Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL SHOW: Why Did Ben Do To End Up With A Religious Pamphlet After An Uber Ride?

Episode Date: March 9, 2025

ON THE SHOW TODAY: Megan shares her saucy podcast with the boys… What would you do if a dog attacked you? You won’t believe what happened! Jono gives his scammer some constructive feedback. How Ben found himself stuck in a store in nothing but boardies… We chat with our LIVE FREE winner, Kayla, and the incredible signs she received that she'd win! Stick around to the end to see how Ben fares on his solo attempt at the NZ Herald Quiz!Facebook: The Hits Breakfast with Jono, Ben & Megan Instagram: THEHITSBREAKFAST  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jono, Ben and Megan podcast, thanks to HelloFresh. Your home advantage for delicious midweek dinners everyone will love. Welcome to the podcast on a Monday. Great to have you with us as we kick into another podcast. No, I just realised I hadn't paid for parking. Oh. You know, it's a... You never do.

No, true. No, but I'm trying to get better because it's 70 bucks now. Is it? If you don't pay. Wow. Like if you... Obviously, it's probably cheaper if you pay and you just go over time. Yeah. But if you don't pay. Wow. Like if you, obviously it's probably cheaper if you pay and you just go over

time, but if you don't pay, 70 bucks. We worked out the economics now. They've really ramped that up, haven't they?

They've really taken it from bloody zero to a hundred. They're not messing around. Because people like you just like flaunt the system

all the time. Flout? Flaunt? Flaunt. Now, we've talked about this before, now there's,

you know, there's not necessarily just people walking on the street ticketing. There's actual cars that come around and just take photos. There's camera cars. Camera cars, which is, I guess, would be a horrible job. I imagine that a lot of times being a parking warden, someone's got to do it. Yeah, they get abused and stuff.

I know. And all the time you're like, well, you're over the limit. They're just doing their job. But yeah, but people... But that was the fun part about it. You know, the old transaction was okay i'm getting a fine at least i can unleash my anger on another human being now you can't fight you can't have a crack at anyone and they dress them up like don't they they put those big

wide-brimmed hats on the people the poor people they don't do them any favors no you're right they should just be a little more subtle with what they're wearing yeah maybe go and if they were too sexy would you not abuse them no but i mean they really do stand out they do like that yeah the council like if you could dress them up slightly cooler yeah you're right okay okay well um good luck paying your parking and uh it starts today's podcast with a very unusual thing the Uber driver gave me on Friday. John O'Bannon Megan. The podcast. The hits.

When you get into an Uber, and I pretty much within the first 30 seconds to a minute, I decide, you know, I finally make a judgment on whether the Uber driver's interested in chatting to me or not. If they're interested in chatting, I carry it on chatting. I threw out maybe three questions, got very little back. And so I was like, that's cool. And then I was happily looking at my phone. I quite like the silence, much like you, Megan. If you don't need to chat, don't have to chat.

But I'm also happy to chat if they want to chat. But I was like, ah, he doesn't want to chat. So we spent probably 15, 20 minutes in silence after having a chat. And then we parked up and I'm like, oh, thanks, mate. Have yourself a great evening. You go back to chatting again. He goes, can I give you something before you go? And I was like, oh. We haven't spoken for 20 minutes. You go back to chatting again. He goes, can I give you something before you go? And I was like,

Oh, we haven't spoken too much. And then he pulled out a little notepad and I was like, Oh, I opened it up. And inside was a brochure, like a little brochure, religious brochure about sinning.

And so he gave it to me. I was like, Oh, give it to me. And I was like, Oh, thanks mate. Thank you.

Thank you. And that was it. He could see in his rear me. And I was like, oh, thanks, mate. Thank you, thank you. And that was it. He could see in his rear-view mirror what he was looking at on his phone. Maybe, maybe. Well, this guy needs help. He just drowned him in holy water. Yeah, and I appreciate it. I had a little look at it.

I think it's somewhere around the office now. I gave it to someone else, but it was, yeah. He doesn't even need you to talk to know what kind of guy you are. Yeah, you could smell the sin on him. That was an interesting thing. And it didn't look like he had a lot of other ones in the notepad Like I was like oh maybe this is something he regularly does Or maybe he was just like oh this guy But then you know

We arrived at work and he was retelling the story To Ashley and Bronte in the office And he's like here you have it pass it to Ashley Ashley passed it to Bronte And Bronte passed it back to Ben So there's someone above really wanting you to have this pamphlet Yeah I know He and Bronte passed it back to Ben. So there's someone above really wanting you to have this pamphlet.

Yeah, I know. He's trying to hand it out to other people but it keeps boomeranging back to him. Maybe he thought you were Jono. Oh, maybe.

He just called me. I'm Catholic, mate. I'm covered, baby. My insurance policy is up to date. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. Now there's something I and Megan. The podcast. The hits.

Now, there's something I'm considering a little bit of a hack at the gym. Like, when you're on the treadmill, you need a bit of a motivation, right? You need something to keep you going. Yeah. I should have discovered. You use those pre-workout drinks? Boy, they get you pinging. You're not supposed to do that when you do cardio,

because your heart's already racing. You feel like you're electric. You fire out like electricity. Well, instead of listening to pumping music, I've discovered something else specifically for the... Why do you keep smiling and looking at me? Because I've got audio. This is something that maybe might appeal more to women. It's a podcast.

Well, I mean, you might be into it. Now he's going to be sexist if he's not into it. Nice flim flam. I'll play it for you and you can decide if you're into it. But it's a podcast and this one is called Butter. He doesn't even acknowledge my presence. He's everything I despise. Heat rushes through me as I admire his frame.

