Jono, Ben & Megan - The Podcast - FULL: What Is It Like To Be A Professional Seat Filler At The Oscars?

Episode Date: March 28, 2022

We spoke to Laura Cain who used to be a professional seat filler at the Oscars, until she broke protocol by uploading selfies she'd had with celebs! What's it like doing this? What are the rules? It was so interesting chatting to her! Jono has also come down with the 'vid too, so now that's both of us. Eeek. Ben reckons Covid has made him more emotional, and what he cried over yesterday will astound you. Enjoy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hits with the Jono and Ben podcast. Welcome to the podcast today, excuse me, 29th of March. A lot of COVID running through this microphone this morning. Ben boys, you're in the same position, aren't you? Just spitting COVID through the microphone. Yeah, we're in our separate houses doing the show over Zoom. Julie is the only one in the studio from the four of us that work on the show that is not currently on a COVID break.

Maybe COVID likes the females. I mean, doesn't like the females. Well, I've passed on advice that just don't test yourself, Juliet. You're in a race against time. You need to get overseas and do your OE. Do you want to know if you've got it or not? Oh, you know, see, I would love to know if I had it, but then I wouldn't tell anyone.

But then the guilt of not telling anyone would really, really mess me up inside. Mind you, you've put on a very convincing performance, too, that you don't have it. Oh, yeah. But, Juliette, you're off to France soon, and I know we just touched on this lightly on the show, French kissing in France. Yes.

Now, we said the origins of French kissing. Have you looked it up since? Because, you know, over in Europe, they often like doing the kisses on either side of the cheeks. Yeah. Yeah, so it must have been a huge mistake when a tongue ended up in it. But apparently the technique gained huge popularity just after World War II. The Americans would go to France and they're like, man, they're doing it wild over here. And they brought it back to the USA.

So they went to Europe, tried some new stuff, and it came back. Came home with an accent as well, too, you know, as you do. You can go to the UK for a week and you come back with an English accent. And that's where it started from. I can't wait to hear you come back, Juliet, from your time. You're going to come back with an English accent, And that's where it started from. I can't wait to hear you come back, Juliet, from your time. You're going to come back with an English accent, aren't you? Do you reckon? Yeah.

Do you reckon? Just a little, yeah. I don't think I will. Yeah, just, you know, sorry I've been in Europe for the last, you know, that's what you'd be like. Yeah. What are we, like the New Zealand equivalent's

the drunken pash, isn't it, to the French kiss? Imagine if they come down here. Oh, yeah. Regretful. Not much passion going on, I the French kiss. Imagine they come down here. Oh yeah. Regretful. Not much passion going on I imagine nowadays. No. I would imagine even in, you know, for single people as well, it's sort of changed the game COVID a little bit, isn't it?

I mean, there's no dancing still, even if you're in the you can't go out and dance at the moment. So there's a lot of strange rules. Yeah, for us being no dancing, wonderful, keep that going. The longer that can go on, the better for us. Yeah, sorry I can't dance, it's a COVID thing, it's a COVID protocol, we can't dance.

Yeah, so that's the situation for us at the moment, we're locked in our houses with the video. How are you feeling in terms of sickness? You've been sick before, obviously. Yeah, I sort of go through waves of that. Oh, producer B Humps has joined. Oh, he's joined into this. He's connected to the audio as well.

Producer B Humpster's joined the podcast. He's at the end of his COVID journey. Yeah. We're at this awkward stage where he's just connecting on. We're on the Zoom for content. Who are you putting the blame on this whole COVID thing, Ben? Who am I? Well, you know, maybe one of us on the Zoom call right now

that may have got it first. Yeah. He's grinning with his mute sound off. Yeah, if he unmutes himself on the Zoom. It wasn't me. It was me. Let's just say out of all of us, one person got it first. Yeah, so sorry. how sick have you I don't feel like too bad

yeah but I think it is definitely different for everyone isn't it you know some people get it really really bad and you'd like to think that the boosters has helped take the edge off it yeah we'll hand you over to case zero now producer B-Hunt.

Oh, is this recording? I swore before. It's a podcast. Podcast intro. Oh, shit. He's just come on for a post-show meeting, but have you felt worse with other sicknesses you've had throughout your career? I have been

worse in my time, but I would say that, yeah, I was pretty bad, to be honest. There was a couple of days there where I didn't get out of bed, you know, so would I have ploughed on back in the day? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

You were talking about that earlier before. It was almost a badge of honour a couple of years ago. It's like, oh, he's sick, but he's still there, and now it's like, no, he's sick, but he's still there, and now it's like, no, that's stupid. Yeah. And it was probably stupid back then, too. It was, yeah. The podcast today, a lot of Will Smith

coverage. That's what happens when you slap a comedian on international TV. We get to the bottom of that with Kate Rodger, entertainment reporter, and we speak to a lady, Laura, who was a professional seat filler slash sitter at the Oscars. So during commercial breaks and stuff, she would go and sit in famous people's seats.

And the amount of famous people she had conversations with. Yeah, she got in trouble. She'll tell you why. It had to do with, you know, taking photos. She wasn't allowed to take photos. But I was thinking, why did they give them their phones after that chat? That's a lot of trust in humans. Yeah. You can trust in humans. Yeah.

