Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL SHOW: We are trying to set out colleague up on a date!

Episode Date: December 9, 2025

On today’s show:  Why are we all dressed for the wrong event? Major job changes, farming to IT, banking to health coaching, accounting to driving school. Our top ChatGPT queries like “Is this cooked?” and “Can I take a pavlova on a plane?”. The items our partners hated and learnt to love~ We chat to Dai Henwood announced as host for Best Foods Comedy Gala in May 2026. Ben’s mad as his wife for not carrying a purse! Why Producer Troy emailed on behalf of a shy colleague to set up a potential date. Instagram: @THEHITSBREAKFAST Facebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & MeganSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The John O'Ben and Megan podcast, thanks to Dilma. Goodness really does taste great. Dilma, making the world a better team. Welcome to the podcast here in the hits where we're all still in costume. Today's dress-up day come as the wrong, basically the wrong event. Dress for the wrong event. Which is actually a really fun costume thing. It's a great thing.

Why not why? I just hate dressing out. You did a good job. You've dressed as a roller derby athlete. But it's like because it's really hard to make it obvious. because I was like wanting to dress for a funeral but I was like well if I just wear all black kind of just looks like any other day

but what I do like about this thing because I know that everyone runs into dress up and it's fine but you can you can go like madrono's in tuxedo which is you know which is different from what you normally would but it's not a huge departure for some people to dress in taxi or producer Troy's and you know

pyjamas and dressing gown yeah not a huge departure if you live in Taranaki you're of Stoner and Dunedin or something like that you know so you can kind of blend in yeah you don't have to like You're dressed as a Demi Gorgon from Stranger Things. Yeah, Stranger Things, yeah, getting some use out of the costume, basically. It was my, I thought it was topical, you know, could be a watch party.

Yeah, a lot of people dressing up for watch parties. Because you've got hundreds of costumes. How long did it take you to settle on that or you were, you walked into your garage and you're like, no, no, I know what I'd after. No, that was in the, see, because the garage can be a bit of a mess. So I put things down, as you walk down towards the garage, there's like a little stairwell. And I chucked the costumes down there before I put them away. And then it's always as far as that. I mean, oh, yeah, that will do.

That was, yes. I don't get into the... Is there a few that are just chucked down? Yeah, I need to put away costumes. I've used them for a skit or something dumb, and then they're going to go away in the garage. I just sort of chuck them down. I don't believe you're that messy.

Out of sight. They're out of my way, that it's fine. And then I'll all tidy them all up at some stage. Really long fingers, the old demigorgans, you don't factor in it. Like, E.T's index finger, but on all the fingers. I keep, like, because he ben gesticulates when he talks. So during the show, he's wearing like these long demigorgans. fingers but he's still flicking his hands around as he's talking so i kept gesturing to him like so they

they get great nails at the mall wouldn't they you know you go one of those uh nail salons in there she's tell you one hell of a prostate examination with those those suckers oh yeah you're right girthy too you know you know to walk into the doctor's office and you're like oh demi gorgon hands you're a doctor now that's a real pivot actually we do have pivots on the show you know we're speaking pivots yeah dude career pivots actually we got someone on the phone who we uh we didn't manage to get to on here Mark, you pivoted in a career. Yeah, well, you know, I grew up on a farm, and the plan was always to, you know, take over the farm,

and I went away farming for a couple of years after I left university. And so I was milking cows, so, you know, up early in the morning and quickly worked out that that wasn't for me. And now I'm in IT services and software development, so I tell people that I've gone from fiddling with tits to fiddling with bits. Oh, good, that is quite the change, isn't it? You wouldn't get many dairy farmers going from that career to IT. Yeah, I've gone from the west coast of the South Island

into the capital city of New Zealand now. Oh, good on you, mate. How you're having fun, loving life. That's good. Good on you, Mark. Hey, well, really appreciate you sharing your story and we'll let you go and fix some bits. Have a good day.

Thanks. We'll do. Thank you. See you, mate. More of that coming up and also what's been in our chat GPT over the last 12 months for you right now. John O'Benn and Megan

The Podcast The HADS. At the end of the year and a lot of people doing Spotify and music rap to where they look back at the music that they've listened to over the last 12 months.

Eye Heart Radio, doing one too for all the podcast listening that's taking place. Which is a cool thing, yeah. Producer Troy, we're all currently dressed in a hodgepodge of costumes

today because it's come to work dressed not for the right event day here at the hits. Ben's dressed as Demi Gorgon, producer Troy wearing a dressing gown. Yep, got my jami's on. Producer Grace is a rugby referee and your dad's rugby referee close. Megan is a roller derby

player. Athlete. Thank you for saying athlete. It's very athletic. I'm in a tuxedo. You're very fancy. See people in the foyer walking through, looking into the window, just trying to pick the theme. What is the theme? Yes, yeah, if I dressed the wrong event. And Debbie Gorgon, a tuxedo and a

tuxedo and a roller derby. They're like... It doesn't really make. We're not like the Avengers who have come together. For what purpose? Who knows? Yeah, so that's what we're dressed as right now. But at the end of the year, you thought this was quite a cool idea. Yeah, all those rap, Spotify stuff.

It's all about data. And I thought, who have we given the most data to this year? Chat GPT. Oh, the AI. Yeah. That knows more about us than anything or anything. It really does. It's overtake.

For me, I use that more than Google now. It really just bang. Yeah. So I thought I'd ask Chat GPD yesterday, give me my raps for chat GPT. Like funny things I asked you. most top-asked genres, and it came back with some interesting things. 30% of my interactions with Chat-GPT is asking, is this cooked?