I have to call it for what it is. Attraction. He doesn't say a word, just stares at me in the glow of the city lights. I feel the heat of his gaze rake slowly, so slowly down my body and back up, stopping when his gaze locks on mine. His arms remain folded over his chest

and I can't see it through his crisp white shirt, but I can tell the lines of his chest and stomach are muscled hard. I do like it. You do like it? A little bit too Australian for me. It's a little Australian for me, but I do like it. G'day, Cobber. Yeah.

That spicy, little spicy stories. So this kind of gets you going, for want of a better term. What are you listening to? What is this? It's like little sexy stories. Oh, right. So it's like an audible sort of thing. Yeah.

They're short stories. This one's about her office rival, who she hates, but he's so hot. And they're little short stories. Wouldn't it be funny? I was thinking that at the gym the other day. If you knew what everyone else was listening to. I know. Some people would be mortified

and other people would be like oh that's cool because you're in your own little head space no one else can hear it you know I listen to I've started listening

to little sexy stories Ben listens to himself what? nothing sexier than him whatever gets you going babe that nasally tone and my bluetooth weren't connected

and I was just blaring it out of my pocket Jono, Ben and Megan the podcast the hits we have dogs on the show big dog lovers and And my Bluetooth weren't connected and I was just blaring it out of my pocket. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. We have dogs on the show, big dog lovers. And the pets are a big part of our families. Except when they get sick.

Then you have to go, is this all a fit? But my dog Leo, he's been with us for 10 years now. He's 10 years this year. Great innings. Yeah. And he's pretty good. He's been pretty good. He hasn't had a lot wrong with him. He's 10 years this year. Great innings. Yeah. And he's pretty good. He's been pretty good. He hasn't had a lot wrong with him.

He's just a bit of a, like a mutt. And he, well, like doesn't mutt mean like multi-breed? I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know. That's the way you said it just to make me laugh. He's not like a pure breed or anything. He's just like, yeah, gotcha.

A mongrel. Would you call him a mongrel? Is that a mongrel? I don't know. I don't know. I feel like a really insulting poor Leo here. He's all right. He has been a bit pooey and bommy in his time.

Oh, okay. Aren't we all? Aren't we all? In his old age, and when we moved to our new area, he has been sneezing and scratching a lot. And it turns out that he's got quite severe allergies. So he used to get injections every month to kind of calm his allergies. So he gets hay fever and things?

Really bad. I've never heard of dogs getting hay fever. But I suppose. Sniffing, yeah. Does someone sniffing, sneezing, that sort of thing? Yeah, he sneezes a lot. He's scratching. He gets inflamed pores and he gets a little itchy nose and stuff.

So he has to now have tablets every day. But his hay fever tablets are literally the same as what I take. So he gets, I get his medication from the chemist warehouse. Oh do you? You can actually do it? Yeah, turns out you can.

So now I've got like a... He's got a loriped or something. Yeah, I've got like a permanent loriclear, a permanent prescription for my dog's hay fever. Does he take them orally? Yeah. Have you ever seen... Have you ever given a suppository to a dog? No.

Oh, I tell you what. Not to a dog. Yeah, I had to take poor little Milo to the vet and the vet put something in there and you could tell he was looking at me like, what? What are you doing? Oh, I thought you meant myself personally.

I was like, no, I'll leave that to them. No, I haven't done that. That's what I meant. I'm sorry, have you ever done that? I'm like, no. Isn't that the way to calm a dog? Like if you're being attacked by a dog. If you come over to my house and I'm doing that,

I'm like, oh, he was a little bit wound up. I reckon you'd have more questions than answers. It probably would settle them down a little bit, wouldn't it? If you're being attacked by a dog, you go, whoop. Also, if you're being attacked, you have to reach around and... I guess it would. I'll give it a go next time. Yeah. It's probably not the first thing you think of.

All right, and if I end up in prison... So what are you doing? As you said, we're all lovers of our animals, our dogs in particular. But okay, so 4487, what are you doing for your pet? Because a lot of dogs and cats and pets in general have special medication. I had a friend who had an asthmatic cat and had to give them an inhaler and a mask. But we love them, so we do it. This is why you get pet insurance.

You know those traumatic ads with the three-year-old, push the cat down the stairs. Now it's broken. Everything, it's got its legs and tail broken. That's why you get pet insurance. You know those traumatic ads with the three-year-old pushed the cat down the stairs. Now it's broken everything. It's got its legs and tail broken. That's why you get pet insurance. It covers you. It's covered for everything, as I found out in the last. You've got to be very clear on what you've actually paid for. It's the difference between what is deemed

an accident and what is deemed... Anyway, I had the wrong... Yes, I've learnt that lesson the hard way. Paid the bill. Oh, 800, that's the length you go into so I've learnt that lesson the hard way. Paid the bill. Okay. Oh, 800 bits. The lengths you go into for your pets. Read the fine print, guys. Read the fine print.

He's on a rant. He's on a rant. John O'Bannon Megan. The podcast. The hits. Great to have you with us. Megan having some issues with her dog, Leo. She's feeding the dog antihistamines.

He's got to have antihistamine tablets Every day He's also got steroids That you have to stagger in He's got itchy nose And he sneezes a lot High maintenance Real high maintenance He's 10 years old now

Old dude You keep saying that As if You're going to start Giving up on feeding Are you getting that vibe Ben? Take him to the vet And I'm like

You put him out of his misery They're like He's got hay fever Put him down Put him out We don't. They're like, he's got hay fever. Put him out. We don't want him going through this anymore. Literally, just give him one of these pills. No, no, no, no. It would be cruel to make him live any longer.

