone personally it's like kind of the most anxious time what makes you anxious about it we've worked really hard really proud of it you want people to enjoy it yeah yeah that's a point right

their minimum you just like it buy it oh yeah buy it absolutely buy it and buy it yeah yeah and like the best music you write is quite revealing of your truth you know so it's like very you're about to like show everyone your diary or something

yeah It's a vulnerable position you put yourself in. I really love how we made it. It feels like the message behind that, you know, it's kind of cool you guys looking back at, you know, probably when you first started. It's to think of all the things you've done, whether it's Sydney Opera House or State of Origin

or First at Eden Park, all those things. It's probably quite good. You probably forget about some of those things because you're just looking for the next thing. I reckon it's natural quote for everyone to be like looking at the next horizon and continue striving. And maybe it's a little more heightened as an artist and creative.

I'm sure you guys understand that. We haven't made it by the way We're just We're just scrambling Constantly scrambling We're waiting to release our song But the first as well You guys have been the first to do so many things

Which is really cool Convention Centre All of course Eden Park as well Cross Church Stadium I've got my niece who's got a first birthday next year Do you guys want to play that And that's a list of first as well But it's kind of cool being historic

The being the first to do a lot of these things Even hearing you list off a few of those It's funny how quickly you forget, because I was like, oh, yeah. We were just on the Sydney Opera House steps, and whether it's doing that or like, you know, playing in the Chatham Islands last year. You're just, just those kind of first, you know, no matter the scale, they all seem to be incredibly special. Because you travel a lot overseas as well. Is there been like a really unusual country you've been travelling through and you've met fans? Guam?

What? Yeah. That was weird. We got there. I don't know what. There was like a festival or something and we got booked and I don't think it made a whole lot of financial sense to go but I think we're all like, well, we obviously have to go to Guam. Because why wouldn't we?

So I think we went there and then we had the radio station on and we were going from the airport and they were just playing YouTube rips of like real old, like before I was even in the band of just like these old jams that these guys did in their bedroom just off YouTube. And that's what they were playing on the radio. People loved them. Which is funny because it shows. you what can make radio. Yeah.

But then we got up on the stadium. No mixing. But then we got up to do the festival. We played a bunch of new stuff and they couldn't care less. We're on the YouTube clips. Geez, they were deep into your

cataloging. Wow. Also, Belcletha as well. They're just reading on one roof. They're selling the house, a six bedroom house. I saw that. So you're 660 stayed here.

That's one of the big selling points on one. It's a beautiful house. It's a beautiful house. Well, yeah, I was going to say, it's a good. Six. your dreams looks quite historic looks lovely and that's the big yeah we haven't flushed the toilet soon six six seven four you go actually much you we wanted a we challenge for you that's okay

uh there's an app that we uh that we found and you need to sing us a line you can sing any line from one of your songs into the app and then it'll reverse it back and then you have to try and mimic it to see how close you get to that when we play it back you're understand as we do it I didn't give a very I know it's perfect, Ben, thank you. No more questions. Even I'm confused and we've played it so many times. You sing it forwards, we reverse it, you copy the reverse, and we see how well we did. Thank you, Megan.

That was a lot better. I don't know what then. All right, anyway, so you can sing any line. Don't make it too long. Hold it down or tap it. I can't remember it. I know it's been a bumpy road. This is what you just sung in reverse that you have to try and mimic.

That's everyone's first reaction We'll keep playing it back Glory to my bunnet Stay onah Glory not Oneep stowa'na Glory not one at stowa'i na Okay, we're right

So now you're going to sing your own lyric in reverse And here we go Glory not somewhere Soe'i nah Okay I think that sounds pretty good. Let's have a go. Andy Watson was nine year old.

Yeah, no. You've got the melody. I think we can finally put to bed the fast-grown rumor that we've been backwards chaining all of our tracks with demonic lines. Because that wasn't it. It was the right tune, that's for sure.

If you want to win a signed copy of their brand new album, 660s right here right now, Text album to 4487. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The hits. It's some really lovely New Zealanders last week, didn't we? We did. Lots of people who went right out of their way to help us.

Pretty much everyone that gave us a ride went way way. It was just incredible. And some great people. Great people. Like Chris, he took us from Hamilton to Tito. Got talking with Chris, didn't we, and his Ford Ranger, and he works in the glass industry. You know, they don't make glass in New Zealand.