You can't trust humans. Sitting next to Leonardo DiCaprio or, you know, Bradley Cooper or whoever it is, Nicole Kidman, of course I'm going to, you know, take a sneaky selfie or you'll go ask for a selfie, you know, if I've got my phone there. That's why your sweet caboose isn't sitting in the seats of the Oscars, mate. Exactly, exactly. For an attitude like that.

Enjoy the podcast. We'll get on with our meeting. Jono and Ben. You've got Jono and Ben. We're going to get to, we'll try and get to the bottom of the crazy stuff that happened to the Oscars, next, and Spy. But first, Jono Pryor, over to you.

I've got COVID. And yesterday, 24 hours ago, Ben, you are in a similar situation. So I'm pinning this squarely on you and your filthy disease. Oh, hang on. What? But 24 hours ago, I was mocking you. You were like, I feel so bad people are giving it to you.

And I was like, you should. You should feel guilty. And then as Murphy would come along with his wonderful law, here I am 24 hours later in isolation with COVID. The thing is, yesterday, all through the show, you were saying things to me like, oh, you could have got it two years ago. This would have been great for the show. Why are you so late getting COVID? And now, all of a sudden, you give me a call last night and you're like, guess what?

I'm like, uh-oh, uh-oh, he's got COVID. But it sucks because we're past that initial wave of intrigue. We're not going to get a headline for this. Now it's just two sick-sounding, nasally dudes talking on the radio for three hours. And it sucks because we've got COVID. Howard, I want to see how you're feeling today because you're right at the start of your COVID journey. What a wonderful journey it is. Because yesterday, you know how you have that feeling when it is around you?

You're like, have I got it? Have I got it? And you do get inside your head. Yeah. And it has happened for weeks leading into this that you've thought that you have or hadn't had it. And then I took a test in the afternoon because we have to take one for work in the morning. Got negative on that.

Another test at about three o'clock. Negative on that. And I was like, I was kind of feeling about 97%. And then I got home from fantastically dropping my daughter and two friends at ballet. Oh, no. And then took another test and then, yeah, tested positive. So that was a fun call to make to the parents of,

hey, I've just had your kids in the car. Oh, no. And I've just tested positive. So, Ben, you know how you say you're like, I feel really bad about everyone I gave it to. I can now sympathise. Oh, yeah. Well, that's the thing because you obviously don't know, you know how you say you're like, I feel really bad about everyone I gave it to. I can now sympathize. Oh, yeah. Well, that's the thing, because you obviously don't know until you know.

I know that sounds like a dumb saying. But no one's probably more tested than you yesterday, for example. I mean, how many tests did you have? And then all of a sudden, one test later, you're like, you've got it. Yeah. And you look back and you're like, well, I took tests before. And I was, according to the tests, I was fine to be out and about. I took COVID tests.

I took every test imaginable yesterday. I even sat a driving licence test, just to be sure. I was like, give me a test. I even checked some stuff downstairs. That's all right. You had a pregnancy test. That's right. Turns out I am.

But, yeah, no, there you go. Hey, it's the sign of the times, isn't it? Get jacked up on some Blue Powerade. I noticed you've been drinking Blue Powerade, the holy water of the times, isn't it? Get jacked up on some Blue Powerade. I noticed you've been drinking Blue Powerade, the holy water of New Zealand, Ben. Yeah, it's very unusual to drink it when you're not hungover. So, you know, it's got another use,

and that's for battling through COVID. My major concern is with you in isolation, locked in a room, is we were just going to get a flotilla of emails. He loves an email, doesn't he, Ju? But you love an email more. That was my concern, but I notice you've refrained. I've tried to. I've tried to not punish everyone, but now that you're stuck in a room as well,

we just email each other. I'm sitting in a room out the back and I kind of feel like this is what it would be like if we ever get divorced, but I'm in that awkward period where I'm living in the house and the kids are like, where's dad? Oh, he's out the back. I kind of feel like this is what it would be like if we ever get divorced but I'm in that awkward period where I'm living in the house and the kids are like where's dad oh he's out the back, why don't ask You're running late, stuck in traffic and now you have to listen to this, Jono and Ben

on the hits, so much going on after yesterday's Oscars, we'll try and get to the bottom of it now in Spy Spy, know what's up, Spy.co.nz. It's her last week before she leaves us to take up a life of eating croissants

in France. Juliet, what's going on in Spy, mate? What's happening for the Oscars? Oh my goodness. Gee whiz.

I didn't watch. Did anything happen? I haven't been on social media. No, I don't think so either. Nothing really. The world's talking about. No, nothing really of note.

Like, I think you're fine. No, holy moly. You would have seen or heard or read that Will Smith went up and gave a big slap in the face to Chris Rock, who was kind of making a dig. Obviously, he was hired to make jokes about celebrities as part of his role at the oscars um but he made a bit of a dig at jada pinkett smith so jada pinkett smith uh she has

alopecia which is a hair loss condition um and she's battled with it for a few years she used to wear sort of turbans to cover up her hair or like headbands um and amen amen amen um chris And Chris... Amen, amen. Amen. Chris Rock made a joke about Jada, compared her to G.I. Jane, which is a movie where the woman shaves off her head or cuts... Yeah, it was Demi Moore, wasn't it? Oh, yeah, it was Demi Moore. Yeah, and so he was comparing her to Demi Moore. And I'll play you the audio now. Jada, I love you.