We've got our dog in socks at home sometimes on the wooden floors, you know, because he's getting a little older, getting up and slipping on the floors. So, you know, that's his life now. Oh, yeah, your wife bought four little socks. Yeah, which don't, to be fair, like they were good in theory they weren't expensive i think under ten dollars but yeah to stop him from slipping and they work really well they got little suction pads but it's just a pain you know because four four socks putting four socks on the dog and then when he goes outside you're like well he's not meant to wear the socks then you're like oh god it's like

oh putting two goes outside and then he comes back in you're like the socks and you're like oh god it's like so he goes outside and then he comes back in and you put the socks back on the socks just pretty much live in his dog bed putting on two socks on yourself every morning's a pain the wolves

back in the day would be like what are you doing what is going on yeah exactly but mind you speaking of socks you've had to

remove a sock haven't you from Bo yeah he had one of the kids socks when he was younger and we're like oh I think he had a sock and it did come out at the end like a tail.

Tug of war, and I had to help it out. Very low moment for me and the dog. But, hey, we got there. We got there. People always ask where those missing socks end up. Yeah, well, true. There they are. Inside Bo.

James, you're on the air. Lovely to have you on this morning, mate. How are you? Good morning, guys. Morning. Yeah, my cat had to have all his teeth removed about a year ago. All of them? He's only got three left.

So we spent lots of money trying to try and paste cat food. This little other galley man, he didn't like it. So he thought, oh, we'll take him back to biscuits. And you wouldn't believe it. For a cat that's only got three teeth, he chomps those biscuits down like they're nobody's free. I was wondering, are false teeth an option for cats? Can you get a full set of chompers?

Veneers from Turkey or something like that, you know? They're little big white jersey shored teeth. Yeah. Like a Cheshire cat. I mean, that's what the cat in Alice in Wonderland had, the Cheshire cat, big veneers. Yeah. Good teeth, that cat. Smiley cat that's what the cat in Alice in Wonderland had, the Cheshire Cat. Look at the ears. Yeah. Good teeth, that cat. Smiley cat, wasn't it?

Hey, that's great, James. You and your three-toothed cat have a great day, mate. You too, buddy. Thank you. Appreciate it. All right, the lengths you've gone to for your pets, Brooke. Yes, good morning, guys. How are you?

We're doing well. It's lovely to have you on the show this morning. Now, we've heard this involves a stocking. Yes, it did. My lovely little pup ate one of my knee-high stockings, and we took her to the vet, spent thousands trying to have, like, everything given to her to evacuate the stocking from the stomach. But in the end, the vet just said to us,

we just have to wait for it to come out itself. So funnily enough, I wasn't there when it happened, but my partner and my sister and my mum and dad thought it was hilarious because as it came out, it wouldn't move. So my sister had to slowly but surely pull it or assist it out. And a knee-high stocking Stretches rather far Of course It'd be like a magician

Pulling something out of their sleeve You know, it keeps coming Exactly And when it's at full stretch And the end of the stocking arrives What do you think happens with gravity When you're pulling it? It's like a slingshot

Exactly But is slinging everything else out with it though Yes it does Jono, Ben and Megan The podcast Last Thursday you said you got a text And it was from your kids Yeah it was

Hey mum I've got a new number click on this whatsapp message I was like oh Message to me saying hey mum So 2.30 in the morning on Saturday morning, bing, my phone goes off. I get the same one? Same message. Hi, Mum, I've got a new number.

Could you send me a message on WhatsApp? Now, we phoned the number that texted you last week and we got hold of, we're calling him Park Park. He holds a special place in all of our hearts. Park Park. What's that, sorry? Park Park. Park Park. It holds a special place in all of our hearts. Park Park. What's that, sorry? Park Park. Park Park.

Park Park. Have we? Okay. Park Park to you too, my friend. Park Park. Park Park. Park Park. I think it's Park Park.

I don't know. Sorry. Would you like his credit card number? Park Park. Yeah, Park Park's Park Park. I don't know. Sorry. Would you like his credit card number? Park Park. Yeah, Park Park. Park Park. All right, all right. We're going to go now.

You have a Park Park day. Park Park. All right. See you, mate. Park Park. Park Park. Jeez, you loved the Park Park, didn't you? I did.

It was a little sad With the last Park Park Yeah It was a little sad Through the whole thing He didn't want us to go Anyway I just want to offer Some constructive feedback To Park Park

Because You know he's gone Hi mum I've got a new number Now if If he just added the words And dad Your catchment Your catchment doubles

Instantly Yeah that's true You know Because he's I'm very confused. And secondly, my kids, it's 2.30 in the morning, Park Park. Get the international time zone sorted. The kids are like literally next door asleep. Thirdly, Park Park, if again, I feel like you're better than this, Park Park.

You know, he's got sloppy on the scamming. Thirdly, he's like, here's, I've got a new number. Message me on WhatsApp about the number and what the number is. But then the number that we're getting texts from, I would assume, was the new number. Well, you would think so, right? Yeah, why am I messaging you on WhatsApp? Yeah, why am I clicking on a WhatsApp link? Can I just text you back and be like, sweet, I've saved it?

Save that number. Where's the attention to detail? Where's the craft? He's just phoning it in. You know, this is a guy that maybe he needs to think about retiring. He's lost the love of scamming. Passion for scamming, yeah. You're right.

He didn't sound like he was passionate about it at the end, did he? No, he's like, oh. Going through the motions. Yeah. Attention to detail, two out of ten, Park. Yeah, okay. John O'Byr Ben and Megan the podcast the hits

something I kept saying all summer I needed to do was get a new pair of swimming tocks oh yeah are you rocking one? oh no I've got a couple but it's just

I was like oh this yeah one was particularly getting a bit faded and a bit you know sometimes they get a bit clingy

you know the older they get they can cling on to parts are they those ones you had in Fiji so oh those ones those were my one good one

oh they're your good ones yeah yeah oh yep are they right yeah yeah sounds like they weren't

sounds like they weren't what were they they were just blue were they blue board yeah blue board no they were great

they were great sounds like she's about to mock you yeah anyway so over the weekend I walked past the store and I saw there was like a

50% off swimming swimming apparel and I was like oh sweet maybe I could go in and get saw there was like a 50% off swimming apparel. And I was like, oh sweet, maybe I could go in and get some tops. Now's a good time to get your swimming stuff for next year. I was like, hey, I'll be organized. I'll go in there and I grabbed one off the rack and I was like, I better try it on for size wise as well. It looked a bit big and I'm not the biggest person.

