Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL SHOW: Myth-Testing NZ’s Two Degrees of Separation Theory!

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

On today’s show: Weirdest punishments parents actually use! Megan makes her kids watch terrestrial TV Ben is being gaslighted by his teenagers... Our most talked-about Dear Megan yet! “We saved for a decade for a trip, but now a single friend wants cash instead of the partner spot she doesn’t have.” This simple alteration hack could save you hundreds of dollars! Can you use a gas station toilet without paying? We debate Two degrees of separation in NZ: We test if two Kiwi strangers can find someone they both know! Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFASTFacebook: 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. Hey, welcome to the podcast on a Tuesday. Great to have you with us. We start by talking about creative punishments that you use as a parent, or maybe it was used on you. A great text I just saw before.

I was sick of my son being naughty at school, so I told him as a creative punishment. He wasn't welcome to sleep in the house just to see what he'd do. I had no tent in the garage. I chucked it at him and said, you're sleeping outside. and had the opposite effect. He loved it.

He was in his element and wanted to stay in the tent. Bear grills. That was great. Survival mode. Leave him out there then. Great character building. I'm independent.

You've got my place. Do what I want. Great. So yeah. You got the tent up himself. You got it all up in there. Wow. You better get them back inside now.

Probably is a little kid's dream actually, isn't it? Yeah. Have your own little tent out there by themselves? So yeah, so it can backfire. Yeah. And in your case, so yeah, it's kind of working, Megan, isn't it? Yeah, I'm trying to think out could backfire, just getting him to watch terrestrial TV. Well, the only way it could backfire is if terrestrial TV ends.

Then you don't have any weaponry. Or if he realizes it's the weekend, he comes running in and wakes me up at 6 a.m. And he's like, can I watch Netflix? Loves his Netflix. What's he watching? Sort of murder crime scene, docos and stuff? Sonic the Hedgehog. Oh, gotcha.

Over and over and over and over again. Yeah. What was the one you were? Oh, the fit one, fit for TV. Have you started watching that one? Oh, no, I need to watch that. A lot of talk about that, the biggest loser. It's the biggest loser, like a documentary on behind the scenes, what it was actually like.

And? Well, I don't think it was very good. Oh, really? Yeah, the China's quite mixed. There's people saying it was, I changed my life, it was great. And other people saying, oh, you shouldn't put people through those, you know, I mean, a lot of doctors are saying it's, you know, people losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time is not good for you, you know, as well.

Also, just the conditions of which, they were kind of encouraged to just exercise all the time and eat as little as possible. So it was almost like a... Well, I mean, it was for money though, wasn't it? Yeah, I think the person... People know what they're signing up for. Well, that's what one of the person said on that... I've only seen the trailer, but they said,

people knew what they're signing out for. And one person was like, hey, it changed my life. For the better, other people have said it was not a good thing to be involved in. So, yeah, it'd be an interesting one to watch. You mentioned the Oprah thing the other day, the famous car giveaway, where everyone got a free car, but they had to pay insurance on it.

And they pay taxes. I think there's a tax when you get gifted. These people weren't very well off. They chose them because. there you know that a car would mean a lot but then they had to pay even though getting a free car they still had to pay some form of sort of money on the car

to win it it's like a tax for winning stuff why didn't Oprah pay the tax so well I think that would be like because a lot of cars it's like 200 and something cars I don't think she bought the cars no but they did pay some money on it I'll have a lot well it's like I've got about hundreds of cars mate what else can I do

but that's the thing I guess when you enter a reality show isn't it I mean it's really to be honest They're producers don't care about you. No. They've got another project to move on to after this one, and it becomes your life, your existence. So I imagine if you're a contestant on there. Yeah.

It's your everything. You know, and then you can be tarnished for the rest of your days for something that you could have been stitched up. But that's the thing a lot of, you say people know what they're signing up for, but like, I don't think a lot of people do. Sometimes they don't.

And often it's probably worse than you imagine. True, true. Yeah. Yeah. For those that probably haven't been involved in the media industry, they probably don't know what they're signing up for. You're right. Yeah.

pretty savvy. Yeah. Well, I didn't say it like that. That's not what I meant, you know? Yeah, yeah. It is for that storyline, mate. Yeah. We'll chop you up.

Ben's been doing some research. Well, yeah, so they had to pay the cars were considered taxable income by the IRS, meaning they had to pay taxes on their free vehicles as well. I still maintain the Oprah show if they were going to give it away. Should have paid the tax for them. I mean, you're trying to just give away some cars. They're trying to do something nice. I know, but then she ended up getting all the PR for it with like...

No actual benefit for anyone. Let's work that out. Okay, so you're saying Oprah, so I'm on the Oprah store, I'm saying $276 cars at $7,000 each. It's American. Okay, you want me. Well, that's only $7,000 each.

Well, this is a tax, American. That's a tax on it as well. So you're wanting me to pay American pretty much, well, 1.9 million. Is that right? Yeah. Yeah. American. So that's $4 million.

You might be paid that. If I'm giving away $276, three cars, and now you want me to pay, $4 million, New Zealand dollars. $4 million. Sorry, I can't do the car. Everybody gets a free car when they couldn't actually afford to drive them away. I just said you get a car, you get a car, you get a car, you get a car, you get a car, with no actual people couldn't afford it.