Like cooked is in food, right? I'll take a photo of chicken and just be like, is this cooked? No, don't trust that. Oh my God. You don't trust Jet TV too. And does it know? There'd be a fun TV show called Is This Cooked? And then all the judges have to try it.

And you're like, no, that's 100% poor chicken. Yeah. Second top one was 14% of queries were medical related, like five mouth. ulcers. Is this normal? Oh, jeez. That doesn't sound normal. You're tired and stressed. And then vehicle ownership crises was the third one.

Like, can I go to Japan to buy a handbrake? Oh, which you are. You are fly to Japan to get a handbrake for your vehicle that needs a new one. Wow, what an eclectic makes? And then you put this on your social media and now it's taken off. I know. I put it up yesterday morning and then by the afternoon, everyone that had seen it had gone and done their own and like, damn it, I didn't capitalize on the trend.

Yeah, well, it seems like a great trend that we can all jump on board with it, right? Yeah, I reckon do it. Yeah. Yeah, there you chat. Chat GPT wrapped. What's on yours, Megan? My top one is, does my dog know it's adopted? It's a real good insight to people's, what they actually, you know.

What did they tell you? I don't remember. I don't know, but I... Oh, it has to say no. I'd hazard to say they... Because I was looking at, I was looking at him, and you know how they like, they have a little sad face. And I was like, well, does he know that I'm not his real mark? I think dogs are blissfully unaware.

They'll eat anything, put their nose anywhere. I think the last of their worries is are they adopted? Yeah. Are the rubber ends supposed to come off? What's that from? That was when John I was your tongs and you say the rubber ends. They're not going to come off. Yeah, according to Chapit.

Yeah, I have this thing where I forget that Chat-GPT doesn't know what I'm talking about. It's like you give me more context. And are ants scared of humans? Aren't so? Can you remember that one? You're really worried about the mental well-being of dogs and ants. Yeah, what about you, Ben? I've got a lot of Gen Z-based stuff.

What does 6-7 actually mean? It's the first one. A lot of how early do you need to be at the airport? That's because I booked a lot of admin. Yeah, you're wanting to have an argument to present to your family too. Yeah, I was like, well, give me all this stuff. And then how to avoid hearing all I want for Christmas as you was one of my toy searches as well. Producer Grace and I, we share the same account for some reason.

And my son, too. So an eclectic search is Grace. Oh, no. Your one's 362 times You panicked about a chicken pie Yeah I was really confused It like how to freeze a chicken pot pie

How to cook a chicken pot pie I got a full I got a break down video of After she'd made it And then with her eating it I was really proud This is great Yeah

This is me Every time I want something written back I want it all in caps For some reason I did that 4,800 times And also Oh yeah Can you make every joke darker

So I write a joke I was like, how do you make this darker? My best question was Can I take a Pavlova on a plane to England Because I'm going to England for Christmas So I was just trying to work out If I could take a Pavlova on a plane DPC on that one guys, we'll get back

I don't think so It doesn't sound like you can but hey, we'll find out as well Jono Ben and Megan The podcast The Hurtz Watching weather around the country It feels like someone's really here at the moment And speaking of which

You went out and bought something summer related Right Megan? I did I bought a Lilo I just a little like cheapy Timu Lilo but my husband's like can you get off Timo you need to get off Timo you're buying too much

stuff You do get into a bit of a Timu hole Don't you and that's how you end up Like being today dressed as Jimmy Gordon In a very non-breatheable full outfit But this one Have you seen those ones that it's like a mesh hammock so it has the floaty bits on the side

It's like a big square It's got floaty bits on the side And then you lie in like a hammock So your body's in the water because half the issue with Lilo is you're like out of the water and you get cold. Yeah, and your butt's getting nice and soggy though, isn't it? Am I thinking of the right thing? You've got your legs poking up and you're kind of shaped like a V?

Is it a Lilo? Was it a ring? Yeah, that's a ring. Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was really, you're confused looks. Well, I guess they're all sort of swimming things. Flotation devices. But this one, you can literally be submerged apart from like your feet and your head.

It's great. So he's ragging on me saying like rain in the Timu And then he tried it And I'm going to have to get another one now Because he's converted He's converted He's like oh my god this is life changing This is so good

I love this Hit some misses though I mean that's one out of a hundred there You know This is the one It's like gambling at it Oh man bloody had to win on the pokies This has given me a free pass on Timu

For at least another month Okay there's another 10 items you can insert into the household How about you? You bought anything into the house That was frowned upon it first Oh, totally, all the time. But they never turn around like Megan. My wife's never going to.

She's not like, oh my God, yes. That Demi Morgan costume is so good. Such a great picture. You're right. You ever seen her wandering around the house? No, no, not once. Did she ever said that a good thing? But I would say from my wife there was a little fridge.

She bought a little fridge, like a little bar fridge. Like a cosmetics. Oh, bar, yeah. And I was like, we don't need this. This is just such a waste of money. We don't need a little bar fridge. And I tell you what. You've got a big fridge.

Yeah, no. I was like, this is just the, yeah. Where does the little fridge sit? It just sits and you put it underneath the sort of, you know, the kitchen bench of the thing. So it's in there. And I was like, this is extreme. Yeah. And it's the best thing ever.

Anytime you want a cold drink like a beer house or whatever, that's in there. The bar fridge. Damn it. But what's wrong with the fridge fridge? Yeah, I know. Exactly. Yeah, right. The fridge as well.