So I'm like, oh yeah. I never try clothes on. I just always go, I guess. No, but then you end up having go back, and it's more frustrating. It's so lucky to be a boy because you're just like a T-shirt and shorts. It's like girls have bits and pieces, and they vary so much. We don't all talk like that either. Yeah, well, I grabbed it, and I was like, it'll look a little big,

but I'll try it on. And then on the way to the changing rooms, I was like, oh, I saw a T-shirt. I was like, oh, maybe I'll try the T-shirt as well. So I got inside the changing rooms, did the thing thing it was pretty quiet in the store tried it on like that and tried the t-shirt on then I went I don't need another t-shirt took that off and I was at this point standing there in my board shorts looking I was like these are too big my wife texts me from out there outside she's like how's it looking and I was like oh it's she was in the store I was like I need a smaller size she's like can I have it she's like yeah can I have a look and I'm like I don't want

to come out just in my top like I'm just in my togs so yeah she's like it's quiet come out no one's around all right you could have slipped said t-shirt on that you just I know but she's like there's no one around just stop being come out come out so I was like all right so I come out to the you know just that little bit. Sort of as it goes from store to changing room area. Yeah. Showing her like, okay, yeah. It's a little alcove.

And she's like, yeah, you're right. They are too big. I'll get you a medium. So off she goes. Then I turn around to go back to my changing room. And I was like, uh-oh. Someone, the door's, the curtain is shut. The one curtain.

Someone's taking your box? Yeah. Someone had come in because I'd left it open, gone straight in there. And I'm like, uh-oh, this is not good because I'm just standing there, board shorts, no top. But all your belongings are in there. All of it, my phone, my belongings, my shoes,

everything are all in that one. I sort of had a look, you know, and you're like, weirdly, I was like, is someone in there? And you look down under, you see feet, and you're like, yeah, someone in there. There was feet in there? Yeah, someone had gone in, I guess. Oh, weirdly, I was like, is someone in there? And you look down under, you see feet, and you're like, yeah, is someone in there? There was feet in there? Yeah, someone had gone in, I guess. Oh, so those, you know, discarded clothes that people have been trying on.

Yeah, just trying on their stuff. I don't think they'd done it intentionally, but I'm sort of standing there going, oh, God, this is awkward because I've got no clothing other than just a pair of board shorts waiting for my wife to come back. And then you get the person coming past the changing room from the store going, can I help you? And are you also bare feet?

Yeah, bare feet. You need to put your shorts up. Bored shorts, no top. Just standing there, you're like, looking awkward. And they're like, can I help you? You're like, well. At what point? How do they think they can help you?

I know. Escorting you out of the shop? I'm like, oh, my clothes are in there. I'm just waiting for this person to come out. Someone snakes my changing room. And they were

lovely. They were like, well, you go into this one and we'll wait for you to come out and we'll pass them over the top. But I'm like, this

is awkward. Well, at least, you know, if you're going to be in togs, like a surf shop's probably the, at least you're not anybody cotton on kids or anything.

Hanging out by my topless. I'm just trying on some togs. John O, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits.

Yeah, it was pretty incredible. As you know, we've been building up to Friday evening where four lucky winners from around the country got to open.

Well, got a key, picked a king and then got to open the door, at least attempt to open the door. One of those keys unlocked, their rental mortgage paid for an

entire 12 months thanks to One Roof Property. It was the closest thing New Zealand has to the Hunger Games, wasn't it, on Friday? And Kayla from the Waikato, her and her partner Jimbo came up with her auntie and uncle. And her mum, sadly, is no longer with us and played an important role in her choosing the green key. I saw you had a little Polaroid in your pocket. Can you talk to me about this? You're going to make me cry now.

This is my beautiful mum, Paula. And she is my lucky charm. She is looking over me. I've been talking to her since I got the phone call on Jim's birthday. And so hopefully she has guided me to the right key. Yeah, she passed away in 2021. I'm so sorry to hear so we we've lost multiple people we've lost about five loved ones in the last three years while we've owned our house so

it's it's been really difficult well here's to mum this afternoon let's do it for mom she put the green key in and boy oh boy i i didn't expect i don't know it's like the door's not going to open i don't know why i's like the door's not going to open. I don't know why I thought that, but. She was key number two, right? Yeah. Absolutely incredible. Oh my God!

Oh my God! Oh my God, Kayla! You did it! You did it! I'm such an ugly crier. Oh my God. I love that. Mad'm such an ugly crier. Oh, my God. I love that. Maddie sounds drunk happy there, doesn't she?

No one was happy. I hate that over and over again. No one was more happy than Maddie McLean. Oh, please. And the green key was chosen through a number of things. Her mum was pointing her towards the green key. And also Jimbo, her partner, he had green underpants. Oh, my God. I i won i won the key

on jim's birthday and his favorite color's green so i was like i'm just gonna do it got green undies on jim's got green undies on yeah it's uh very incredible yeah the signs they were saying they were driving up in the car and when they saw the photo of the keys it was just like green it's green green. Which is weird because there was an orange key and orange is her favourite colour. Yeah. She was like, I'm not, I don't feel like orange is the one. Couldn't go

on to two more deserving people. We spoke to Karen, her auntie who had travelled up as well about just what a rough couple of years they'd had. Absolute scenes Megan. There's screaming, there's crying. We had fireworks. Kayla's auntie, Karen, you're catching your breath.

I so am. Hang on. Just let me breathe. It seems like this means a lot to the family. Not just Kayla, but the whole family. She deserves every little piece of this. She's been to hell and back. And losing lots of family members. We actually just lost a dear uncle yesterday. Oh my God, I'm just beyond words.