I said, you get a car. If you want them, you can take them, but you have to pay this tax. But she knew everyone in there couldn't pay the tax. Well, I tell you what, if we in, you know, some move from the radio gods get to interview Oprah when she's here, we'll ask her. Why didn't you just pay it? Why didn't you pay the tax? million dollars you get a car asterisk you get a car terms and conditions apply you get a car terms and conditions apply

you get a car yeah it wouldn't be quite as memorable wouldn't it if you had to say that all right we kick the podcast off with megan's creative punishment for her son bestie have a great day john oh ben and megan the podcast the heads um i have discovered a punishment for my son um which was something that i used to really enjoy when i was little and it's really kind of a sign of times um that so just before everyone comes for me they don't have iPads so this is the only

screen time they get you're quite good about this aren't you what in the weekend they're allowed to watch something right yeah oh you actually police that do you yeah oh geez it's one of the greatest parenting tools ever go you go spend an hour or two on the iPad you do stuff you want to want to buy one

so they don't have those but he enjoys watching like Netflix also knows how to use it knows how to use all the streaming services which is terrifying Yeah, you know what I really enjoy watching as younger kids think everything's a touch screen. I know. Yeah, and they go up to there's fingerprints all over the TV.

Nothing more disappointing to that child than we're like, oh. Even with a laptop or something and they're trying to scroll, pinch it and slow it. You can't do that. I'm not on this one. Actually, my two-year-old daughter can barely like string a sentence together, but she was like, I need a laptop the other day. I was like, oh my God. You do, I have.

Mum will buy your one. No. So, he likes watching Netflix, he likes the streaming services, but hates terrestrial TV because he can't control it. He's the problem. He's the problem with terrestrial TV, but he's just keeping his mouth above water. During the week he knows that he can watch whatever is on TV until he has to go to daycare. He can watch, you know, just whatever's on there.

But he hangs out for the weekend. It's the first thing he asks me, he's like, can I turn Netflix on us at the weekend? but if he's not behaving or not going to have a bath or a shower you're like I'm just going to put on normal TV and he's like no that's child abuse in 2025 not master chef complete with funeral insurance commercial you're putting me through three minutes of ads yeah

I'm going to put the news on and he's like I don't want to watch the news that's confusing for a kid I do remember the first time watching it with my kids so they're like where'd the movie go Like all of a sudden to watch a movie They're like, where to go? And this is ad So they're going to wait three minutes for it to come back

Can you skip them? No, no, I can just appreciate them You just sit there and watch them You can go do something else and try and time it to come back It's like, wait, you're telling me I have to watch what they're telling me to watch What is this? There's something very peaceful about that though

I agree Sometimes it's just like, oh there's too much stuff to choose from Sometimes you just want to turn on country calendar And watch some betler make marmalade out of do you find like at the weekends when there's a movie on like I watch it because I don't know like I could get it without the ads probably on another streaming server but it's kind of comforting watching a movie on the TV well you know the ads they factor in a bit of toilet break stuff it needs to a little clean up in the kitchen have a breather outside it's like a little time out I know that we're going to get TV back from this conversation guys so an unusual form of punishment making besty watch It's a terrestrial TV I'm with them out I'm like oh jeez

Get it done You're watching things In double speed Being in yourself Right's true On streaming services Just to get it done How painful is that

You seem to read So 800 of the hits That's our telephone number I'd love you to call through This morning You can text to 4487 The most creative form of punishment

That maybe you received When you were growing up Maybe you're handing down now Our boss was saying The other day That if he was sick His mum would make him stay in bed

Couldn't leave the bed That was the rule for being sick, you know. She's, that's calling your bluff, isn't it? Yeah, so if you're sick, you stay in bed. A creative form of punishment. That sounds like an absolute dream. Right now.

So I was like, you, I'm sick. Okay, you have to stay in bed all day. Oh, you got me. Okay. No tablet, no tablet. Oh, no device. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

John O'Benn and Megan. The podcast. The hits. So 800 of the hits. Just creative kid punishments. Megan is a form of punishment. You're making you some best. You do what?

Watch terrestrial TV. Normal TV, battle TV He can't choose what's on Monster, monstrous act from you We've got Nicole with us on 0800 The Hits, how are you this morning, Nicole? Yeah, not bad Creative punishments

Was this when you were growing up? No, it's when I created for my niece and nephew Because they were little brats Yeah It's called training date So I'd go and my sister will be like Oh, they're out the gate I can't deal with them anymore

You know, one's flung something over over here and this is happening over here. So, all right, I'll take them on training day. Is this like from the Denzel Washington movie? Sort of, but not as much aggressiveness. Yeah, good. Dial it back a couple of levels. We drive to town, we drive all the way to town.

It's a 30-minute drive, and we drive up to McDonald's, and we have a look at all the kids playing, and we wave to them, and they get to see how much fun they're having, and then we carry on driving, and we go to their favorite park. We see all the kids playing, and we give them a wave until we carry on. Love it. This is so sadistic. Then we head back home and ask them how they've enjoyed their day. And they say they didn't enjoy it because they didn't get to get out and go and do the things.

And I say, well, that's what we call training day. Training you guys into being better human beings, when you behave, you get good things. When you don't behave, you get to watch everyone else have good things. Showing them what they could have. Yeah, look that kid smiling, laughing. That could be you. One day. If you play your cards right.

That's like that line game, but all this could be yours. This is the playground, yeah. One day, Simba. Hey, good on you, and Nicole. Appreciate your time. Yeah, no worries, mate. Elise, with us on our 800 of the hits, creative punishment. Good morning, how are you?

We're doing that, mate. What was the punishment? Well, when we were little, my parents used to put us in the toilet when we misbehaved as time out. And so I've just carried that on with my kids. So the first time my mother-in-law saw me put my son in the toilet for timeout. She was horrified. So you meant in the bathroom, eh, not like,

dunking their head in the... No, no, not dunking the head in the toilet. You should definitely rephrase that. Okay, so they're in the bathroom. You gotcha. They can go to the bathroom then if they want and then they're stuck sitting in the bathroom. Yeah, exactly.

She was horrified. I said it's time out. It's not meant to be fun. What if someone's just been to the bathroom beforehand? It's more of a punishment. But again, though, back to that one we're like calling the bluff if they say they're sick, you say we've got to stay in bed all day.