But I thought you were going to say the bar fridge is in your bedroom. And you just like reach down and you're like, that would be better. Now, but yeah. You have a rampant drinking problem then, non-ee. It fills up with stuff, you know. and then you take out the things like, you want a beer. The fridge fridge, yeah. You're like, oh, now you've got a beer there, you know.

There's something really sophisticated about tiny fridges. Yeah, tiny, tiny fridge. It wasn't that expensive, but I was like, we don't need this. I feel like you made it in life if you have a tiny, tiny fridge. Yeah. Okay, oh, 800 the hits. What have you purchased, or maybe your partner purchased, and you really were anti to begin with, but then you came around.

Yeah. Now you're using it all the time. John O'Neen and Megan, the podcast, The Hits. No, your husband, Andrew. Another, he was like, we don't need another lilac, especially not from Timo. And he loves it now. It's a hammocky one that you are fully submerged in. He was like, this is ideal.

So now how to buy another one? On the test machine. A lot of people saying, oh, got one as well. And then my family used them all, so I've had to go get more Lilos from Tadu. Tell you he's winning out of this, Timo. Tell you he was not wanting, the poor kids having to make those things. So what were you against? I guess it's a form of a purchase.

Love Island and the service that that comes on. It was been paid for So I guess it was brought into the house I was so anti it It was dumbing down of society What are you watching here? Jen, my wife And then

You know like a boomer Who's just discovered That their tax money Is used to make the show Sort of thing Then I must admit I lie And I pretend to be asleep in bed

When she's watching it And I listen to Love Island Do you like it? I like the drama It is good drama The only reason I don't watch it Is there's an episode a day It's too big a commitment

It is relentless It's a relentless schedule She's stockpile She was not actually watching too much at the moment. She's stockpiling for New Year's. Yeah, right. And I'm going to be shutting my eyes and listening away. I don't know what any of them look like, but I can...

They're all pretty hot, aren't they? It's half the fun, yeah. Nicole, you're on the radio. Wow. Morning. So I got my husband's swimming shorts off Timo, but as a joke, I got the I love my wife with my face all over them. Oh, that's a good prank. It's hilarious because he,

absolutely love them and has worn them heat. The problem we have now is that he's lost he's lost heaps of weight and it's not as if you can put them in a clothing bin. Oh, well, no, you know, other people love them. Oh, well, it's your face, of course. Yeah, you're right. Exactly. So you have to buy another pair.

Yeah, they're going to have to go to landfill and I have to get another pair. Or you could, like, write with vivid on them, I love in brackets, there's other guys. Yeah, you get a lot of love from other people out there. Get your face out there. It's good branding for you, Nicole. Not great at all You're going to have a great day

Are you in Co Coppa Coppa? I am, yeah Well, you look after that place for us All right, it's all on you, busy day Muzzah, you're on, welcome Yeah, good, gaii, how's it going? Yeah, good What were you, Anteer, and now you're on board with Muzer?

Electronic Logbooks So I'm a trick driver All right, right, we're like the old-fashioned way The old people ones, it was up to your discretion and how you filled them in Oh right, a little bit of leeway pushing the limits there, does it?

Exactly. Now, when it goes red, I've got to stop for a half hour break. But I wasn't that keen on them to start with because it's the old Big Brother thing, too. Yeah, you're like, I could push you on for another five hours, but now?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, I have come around right now. After 43 years, this old truckies Yeah, come around to the electronic age Oh, good on, your mother, he's embraced it John, I haven't seen you for a long time No, did you used to listen to the Rock, Mother?

Yes, I did, and we went down to, oh, we went up to Auckland from Dunedin with you on a train Oh, that was a wild trip Oh, how was that, muzzar? Did he punish you with lots of chat? No, no, just lots of drinking That was a wild time, Muzza, that train trip

The Golden Stripe rock train That's right And it would go from the left Invercargle And then we arrive in Auckland on the Friday morning Then we go the big day out Oh my goodness Yep, that was the one

Yep was the old green man That's right, my mother Some good reminiscing with you, mate Well, hey, it's lovely to have you over to the hits So I wouldn't have you for a hits guy must Yeah Oh, just, you're the only ones that I can get in, um, I'm off a... Oh, don't say that.

Just, just, mate, just say, I like it. It's great, yeah, we're like electronic or log books. We're going on you. You're like, you're right now. Yeah. Hey, keep safe, Mazo. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast. The hits.

John O'Ben and Megan's The Rogue with Invisible Zincol mineral sunscreen. Oh, not only the temperature's heating up. The Rogue is heating up. One of us is going to turn invisible. Go missing from the radio show. They are going to be the rogue. At some stage this week, they will disappear. And if you can basically follow the clues,

you don't have to physically go to the location, just work out where they are in the country. Tech spotted and the location to 4487. You can guess as many times as you want. One of the correct guesses will win $5,000 thanks to Invisible Ink, a huge amount of money just before Christmas. Summer's He has Day, Sunsmart, and make Invisible Ink, you'll go to sunscreen.

All of us claim that we are not the rogue. Not me. Someone is clearly lying. We've all got too many personal items in the studio to leave behind Last time Megan did a great job She was the rogue, she headed off and left everything in the studio Where someone else collected afterwards Yeah

Just ditched and ran Her campaigns purely be based on the fact that she's already done it So why would she go for a second lap around the course? Fair campaign, that's fair campaign I see why you're running again under that mantra You should have passed that memo onto your son Basty Who we spoke to yesterday because no one is more honest than a four-year-old child.