No, that was wild. And make it in Italy. I mean, they do. Apparently it makes it, but it's not as good. Not as good as the Italian glass. Yeah, Italy. Yes, it comes over. And they ship it over in big panels.

How much glass are we bringing into the country? And how are they padding that so it doesn't break? I know, exactly. We didn't have long enough with Chris. No, Chris was great. He bought us drinks and snacks and all sorts as well. But where I feel I was living in a bit of a lie with Chris is he's also got a number of race cars as well. He's into, you know, his race car driver.

You had some good Formula One conversation with him. And then he was like, oh, what sort of cars do you have? And he said, oh, you used to have old in Kingswood, didn't you? And I did used to have an old, 1975 old car. And he, rightfully so, probably assumed I was a full car guy. Now, I'm a top-level car guy. I can, you know, maneuver my way through some light dusting of car conversation. I guess you worked at the rock for many years.

He had an old classic car. People would think you were. Well, you had an old classic car, so you'd think you should be a car guy. Yeah, give me five minutes. I can walk away. I could walk away, you'd be like, oh, yeah, he knows his cars. Any longer than that, I'm lost. Because Chris started getting into the specifications of all of his cars.

Engine numbers, throttle numbers, you know, he really started to deep dive. And I didn't want to give up that. I didn't know what he was talking about. I just kept going. I wondered how much of it was going in. Not much of it, not much. And I was like, you just need that talk, don't you? I just tried to chuck in some things to sort of keep the conversation rolling.

Well, he was talking about talk at one point. And then he always looked at you like, are you impressed? Like a drop a stat and then like, wait? Yeah. Yeah, that's... There was probably 90% of the stuff that he did mention that I was like, I don't have any idea what he was. And I'm hoping he wasn't going to ask me any follow-up questions.

You do her in the back. You just kept being like, oh, yeah? Yeah. So if you mind, can I just call Chris to see if he knew? Okay. Probably deep down he knew, but maybe he didn't, maybe not. Well, the way he kept looking at Jono for like a real. action.

Because it was a good half an hour of car specifics. And I'll just want to know if I put on a convincing performance. So you didn't want to tell him at the time, but you're happy to tell him now. Yeah. Chris, speaking. Chris, it's Jono Ben and Megan, mate. How are you? How are you, buddy?

We had a great ride with you. It was great on Friday. It was a Friday. It was a whirlwind last week. Yeah. Thursday. Awesome. Yeah.

Yeah. Hey, listen, want to thank you firstly for the lift and your generosity, too. But Chris, I need to confess something. I need to confess something. Yes. You know when you were talking about all of the specifics of your race cars? Yes. And I was pretending I knew what all of the technical terms meant.

You mean glazed over? He knew. He knew. It's not the glass that's got the glazing for you. Not just the glass. It's also John his eyes. Chris knew. He knew all along.

Did it get to the point where you were like, I'm just going to bamboozle this guy? I was like, is he starting to make up car parts just to play a game with me? I thought John I was the conversation man. He kept it going, but he had no idea what you were talking about. Hey, Chris, something else was really impressive just quickly was how dedicated to the hits you are. Like on your radio, like all the presets were all the hits. Yeah, I travel around the country a lot, so I don't want to miss much.

So he has got every hits local station programmed in from the bottom of the south to the top of the This whole preset is just the hits. Everywhere that Maddie and PJ and us went last week, you've got, you can listen to The Hits anywhere we went. It was incredible. Well, lovely to meet you. Thanks so much for your generosity. It was incredible to hang out with you and for you to go out of your way.

So thank you. No part of all. Awesome. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Hits. Morning. Producer Troy has provided a lot of joy for this show because he goes to concerts and gigs and he records himself singing along with the artist or singing over the artist

and then we play it next morning on the radio. This was him at Laneway. Sully! Salo! There's on some fun in a while. Now, You're actually quite a good singer too, Troy, so we shouldn't mock you for that.

But, you know, a lot of times people go to concerts nowadays. They just film and they say, and there's never any use for that footage in the future unless it's like a catastrophe at the show and they make a documentary on Netflix. Yeah, I mean, you might show one or two people the next day or whatever, and then after that, you don't normally look at back at too much stuff, right? But thankfully, we've got a radio show, so we get to make use of this.