Being locked in a bathroom sounds like a dream. Damn, doesn't I? Do you? Quite, I remember. Yeah, four hours and a great dream to me. Can I have a bath while I'm in there? The dream would fade eventually, obviously. Georgia, good morning.

Good morning. Creative kid punishments. Were you the victim growing up or were you handing down the justice? No, when I was little, I remember I went to the shops with my mum, and I stole a lolly from one of the shops, and then my mom made me stand in the, like, when I was really busy, like middle of the food, what kind of

and yell out everyone what I just how naughty I was and that I'd stolen the lolly Oh so, okay let's do a reenactment so this is back to

a little nine-year-old Georgia yelling in the food court take it away Oh Um Um I Just like

Re-enactment Please We're live Are you around people Yes Which makes us even better Georgia We're in the We're in the van on the way

a pickleball for a sacred heart cook Okay, we'll yell it out, Georgia Tell them you're on the radio I stole food You stole food, yell louder Georgia You own that crow She stole food And you're a naughty what Georgia

That sounded weird That sounded weird It felt like we're creeping into It's not weird in the ears Sorry, George Come on mate George we're going to hook you out with a prize I appreciate you playing the game this morning

Tell them you're on the radio For goodness sake John O'Bennon and Megan The podcast It's busy You know everyone listening right now We have lots of things on their to-do list And if you're a parent as well

You'll kind of add all that to your list Of things to do No one has a greater to-do list than Ben Boy's day It's the most prolific to-do list Are in the country And I'd feel like I've got a good handle Not a good handle of what to do

but I feel like I'm, in my head, at least I know, whether I'm ticking them all off, that's another story, you know, taking on too much, maybe sometimes, but I feel like things are on my radar at least. Right, okay, so how many things are on activities are on your list at the moment? There's lots of things, you know, with the girls, my daughter's schedule, my wife working and stuff, she works in the evenings and stuff, so I, you know, I take care of all the family stuff, and so my daughter, you know, I was like, is she gaslighting me? I wanted to know this, because she is now going to me, and I feel like she's getting me

at a vulnerable moment she will say something like she did yesterday she's like because I'm going to she'll say it like a statement I'm going to like Zara's this weekend

I'm like well you're what and she'll go remember we had this conversation and I'm not on your to do list and I'm like yeah you know Zara's lovely

I'm like sure she's lovely but you know she's like we talked about this and I'm like did we talk about this or are you gaslighting she's taking full advantage

of Ben Boyce's busy head yeah he's a busy guy and so she's like I can just slide Nothing past it. And in my head, I was like, did we talk? I said, hi, to me.

And I walked away, and I was like, did we talk about, I just, I do not recall talking about this conversation. She's like, yeah, we talked about it. You said it was all good. And I'm like, oh, is she gaslighting me, guys? What's Tina's number? Who's calling out? You know, I was a teenage, actually.

I was a teenage girl once. Yeah. And I used to do that. I used to do that to my parents. It's called manipulation. Yeah. We talked about this. You said it was cool.

Yeah. And then we're like, what? No. No. Because normally I would say. You can't go back on it now. Yeah, I'm getting played, am I? I think so.

Yeah, I feel like I am. I mean, it's at the end of the day, I mean, she can go. Yeah, it's fine, but I feel like those things are probably like, I don't remember having this. You're scooting past the jeopardy of asking. You're just like gaslighting you straight into. It's a powerful moment. In any teenage's career, when you learn to lie and manipulate, you're like, jeez, I can get through life. Pretty sweet doing this.

I can get places. Climb ladders, stomp on people. Especially as a parent where you're like, did I? Did we have that conversation? Playing on my vulnerability, there's so much going on in my head. It must be old age. You must be doing it. Because there is those times that you go into a room and you're like, what was that?

I picked up my phone. I'm like, why did I pick up my phone? Like there was something I was going to, it wasn't to check out Instagram or social media. I literally walk with determination into a room and I'm like, nah. I have no idea why I'm here. And as soon as you start scrolling, you're like, why is a donkey eating a lady? and then it comes out of the back end and you're like, what is this AI video?

And then you're like, there was something I was meant to book before this, I'm going on. But there's a lady covered in donkey gunk on the ground. Too much. How well, too much going on. John O'Ben and Megan. The podcast. The Hits.

Dear Megan. Why seek professional advice when you can come to the unprofessional advice of a radio program? I know, but I've always thought that when people DM me. I'm like, I'm not a professional either, so I feel better putting it out there for everyone. That's right. And you have the whole country at your despise.

You know, I think this is what we put out there. And we generally get someone, at least it's got a very mature and good answer. One of you, one of you comes through week to week. Hundreds of hundreds of replies. Hundreds of come out for this one. On this one. And I would say 99.9% people have the same sort of opinion on this. Which has got very passionate about it.

But that's up with a dilemma. Okay, it reads, Dear Megan and boys, My close group of girlfriends and I have been saving for 10 years to go on a girls' trip to the south of France. First of all, amazing idea because I was like, maybe our friend group should do this. Great idea. Okay, we'll start up a bank account.

Was you talking about us? I don't know. You're wondering that, but probably not. Oh, you're going to get Ben to go. Better be like, meh. Not with you. We each contributed. Sorry, family, I'm going with Megan

to the south of France. I'm like, okay. We're saving up for 10 years. Yeah, true. It would be a hard sell. We started a bank account together. Oh, did you? Did you?

You're saying, no, no. But me and Megan thought we'd go. I'll take Amanda. Okay, we each contributed the same amount of money and this year it's finally happening. We ended up saving so much that we were able to bring our partners along too. Here is the

issue. One of the girls doesn't have a partner and now she wants the equivalent amount of money that would have been spent on bringing one back in cash. Some of us agree but another girl and I don't think we should give it to her. It's not our fault she doesn't have a partner and we all

contributed equally knowing it would go towards the trip. Do you think I'm the A-hole? Should we give her the money? Okay, so this has fired some people up. Yeah. And looking at the comments as well, I firstly think, girls' trip. You all went to the intention of a girl's trip. That's what was meant to be. Suddenly this is not a girl's trip. Someone's changed the rules somewhere around. It should be a girl's trip. That's the first thing I think. It's just remain a girl's trip. All I think is she had 10 bloody years to find a partner. That's on her.