G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it, all right? You got some laughs. That was a nice one. Okay. I'm out here. Uh- wife's name out your f***ing mouth. Wow, dude. Yeah. It was a G.I. Jane joke. Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth.

I'm going to, okay? Hoo-wee. Yeah, so at the start, I think everyone kind of watched it and thought it was, at the start, maybe staged, maybe a little bit of acting. You know, everyone was kind of watched it and thought it was, at the start, maybe staged, maybe a little bit of acting.

You know, everyone was kind of laughing along in the audience. And then, obviously, when Will Smith started yelling out, you could see the emotion on his face. And you're like, oh, actually, this looks serious. Yeah. And there was just a moment there, Ben, you might have had a reflection, too, with all the times you've had a jibe at my borders.

Now, I appreciate it. Were you sort of, all the times you've had a jibe at my baldness. Now I appreciate it. Were you sort of, just how were you feeling about that? Well, I was, yeah, okay. But it felt like there was a potential build up from a whole lot. I mean, it feels like. You haven't answered my question. Years, years you've been trading off mocking me for being bald. I'm sorry, you've said it's fair game.

You mock yourself. Like in our relationship, you kind of hope that, you know, like, we kind of know where the boundaries are. Yeah, you're lucky I'm not married to Will Smith, mate, okay? But yeah, the whole thing was, was it a build-up from something? Chris Rock's made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith and another Oscars, I mean, they've had a few jokes about their marriage made early in the night and at other awards. Was it a build-up?

Was something going on? I mean, jeez, there's so many questions right now. And a really emotional Will Smith won the Oscar not long after as well and kind of apologised, but it was also sort of quite strange. Yeah, I've got that audio here. Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family. Now, I know to do what we do, do you got to be able to take abuse, you got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you got to be able to have people

disrespecting you and you got to smile and you got to pretend like that's okay. I want to apologize to the academy, I want to apologize to my all, I want to apologise to all my fellow nominees. Love will make you do crazy things. Thank you, I hope the Academy invites me back. Thank you. And his speech went on for six minutes. Like, there is no way in the history of the Oscars that anyone would usually have a speech going on for six minutes. Jeez, he had two shockers. He went past the time limit and ended up assaulting Christmas Rock in the face on stage.

I was just like, this is the guy from, this is the zebra from Madagascar. I know. He just slapped the zebra from Madagascar in the face. Anyway, as Ben said, we don't know the whole picture. There was obviously other stuff bubbling away, but geez, it certainly went from zero to a hundy quick. I did see something online and it was like,

remember when we thought an envelope mix-up was shocking? Yeah. And now we've got this, so. If anything, it can smoke screen from the pandemic for a few days. That's a good thing. Yeah, we'll keep you up to date with, actually, the thing is, and Kate Rogers said that last night on the project, and she's going to join us after 8 o'clock this morning,

it kind of takes it away from the other people that won, which is kind of sad. I mean, Jane Cambion, we'd us after 8 o'clock this morning, it kind of takes it away from the other people that won, which is kind of sad. I mean, Jane Cambion, we'd probably be talking about her already this morning. She won Best Director. We haven't mentioned her. Did she slip anyone in the face? You know, so, yeah, so we will get some more Oscars news on for you throughout the morning and keep you up to speed with what's happening

because there has been a Zoom meeting overnight, apparently, where they're trying to decide whether they let him keep the Oscar or not. So all that and more coming up. Actually, 4487, should we do that on the text? Okay.

I think he should keep his Oscar. After assaulting Chris Rock on stage, you can text 4487. It's Jono and Ben, but FYI, Ben is open to other options. Jono and Ben

on the hits. Both of us broadcasting out of home this morning because, yeah, COVID. Yeah, fun times. We've got a COVID show. I mean, this show brought to you by our partners at Omicron. Omicron, for when you want to work at home and be locked in for seven days.

It's something. Well, at least we've got something to hook. Every show needs a hook. The most virus-y show in the market. Exactly. I forgot to tell you, Ben, I went to the mall on Saturday, and, you know, I'm not a fan of the mall. I'm in and out.

I hold my breath like I'm going for a deep-sea dive and just hope that I don't get interrupted. You don't like the mall, eh? You're right. You're like, I love a wander around the mall. We can, you know, get a drink. You can do something. But you're like, no, get in, get out.

Now, what the problem is when you're wearing a mask is a bald person. And Jada Pinkett Smith will sympathize with this as well. Is that you get confused for other bald people. Okay. So a gentleman comes up to me. I'm in Kmart. And he goes, mate, huge fan of your work. And I take the credit.

Of course you do. Yeah. Thank you very much. It's not often we have this conversation, but really appreciate you listening. He's like, all that stuff you used to do on Moon TV and Sports Cafe, I was a huge fan of, and especially when you're on Radio Hauraki and doing the cricket stuff. And I'm thinking, okay, he believes I'm Lee Hart.