Now, Ben, you're daubing yourself. Yeah, well, I went along to 660. They had their album out. They actually joined us after 8 o'clock this morning. The lads from 660, but they opened up the new convention center, the New Zealand Convention Centre. So I went along there with my daughter on Friday night to see them to perform. And I recorded a few bits of audio, but this was one of the moments that,

I'm not a great singer or anything like that, but this was one of those moments. And you can just hear when I say, sing the word and no one else sings along, you know, I've got the wrong part of the song. Just slightly. Have a listen. Here's the audio for 660. And you start singing for it? And you lose confidence because you're the only one singing.

It was just one of those sisters. And it was like much in the least thinking, didn't do the forever on that bit, but I did. And then I lost. Yeah, my daughter laughed at me. It's like, oh no. Yeah. And it's like when you're singing along to a song on the radio or something in the car and you get the wrong bit,

you're the only one singing. I don't know what's so humbling or something. You go high and they go low and you're like, oh. This is for, eh, but I really lost confidence in that one. I know your phone picks it up, but do other people hear you around you in a concert? Is that what they're hearing? Well, hopefully everyone's in their own buzz. But in this instance, I was definitely singing by myself, you know, that one word wasn't the part of the song that I should be singing.

I'm taking here, Marchu. I used to go to gigs with my ex-husband and people would, always tap him on the shoulder and be like, we didn't pay to come hear you. Oh, yeah, because he's an amazing singer too. No, my ex-husband. He's not. That's why she upgraded to a new one who could.

Yes, okay. Everyone would be like, show. You want to sing along. You want to sing along. I said, a lot of confidence. Good on him. A lot of confidence and not a lot of talent. Sometimes it would be nice just to have the words up.

You know, just to have the words so we can all know and sing along. Instead of all your fancy graphic, and explosions on the big screen. Have the lyrics, you're right, Ben. If you're a fan, you should know them. So he is a fan of 660 and sometimes you're like, you do forget. That was not the part of the song that said forever. Forget the structure of the song, don't you?

That would be really nice. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Hats. We raced the North Island, Matt and PJ from the afternoon's race to the south. It was the race to Wellington to get their hands on a briefcase with $10,000 to give away. However they wanted as a show. thank you again to everyone that helped us out on their journey and all the techs and people

that were so invested in the journey as well it was really fun it was so good you know so much sadness in the world it gave me hope and humanity to us as well it just just shows the kindness of people out there this is cool it's really a wholesome thing but it wasn't so wholesome on Friday

was it when we saw this big smug face to me. Maddie McLeod and PJ from the afternoon they ended up winning the Bluebridge fairy just putting the guns down out on the cook straight, left 15 minutes late, arrived half an hour early. So big scenes, if you want to see the video actually just text Race

to 4, 4, 8, 7, I noticed. Even like people tooting and cheering in the background when Manny and PJ won. It was cool. They went and hid when we got up there as well. And I knew as soon as I put our hands of the briefcases, and they opened it. It's like, there's no money. Yeah, I know, you did. And they did. And they popped out of one of the bushes at Parliament,

you know where all the anti-vaxes were camping. Popped out, it was so big smiles on their faces. Anyway, generously, Ben, they called you Friday afternoon and said, listen, we want to split the prize money with you. They're going to keep six and they offered you four. And rightfully so, you kindly accept it. Yeah, well, as a show, I thought, it's not for me. It's not for me.

It's to give away to people that listen. I thought, well, no, it was just to give to me. I'll be like, no, no, they won it fair and square. But I was like, okay. No, it's for the people. Megan's letting her pride get in the way. I'm not saying I don't want it. I'm just saying you're, like, so grateful, but it's not their money.

So they don't have to do it, Megan. Mani McLean's been texting you. He's upset that you'd have a crack at as philanthropy. How's that smug face this morning? How's that smug face? As the smuggers are all right. This is unbelievable. You know what?

We talk a lot on our show about how competitive I am. I truly think that Megan Puppas takes the case. I reckon. Oh, she does. She still wound up about it three minutes. Did you notice at this celebration lunch? She didn't say a word. Oh, I did.

Oh, I absolutely did. I was just tired. Tired. She's seething. She's been seething all weekend. I'm like, this is a wonderful thing you guys and your list is decided. So thank you, Maddie. Can I say from me?