You know, obviously she's not lovable. But you're all put in the money. I'm just playing devil advocate you all put in the money knowing it was going towards the trip right but if you went going going to go away on you know a boy's trip a girl's trip whatever and then suddenly we're like oh we're going to bring partners you're like hang on you've got a right to go hang on this wasn't what i thought this was going to be because also that one girl was like well i thought i was just going to hang out with all the girls and now suddenly i'm eighth wheeling or whatever and she would feel like a million dollars going away on holiday with everyone in their partners yeah yeah so she's probably a bit self-conscious already could she is she allowed to bring someone else is she allowed to

bring a plus one. Like that's what a lot of people are saying. I would have thought don't bring the partners and spend that extra money on like a cool excursion or like a wine. You're in the south of France going like a wine tour. Take the Uber driver. If you hit it off with the Uber driver on the way to the airport, give her the money back or let it take a plus one.

I feel, but hey, I might be in the wrong here. Okay. What would you do? If this was your friend group, you'd all been saving for 10 years for a holiday. Partners somehow got included along the way. and one person doesn't have a partner and they want that portion of money back. Also, they've been managed, like,

they've stayed friend for 10 years. You can't fall out now. Yeah, do you want to have it all fall over on this? Yeah, you've managed to get to this point. Don't let it fall apart now. 0,800 the hits. 4-487 is our text number. Love to hear from you as well.

Is this person saying, are they the A-Hole? We've learnt what YTA is as well. A lot of people saying that. Is that your issue are? Yes, they are? Yes, the A-hole. Yeah, yeah, yeah. John O'Ben and Megan.

The podcast. The Hats. Dear Megan. Today's Dear Megan, which is, Megan, give us a quick summary if you can. A close group of girlfriends have been saving for 10 years to go to the south of fronts. They've managed to save up enough money that they were able to bring partners along too, but one of the girls doesn't have a partner. She wants the money back now, the equivalent of taking one of the partners along.

And this person that has written into us doesn't want to give her the money back. She's saying they all contributed the same amount. is she the A-hole? Yeah, well, 99.99% of people say, yeah, you are. You 100% are. So if you were coming for some sort of vindication to the radio, well, you're not going to get it here. No.

I think if it was a business decision, 100%. I understand where things are at and people knew what they were getting in for, but it's not. It's a friendship. Yeah. And you don't want to ruin a friendship over what would be maybe $1,000? Maybe? I'm not sure. how much they, yeah.

Yeah, I mean... Ten years have been saving. I don't know how much they've been putting in, but you're right. But it's just excess money, really. Yeah, that's a money that could give back from the kitty, yeah. Yeah. Hey, and it's surprising they're all still friends ten years later as well. So that's a huge one, but it might fall over at the finish line.

Sarah, good morning. How are you guys? We're doing well. You're chiming in on this girl's trip that's falling apart at the seams. Hell you. How old are you? I'm so angry. I can you fight up a bit better.

It's not a girl strip. Firstly, it's no longer a girls' trip. That's the first thing, I reckon. That's exactly my point. When was they, the partners voted in, and why wasn't she included in that vote? And I just don't think that's clear. She's just said, girls' trip, the boy shouldn't go. And exactly like Megan said, they should do something really amazing with that extra money

because there'll be a lot of money. Yeah. Ten years of saving. Well, hey, listen, at some point there was a conversation that partners were coming. And this person who doesn't have a partner and wants the money back, I'm just, this is just the other side of the argument, didn't oppose it then. Well, even they might have, but she was outvoted.

She could have said, okay, if you're going to do this, I'll want my money back and then everyone would have known, not just as about they're about to board the plane. Yeah. 100%. 100%. It should have had a bit more communication. But it's just like when people don't have kids

or when people don't drink when they go out, there should have been a communication there. But just like she's going to go on this girl's trip and she's going to spend a lot of time, by herself just because of the nature of it, you know? Because everyone else is with their partners now. Yeah. So maybe bring a plus one?

She didn't sign up for that. She didn't sign up for that one. Bring someone else along to hang out if she's alright with that. Tell you the ultimate revenge. Bring one of her friend's ex-boyfriends. There we go, mate, that's spicy. Chuck that grenade in there. It's spicy in the south of France.

Absolutely. All right, good on you, Sarah. Appreciate you participating. No worries. Thanks, guys. Have a great day. You too. Alicia, morning to you.

Where do you sit on this one? I'm in total of grants with she should be allowed to bring a plus one. It's her money that she's invested, so it makes sense. I have a social club with a few of my friends, and if one of us isn't drinking, they still get the same amount as if we would if we were drinking. Oh, yeah. And that keeps it even and fair because it's technically their money,

so that's where it should be. Yeah, good. I mean, it's also a good lesson, and think twice about chucking your money. money in a pool, too, with other people. It can get complicated. Carlene. Hi. How's life?

Yeah, we're doing well, Carleen. You're going on a girl's trip. You've saved up for 10 years. All of a sudden, you're bringing partners. Someone doesn't have a partner. They want that slice of money back. What would you say? Yeah.

You know, I think personally they should be giving up the money six ways. And then those girls pay for their partners out of their half to you're like, why should she be funding their partners to go? That's a good point. Yeah, that's a really good point. It's a landslide. What are they saying on the Facebook page there, Megan? Everyone's saying she should get the money back.