I am just literally shaking and I'm just so happy for the pair of them. They deserve it. I love them. Good on you. I can tell it meant a lot to all of you. And she was saying that she thought her mum was, you know, guiding her to that key and guiding her to the competition and getting her in the draw. I just said, she's got a little photo of her and her mum in her pocket. And I said, just put your hand on her and she'll guide you to the right key. Oh my God.

Also, her partner was wearing green undies, brand new undies. So she was like, green, green is the one. She saw the keys, the photo online, and she was like, green, that's the key I want if I get a chance. She knew it. So stoked for her, so stoked. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast.

The hits. Friday afternoon, Kayla and Jim from the Waikato opened up the live free door, unlocking a year off their mortgage thanks to One Roof Property. Oh my God, I won. opened up the live free door unlocking a year off their mortgage thanks to one roof property oh my god i won i won the key on jim's birthday and his favorite color is green so i was like i'm just gonna do it he's got green undies on jim's got green undies on yeah three days later uh we're joined by kayla has it sunk in? Good morning, guys. It kind of has, a little bit, only a little bit. I'm just feeling exhausted but ecstatic at the same time.

So, yeah, just really drained but really, really grateful. Is Jim taking the green undies off? You know what? He just wants to go and buy another pack and another pack. He just wants to live in green undies. So many signs sort of, like, helped you towards this victory, right? wants to go and buy another pack and another package just wants to live in green undies so many signs sort of like helped you towards this victory right you know from the undies from even taking a photo of your mom to the you know the color of the key so many things you picked up on

there it's still we're still struggling to kind of comprehend all the signs us we're putting all the pieces together it literally the, Monday the week of, so a week ago today, you guys played the Alpha Quiz with a lady named Paula, which is my mum's name, from the Waikato, and her letter was K, so that's what her answers needed to be. And so I was like, oh, that's strange. And I just sort of had these little signs that mum was hanging around and then obviously I had the Facebook message, the post on my wall from mum 12 years ago wishing me good luck.

And it was just so bizarre. I still can't wrap my head around it. So that Facebook message, your memory popped up on the day of the big door opening. It did. Yeah. Wow. So we woke up. We woke up.

I just, you know, scrolled through my phone and I was like, I'll have a look at my Facebook memories. And there it was. And I just looked at Jim and I said, we've got this. This is happening. Oh, I believe in all that stuff. There was too many signs to deny. Yeah. And everyone else was really, really happy for you.

It couldn't have gone to a better couple. Now, you've had some rough times over the last few years, haven't you, with people passing from the family? Yeah, we have. It started with mum in 2021, and then it was very closely followed by my stepdad, who was in my life for 21 years. So mum passed, my stepdad passed.

I lost an auntie and a stepbrother. And then, yeah, sadly, we lost a great uncle on Thursday as well, the day before the event. So yeah, very mixed emotions this weekend. But yeah, it's been really tough, but we've just kept chugging along as you do. Someone was looking after you, looking over you. Yeah, he was, absolutely.

They would have all been cheering for you. Oh, totally. Talk us through the rest of the weekend. Do you reckon they can count as listeners? Do you reckon they count as listeners for us? Maybe. They're listening. We need them.

Talk us through the rest of the weekend. Obviously, you're on cloud nine. You open the door. You get a huge wedge of cash paid off for the entire year. What happens after that? For sure. So we went back to the hotel, and we went up to a rooftop bar with all the other contestants, with Jane and Ash and Belinda and Stephen Harper and my auntie and uncle and my partner Jim.

So we had a few drinks there, a few celebratory drinks. And honestly, the girls were amazing. Everyone there just deserved it. And I'm so, so grateful to have met them. We've got a little Key Girls 2025 group chat. We're all keeping in touch now. So we just made sure we all got home safe. Yeah, so a bit of dancing. And then by the end of it, I just, I had a headache.

I had so much adrenaline running through my body that day. But I just, it all came to, yeah, I was struggling to keep my eyes open. So we went back and then we woke up. Jim and I woke up on Saturday morning. And I just remember rolling over and looking at him. And we just, like, smiled and then started laughing. And we were like, what the heck just happened last night? Like, what?

It's real. It actually happened. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. All right. She's from Rome where they have the Coliseum. And she moved to Tauranga where they have a Mitre 10 Mega.

Just as impressive. Daniela! Those are the familiar strings of our Italian correspondent, Daniela! Buongiorno! Buongiorno! Got to really roll your eyes with that one, don't you? Buongiorno! Are you a hand gesture Italian?

Danielle, are you using your hands a lot to emphasize? I cannot talk otherwise. The words don't come out. I'd love to see an Italian have a conversation with their hands in their pockets. Yeah, no, there would be silence. Speaking of Italy, I just saw something on social media before. Obviously, I got engaged to my wife at the Trevi Fountain, Fontana de Trevi. But they make $1.5 million each year, euro.

So that's probably like, I don't know how many. Three million. Three million in New Zealand. Just for people throwing coins in because it's good luck to throw coins in the fountain. They give it to charity, which is awesome. But that's a huge amount of money they make. Every day it's 3,000 euro of coins that people chuck in the fountain. So are they having to clear it every day, probably?

Yeah, probably. €3,000. €3,000. And they need to be watching for people trying to steal the money also. Well, yeah, true. They're definitely not going cashless there. I'm going to be honest. As soon as you said they're clearing the money away, I was like, well, I could clear it away.

My retirement plan, actually, just build a fountain somewhere in a town. Build it, they come and say, good luck, throw coins in. Throw some coins in, go and clear it every day. That will be my day. That will be my day. Just to clarify, though, not every fountain got money in it, just that one. The investment is the fountain owner, is you need to distribute, say, half a dozen coins,

so it looks like it's a thing. Like a busker on the street. You put a like coins in your in your guitar case and then people are just spread a little rumor that oh it's really good luck to throw money in the air and make a wish daniella we're in the middle of merch march now we know you work uh you do a wonderful job of managing the quest in tauranga have you got any quest merch that we can dress megan up in because we're collecting every company's merch and we're giving it away at the end of March. You've got slippers, you've got a bathrobe, you've got something that you maybe could send up to us? Of course.