Thank you. That's great. It's great. I'm happy that we can take the money that you were going to give away on your show and just give it away on our show at a different time of the day. Stop it, Megan. So, Maddie, we would like to say on behalf of our show, and we speak for Megan, thank you. Thank you for the generosity. But also, we don't know how well Maddie would have taken it because he didn't lose.

That doesn't matter though. So you know, like I think that Maddie probably would have taken it the same as me. Maddie, I feel like there's going to be a rematch at some stage. Yeah, I think so. Maybe we can put that theory to the test. You know you're a sore loser, Maddie. Okay. And so am I.

It's okay. Thanks for the cash, Maddie, anyway. We will take the cash. Have you figured out how you're going to give it away? Because we're still thinking about it on our side. That's what we're just about to do right now. So thank you for the four grand that two of us would like to take from the show.

One of us, for pride-based reasons, wants to throw it back in your face. We'll sit it out. We'll sit it out. Can I hear Megan say the words, well done, Maddie? Can I see if she can top and say it? Did I say that on Friday?

I don't know that you did. Say it again. Well done, Maddie. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The Hats. We've watched our 10K race through the country against Maddie and PJ on Friday. And they won.

Congratulations. they've given us half their prize money to give away. Thank you so much. Thank you. So grateful. Megan then lost, so she'd just lost the race. The most competitive person on station had just lost the race. So icy conditions, okay, to begin with.

Then what happened? We were all a little bit tired. Yeah, it had a big wake. Yeah. I mean, they had a lot of naps, but despite your naps, you'd had big, a big big big week. I think I go about six videos of you falling asleep. Even on the way to the air, from the restaurant to the airport on the last day, Excuse me, there was like, one day was like a 16 hour day.

So, so me if I had a little sleepy in the car. God, you guys are annoying sometimes. I feel like a week he wasn't long enough away from you two after a week. So, they wanted to have a celebratory lunch, the winners. Maddie and PJ wanted to host us at their celebratory lunch. Yeah, Maddie's like, come and have a drink. They didn't pay for it, by the way, but yeah. No, maybe they should have.

Anyway, and I'm very well aware I've done a lot of winging this morning in the grand scheme of things. I'm okay, life's great, okay? It's a whingey Monday. You get that out of the way early. It's Monday. No one likes Monday. Well, producer Troy packed a tote bag. Like, I don't even know how he did it.

Kudos. He had like a little bag for the whole week. That's all week. Yeah, yeah, right. And Ben and I, we had... Didn't have toothpaste, though. He kept borrowing my toothpaste. No, yeah.

Didn't have a lot of things. There was a lot of things didn't have, no. But I never packed light. I had a suitcase, a wheelie suitcase. Yeah. But when I checked in to fly home, it was like 23.2 KGs. Two Ben Voices. She was big.

She was heavy. And so everyone's like, let's go get a drink. And I went along, but everyone's like, it's just around the corner. We'll walk. It's a short walk with Troy's words. It's a short walk. I don't know how many times I've been on the show with you guys and you're like, we'll just walk.

Yeah, I know. And it's never a short walk. And you're always wearing sneakers. And I'm often not. She's in high heels. Yeah. And I was traipsing through the streets of Central Wellington. with Megan behind me

and I'll like her here was and I turn around I'd be like Is everything okay? I'm trying to maneuver and drag this 23 KG suitcase I also don't think the people of Wellington were that stoked either They're like oh my God

Get out of the way It's busy, it's busy, etc And then she's like Why? Do they have to put these bumpy things On the thing by the pedestrian crossing And I was like You know those yellow bumps on the road?

And so blind people don't walk out Into the road and get run over Oh my God Why didn't you tell me that? She couldn't get her wheels over them. Well, get rid of them because Megan wants to get a suitcase across the road. I had no idea. I thought everyone knew that's what they were for.

I had no idea. Oh my God. No, we'll scram around the country for you. But I'm with you, Megan. Producer Troy said short walk. Now, two completely different sports. Short walk, no bags, short walk. Sneakers, no bag.

Yeah. We had a lovely time, me and just Troy walked along where I thought it was a short walk. But hey, I was behind you know, we were just chatting away, weren't we? I was dragging the back. And then we get there and you and Troy are sitting down already drinking and I'm like sweating, dragging my suitcase. Because we're all behind you. But maybe Jono. Maybe Jono took you on a loop or something.