A lot of people saying why are the partners even going in the first place because you signed up for a girl's trip? Because even if she gets the money back, she's still going on a trip with everyone's partners. To be honest, the partners probably don't even want to go anyway. I don't have to hang out with your friends, boyfriends and frat. Someone said you should definitely get the amount of money back and then get your friends to pay for their own partners

and do something nice when you get over there with the extra cash, just the girls. Seems to be the, uh, it's a, it's a landslide. Yeah, it is a landslide. Also, if you don't do it, you're going to lose that friend, and is it worth it? Yeah, that feels like a friendship is going to fall over because of this. Because of a bit of cash. If it hasn't already. Yeah.

Case closed. Thank you. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The hits. Across the top of the hill, guys. We're over the peak. Well done. To everyone making it through.

I'm going to, um, tell you how much money I would have spent before my hack, before I tell you what it was. Okay. It would have cost me around, at the cheapest, about 150 bucks. Right, so it's a huge saving. Yeah. And you said it might benefit being of myself or not. Yeah.

So it cost me five bucks to do this. And I got it online. I needed to, because I'm a short person. Right. I have... I don't mean this in a really offensive way. But once you took off your shoes in here, Ben was like, oh, who's that little child?

because that's why I always be heels it's also partially because my pants are always too long right so I have to I have some pants where I can only wear with one really massive pair of heels because they're too long for me and I could take them in and get them hemmed but a money and time can't be can't be bothered that would be expensive process wouldn't it

yeah so we just looked into it like about 25 bucks even more to get your pants hemmed I got put onto this by producer grace she's making me tell you that she put me onto this it's a tape and you just iron it onto your pants and they stay up there. So I just fold them over, you can cut some off, iron on the tape underneath, and it stays there. So I did six pairs of pants for five bucks. Oh, is it really grippy tape?

It's like you run it under water and then when you iron it, it sticks. Oh, so it's never going to come apart? No. So could you undo it again if you're like, if kids grow or something or not? I made a mistake and I did it on the outside and I peeled. it off and I redid it. I wet it again and ironed it again. Jeez. And that's from Timu.

That's from Sheen. Oh, from Sheen. Yeah. And did you just like order just one roll of tape to travel across the... I ordered white and black. Oh yeah, good. That's worth it there. They were like $2.50 each. It's six pairs of pants. That's pretty impressive hack.

And like... Tailors don't want you getting this word out there in the market, do you? Don't even need a sewing machine, although I do have one. I can probably figure out how to do that, but I haven't been bothered. so just iron it on. Here we go. What's the tape called? I don't know.

Heming tape. I don't know. Producer Grace, you come and tell them what the tape. Well, we're talking about this tape. We already will see what it's called. I don't know. What do people look for? It's just like hemming tape.

Tape your pants up. Chris says Hamming tape or Taylor's tape. There you go. One of those. There you go. Tape. Taylor's version. There we go.

Do you know my friend, speaking of hacks, hates ironing and actually doesn't even own an iron, but need as to wear college shirts in the day-to-day. Are you going to say hair straightener? No. Oh, no. So he just hangs, like, so when he has a shower, he's found if you can hang your shirts in the bathroom for 10 minutes while you're showering,

steams them. Yeah. Free steaming. I just straighten the part of my shirt that you're going to see, like the collar and sometimes the neck part. Oh, you don't know on the back part, do you? No, I'm usually, if I'm wearing like a jacket over top. A jacket or something. You can just do a little hair straight to clamp.

She's a wrinkled fiasco back there. John O'Bennon. Megan, the podcast, The Hits. It's Nellie, just a dream. It is The Hits Breakfast, Jono Ben and Megan, 849 on your Tuesday morning. Jono made something with that song and hasn't had the opportunity to play it. This is your moment, babe. This is the moment, yeah.

Now, it's a very niche reference. I mean, the song was probably released, what, over sort of five, ten years ago, I think. And the reference that we are including probably even 20 years ago. When was Borat released? It was a while ago. So the song was 2002, so that's a while ago. Okay, it was 23 years ago. Yeah, okay.

Yep. And so there's a line in the song where it's like, you know, my shorthy, my wife. And I... Boraet was 2006. So you've had 20 years. The more that you talk about it, the less, you can't explain the joke. So this had been great. Back in the early 2000s, this would have killed it because everyone going,

oh, that song, Nellie, it's huge, and Borat's huge. Better late than never, that's what they say. Picture it's 20 years ago, 2006. Okay, and enjoy this piece of comedy. To be honest, we play that a lot of here, and it just tickles. Well, it's a lot of joy. My life. My wife.

Jesus. Now they should do that live in concert. Just bust out of bore out. Instead of singing is my wife. Great singer, but it's a lot funnier when he says. A quick little, like the world's shortest cameo from Sasha Baron Cohen. My wife. Jumps back backstage.

There we go. That's brought us a lot of joy over the last five weeks. Now, we're just talking about hacks. Megan, you've saved $145. Yeah, I spent $5 buying hemming tape. And I did six pairs of pants because I'm a shorthy. And my shoddy. What did you just say, sorry?

Hold on, let me just hold on. My wife. You'll also get the hemming tape in New Zealand, a few people are text through as well, too. to know the stores like Spotlight and farmers do sell it's maybe not quite as cheap as what you can get online but you don't have to pay for the packing and delivery this wasn't planned we're just rolling with the punches this morning beans opened up the hack line and ashley's phone through are you going to hack us are you ashley yes what's your hack you got um so my husband drives trucks and he has a diary and he chucks it up on the dashboard every time he gets in the truck and it slides across the truck goes left to right left right and it almost flew out the window one And there's like, you know, kind of important information in there. Yeah. And so I just got those cheap little Valkrow dots. And I just chucked a couple on the back of his diary

and then chucked a few of the other side on the dashboard. And so now when he chucks it up on the dashboard, it just sticks. And it doesn't slip and slide everywhere. So, amazing. So, no more flip and slide diary. That's a smart idea. He must have got home and he must have been so pleased with you. He must have said,

been married 20 years I hope he'd be you know kind of used to my little hacks like that now that's a great hack good on you that is yeah good a hack Ashley really appreciate

your phone in through this morning some great ones coming through here on the text four four eight seven so you know the keyboard the humble keyboard and if you sometimes take a risk and tip it upside down what falls out of it is horrific

someone's saying you get a little post-it note the sticky end and you can slide it down the gaps and pull out all the debris and the missing people inside of the keyboard okay gotcha That's legit.