Yeah. He's great. Lee Hart's great, right? He's fantastic. And we almost went blow by blow through every facet of Lee Hart's career. And this guy just loved everything Lee Hart had done but I didn't have the Lee Hart to tell him that I wasn't Lee Hart so that I'm in this awkward

position of taking all this gratitude and praise for the fine works of comedian Lee Hart knowing deep knowing well you know knowing farewell that I'm John O'Prior. Was it nice for a change just to get a lot of praise? To be honest, red flags should have come up when the first sentence, love your work. I've never heard those words, love your work. So yeah, a bit of confusion there in the middle of Kmart, but that's fine. I even took a selfie again because then he's going to go,

oh, look, I met Lee Hart, and people are going to go, jeez, he's looking ill. He's looking sick. Is he okay? So we wanted to know this morning, like Jono, have you ever been mistaken for anyone else, or have you mistaken someone else for someone else, if that makes sense?

My wife's grandmother, you've met her, dead ringer for the queen. She does? Really? For the queen, yes. Oh, yeah. I probably shouldn't use the words dead and queen at the moment, but she is like identical. Ben, you met her?

Wow. Yeah, she does. We used her once on our TV show back in the day and sitting in the audience as the queen. And I thought for a second, we've got the queen. Yeah. She's sitting there drinking a beer in our show. You were curtsying and everything, weren't you? Yeah. But yeah, she's just in Te Awamudu.

And I tell you what, if the Queen ever needs a stand-in, well, then we can fly Jen's grandmother from Te Awamudu. I don't know why she'd need a stand-in. Why would she need a stand-in? Yeah, I don't know if that's quite the needed thing. But anyway, if Lee Hart ever needs a stand-in, here I am. Well, have you been confused with someone?

Have you confused anyone else? We'd love to hear your tales of confusion next. Rated M for mildly amusing. Jono and Ben

on the hits. We're talking tales of mistaken identity after Jono. Someone thought you were Lee Hart. Must have been a nice moment

to be thought of as Lee Hart. Yeah, fondly. Took a lot of credit. I see the confusion. Bald people Lee Hart. Yeah, fondly. It took a lot of credit. I see the confusion. Bald people, they get confused for one another. It happens a lot. Newborn babies, you can't tell one apart from the other.

And yeah, went through his entire career. Everything from the Moon TV days, Lee's old TV show, Sports Cafe, great stuff, the Hellers commercials. Oh, you're right. Everything. Covered it all off. Waka Changi chips and beer. And tell you what, this guy loved him.

This guy loved him. Obviously not loved him that much. Yeah. Because it clearly wasn't Lee Hart he was talking to. But we wanted to know, what are your tales of mistaken identity? Peter, what happened to you? Yeah, well, see, I'm an identical twin, and that enables you to get up to all sorts of shenanigans.

Huge advantage, isn't it? Oh, it is. So back in university days, he decided he didn't want to go to his lectures, so I went for him. You were better at lectures than he was? Well that's probably a point of conjecture I'm not sure either I was sitting in a seat

I filled a spot. Yeah you know when you started having say items in your life yeah I actually tried to take one of his. So you, so you dated, you filled in for him on a date?

Uh, yeah, then it got serious and then I married her. Oh, really? Wow. So your brother's first girlfriend's now your wife. Do you find you have a very tight bond with your brother? When we were younger, we did, but no, no, no. I'm a mirror twin. Identical opposites. So my

personality is opposite to him, so I wouldn't say I respect him, but a lot of flow of, you know, he's not my buddy. He's my brother. Oh, really? But you look obviously identical. Do you still look identical or has it changed? Oh, yeah. You must have so many instances of people thinking

that they're talking to your brother. That is true. And so when people go, call out my brother's name, I go, no, better half. Didn't your friend do that, Ben, where he was in a changing room of a gym? Yeah, he worked with a guy who was an identical twin, but he didn't realise the guy was an identical twin.

So he was at a changing room after games. And he basically went up to the guy that he thought he knew and started at a changing room though after games and he would basically went up to the guy that he thought he knew and started sort of lightly sort of punching him in the tummy going oh mate you working out here getting a bit chubby eh he was grabbing his chubby yeah just giving him a bit of grief and he looked at him strangely and then when he got back to work later he's like oh sorry about that in the gym changing rooms he's like i didn't go to the gym changing rooms that was my brother So he'd been fat shaming someone else. Oh, Peter, you're going to have a great day.

Thanks for listening. Oh, boy. Thanks, guys. Kat, mistaken identity. What happened to you, mate? Well, there was another girl in my town, and we used to get mistaken for each other all the time. At one point, she worked at the Paper Plus in town and then she left and I

took the job and I didn't realize she'd had the job before me. Oh so you went to the same place as the person you looked similar? Yeah for a short period of time but she'd actually left to go and train as a funeral director and mortician so after a few months, I used to get mistaken for her on the street and I would have lots of people thanking me for performing lovely services for their loved ones who had passed. And do you just, because you probably don't

have the heart to tell them no, so do you just take the gratitude and pretend you are this lady? Sometimes, yeah. Yeah, well, you're right. So, did you do any evil pretending to be this lady? Sometimes, yeah. Yeah, well, you're right. So, did you do any evil pretending to be this lady? No, no, we weren't friends or anything,

but we knew each other, and occasionally we'd see each other and be like, hey, I got mistaken for you again. Yeah, you should have been friends. You're like, we look alike. Well, surely that's a great basis for a friendship. Yeah, well, we probably could have. And so did you get any parking tickets under her name?