Did you take me the long way? I might have turned a short walk into a long walk. Well, even though we have a meeting and once a month with the hits, and that's a couple of floors up. Going up the stairs from me is a no-no. I've discovered as well too. She's like, you always drag me up the stairs. I'm like, it's quicker. Just a lift right there.

I know, but the stairs are really steep when you're in heels. So that I've found. So that was what you were. walks was a lot further than that. What justifies a short, when does a short walk go into a long one? How many minutes? Like a five minute walk is what he made it seem like. It was like 15 minutes.

John O'Venn and Megan, the podcast. The hits. Also, the Sal GP was on and the blackfoils after taking out the first race in Auckland. Huge crash in the second one. Oh, Robert. And the black foils collide with D.S. Team France. I love. I love.

Were they both on the same channel? Yeah, I think those two commentators. It's like our radio show. Everyone talking all over each other. Why don't we play that and we'll all talk over that too. We're going. Oh, we're going to get a lot. They're okay.

Yeah, genuinely, very scary stuff out there on the water though. Fortunately, everyone is okay, but one of the sailors has ended up in hospital with double fractured legs. Had surgery. And New Zealand couldn't compete in the final day of the. LGP in Auckland as well. You can hear that panting in the background. Just Grace. I haven't been following any of this.

I'm finding this out. She's re-ussed. And they go so fast. It's like Formula One on the water and those boats. Yeah, so yeah. Yeah, bro. The French boat, wasn't it? Smashed into his legs, bro. It's always the French. Yeah, it's always the French. Anyway, high-octane stuff on the water, very exhilarating. Grace, your

excuse this morning that you sent to producer Troy as to why you'd be late to work is questionable. Well, to be, so I have my brother wedding this weekend. So lots of, lots of stuff going on. Congratulations. To your brother. Okay, amazing. And I have to leave a key out for my sister-in-law. And I was trying to get the key out this morning and I couldn't get it. Like it was completely stuck the key to my house. I was pulling it and it was stuck. To the key ring. The key ring, yes. So it took me about 10 minutes and

I messaged producer Troy said, Soz King, running late, have to leave a key out and cannot get it off my key ring. And then Troy said this might possibly be the worst excuse I've ever heard. And I went, no, my keys are here right now. They're completely demolished. into pieces, I ended up breaking it to get the key off, because the bride gets what she wants, you know? Why was it stuck on? I don't know. I just have stupid keys.

You're spending any longer than a minute removing a key from the key ring. It's not coming off. No, but what was I meant to do? I had to get the key out so she could get to my house early. So what did you end up breaking the key or the little... I ended up breaking a piece that's attached to my key? I don't know. I was ripping a lot.

I was getting really... I had to get my flatmate to help me. Felt like a Sunday night job to me. Oh, don't be a dick, John. Because you think keys come off easily I'll just do it in the morning You see? You do have long nails

No it's when you have long nails You can like push them in It's more helpful I've got you brought it in Because if you hadn't bought it in I would like this Proof This is proof guys

Show you're working Because it does seem like a pretty lame excuse It does On the surface But I can't Yeah I can't happen I feel like

If it wasn't the truth You'd make up something else I'd make up something way better You make up a better lie than that Yeah You'd say you're sick or something So I'd wait a hundred the hits. We want to chuck this open. Early morning stuff.

4487 is the text number here. This is what we want. Your lamest excuse for being late. My lamest excuse for just anything. Like, why you didn't go to a vent, why you're not going to turn up and something? Just this is the lamest excuse that you've actually gone, oh well, it may be legit, but it may be also. Even when you're giving the lame excuses, you know that the people you're

giving them to aren't buying them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. John O'Ben and Megan. The podcast. The Hits. I wanted to know the lamest excuses after The producer Grace said she can get a key off a key ring this morning. That's why she was running late. The text has come through.

Just excuse her use, sorry I'm late. I didn't want to come in. That is great honesty though, isn't it? Yeah, it is. Sometimes you just prefer that rather than being lied to. Yeah. So why can't you make it? Because I don't really want to come.

You know, like... Sorry, I'm late. I was just really slow this morning. I like the dog one. The dog one's pretty good. My regular excuse is my dog won't eat. But he's a diabetic so he has to eat. It's a genuine reason, but really lame.