Have you heard any conversations between mummy and daddy saying, oh, mummy's got to go away for work this week? Why did my dad say no? Why did he say no? Has she packed her bag yet? Basti, has she got a bag packed? Her suitcase? Yep.

Yeah, thank you. That's all we needed to know. I think he's thinking, I have a gym bag I pack every day. No further questions. He wasn't answering, so Andrew's like, say no, say no. Oh, okay, it felt like a bit of leading of the witness. No, I don't think he understood your question. Okay, a lot of people were theories coming through on 4487 on text.

Tina, microbiologist at Waukato Hospital. Welcome to you. Hi, here are you. I just cry a microbiologist. Pardon? Just a scientist, not the microbiologist. Whatever, science stuff. It just makes our show appear smarter than it is.

You brought science to this. think it could be the rogue. What are you, what are you thinking? Oh, gut feeling is Jono. Oh, why is that? Based on what? Science? Yeah, basically, yeah. Science have come into the play, okay. You're a bit more quieter this time. Oh, listen, last time I was saying it was me and it wasn't me, and I was like,

this time, you know what, I'm just going to be truthful. I'm not going to lie. It's 100% not me. Okay. I swear on, you know what I swear on? What? The car pillow that I have in my vehicle that I sleep on. Oh, you love that. Very precious item in my life.

Hey, good luck. doing science stuff there Tina thanks cheers mate appreciate it Michelle morning to you who do you think you're going to be

who's running away from the show Ben oh okay based on what well Jono's not trustworthy so he'd end up in the wrong place

but you know factoring in there's people that will take me there too I'll just gonna exist basically we'll have a chaperone okay so you think I can end up in the place I intend to go to it's good okay

absolutely Okay, we get to open one bag right now. We've all bought in bags to the studio. But although last time I'm saying that, Megan, you had nothing in your bag and you were the rogue. I had a dummy bag. I did have a bag here, but I had it somewhere else. So which bag do you want us to open right now? Oh, she's hung up.

Well, I guess, well, should we go to Sean? See what Sean says. Sean. We've got three pieces of luggage. This is like Border Patrol. Whose bag would you like to open? John Obedo, Megan? Megan.

Okay. All right, let's bring him Megan's back. You think it's me, Sean? Just because I just wanted to try

that it gets you? Yep, okay, we'll see what's a big suitcase coming in and be wheeled in by producer grace this morning,

a big purple suitcase. I take a big suitcase everywhere. Can we open that up? It does look like there are items in the suitcase. Oh, no, it feels very

light. Oh, does that? Can I open it? You can open it? Is it? Is it your bag? That is my bag. That is my bag.

That is my bag. She would, if Megan was heading away, I always take a big suitcase It would be a 40-k-y bag There is a note in there saying Stop snooping in my bag

You pervs Or is that pelvis No that's pervs Stop snooping in my pelvis Okay John O'Ben and Megan The podcast The Hits

We're getting towards the silly season Or the feels like the silly season's already Upon us Many workplaces doing Christmas parties And all sorts of other stuff this time of year. Yeah, and Larissa, the wonderful Larissa from the hits team, send out a group email going, let's do, because what we need is another thing to add on at this time of year.

Let's do a novelty, come to work dressed for the wrong occasion day. Yeah, it's a bit of a trend that goes around social media at the moment, to that people will often have a party, and it's like dressed for the wrong occasion. So you can turn up in sports gear, you could turn up like, well, let's go around the room and talk about what people are wearing here. So give an example. Rather me coming up with examples, we've got the examples around me to us. In the examples.

Yeah, exactly. Well, let's start with producer Grace, who has come to work dressed as a rugby referee, her father. Her father is a rugby referee for the North Harbour Rugby Union. So, well done. Grace. She's got a red card, yellow card. That's great.

It's a great outfit. I love it. Oh, it's a blue card. What does blue do? Potential head injury, okay? We could suffer one of the... She's pointing in me. Oh, yeah, maybe you could have a head injury today.

Producer Troy, who's now wearing a cap, which doesn't quite go with his outfit. But he's come in the dressing gown. looking like he's just going out of bed. Yeah. I mean, you're just run of the mill and parming north, made it back and safe. But around here, you've come dressed for the wrong occasion. Yeah.

Then we go to Ben who's gone for a topical outfit. Yeah, well, Stranger Things costume that I bought a couple of weeks ago, Demi Gorgon, online, which will look a lot better in the pictures. But my wife was like, you're never going to use that again whilst showing her today. Suck it. I'm wearing it again. Suck it, once or ready. And this is the second time, so this is the main reason why I'm wearing it.

I've come to a Stranger Things watch. party as well, I'm thinking. So you validated the purchase. More to validate your purchase with Amanda. You're 100% that's what I decide. Me and I love your outfit. I have come as a roller derby player going to my roller derby game. You used to do roller derby.

You were Chloe Carbassian. Yeah. It's on the back of my shirt. Yeah. I've got my full kit on. Yeah. You're rolling around in roller blades. Roll skates on here in the studio.

I've forgotten how hard and sore all the pads are. How handy are you on the skates? Not bad. I mean, I was. handy. I don't know. It's been a while now. Okay, let's do a thing where we time trial you now. Okay, there's a Christmas Christmas tree out and reception.