That's smart. Are you going to tell us why you put your phone in a bowl? Yeah, someone does this at parties when they don't have a Bluetooth speaker and you can play your music, put it in a glass or a bowl. Boom! Amplifies the sound. Like an ampitheater. Oh, that's a smart idea.

Rather than having a little portable speaker, you can just chuck your phone in a bowl. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast, the hits. I've been accused of, in the past, of committing a crime upon the petrol stations of this fine nation of ours. whenever we're travelling on the road and I need to do some ablutions I'm just like Ben pull in here to the bloody the ZD, the BP, the Waitoma, whatever

I'm just going to use the toilet and then I walk out and he's like did you buy anything? He said no, why would I buy something? All I need is use the toilet. He's like whenever you walk into an establishment and use the lavatory, you must have a gilt to purchase. Yeah, I feel like that should be the unwritten rule.

There sometimes is like a thing that says you can only get the key if you're a customer, yeah. Yeah, they're often. But then if they don't specify. That's right. But I mean, you have to walk in there with confidence. It's like if you're trying to get into a bar at 2 o'clock in the morning and you know you probably shouldn't be allowed into the bar. You just walk in there with confidence and guess, do a light bit of perusing. Look at the magazines, you know, the light bulb heads and stuff in the back.

See, by doing that, you know that you should be buying something. And then you'll make you know it look like you're just going to go to the toilet and come back and get whatever you're perusing. how you going mate you do i have a good day back there dump in there uh i mean sorry walk in there have you been in there i'd never do that in there their crime scenes those those places but then there yeah the other day we uh went to a petrol station and ben you're like go on do it do it prove it

he went in there and he actually bought something did he yeah we weren't i was like he's coming out with nothing but he actually bought a guilt a guilt purchase because it was so small this was yeah this was the one like the massive BP's, you know, this was a tiny little, yeah, mar and par petrol station, I'm like, well, this is just, they probably don't even sell anything

during the day. Did you see anyone else in there? No, no, by a green apple V, I felt so guilty afterwards, because I could tell the gentleman behind the counter was like, oh, okay, so I see what he's doing here. Doesn't look like he's fill out with petrol. No gas either, yeah, you're right. So on it straight

to the back of the shop. He's given us the gas. And in there, I'm like, oh, this isn't a good luck. Yeah, so I feel like, public toilets are out there for, you don't have to pay for those. That's fine. But if you go in somewhere, this is my rule, you should buy something. Also, do I remember. 80 cents chewing gum or something, whatever, just buy something.

Producer Troy was on the maps and he said there's a public toilet around the corner and you said, just pull it in, mate. Yeah, so public toilets is like, that's fine. That's what they're there for. Yeah, you know. What about your cafe? You used to run a cafe. Would people come in and just use the...

No, no, absolutely not. It's like right at the back of the cafe, so you have to walk through all the paying customers sitting down eating. to go to the toilet. So no. People didn't even ask. They know better, Jono. There's better grades of human beings out there.

Johno, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The Hits. The ROT, the Inter-Ireland and Fairy sale for the last time yesterday after 26 years as well. They reckon the crew we're going to go do a couple more years, but they're like, maybe it's time to upgrade it. Well, yeah, it's probably a good call to make now, rather than later, is it slowly sinking to the ocean floor?

Yeah, that's true. can't go wrong. Rules and on the inter-arlander. I know all the worse of that song. I love how you're looking at both of us to join in. Sing a long, guys.

It's the unofficial national anthem of this country. Now, we talked to Nicole, who's our entertainment reporter in New York. She hosts a radio show over there. Huge city, obviously.

You know, our entire population probably fits inside one apartment block in Manhattan. And we're just finished speaking to her and have a listen to this. This is completely. small world stuff. I'm about to make your guys day.

So Ben, my producer on my show, took us down to this Australian bar that just opened up down in like all the way downtown, like deep like in the village. What's it called Old Mate? Yeah. It's one of the one of the Hamish and Andy owner. Yeah, I think there's some cricketers from Australia and stuff as well.

Yeah. So our waitress comes over and Ben can tell that she's from New Zealand. I can't. I'm sorry, guys. I love you. I can't tell the difference in the accent. That's fun. But he does. So he says from New Zealand, and immediately, I'm like, up the waz. And she's, like, freaking out. And we start telling her. And then I tell her that, like, I do this thing with you,

this crossover from New York City with you guys. And I say your names. And she's like, you do not know them. And she's freaking out because she's, like, your biggest fan. She loves listening to you guys. And she actually used to work at TV, New Zealand. She was like a reporter, a TV reporter. Her name's Maddie.

And she loved you guys. And she, like, thought it was so cool that I knew you. So I felt cool. Wait, what's her last name? This is going to be ridiculous. to us if we know her. Did not ask for her last. Nicole, there's a high possibility.

We know her. It's a small world and New Zealand's an even smaller place. Like, it's a giant village. So you guys are so famous. New Zealand, everyone knows everyone. Yeah. It's lovely. But you're right.

It's probably my sister, to be honest. You're like, oh, yeah. You actually got to be careful not to marry any family members down here. It's so small. Game of Thrones had nothing on New Zealand. That's for sure. We are pretty cool. Just looking at New York.

Four times the population of New Zealand, New York City, and you can fit New York into New Zealand more than 340 times. It's just how populated it is. Oh, my God. Wow. So four times a population, but you can fit it in the whole country, the New York City, 340 times. Wow.