I can send you our body lotion. Oh! I can send you a beautiful Quest pen. A pen? A pen, yeah. Have you got a polo shirt? Oh, no, I wish. We don't do that.

Okay, you got a singlet? No. Why would they have a singlet? It doesn't feel like anyone's got it. I have a polo shirt. They're not a car show. Not a robe. Otherwise, I will bring you a singlet.

Bucket hat. Bucket hat. It's got to have the logo on it. We'll leave that one with you, all right? Send up something for Megan. I will. And you know what, guys? If I fly out in Brisbane, because after the flood, I'm not sure,

if I do, I will take your socks with me. Are you going to Brisbane? Are you going to Brisbane? I don't know at this stage because it's quite bad there. Sounds like it's a good time of year to go. I know. What an unlucky time to book a flight. I did one year ago book the flight.

I'm going there for conference in Gold Coast. Look at that. There is a flood. When I lived in Brisbane, because I did, we had, you know, usually we had a lot of flooding. It was one in 2014 and I had all the water come in the house. It was ugly. Your whole house flooded?

Yeah, it was horrible. You always live with the fear because there is always flooding problem in Queensland. Yeah. Yeah, that's why I feel for the poor guys. My, you know, all my thoughts to them. I hope they all stay. Well, Daniela, thank you so much.

Make sure you send us that quest singlet that you said you have. Yeah, whatever I have, I will send to your bag. Send it up for merch madness. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. We had a big weekend right around the country.

Pacifica was on in the 09 and then in the South Island as well. The Wild Food Festival in Hokitika as well. In the 03. Yeah. Love it when you do the phone codes. Yeah, so I know it, which means nothing anymore. I was doing that to my kids the other day and they were like, I don't know what that means. Oh the 03. Yeah. Love it when you do the phone codes. Yeah, which mean nothing anymore. I was doing that to my kids the other day

and they're like, I don't know what that means. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Way to age yourself. I was like, we're going down to the 06 and they're like,

what? I was like, oh, yeah, true. I have no idea what any of that means. Oh my God, they don't. No, no.

Yeah. Okay, kids, there used to be things where we had landlines, okay, and if you wanted to call someone from an out-of-town location,

you had to put, you know, their local landline, whatever it was called, the calling directory code. So like around the Wadden Upper Wellington region where I grew up was 06. And 04 for Welly? Yeah, 04 was Wellington, so 06 was, yeah. Wow. Mind you, the whole South Island was 03, wasn't it? Yeah, I was like, were we all 03?

And then 09 was around Auckland. Oh, who knows? Yeah, anyway. How come we were all 03? I don't know, mate. We give the whole South Island mainland 03. You've had like 30 years to be upset about this. How come you all get different ones?

Anyway, it's no longer a problem. It's true. Right, so I'll tell you what is a problem. Us trying to gather merch for merch madness. Merch madness. Merch madness. Merch madness. For the month of March, we're collecting all your small to medium-sized corporate clothing. Megan not only has a problem with South Island all having one area code.

Rude. But also has a problem with company merch. Refuses to wear it. Well, I just, it's never that nice, you know? It's like a cheap t-shirt that's been printed with a logo. Look at your milking apron. I don't want to, yeah. From the Moranville Veterinary Clinic.

That scoots the ground. Okay, so It's very thick. 4487, text merch if you've got any company merch that you want to dress Megan and we're going to do a big fashion parade at the end of the month. Then give all the merch away on the last day of March. That's right. You're going to be dressed, you look like a bloody NASCAR driver.

Yeah. But we wanted to know this morning, what are you loyal towards as far as brands go? Because there are some people, you know, particularly when we used to wear the Rock radio station, Holden Ford, it was like you had to be one or the other. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I was like, do I have to be one or the other? You do.

You absolutely do. I wasn't. I was like, I'm both. I'm Sk. Do I have to be one or the other? You do. You absolutely do. I wasn't. I was like, I'm a skoda. I'm a skoda. Yeah, I'm a skoda. Exactly. Holden doesn't even exist anymore, but I'm still a Holden girly. So, yeah, there's probably brands that some people I'd imagine would have tattoos of.

Oh, yeah. We actually had a call from someone, Angela, who phoned in about her husband and his loyalty to Pack and Save. Have a listen. I'll say Ethan. So on his upper thigh, he has a Pack and Save style tattoo. It's their mascot, the stick man. Yeah.

With a speech bubble that says, it's meat wheat. As good as it sounds. We saw the picture of it. You DM'd it to us. It looks like it was done in prison. Where was this tattoo? No, not prison. It definitely wasn't done by a professional.

It was done at a house party about a year into our relationship by his best mate, Kurt, who happened to be rather inebriated at the time, I would say. He shows it off. All the guys love it. And all the women feel sympathy for him. It's mate week. It's mate week.

Get back in there. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. Taking part in Merch Madness for the month of March. If you've got any merchandise for your business, we'd love to receive it. You can text MERCH to 4487. Get all the details right there. And Megan will model it all.

All of the merch. Some great stuff coming through here guys. PipCorp security services merch. We've got pink polo shirts and pink caps. Love it. Send it up. Text merch to 4487. But we are talking about your blind brand loyalty. How loyal

are you to certain brands? Are there any brands that you would get tattooed on you, Megan? If you had to pick one brand to get tattooed on you. No, I wouldn't. You wouldn't? Nothing. No. I'm not even like, I've got one tiny little tattoo.

What's your favorite brand? Like go high end. What's your favorite high end brand? I don't know. Give me one. Prada. Okay, so Prada come to you and they say, we're going to pay you a million dollars.