I'll start the time, I'll say, you know, how quick do you reckon you get there and back in? Oh, like, five minutes. Oh, that's too long. That's way too long. I was thinking like 30 seconds. Five minutes. I guess there's a few doors to navigate and swipe a out situation and stuff. Let's not do that. That's terrible. Very visual

too. I'm just come in a boring suit with a bow tie. Go to a wedding or something. Yeah, just really just exposes my usual low bar of dressing. There's people in suits right throughout the building. Yeah, it's more like tuxedo vibes that you've got going on. So, I mean, the novelty, great at the moment, but, you know,

we've got meetings at 9, 30, 10 o'clock. Ben's a demig in your rolling around, Ben's, I had to walk across the road because we parked across the road, and that was a weird sort of walk, scuffing the way across the road. Harriet, our boss is going to come in a wetsuit, like, what if she's going to have a meeting with the CEO today? Well, yeah, it's what's happening today. I mean, he knows what we do for a job. Ben and Megan, the podcast, the hits. Really on edge. Tenta hooks, as they say.

I always thought it was Tender hooks. Is it not? No, it's not. Tenta. Tenta. What's a Tenta? A tender is like, oh, Tender. Yeah, that's why Tender has always made sense to me for decades, but Tender hooks. But the reason we are sitting on those hooks of Tentor is one of us is going to go missing from the show. And we don't know which person it is, which cast member of the program it is. Tenta is a wooden frame used to stretch

wet cloths so they dry evenly so if you're on here If you're on tenter stretched out He's stretched or stressed I guess you're held in tension Emotionally like the cloth Is what they said

Oh okay A bit of a rich Yeah some of those ones are a bit of a reach Aren't they But yeah we are going missing And this is thanks to the wonderful Stay Sunsmart Make Invisible Ink your go to

sunscreen this summer Zincisible zinc This is why I'd do those No You started And I was like That's been six You could earn $5,000 though

Yeah If you work out Where the rogue Which one of us So escapes Who disappears from the show Where they end up This week

Can we just do a little bit Of a social experiment We phoned Bastie Megan's son yesterday And Ricken's on packing bags and stuff Have you heard any conversations Between mummy and daddy

Saying Oh mummy's got to go away For work this week Why did my dad say no? Why did he say no? Has she packed her bag yet? Basty, has she got a bag packed? Her suitcase?

Yep. Thank you. That's all we needed to know. So Megan's claiming it's not her, but I tell you what, all roads leading at the moment. But another person that I'm suspicious of, you can rest assured it's not me, okay? The spotlight is on Ben and Megan.

Well, yeah, you've really deflected nicely on to the two of us. The whole week has been your tactic. All of us saying it's not us, all right? So I want to play a little game now. I don't know if Amanda your wife will answer her phone live, Ben. Yeah, I don't know. We'll live if we can find out. What do you want to do?

As soon as Amanda, the only thing you need to say is, hey, Amanda, love you lots. Right. Well, already she'll know something's up. She'll be like, what's going on? First rule of my marriage, I'd never show any affection. She'll be like, okay, what's going on? And you know how I'm going away this week? And just stop talking.

And pause. Okay. But then, okay, to pull the curtain back, I am going away this week. I'm going with my daughter. We're going down to interview some of the casts of Avatar. Well, maybe she'll say which time. So we are going away this week. Okay.

Are you just going straight from roguing? Well, hey, look, I'm, okay. Well, you know how I'm the rogue? You know how I'm the rogue this week? Say that. Oh, okay. Right. Hey, Amanda.

Love you, darling. Okay. So you know how I'm a lot. Oh, you know how, sorry, just say that. Okay, but I'm not the rogue. But then... Good morning. Good morning, Amanda.

Love you, darling. What do you want? Yes, so here you go. Look, you know how I'm the rogue? No, what? Are you the road? Well, you know how I'm going away this week? Yeah.

Not this week. You're going away on the weekend, Andrew Ellington. Okay. Okay. Radio, hi, Amanda. So, okay. We made him say love you darling, too, by the way. Yeah, I mean, that was a giveaway that she was live.

Hi, Amanda. Hi, Megan. Okay, so there we go. We won't say any more than that. Well, listen, cooperating the story. Oh, yeah. Yeah, okay. Okay.

At this point, after. I haven't seen them, like, we like passing ships in the night. Yeah, yeah. She's seen them since 2009. I don't know, it's half the time. She's like, I'm just saying I'm not corroborated. He's just haven't seen him much. He could have been away for three months and I don't know.

What's he doing? He's just got a lot of stuff to do this guy. Busy operation. All right. Hey Amanda, I told him off for his Demi Gorgon costume too. Yeah. Oh, thank you. Yeah, you're welcome.

It's not, you're wearing it today. So it's not, it's double use. Double use, Amanda. Not landfill. It's not landfill. It's not landfill. Currently it's on me. All right.

We'll find out which one of us is the rogue. Is it me? Is it not? John O'Bennon and Megan, the podcast, The Hits. So, Hemwood joins us in the studio. Great see you, do I. Pleasure to be in. It's been a while.

Yeah. It's been a while. Can I bring up something here? Now, I'm going to show you this. On ZM, at the end of your name, right? Order of New Zealand merits. Yeah. But, you know, it was been a bit of a weird year for me.

Because I'm just thinking of myself as a comic who talks rubbish and has a good time. But I've got, yeah, there's an order in New Zealand. order and merit. I've got a distinguished alumni at Victoria University. Are you a distinguished alumni? How's this? This is a trippy. So you go down there. I went to Victoria University. It's, you know, it's very Wellington. It's very wellington. The ceremony was in the Mariah at Victoria University. Only Mariah to have under floor heating. So there's a few other people getting it. One guy is getting it because he negotiates the end of wars so negotiated the end of like the Bosnian-Serbian war he'd just

been in like the Democratic Republic of Congo that's not fair I know you know I'm like different ceremony I know and I'd say yeah yes I did a gig in there did a Parmy in a couple weeks yeah yeah go yeah it's just a war zone but this is crazy this guy and he said I was in the Democratic Republic of Congo and we're at a checkpoint and there was a 14-year-old on methamphetamine within AK-47. And that's the only time I've thought this could just, he could just... Wow. You don't want to be in front of anyone who's on methamphetamine holding an AK-47.