Did you throw a spat in a restaurant pretending to be her? Yeah. I could have done, but I didn't. You didn't use it for evil like Jono would have. Yeah. See, you're a better person than Jono is. That's what we're finding out today. Lee Hart is going to do some terrible things. Yeah.

Hey, Kat, thank you so much for your call. We appreciate today. Lee Hart. Lee Hart is going to do some terrible things. Yeah. Hey, Kat, thank you so much for your call. We appreciate it. No worries. Have a good day, guys. It's true though, Jono. I always get, you know,

people just yell out Jono at me because I guess they, you know, Jono and Ben, we come together and no one knows which one's which and I just kind of get used

to answering as Jono but now I'm like, I could do some despicable stuff and everyone will go, oh, that's Jono. Do you know, and the other thing is they're always like, where's Ben? Where's Ben?

That's the first question. It's like, I don't know. I just left him in the car with a bag of chips. I don't know. He's not my child. Like at all times, you need to know where I am. It is a hit. You got Jono and Ben.

Scrolling through your feed. Who's ready for some watery news and information? I am. Ben Boyce for some watery news and information? I am, Ben Boyce. What's happening, mate? Well, I'm trying to avoid right now the whole Will Smith, Chris Rock situation that's dominating headlines and news articles right around the world because I actually want to talk about something else that happened at the Oscars that we should be talking about right now and that was New Zealander Dame Jane Campion.

She won her Oscar yesterday, which is pretty awesome for the Power of the Dog Best Director. So congratulations to her. Dame Jane. Is she a dame? Yeah. Well, Jane Campion, thank you very much for representing New Zealand. Did she slap anyone in the face? Did she assault anyone?

Because if she didn't, I can't be bothered talking about it. The Power of the Dog. Nominated for 12 Oscars. Lost all the other categories. But she won the Oscar for Best Director. And she's only the third woman in Oscars history to win. And she also spoke really well. Kia ora, New Zealand and Australia.

I love directing because it's a deep dive into story. Yet the task of manifesting a world can be overwhelming the sweet thing is I'm not alone and my home people my family you know who you are especially Alice my daughter is here and Tony my beautiful partner you gave me so much love and encouragement and made it fun thank you academy Academy, it's a lifetime honour, thank you. Wow, that's awesome, isn't it? Jane looks far too sophisticated

to fraternise with the likes of you, Ben. Oh yeah, totally. She's definitely my type of person. Your type? Jane and me would have deep, rich conversation over exotic cheeses and fine wines. I mean, Jay, but that's wonderful, isn't it?

She wins the Academy Award and now even gets a shout-out on John O'Mean. So, just really achieving things with her. That'll mean a lot to her, right? And the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, confirmed yesterday her wedding to Clark Gayford is still going ahead. Prison wedding, is it? What? What are you going to say? Prison wedding. What?? What? What are you going to say? Prison wedding. What?

Is it a prison wedding? Is she getting, because sometimes the prisoners get married, I know he's locked away somewhere. Stop it, stop it. My friends on TikTok know, Ben. They were going to get married, of course, Gisborne over summer, but the red light settings put an end to that.

But she said yesterday on the AM show that it'll be happening sometime. Have a listen. Oh, well, look, it's happening sometime. We haven't set an exact date, but that's actually more than anything show that'll be happening sometime have a listen oh well look it's it's it's happening sometime we haven't said it we haven't set an exact date but that's actually more than anything just down to us getting ourselves organized there's quite a bit going on in the in the country uh at the moment right and so wedding planning isn't the top of my list but i can confirm we're absolutely

still getting married there you go uh well just when he's on parole, I guess they could probably... Why did I even go there? I wanted to, because I thought it was news, and old mate has to go there with the cheap shots. That's wonderful stuff, still getting married, though, isn't it? Oh, yeah, you can't make up right now. You can't turn things around. Let me pull it back.

You can't make a joke and then turn things around instantly. Chris Rock probably can talk a lot about that as well. Maybe I should have learned after what happened yesterday. That is scrolling through your feed this morning. After 7 o'clock, speaking of the Oscars, we're going to talk to a lady who is or was a professional seat filler at the Oscars. That's a person that comes out and sits in seats of celebrities

when they go up on stage. And she was actually five. And she's the amount of celebrities she's met and spoken to. We're going to get her on just after seven. Really interesting. Jono and Ben, just like family. The family members you're ashamed of. Jono and Ben on the hits.

Hey, one thing I've noticed lately is a big increase in the old Bluetooth earpieces out there on the street. Have you noticed those, Ben? Yeah, there is. But a huge increase of the Bluetooth. Have you got Bluetooth earpieces, Producer Juliet? Yes, I do, yes. Yeah, it's great.