So there's how many people are living on top of each other, literally, in New York. That's what people are starting to say about New Zealand. It's just houses pop it up everywhere. We've got nothing going to complain about it. You read out of those steps. We want to check this out This is a bit of an experiment And hey, we know what time

It's 20 to 7 in the morning This is probably one work No one wanted in Toronto To sing along at this time in the morning I tried to get that It's too early for that So it might be too early for this So we want to play a game

So 0800 the hits You call us And then we'll conference you up With someone else listening And we'll give you the ad break And the song After the air break To try and find a connection

How you know each other Yeah Because New Zealand is a small place, right? Yeah. So you can prove you know each other somehow, or you know someone. There's got to be some sort of connection that will be good enough for you to both win

some cabri price packs. It's a social experiment this morning. Oh, 800 that hits the telephone number. You can text us 24-487 if you'd like to. You know, you need to spare us two, three minutes max. Yeah. And that's probably, in reality, six, seven minutes in radio.

That's right. I'll say two or three minutes just to get you in the door. You want to know where they're from, whether we go to school, you know, like find those things out and hopefully there'll be some sort of connection there. Do you know, Margaret? You know, do you know Barry?

These sorts of things. John O'Benn and Megan, the podcast, the hits. And speaking of winning, we're trying to give away some prizes at the moment. We spoke to Nicole, our entertainment reporter. She's from New York. She was at a Rha, and there was a Kiwi waiter there. And this is what happened. So he says from New Zealand, and immediately, I'm like,

up the was! And she's, like, freaking out. And we start telling her. And then I tell her that, like, I do this thing with you, this crossover from New York City with you guys, and I say your names. And she's like, you do. not know them and she's freaking out because she's like your biggest fan.

New Zealand, everyone knows everyone though, you know, it's lovely, but you're right. It's probably my sister to be honest. You know, I'm like, oh yeah. So, we wanted to figure out if we could get two pun, this is an early morning experiment. If we could get two listeners on and just have them chat to each other off here and see if they have a connection. New Zealand being so small. Fairly confident that we can pull this off. So we had Vicki and Fiona on, this is them starting their connection.

conversation. Hello, Vicki. Hi. Hi. So we've got to play this game to see if we can find a connection, is that right? Where about to you from?

So I was born in Leeds in the UK. I definitely don't know you from there, so whereabouts are you from in New Zealand? I live in Auckland. I live in Hamilton, but I did live in Auckland. Okay. Oh, is that good enough of connection, Megan? No, we're going to do better than that.

Okay, we've got Vicki and Fiona back on live. Okay, you've been sharing. through Natasha Bettingfield. Where are we at, team? We may have a connection. Oh!

Okay, what's the connection? You go, Fiona. Navy. The Navy. Oh, the Navy. All gravy in the Navy. What's what happened in the Navy? We know the,

I know of a good friend of Vickie's. You know a good friend of Vickies who's in the Navy? I'm not, but they know them. You know, Okay, so you've got a connection there for someone who works in the Navy. Good friend, I think you're like this. Hey, hey, tell the 17th. Hey, well, right, you guys.

You've yelled it. Who's the person you both know in the Navy? Her name's Briar. Oh, Briar. Well done, getting to that in just a song's time. That was very impressive. That's so wild. The fact that Fiona comes from England as well.

Yeah. And still manage to get a key with it. And they know Briar. Well, there we go. So we're going to hook you guys up with a cabri package. Thanks so much. for playing this morning. Really appreciate it. That's awesome, good. Who's Briar

to you, Vicki? What was that, sorry? Who was Briar to you? A really, really good family friend. My husband we all pretty much call her family. Oh, there you go. And she's a colleague to Fiona. Oh, that's cool. Cabri price back coming your way. You can win your share of $50,000 purchase any Cabri confectory product and head to Cabri

trytime.com.com. I need to be into win. They just sung about stuff, didn't they? They don't have places. Yeah. Oh, yeah, that's it. John O'Benn and Megan. It's a podcast. I love to embarrass the kids.

Skibbittie has made its way into the Cambridge Dictionary, one of the new words put in there, along with DeLulu and Tradwife, which I had nerd of Tradwife before. Oh, Treadwife. That's Norrismith. Traditional wife, isn't it? But now people are using it in the context of people staying at home and often making content as well from home.

but doing a lot of the stuff that you would associate with, you know. Are you a tradwife? You put yourself in the tradwife category? I'm conflicted with that one because... Of the sexist connotations. Yeah. But like I enjoy cooking. I don't enjoy cleaning.

In some ways, though, they're saying the trad wife is obviously taken on a term that sometimes these people are influences and stuff as well. They've created this whole thing for them. Taking the word back. Yeah. It's empowering. Because I guess it hasn't been in the dictionary till now. So it's now the modern use of the word.

um jeez i took a leaf out of the ben boy's oral hygiene playbook yesterday uh ben you like to clean your teeth in the vehicle don't you sometimes sometimes i well yeah often with the teeth placas that i carry around because my teeth gets stuck i eat quite often during the day though i'm always constantly i mean you don't eat probably from morning to night so i'm eating constantly so i always got something opposite yeah i've got snacks i'm like every a grazer. Jono doesn't eat until he... Double dinners at night.

When I eat, I eat hard. She's like a camel. He stores it up. Just really go for health of leather. But you know, his placas, he leaves behind a trail of plaquers. I know. We're in tonne on, he's just like, they fall out when I put them. Did you leave one in the restaurant?