No, I'm pretty happy not to be in front of anyone on methamphetamine, to be honest. Unfortunately, you've been in front of a lot of them during Grand New Zealand. And so what is, does he talk to, like, the leaders of both sides? Yeah, so it's all about his organisation. They're based out of Switzerland. they bring together the sides and try and find out exactly why they're fighting

how they can bring it to an end and have conflict resolution Ben could do that you're like Switzerland all the time but I wouldn't want to make a decision or what you know like it'd be a hell of a career pivot for you though

where's Ben or he's in the Ukraine at the moment here guys it's a little tense over here guys I don't know you could still do the old cross from the Donbass region Now, you have got a, geez, you've come and seen us really early. Now, we're all thinking about the end of the year, but you're already thinking about 2026 and May 26.

Yeah, I'm like, look, Christmas is last year's news, mate. I'm here to talk May 1, May 2, 2020. Here's Food's Comedy Gala. We're like, oh, yeah, when's it coming up? May next year. Now, we need to get in early for this. Yes, because they've asked me to host, which is amazing. First time doing it.

Yeah, yeah, because back in the day when I started, shit, as I started doing the, 2001 I reckon and that was when they'd always get an international host over they had Wayne Brady the guy from So they got me to do it next year doing Auckland and Wellington you get to see a little bit of all of the

internationals a lot of the locals and go I'll go and see their show I'll go and see that It's like a sampler biscuit packet But there's always a dud one To be honest There used to be Back at the day there was always one That was the poor of it.

That's the same as a saffle biscuit. Like the shortbread. Oh, I love the shortbread. It's each of the right. It should be, now but shortbread, you think you don't like. But when there's no other options

and you had a couple, you're like, oh no, I'll keep going on the shortbread. I need more of the driest possible biscuit. How much best foods do you get? Because a great support of New Zealand comedy. Yeah, and I tell you,

it's a sought after mayo. We know someone on the board. of the comedy festival she doesn't get paid of money she literally gets paying in Mayana that's stable shelf life the truffle one she gets the top shelf payment yeah

oh laddie darling you're on the board with your truffle mayonnaise well you might get one for hosting but Di Em would you can catch die hosting I really get soaked about this I'll be back in May

the Best Foods Comedy Gala you can get your tickets right now get your early bird tickets great to see you die good see I'll probably actually come back and remind you because May is It is half a year away This is why a six-month plan

John O'Ben and Megan The podcast The Hits Yesterday about career pivots People that made big life changes And so many text and calls came through Yeah, some incredible stories I remember

Just when we're young In our 20s My friend was a tradie And he was like Oh you know what I might do a bit of a career pivot And get into Personal training

A large part of his reason was he thought it was a potential way to meet girlfriends. Oh. And so then he had to do a, so it was like a six or 12 month course. He pulled out after three months. He was like, who knew you had to be so fit to be a personal trainer?

He's like, they got us doing burpees and squats. I was like, yeah, that seems like a pretty cool responsibility. He just wanted to bark orders that everyone else. He realized he'd have to.

So he went back to our big of trading. Zoe, with us on 0800 of the hits. Jada, how are you? We're doing good. Now, we understand. And you've had a bit of a career pivot. Well, I'm a registered emergency nurse, but I've gotten really into my singing in the last, like, couple of years with my EP coming out to.

Oh, wow. So you've recorded music. Yeah, yeah. So first single from the EP is called Good Enough comes out on Friday. Oh, very cool. We'll play, yeah, we'll get some of that and we'll play this, play it underneath. So what's the name of people want to find you? What's your, what's your, what's your...

Zoe Vera. Okay, which is your name, I imagine. Which is also her normal name. Yeah, yeah, it's also your nursing name. I'm guessing. So what made you decide that this is something that you've always wanted to do

in the back of your mind? Yeah, I've always wanted to be a singer but mom and dad told me to go get a real career. So you're like, I've done that. Tell that to Lady Gaga. If your singing career takes off, will you drop the nursing, obviously?

Yeah, that would be the plan but also I do love helping people. But that's kind of the end behind my music as well. We're very useful too if anyone has a medical emergency at one. of your shows as well. Oh, true. People are always passing out,

heat exhaustion, you'll be like, look out, coming through with the CPR. You're really multitasking. We can save on St. John's costs. I don't know if you have to pay them to turn up and you can just do it all yourself. What's the craziest thing you've had to do in the emergency department, Zoe?

I used to work at Middlemore emergency. So I have seen some stuff, most of which I probably can't say. Geez, I'll see some stuff. There's a reason why I want to get into singing. Do you get ideas from? for singing for songs that you come up with from work? Yeah, yeah.

I can constantly get a lot of good content from you. Yeah, you definitely see a lot about the human condition, that's for sure. Hey, Zoe, we've actually found some of your music here. We'll play some of it now. Thank you so much. This song's called Good. This is Good Enough. Is that you?