I mean, everyone looks like an undercover secret service agent, don't they? Have you had those instances where someone has got them and they may be in the shop and they're talking and you think they're talking to you? Yes. This is the problem. Everyone, like no one, I don't care who you are,

whether you're Will Smith or whether you're Ben Boyce, that's the scale. You look like a raving lunatic talking on a Bluetooth hairpiece. And I'm talking about a man who slapped another man on international TV yesterday. He would look crazy talking on a Bluetooth hairpiece. And I'm talking about a man who slapped another man on international TV yesterday. He would look crazy talking on a Bluetooth hairpiece. Don't you

find that? You do, because you do look like you're talking to yourself. And then I've had conversations with people before, and then they sort of do that motion where they go, you know, they don't want to engage with me. They're on the Bluetooth call. I've got some inner turmoil, because I don't know whether i i don't think my call log uh warrants bluetooth earpieces like i don't get

enough i don't receive enough phone calls to have them permanently locked inside my ears you know you have to be like a busy uber driver or you know someone on the go to have to justify wearing them all day long you know you want to call at least every 10 to 15 minutes. Well, that's the thing. You're right. Some people leave them in their ears all the time, don't they? Ready to answer the call at any stage where other people will sort of fumble and put them up when it's time.

I wanted to do a game with you when we're back because we're both in our houses now. We've got COVID. That's the brand new thing for the show. I want to send you out with a Bluetooth earpiece and you have to repeat everything I say in your ear. You can enjoy that, Juliet. Yes, please do.

Well, hey, I'm not there, you're not there, but Juliet's there, so maybe Juliet, you know, you can do that before you go away and leave us at the end of the week. I thought it would also be great for cheating in exams too. Oh, yeah. It's a great piece of technology. Right, I'll wrap you up there. You've already brought it, you know, you've brought

cheating. Now you're thinking about cheating with them all of a sudden. We've got a lady joining us in about five minutes time. She was a seat filler at the Oscars. What is it like being at the Oscars? Who does she meet? Who does she talk to? We're going to talk to her after seven from the USA in just a few moments on the hits rise and shine time to start the um who are we

kidding when are the both of you jonah and ben on the hits oscars were on yesterday a lot of talk about it new zealand uh jane campion won best director so which is awesome uh but then chris then Chris Rock got slapped by Will Smith and things got a bit awkward. I'm out here. Uh-oh. Richard. Oh, wow. Yeah, it's a moment that's been talked about quite a lot over the last 24 hours and will continue to do so. Yeah. I mentioned earlier in the show too, Ben,

Chris was slapped for making fun of Jada for being bald. You're going to keep bringing that up, yeah. I'll just stop there if you want to pick it up. Anything you would like to say after years of torment? I've never been to the Oscars. I just want to say I've never been to the Oscars. We wanted to know what it was like to be there. We've tracked down Laura.

She's in the States and she's a professional seat filler. Yes, so they have these people at the ceremony so there's no empty seats on camera. And Laura, welcome from America. How are you? Good morning, guys. How are you? With Laura Cain, professional seat sitter.

Or I was until I got kicked out. How did you get this job? Like, do you apply? Do you hear about it? How do you become a seat filler at the Oscars? Okay, you can apply. I think you go to seatfiller.com. It's something like that. Of course you do. Is the Oscars, I mean, obviously not every Oscar they have a Will Smith, Chris Rock incident.

So is the ceremony, can it be quite boring? It seems like it could be quite long. There's obviously no one can drink or eat during it. Can it be quite long? For the celebrities, I think it's very long. For the seat fillers, not so much because when the lights go down and we go to commercials, that's when we get into big lines on either side of the theater. And when the commercial happens, there's like four people that bring out the seat fillers. And when the celebrities go get a drink or go to the bathroom, they bring us in to fill their seats. You sit there. You sit there. And then sometimes you're in the seat for 30 seconds.

Sometimes you're in the seat for a whole segment. One time I was there the entire time. So I never got bored because it was different every time. And it was so surreal. And seeing everybody and just like, oh my God, look over there. It's like Jennifer Aniston or, you know, but it's not easy because you have to fill out all these forms and they do a background check and you have to get like passport photos taken. And it's really strict and you have to get like passport photos taken and it's really strict and you have to follow the rules you can't pull out your cell phone you can't talk to the

celebrities you can't even look at the celebrities unless they look at you and you have this big giant lanyard around your neck that says seed filler with your picture on it well that's not degrading in any way oh my gosh you know I thought some celebrities were cool and they would say hi to us, but we were not allowed to initiate any conversation with the celebrities. So who did you talk to in your role as a seat sitter? Well, I talked to Jared Leto, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper. Oh, gosh.

Oh, so I sat in a Delphi when she went up to sing a song for the Oscars. She was nominated or something. And I was sitting next to her husband. And I remember thinking, what is she seeing this guy? He's a dud. Oh, really? Yeah. I was like, why is she seeing, this guy? He's a judge. Oh, really? Yeah, I was like, why is she with him, of all people? It was really weird.