Oh, okay. I'll probably get anything tattooed on me for a million bucks. On your neck. On your neck. Across your throat. No, no, no. Like an NRL player. A million bucks.

Imagine how much. Yeah, but I look like a douche forever. You've got to wear it for a year, then you get lasered off. Oh, yeah. Oh, laser. I can pay for it too with a million dollars. Exactly, a million dollars, but You've got to wear it for a year, then you get lasered off. Oh, yeah. Oh, laser. I can pay for it, too, with a million dollars. Exactly, a million dollars, but you've got to wear it for a year. Yeah, okay.

Mind you, you've got a few. I'll do it. Ben's got a few brand tattoos. You've got that pop star. Oh, yeah, Astridis. Astridis. My favourite pop star. You really hoped she would blow up, eh?

Yeah, there's still time. There's still time, guys. There's still time. So, 800 of the hits, your loyalty to brands. Danelle, good morning to you. Good morning. You've named a pet after a brand we understand. Well, we didn't name him.

He just happened to have the perfect name. What was it? Loki. Oh, you like Marvel movies, do you? Oh, yes, very much so. And he lives up to his name. He's a bit of a bad guy. Yeah.

He's just a little bit sneaky. That's good to know. Yeah, like Loki. Piers, good morning to you. Good morning. Is it Piers or Jess? Piers, with a T. Oh, Jess.

I'm calling you Piers. I'm like, it sounds like I've called you Pierce. I'm like, who? It sounded like I've called you Pierce. What's the brand you're loyal to? What is that? So we were given a cat a while ago called Cupcake. And my husband said, well, I'm not standing at the door yelling out, Cupcake, Cupcake. So he decided that this cat had to be called Eddie Dazz because it was black and white and jokingly he said good for kicking like a rugby ball but that was a joke.

He did it. So then after that we were given a Nike when we had little kids they got given a Nike cat. So Adidas Nike. And then we got chickens, and they got called Gucci, Prada, Zara, and Louis Vuitton. And one of our cats passed away last year, so now we've got two kittens called Versace and Chanel. You've basically got a Westfield mall in your house. Bloody impressive. Okay, that's really good, Westfield mall in your house. Pretty impressive. Okay, that's really good, Tess. Appreciate your call. You're going to have a wonderful day. Enjoy Merch Madness

March. Alright, she's from Rome where they have the Coliseum and she moved to Tauranga where they have a Mitre 10 Mega. Just as impressive. Daniela. Those are the familiar strings of our Italian correspondent, Daniela. Buongiorno.

Buongiorno. Got to really roll your eyes with that one, don't you? Buongiorno. Are you a hand gesture Italian? Daniela, are you using your hands a lot to emphasize? I cannot talk otherwise. The words don't come out. I'd love to see an Italian have a conversation with their hands in their pockets.

No, that would be silent. Speaking of Italy, I just saw something on social media before. Obviously, I got engaged to my wife at the Trevi Fountain, Fontana de Trevi. But they make $1.5 million each year, euro. So that's probably like, I don't know how many, three million in New Zealand, just for people throwing coins in

because it's good luck to throw coins in the fountain. They give it to charity, which is awesome. But that's a huge amount of money they make. Every day it's 3,000 euro of coins that people chuck in the fountain. So are they having to clear it every day, probably? 3,000 day it's 3,000 euro of coins that people chuck in the fountain. So are they having to clear it every day? Probably. 3,000 euro. And they need to be watching for people

trying to steal the money also. Well yeah, true. They're definitely not going cashless there. I'm going to be honest, as soon as you said they're clearing the money away, I was like well I could clear it away. My retirement plan actually, just build a fountain somewhere in a town. Build it, they come and say good luck, throw coins in. Go and clear it away. My retirement plan, actually, just build a fountain somewhere in a town. Build it, they come and say,

good luck, throw coins in. Throw some coins in, go and clear it every day. That will be my day. That will be my day. Just to clarify, though, not every fountain got money in it, just that one.

The investment is the fountain owner as you need to distribute, say, half a dozen coins. So it looks like it's a thing. Like a busker on the street. You put a few coins in your guitar case and then people are like, oh, great. And just spread a little rumour that, oh, it's a thing. Like a busker on the street. You put a few coins in your guitar case, and then people are like, oh, great. And just spread a little rumour that,

oh, it's really good luck to throw money in the air and make a wish. Daniela, we're in the middle of Merch March. Now, we know you work, and you do a wonderful job of managing the quest in Tauranga. Have you got any quest merch that we can dress Megan up in? Because we're collecting every company's merch, and we're giving it away at the end of March.

You've got slippers, you've got a bathrobe, you've got something that you maybe could send up to us? Of course. I can send you our body lotion. Oh! I can send you

a beautiful quest pen. You know? A pen? A pen, yeah. Yeah. Have you got a polo shirt? Oh no, I wish. We don't do that. Okay, you've got a singlet. Yeah. Have we got a polo shirt? Oh, no, I wish. We don't do that.

Okay, you got a singlet? No. Why would they have a singlet? I feel like anyone's got it. I have a polo shirt. They're not a car show. Not a robe. Otherwise, I will bring you a singlet.

Bucket hat. Bucket hat. It's got to have the logo on it. We'll leave that one with you, all right? Send up something for Megan. I will. And you know what, guys? If I fly out in Brisbane

because after the flood, I'm not sure, if I do, I will take your socks with me. Are you going to Brisbane? I don't know at this stage because it's quite bad there. Sounds like it's a good time of year to go. What an unlucky time to book

a flight. I did one year ago book the flight. I'm going there for conference in Gold Coast. Look at that. There is a flood. When I lived in Brisbane, because I did, we had, you know, usually we had a lot of flooding. It was one in 2014. And I had all the water come in the house.