No, it's someone else There's another Zoe Vera No, that's incredible That is me That's awesome You need to go through all the wards All your patients and be like Can you just download this on Spotify

Just hold the phone up to their face That's a good idea Yeah, I'll fix you If I was allowed But nursing council might have a problem That's why you are a professional And you do what you do Zoe John O'Benn and Megan

The podcast The Hits Talking career The biggest career pivot this morning Someone who ended up becoming an Anglican priest And previously they were doing

Coms and PR I guess you're still doing A bit of PR for Jesus, aren't you? Sending out press releases every week And, you know, keeping up the comms from the great man What does the priest do? Well, that's a question for them

more than us, right? I was like, what does a day-to-day of a priest look like? Oh, they do all sorts of stuff, Megan. Yeah, okay. Great stuff. They get the stuff done out there. Okay, that was just a really vague answer.

None of us know the answer. If you're a priest, text in, four, four, eight, seven. What are you doing right now? I'm just wondering what your nine to five is. I'm not familiar. I'm sure they're out there doing stuff, right? You're doing it all. They've got the biggest boss of them all looking down on it.

That's true. So 800 of the hits, the biggest career pivot. Tanya. Good morning. I went from being a chartered accountant to open my own driving school. Oh, wow. How? How?

My son wanted to learn to drive. I wanted him to learn as a manual, as us older parents do, because we learned in a manual, realized there were no manual instructors around, and I went, this could be a business opportunity. So I went and got my instructor's license, bought a manual, bought an auto, branded focus driving school, and here I am. Good on you. So many people have those fleeting thoughts and never do anything with it.

Oh, wow. Wow. That is amazing. I really admire people that follow. those fleeting thoughts because most of us are like nah, they'd be good. You'd give yourself too many reasons why, you know, why not to but it's awesome that you did. So yeah, that's incredible.

I always wanted to own my own my own business. I just didn't know what it looked like. I figured I had set on enough executive committees to know how to run a business. I just didn't know what I wanted to do. And this is it. Good on you, Tanya. I imagine those sheets are nicely balanced. Not balanced enough.

Yeah, well, Ben's going through the same thing at the moment. He's getting abused for having an L plate on Yeah, it's not for me, it's for my daughter but yeah, I forget to take it off sometimes with people, yeah, people don't. Send it in my way, parents can't teach their own kids part of the guy. Yeah, well that's the thing, yeah, you're right, it's probably one of those occasions, yeah.

Hey, good on you're going to have a wonderful day. Yeah, we've got Papa Maura on the phone, that's right, the entire Papa Moa, Claire, representing Papa Moa. What's your career? Sorry, I made this really awkward, that's my fault, Claire. Uh, yeah, awkward career. Hi, Claire, what's your career pivot? Hi, I think she does.

on the beach it's really loud down here oh okay it's not great enough to be on the beach right now but what's your career with it well um straight out of school i went into the bank because i kind of didn't really know what i wanted to do so i joined banking and worked my way up and then moved to a finance company and ended up being like a senior account manager with a million dollar lending discretion um and then i had a bit of a health crisis i got diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and I was like there's got to be more to life than you know the 9 to 5 or you know I was kind of working 7 until 6 though in the baby yeah and um so I went overseas and I spent a month at a health retreat on the Gold Coast and learn all about like detoxing and raw food

fasting and juicing and I just changed my life oh wow so you've got into holistic sort of medicine yeah and I was always into fitness and that and so I came back and I started working as a personal trainer and a nutritionist and ended up running my own holistic sort of health coaching business in Auckland. That's how I met my husband as well because he's a strengths and conditioning coach. She's, you guys must be hot, I reckon.

Hot couple. You're going to have hot babies. And then we moved to the boat plenty about 10 years ago and I didn't really want to do the health coaching anymore and a few companies asked me to represent them like doing in-sort tastings and things like protein powders and stuff like that. And then through that, the organic shops were like, oh, can you do a tasting for this company as well?

And then through that, suddenly I had like 15, 20 clients, and they were asking me to get them into more stores around the Bay Plenty. And it was all like gluten-free, you know, low-sugar, stuff like that. Dogg doesn't agree with gluten-free. Yeah, dogs are like, what? Yeah, get your gluten-free nonsense out of here. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, so now I would sort of represent smaller New Zealand brands in supermarket and other markets and other. stores around the country and do

like demonstrations and things like that for them and it's really important to support local I think absolutely clear well congratulations I hope the health is better and I hope the business is going well thank you so much for sharing this morning so many great texts coming through people sharing as well from truck drivers to private school teachers the pivots like that there's so many amazing texts but next Jono Ben and Megan the podcast the hits

I'm a big fan of carrying I like I like carrying stuff I like as someone who likes to be prepared for all things at all times. Sometimes I might, if I could tell you, you do look like one of the crazy bag people. Yeah, loads of like shopping bags, reusable shopping bags. Now I've got a second bag, it doesn't all fit in one. Need to get a supermarket trolley.

Well, that would be handy. Push that around the road. Pockets always full at all times. Every scenario, you know, like I like to be prepared. My wife is the opposite. And that's quite fring. And that's her personality. You know, she's not really a huge fan of handbags.

Like, she doesn't really like taking a hand. handbag anywhere she's not really a fan of wallets or purses and she's what does she'll just like a phone maybe a single credit card or a single license how does that make you feel oh not long way go places she goes where is my license I'll be like you know there's a solution for this you can keep it all in one place you know people talk it you talk about your handbag you love going through and you know what she won't she'll have a handbag she doesn't like she's got handbags she'll go out she didn't bring my reading glasses you're like well you could have kept them in a bit like there is a lot I saw her out once did you had a really nice hands handbag. Is that a special occasion? Yeah, and she will from time to time, but it's Jesus, you could do this all the time, yeah. Meanwhile, old bloody, ten shopping bags over here is lugging the household around.