To be honest, I think a lot of people think that about my wife and me. Oh, stop. The Oscars were on yesterday, and we're talking lots about it. We're talking to Laura Kane, who was a professional seat filler for many years. She sat in the seats vacated by the celebrities during the Oscars. And Laura, we want to know, the Oscars, is it boring? It's a long ceremony. Is it boring or is it exciting?

It was so fun. But at the end of the show, all the celebrities would gather at the front of the stage because they all know each other and they were all just chatting away. And that's when we pulled out our phone and started asking celebrities if we could get selfies. And a lot of them were cool with it, but we had to do it really quick because we were being watched. My problem was this. I sat next to a woman who won the Oscar for, like, best documentary short. She was drunk. She asked me if I wanted to hold the Oscar. I said, oh, yes, I do.

So I asked her if she'd take a picture of me holding the Oscar, and she did, and I posted it. And, oh, my God, I got in trouble for that. And I posted pictures of me with celebrities and I got in big trouble for that because you weren't supposed to do that either. So you lost your job as a seat filler? I did. I wasn't allowed to come back because I broke the rules.

You get kicked out of the Oscars for just taking a couple of photos. Will Smith gets to stay and in fact he gets to win an award after slapping someone on stage right okay you guys is that okay was that real was that staged what are your thoughts i think that's what the whole world is asking you know like what it seemed certainly at the start that it might be staged but then when he started yelling you're like oh this seems real so what do you think about will smith now Did you lose respect for him a little bit? Well, you kind of, like, it seems very uncharacteristic from what I know of Will Smith.

But, yeah, but also, like, there seems like there's got to be some more going on behind the scenes, whether it was a buildup of previous jokes about him and his wife, or whether there's some animosity between Chris Rock and her. I don't know. It seems like out of the blue. It just seems like to come out of nowhere. So I feel like there's going to be a few more questions answered over the next few days. Yeah. You know, my thought is Jada Pinkett Smith was very self-conscious with her new bald hair

and she didn't really want to go. And she's like, oh my God, I'm so self-conscious. He's like, it's okay, babe. Don't worry. I'll hold your hand. And then Chris Rock makes fun of her. I think he just blew his top. Is it dominating the news over there at the moment, Laura? Totally. And you know what? Who would really be talking about the Oscars? Maybe like who won this, who won that, but it would die down.

This really got everybody talking about this year's Oscars in a big way. And so you, as a professional seat sitter at the Oscars, so let's just say Leonardo DiCaprio comes up to you. What does he say? Does he say, thank you for using your bottom to keep my seat warm for my bottom? Like, what's the conversation? Not exactly.

Like I said, most of the people don't talk to you because you're kind of like, you're a seat filler. You're like a nobody, right? But the nice ones will say, hi, how are you? Leonardo DiCaprio, I saw at the front of the stage, and I went up to him. I said, hey, Leo, I really love your work. Would you mind taking a selfie with me? And he's like, sure, no problem.

Really nice. But I initiated the conversation. Jared Leto was really cool. He talked to me for a little while. My friend met Oprah and she was great. And Halle Berry was really sweet. But Jack Nicholson was the coolest of all, I think. What was your conversation with Jack Nicholson? Well, I sat next to him, and he said, how are you doing? I'm like, I'm doing great. How are you, Jack? So what a pleasure sitting next to you.

He's like, the pleasure is all mine. And I said, would you mind taking a picture with me? I had to pull out my phone. So I have a selfie with me and Jack Nicholson that I will have forever. Granted, I don't have the job anymore but you know what are you gonna do with me and i said a little too much about the seat filling process and that got me in big trouble and they told me through an email that my services were not needed any longer oh Oh, well, the first rule of seat-sitting is don't talk about seat-sitting. Exactly, exactly.

Well, thank you for talking about it, though. We do appreciate it because it's Jesus been fascinating. Oh, my gosh. Well, good. I'm glad it's fascinating, and I hope you guys have an awesome day. Tested safe for listing from home. Jono and Ben on the hits. Thanks for joining us this morning.

Both Jono and I broadcasting from our separate homes. Unfortunately, both of us now have COVID. Well, we're saying it's COVID publicly, but relationships are at an all-time low. High stress, high pressure, and we refuse to be in the same room with each other. Isn't it weird? Because I was giving you so much grief yesterday, Ben.

Oh my gosh. I was sitting in my ivory tower going, oh, look at you. You're virus-laden. And then you were like, I feel so bad. I've given it to people. And I was like, yeah, you should. You should. And I was reveling in it.

And I think it's some sort of sick revenge from the universe. I tested positive last night. Yeah. So how do you feel now? All right? How do you feel? Well, I don't know I'd probably still plow on

If it was the good old days of just plowing on You know? Do you feel like that? Yeah Excuse me Yeah, I know I can get really bad for some people And I've got some mild symptoms at the moment

But you're right Like a couple of years ago You probably would have just Maybe we could just plow on And no one would ask any questions You look like a legend for pl ago, you probably would have just tried to keep it. Maybe we could just plough on and no one would ask any questions. You look like a legend for ploughing on, didn't you? Oh, Ben's ploughing on. What a guy.