It does sound on the surface, like, you'd be like, yeah, the dog won't eat. You're like, what, dogs always eat, you know? Yeah, sometimes when I'm running late and I always, for some reason, I find myself running late in the morning. The dog always needs to go to the toilet, and you can't rush animals when they need to go to the toilet. And even when I text you guys, I'm like,

I having to wait for the dog to go to the toilet, I'm like, this is weak. It's a watery. And they sniff around forever. You're like, just go. Yeah. Trying to find the perfect spot for that poo. But then you've just got to let him potter.

You've got to let them do their thing. But it doesn't come across as a strong excuse. You can keep these coming through. 4487. I remember probably the worst excuse. We were, remember we interviewed Jermaine Clement and Tyker many years ago? That's right.

And they had released, was it what we do in the shadows? Yeah, it was the movie. Movie premiere, yeah. Yeah, they're like, oh, you should come along to the premiere tonight, you guys. Well, it actually been invited along to go along. because we were doing some stuff, but then we had work and so we'd said no, we couldn't RASIP no to it, right?

So they ambushed me in the car park. So in my mind, I'm like, oh well, work's not happening. And they said, well, you should come along. And I was like, oh, we can't because we had something. So we couldn't. And actually, this just shifted, the film, the film had moved, right? Yeah, but the thing we had is now being cancelled. And I could tell, Jermain was like, so, so you're free.

So you're free to come. Come along. Yeah. And I was like, sorry, we can't. He's like, we gave work, but it'd have been cancelled. He's like, you've just explained how free you are. Yeah. If you don't want to come, just so you don't want to come.

Yeah. New Zealand icons personally inviting you. Oh, yeah. And you're like, haven't been invited to another Premier of Jermaine since then. Yeah. Well, you should have said it was like, well, we thought we had work and we didn't. Yeah.

And that's why we couldn't have made it. No, it's freed up. Yeah. But obviously, you clearly didn't want to go. I fumbled. Bumbled badly. Bumble. The podcast.

The Hats. I popped over with my daughter to see the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which is coming to Eden Park in New Zealand this week. Got to see it before it comes to New Zealand. Yeah, Eden Park also just this morning announced a whole swag of gigs. They're getting double, triple the amount of gigs for Eden Park, which is awesome. And state of origin next year has been confirmed as well.

We get one of the games. Helen Clark will be happy. That's what everyone's saying. She's like, I'm not the only one here. Clarkie will be pumped. To be fair, she's probably representing a huge group of people, She takes it on the gender. Yeah, right, she's the spokesperson of that, yeah.

So I did really know what to experience with the tattoo as well, you know, but it's a pretty incredible thing to win. It's over a thousand performers from all over the world. There's like 30 different acts, including a couple of New Zealand acts. It was a Kappa Harka group. There was New Zealand Army Band are incredible. They come out and they had like a mash-up between, they played some 660, they had a little bit of Ozzy Osbourne.

They had Shania. They were doing their thing, that candy, me. I was like, cool. And sometimes there's more traditional stuff. Other times, I think we might even have one of the groups of Mof C, Spain, Bluey, is that up there as well? Not the Blue. It goes Bluey, doing Bluey.

Someone busted out Bluey as well as the military brass band, which is pretty cool. But I witnessed the loudest thing beforehand because they were like, do you want to hear them warm up? I was like, oh yeah, they warm up. Now, normally they do it outside because it was raining. They did it under the stand. And this is in Brisbane. Oh, how are the acoustics under the stand?

And this is a thousand, over a thousand bagpipes, drums, all together. And I don't know if the audio quite sells it, but geez, it was loud. Okay, this is the sound of over a thousand performers under Sunport Stadium warming up. I don't even hear me, honestly. I can't even hear myself. There's bag vibes, this drum. Well, you probably can hear that. It was so loud.

It was loud. And they did about five or six songs, and we stood around watching. And I don't want to be rude, but I was like, I need to put my fingers in my ears. I know. It's incredible. The performers, but I was like, this is just 20 minutes. It's just so loud in that environment. They all got earplugs and stuff, all the performers for that because it's so loud.

But it really is a really cool thing to watch. They're glad that they're playing a song together because when you said they're warming up, I just imagine they're all going, pah, he, ha, like just doing their own thing. Yeah, right. No, they kind of coordinated it. I mean, the whole thing with the marching and coordination is pretty incredible, how they don't bump into each other and all this stuff. I'm so excited to see it.