It was ugly. Your whole house flooded? Yeah, it was horrible. You always live with the fear because there is always flooding problem in Queensland yeah that's why I feel for the poor guys all my thoughts to them

I hope they all stay well Daniela thank you so much make sure you send us that quest singlet that you said you have yeah whatever I have send it up for merch madness. Jono, Ben and Megan. The podcast. The hits. For some reason we're doing it individually

for the last couple of days. Just to set a power ranking of dominance amongst the show. So far He was fine with it when it was you and I, Jono, but now he's like for some reason we're doing it by ourselves. He's doing better than me. He's already had a win.

Trying to chase Megan's 10 out of 10. Ben, boys, conditions, now might I say, conditions working hard against you. It's a Monday morning. Historically, the quiz hasn't been kind to us on a Monday morning. But anyway, we're on question number three, is it? Question three? Yes, it is. Now, for some reason, I've

refreshed this page for some reason, and now I can't find the quiz. Hold up a sec. Biggest land area. Yes, for some reason, I've refreshed this page for some reason, and now I can't find the quiz. Hold up a sec. It was the biggest land area. Yes, the biggest land area in New Zealand. Was it Canterbury, Waikato, or Otago? And a lot of people coming through on the text machine, well, two people coming through on the text machine saying Canterbury.

Now, they could be sabotaging me, Megan. Could be your number. Two people. I would love that if there was a bit of sabotage going on. This is my lifeline. I'm allowed to use the lifeline once so I'm going to lock

in Canterbury. That is correct. Well done. Thank you to those people that text through. Thank you. Two people is a lot of people this time

of morning. There probably is. There's loads. And some people will be probably like, oh, I don't know. Okay, question four. All right, question number four.

Which city is the setting of James Joyce's Ulysses? Ulysses? Ulysses. Thank you. Paris, Dublin, or London? Oh, jeez. You're getting some curly ones this morning.

Paris, Dublin, or London? That's what you do when you don't know the answer. Just repeat back slowly. I'm having one of those Ulysses. James Joyce, I have not heard of any of these having one of those Ulysses. James Joyce, I have not heard of any of these. What is a Ulysses? Explain.

Is it a book? Is it a movie? I couldn't tell you. It's a novel. It's a novel. Thank you. Okay. London.

London. He's locking in London. That is incorrect. Yeah. It was Dublin. Oh, Dublin. Okay. Never heard of it.

Never heard of it. So well done, Megan. You took that one out. Okay, never heard of it. Never heard of it. So well done, Megan. You took that out. John O'Bannon Megan. The podcast. The hits. And there's some really good quiz mistresses out there, but we've got the best of them all.

Quiz Queen, Producer Ellie. Hello. Lovely to have you here. Now, the New Zealand Herald Daily Quiz. Here's a bit of a recap. We decided we'd go as a team usually. We decided we'd, you know, we go as a team usually. We decided we'd split apart, take a solo approach. Day one, this was my effort. I would lock an O2 there, Quiz Queen Ellie.

That is incorrect. Oh, my God! That's what I thought! There we go, the New Zealand Herald Daily Quiz. Done. So I was out on zero. Zero. I set the bar at zero.

Even though you had a lifeline. You had a lifeline, too. Yeah, that's true. I was trying to zero. Zero. I set the bar at zero. Even though you had a lifeline. You have a lifeline too. Yeah, that's true. I was trying to save the lifeline. Fair enough, yeah. Horrific mistake. Then Megan on Friday. What is the name of the donkey character in Winnie the Pooh?

Oh my gosh. This is incredible. Incredible scene. 10 out of 10. I'm going to need the answer. Sorry, we didn't answer in time. Unfortunately, 9 out of 10. I'm going to need the answer. Sorry, we didn't answer in time. Unfortunately, 9 out of 10. The answer is...

Too late. Too late. I can't hear it. I can't hear it. New Zealand Herald don't exist. She got 9 out of 10. Sorry, the time had passed. The time had passed.

Despite our best efforts for sabotage, you got 10 out of 10. So, 0 out of 10. 10 out of 10. You couldn't of 10, 10 out of 10. You couldn't sum up the radio show more. Okay. Good luck, Ben. Good luck. I like how she just used the lifeline just because.

Yeah. Just get one. You get an easy second. Yeah, exactly. Okay. Ben, who is the artist behind the iconic jazz album, A Love Supreme? Now, you need to put the Herald paper over your face, Sally. Oh, yeah, sorry. Yes. To cover up any facials. All right. Jazz album, A Love Supreme. Now, you need to put the Herald paper over your face, Sally. Oh, yeah, sorry. Yes, yeah.

To cover up any facials. All right. Jazz album, A Love Supreme. Okay. Yeah. One of my favorite albums, yeah. Is it John Coltrane? Heard of him.

Charlie Parker? Haven't heard of him. Or Miles Davis? I've heard of him. You can go to Lifeline. You have a Lifeline. You chuck it to the Lifeline if you want. Oh.

Any jazz enthusiasts Out there I'm going to A or A or C One or three Only because I haven't Heard of the second one But I might be totally wrong

So you're just going off People you've kind of Heard of Yeah Okay Should we go to Lifeline First up I mean

How you feeling Does it get easier After this question There's a few dicey ones Yeah Coltrane Let's go Coltrane Locking in Coltrane That is correct Can you get easier after this question? There's a few dicey ones. Coltrane. Let's go Coltrane.

Locking in Coltrane. That is correct. Well done. His theory of people he'd kind of heard of worked. Jeez, that was a real, that was a guess. 50-50 guess. One down. All right, so you're beating Jono.

That's great news. Well done. You're second place already. I'm getting relaxed now. Question number two. Which film won the most awards at the 2025 Oscars? That is correct, Ben. Oh, he's off.

He's off. The train has departed the station. The coal train. All right. Question number three, Ben. Which is the largest region in New Zealand by area? Is it Canterbury, Otago or Waikato? Oof.