Not on purpose. I don't leave them like if someone who's been a ducted, where's he last? Oh, he's a placard. The teeth pickers. Yeah. It does feel a little like that. But they sit in my back pocket where my phone does sit and say sometimes when I bring it out it falls out yeah so he loves his oral hygiene i have actually been in a car with him i've been

driving him he started brushing his teeth now what i've acquired over uh just having teenagers driving them from a to be not being able to go home is a glove box full of you know toilet trees just deodorants toothbrush toothpaste stuff like that yeah uh and it's you know whenever a middle-aged man is wandering around with toilet trees in his glove box you're like are you okay maybe is everything is everything all right if someone finds that but yesterday i had furry teeth And it was one of those days I was like, did I brush my teeth? You know how you're so much

in auto mode in the morning? You can't remember if you put deodorant on or whatever. So I was like, oh, I've got the bloody toothbrush. So I started brushing my teeth and Ben, what I hadn't factored in was you probably know about this being a seasoned professional travelling toothbrush user

is the foam. The foam really gathers up some steam so I'm at the lights and I sort of feel like I've been bitten by a rabid bat or a raccoon or something and I look across and there's another motorist stereo. at me just sort of smiling going

please don't attack me but the other thing I didn't I had nowhere to spit and I was and where I was it was like a four lane road I couldn't pull over so I had to get down a suburban street as I've opened the driver's door and just into the gutter

I was like oh this is a low moment this is a low I hope no one's filming this you know yeah the foamy dribbly spit on the side of the road toothpaste combination with the toothbrush is definitely one round of sink area. I found that over time.

You can brace your teeth without toothpaste and public and then I have to spit, but yes. You live and you learn. It was one of those moments too. I was like when I had my wife's underpants in my pocket. I was like, please, I hope the police don't pull me over now with a foamy mouth. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast.

The world's still in a frenzy over Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. My client, Jason Kelsey, introduction frenzy. But we are talking about it nonetheless and her new album covers have been released for her life of a showgirl album and it's got a body part on there that people were talking about.

Do you remember a while ago people were convinced that she didn't have a belly button? Yeah, there's always rumours about it but remember they thought Anastasia had a penis. Do you remember that? No.

It was a rumour? Yeah, but she did it. She didn't. Yeah. I don't know who starts these rumours and what was Taylor's one? I didn't hear that one. He hadn't heard that one. No, no.

Okay. I don't know if I'll Google it. But yeah, there were rumors she didn't have her belly button because she went through a time period of wearing like high-wasted stuff so we never saw it we saw her midriff but we didn't see her belly button her high-wasted error yeah yeah harry styles he got an extra nipple is that was that a rumor yeah right i think he's got four oh really wow one's more obvious than the other maddie mcclain does too has an extra net okay i think i've seen it yeah um but common than you think it is it has been

confirmed that with these pictures that she does have a belly button surprise surprise surprise But it's broken the internet, and now it's trending. Her belly button is trending. And everyone's like, oh my God, belly button confirmed. Such a long time we've waited to see it. Could be AI, though. And it's perfect. I don't trust anything, then.

Be a classic Taylor Swift move to AI a belly button onto herself, isn't it? 2014, me would be in septic shock after seeing this belly button. I never thought we'd see the day for the belly button reveal, but here it is. Is it an iny or an outy? It's a... Inny. Any. Okay.

Yeah. Have you got an outy or an innie? I'm an inny. I'm an iny. I've got an iny too, but I wanted an outy for the longest time. Yeah. But you can't get your belly button pierced if you've got an outy. Can you? No, I got my belly button. I know that because I got my belly button pest the other day for a stupid thing online. And I had a belly button was fine for it.

But if I should say it was poking out too much, like an outy, it's very tough today. There was a source of rich conversation in primary school yards, wasn't it? Yeah. You got an outy? The son's got an outy. Okay. Yeah, I don't know why I'm jealous. Is it just where the umbilical cord was cut off?

Right, and how it was cut off. But they would be less common, right? Yeah, I'd say so. Yeah. Wear it with pride. Hey, speaking of Taylor Swift, we ran into Natalie yesterday. And she actually won, because you never get to see the winners of competitions on this radio's program, do you? She won tickets to go see Taylor Swift here on The Hits.

And her and her daughter went over there. They were trying to get tickets beforehand, and it was really cool to catch up with her and find out about her experience. Now, you won the trip on the Hits to see Taylor Swift. I did. I did. With my daughter? Like, how was it? Where do I start? This is why you're making it's very confused. It's like, what are we doing? We're sitting in a corner of the council building and you're like, what's going on? This is what's going on, yeah. How was it? Amazing, like a once in a lifetime experience. It was just, yeah, incredible. So you went over with your daughter. She, she crossed the marathon two-hour podcast with Jason and Travis Kelsey. She was all over it. Watching the countdown, waiting for the album, info to be released. She's all over this. Because you tried to get tickets to the concert and you missed out.

And then how was that when you told her that you were actually going? Yeah, it was, it was a very emotional and incredible moment. Did you make the friendship bracelets and did we do that? You swap those and, yeah. We got outfits. We totally do stuff. It was cool. And everyone said like the vibe there is just like so wholesome. Everyone's just happy and...

Yeah, absolutely. Everyone's just happy, chill. Everyone's there for the same reason. Everyone loves Taylor. And there's so many people outside that I just there for the ambience. and picking out all their people who couldn't get tickets. They just don't get us. Really?

They'd have signs saying, please give me your ticket. You're like, no. You're like, I'm coming from New Zealand. Yeah, are you going to pay for it or you just want me to give it to you? Oh, what a special memory for you and your daughter. What was more exhilarating watching Taylor Swift do music or us do radio? It was definitely giving my daughter the best opportunity to go to Taylor Swift. So not us, not us on the radio.

Watching radio being made is pretty. being made is pretty exhilarating. It's pretty boring. See, that's for Nita. Very cool. Yeah, so it was awesome to catch up with her and actually hear about the experience. You're right.

You send this to people while you're like, do they even go to the concert? And we always say, let us know how it goes. Let us know, let us know. Let us know. Let us know. No one ever does.