It's a really cool thing. That's fireworks. massive screen and stuff. So it's really cool. But I don't know how also too, my daughter and I because we're watching and then we're like, oh, you need to go watch the show now. And then the lady was like,

the lady was looking after us. It was like, oh, you can watch in here. And we walked in people with air pieces of people in like military uniforms. I was like, we are definitely in the wrong room. What were you wearing? Well, I was wearing a shirt. I felt a little like overdressed outside.

And then going to the room was like, I felt very underdressed. I was if we get into the room, they're like, please welcome the governor of Queensland up to the stage. We're like, oh wow, we are definitely at the wrong room. Yeah, everyone in their military uniforms as well. So it's a very cool thing that's happening this week at Ian Park. Yeah, my daughter just keeps saying, military tattoo, with a Scottish voice. She just keeps repeating that all weekend.

And I was like, why are you talking like a crazy Scotsman? She said, oh, there's a ad on your radio. We must be playing. For the military tattoo. So that's coming this weekend, looking forward to that. Air plugs? Oh, well, no, not for the concert. No, no, for the actual thing.

Airplugs if you see the warm up, which I understand. Avoid the rehearsal. Yeah, but not. I'm in a big full stadium of, you know, people. It's great. And next time you sneak off to Australia. Oh, you're a friend. I didn't tell you.

I'm like, what if something had happened? You didn't even tell us. I just saw on Instagram. Oh, yeah, true. So, yeah, I'm like, a drug dealer. He just pops up in random countries. You're like, what you got to? I left the country after we've traveled all around this country.

Three o'clock alarm on Saturday morning after our week away. That was definitely what I wanted. But, yeah, it was great. It was great to experience. Go check it out. Eden Park this week. John O'Ne and Megan. The podcast.

The hits. Sabrina, lovely to see you. Good to be back. Would you guys like another challenge? Not like that cool. Like an even challenge with the drive show, the Arvo show. But no, nice to see you. Thanks for your help throughout the 10K challenge.

No worries. Yeah, you guys fresh again. Yeah, no, feeling good. Yeah, feeling good. I feel like there's an ulterior motive to a brilliant. To be honest, you make me nervous. Yeah. She's coming to the studio, a big smile in your face.

What's going on? I do have a major development in the 10K race. They cheated. Well, no, nothing like that. But it does concern you guys. Okay. Oh God. So the last stretch of the challenge, you know, you're going into Wellington, there was a particular

stretch of road that sort of slowed you down a wee bit, right? Oh, the transmission gully? Yeah, yeah. Because they were doing road works and you could only do, what, 30Ks, I think, through there. So that really slowed you down. I reckon, like, had that not been there, you possibly would have won. Yeah, there was a couple times we did stop. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, I'd say there was probably 10 minutes, at least 10 minutes of hold-up. And that was the difference between winning and losing of the race. 10 minutes. Yeah. What's your point? Well, I have an update because today they've reopened that stretch of road and it's 1-10. No!

Oh my gosh. They've made it faster. Today? Today. There's nothing we can do about it. Those are the conditions. Do you know another text that's come through? Oh, this is something we need to get on to more tomorrow.

Someone was saying, technically they had four hours extra racing time than we did. Because we did three broadcasts, they only did two broadcaster. So we should have started at three the day before and had the four, three to seven, then tools down. He had more shows and less race time. That was just three. So we had four more hours, we would have been, oh geez, we'd have been onto our third course at a restaurant, you know, the time they'd arrive, you know? Plus those challenges, love.

Who had further to travel, though? Have we done like the exact distance? That's a really good question. Yeah, good question. Yeah. If we're going to get really pedantic over... Because they had all the way, obviously, from Bluff all the way to Wellington. The distance between Bluff and Wellington is 1,100 kilometres.

Oh, okay, okay. Including the 92K crossing of Cook Strait. Yeah. And distance between... The above Fungere is very deceptive. It's just up the road, isn't it? Oh, wow. They were 1,100, we were 150.

Oh, wow. So pretty, have it? Pretty close. Yeah. Except for the race time and the amount of shows. Well, we can talk about this in the post meeting. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And then the debrief.

The transmission gully is open. I know. 30Ks compared to 110. So that's why they were doing the roadworks, I think, was to, because I think it's the first time that stretch of road has ever been 110. So. I wouldn't put this past, Maddie Maclean. He managed to get the Blue Bridge to fang it across the Cook Strait. He's a powerful player.

He was on breakfast television for many years. He's got many contacts from his crosses around the country.