You take them a huge backpack everywhere. Sanitiser, sunscreen. You name it, I'm covered. I am covered it as well, and she is, I guess maybe I've got it all sort of. I need anything. Have you got my reading glasses on? You're there in no way over here. I should just carry her driver's license around and stuff like that. Okay, she'll have you got, no, I've got it over here as well. I'm the carrier of cards if we're going everywhere, hop cards, you know, things like that.

That's me. That's me. I'm taking that. I understand, though, because eventually over time your handbag, it's really got the capacity of a small car boot, doesn't it? Yeah, well, the stuff you end up with in there. Yeah. So I can see why.

She doesn't, yeah, she wouldn't like her. She goes to handbag and might have two things in it. And even that, I'll be like, where's your thing? You put it in there. I didn't bring it. I'll be like, but you got the thing. There is a solution. But anyway, that was just chance for you to be.

I feel like this show is half content for the listeners and half therapy. for Ben a lot of the time. Exactly. I'll go rub some hand sanitizer on, but a sunscreen, and we'll get into after eight. John O'Ben and Megan, the podcast, The Hits. We are all dressed in some interesting outfits this morning. The hits are having come to work dressed as the wrong event today. Yeah, so Ben's dressers a demigorgon from Stranger Things,

which slowly the costume is coming off through the course of the show. It's very impractical, like a full mask with a petal mask and big fingers, It's not great for radio. Not good for typing, too, those big long fingers, are they? No, that's right. I've come to a Stranger Things Watch party. Megan, the wrong event for you is... A roller derby game.

I'm dressed as a roller derby game. And full skates as well. John is in a tuxedo and producer Troy. You've come in a dressing gown today. Yes, which Megan just told me, no male looks attractive in a dressing gown. I just, yeah. You just don't look ready.

You don't look ready for the day. Agrees. I just, I don't know. It's something about dudes and dressing gowns. I like it. I like it. We get to actually head to the hits breakfast It's on Instagram.

You can see a photo of us. The whole team are doing it today as well, which I can't help it feel. The novelty's going to wear off by 10.30 when the meeting's coming. I mean, oh, Demi Gorgon over here. What are you got on the agenda today? A lot of stuff, a lot of stuff. That's fine.

I'll just roll with it, you know? I'm literally rolling with it every time I have to go to the toilet. I'm like, this is a... You're going to have to take... Somebody's going to take the whole suit off to go to the toilet. It's a fool. Yeah. Anyway, you said Troy's broken the girl code, legal.

Yeah, so initially I thought this is cute. I'm just not sure. I'm not sure. if it's frowned upon or not, but producer Troy has come to the assistance of someone. No names here. But they came to you with a plight, looking for a guy perpetually on the prow.

But someone has been talking about one guy in particular. I know exactly who you're talking about. Don't. Every fibre of my being is having to hold this name in this situation. Don't say how they're. No, she's a wonderful lady and she does does have a great name. She does. And Troy obviously got sick of her going on about it.

She was going on and on and on about this one particular guy and getting nervous whenever she was around him. Oh, really? And like she would go upstairs to talk to him and she'd just stand there awkwardly. That's part of the fun. And she wanted to make the first move. She just didn't know how. And so my first suggestion was, just send him a message on Instagram.

Just be like, hey, don't have you drink this weekend. Slide into the DMs. Yeah. And as a mail, I'd love to get that message. Right. And she didn't want to do that. That's too forward. Not now.

He's spoken for it. Just so you know. Don't start sliding into truth. He still loves to get that message. It'll still be nice. Good for the self-esteem. Yeah. Still got it.

Take his draw out. He has a now. He's in the dressing gun, Megan. No, he's not going to make that. And so she didn't want to go with that. And so I said, okay, well, what are you going to do about it then? You can't just perpetually be in this kind of awkward phase. You need to know either way.

She's like, oh, I don't know. No, I just can't. I just can't. Okay, I'll do it. I pulled up his email. And I just wrote him an email. I said, from you. From you?

From me. On behalf of her? Yeah, I'll be the wingman. I'll be the wingman is what I was going for. Oh, yeah. Okay. And so I just wrote, hey, mate, super random. I've never talked to this guy before.

Oh, jeez. I've never talked to this guy. Is he in the building? He's upstairs, yeah. I know where he is. I know his name. People listening to this radio station would know his name. That's another clue.

It's not Bryn. Hey, mate, super random for both you and me. Anyway, one of the girls at the hits is a bit shy, but we would like to know, She would like to know if you're available to go out for a minute. Sounds like you'd like to know. One of the girls at the hips is a bit shy, but she would like to know if you're available to go out for a drink

sometime before Christmas. No pressure to respond. I'm just the messenger. Hope you're having a nice wind down for the year. P.S. What do you think of guys are dressing girls? And any response? He did respond.

And positive? Well, he said, Hey, Troy. Thanks for being the messenger. I'm up to my neck and freelance work at the moment. So this month may not be a good time. Always keen to chat, though, so she's more than keen to DM me on Instagram. If she's keen to chat.

Take it offline. Take it off the country's communication system, thank you. Yeah, take it off your bloody communications. Go ahead, hire out your services. So you get he's broken the girl code, though. Yeah, well, I don't know. If it turns out good, you've done well. If it turns bad.

He's broken no code. He's made a connection. There's DM's being slid into. You've spent up this whole process.