Like a badge of honor, wasn't it? Now it's like, oh, don't do that anymore. Yeah, I've got serious lung disease, but, mate, I am ploughing on. Do you know the funny thing is, too, when you take the test and the other line comes up the t line which indicates that you're positive you're like which is weird it should be the sea line for covert but anyway yeah and you're like that's not a line that doesn't look like a line there's a line there's a line and everyone's like inspecting oh no it's a line that's not a line just pure disbelief and

then you go and take another test just confirm that it's not a lion and it turns out it is a lion but you never take another test to confirm that you don't have it No, that's true maybe we should I don't know if one of the symptoms is something that I had yesterday but I found myself quite emotional and maybe it's been locked away from my family

for a lot of the day You know because you do like doing stuff you're an individual who just likes to get stuff done, do all sorts of stuff. And at the moment in that room, it doesn't look like you can do much stuff. Yeah. Well, yeah, so yesterday I thought,

well, how about I treat myself, I'll hire a movie, I'll watch a movie, and I'll do that. And I sort of went through and started watching some trailers of movies that are available for hire. And I started watching a trailer to the Jackass movie the new movie from jackass i haven't seen that yet

and i told you he's a legend locking himself in a room watching jackass by himself but i started crying to the trailer now the trailer started off with this emotional johnny cash song and it was all about old friends getting back together again. It was kind of sentimental. Have a listen to the song. Don't know where, don't know when. And it was all, you know, it was like, what would you do if old friends they all got back together. I was like, friends, I remember friends.

I had friends when I used to see people and I remember Jack. I got quite nostalgic about Jackass as well. So hold on, you're saying you cried during the Jackass trailer? The trailer, yeah, and then it gets into the whole lot of obviously what Jackass are known for, their silly stunts in the trailer. Were you crying when Johnny Knoxville made that beard look honey off the guy's nipples? Well, yeah, he's doing all sorts of stuff like this.

Hello, I'm Johnny Knoxville. Welcome to Jackass. Three, two, one. What will Jackass be like once we're older? Well, it'll get more mature. So I started, yeah, I started crying during this trailer. I felt like emotional, like they're older and they're friends and they're back together. And it's like a part of my growing up.

I don't know why. I just started sobbing watching the Jackass trailer. I couldn't even watch the movie. Listen, when we get older, don't worry. We can still prank each other. I'll be in the retirement village switching out your meds. Changing my COVID test. He thinks he's taking his heart medication. It's Viagra.

I knew the COVID result was a prank. I knew somehow you'd switched it on me in my home. There's a bloody crime Jackass wasn't nominated for an Academy Award yesterday either. The great thing about listening to this show is that the day can only get better from here. Jono and Ben on the hits. A lot of talk today from us and the rest of the world

about what was going on at the Oscars yesterday. Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after a joke, and there is a little talk overnight about whether he will lose the Oscar or not. We're going to catch up with entertainment reporter Kate Roger from News Hub. Just after eight, she might have the latest information. Well, hopefully she will. That's why we've got her on. Yeah, yeah. If she does nothing, then we'll be very disappointed. But apparently she knows the inside word of what Will's publicist was doing on the night

as well. I saw some footage of Denzel Washington pulling Will Smith aside during the commercial break and having a word. It was crazy scenes. The whole thing was just really surreal. It came out of nowhere. It looked like it was a gag, a set-up gag at the beginning, didn't it? Yeah.

Yeah. Very unusual. So we'll get Kate Rodger. You wouldn't have liked it. You would not have been comfortable in that setting. Ben would have been giving it the, uh. Oh, but the audience, you could see, you know, everyone thought it was a joke. And then, obviously, when he started yelling out towards Chris Rock, it was like, oh, this

is actually, this seems serious. Yeah. Would have really, uh, would have really brought the vibes down in the room, I imagine, Ben. And it's also taken away, it's taken the shine away from other people who won Oscars. I mean, who won the best film, Jono? Who won the top prize, the best film? What would you ask me? See, as an example, as an example.

Oh, are you trying to prove a point here? You prove a point that, you know, no one's talking about that today, that won Best Picture at the Oscars. No one's, like, you didn't even know who'd won Best Pictures at the Oscars. And now I'm Googling it as well. No, Koda won last night Best Picture. And Jane Campion, Dame Jane Campion from New Zealand won as well, which is awesome, Best Director.

She'd been nominated once before for Best Director. She'd won an Oscar for screenplay. But, yeah, but it's awesome that she won best director dame jane and uh you know we we know jane wouldn't lower herself to appear on this program and i pin that blame squarely on ben uh that you're associated with the show that jane does i said jane and myself we would fraternize together over fine cheeses and red wine. Yes, that's definitely something you'd do, right? She's not going to lower her tone to you. So what we had to do was come up with an alternative yesterday to get Campion on the phone.

And it was phone another Campion in Whanganui. Yes. Yeah, so we can't get Jane Campion, but we could get another Campion on. And this is what happened. Hello? Oh, the Campion residents. Yep. It's Jono and Ben from the Hits radio station.

Oh, right. Now, you started the phone call sounding really happy, and now you sound depressed. We have that effect on people, Jono. Listen, we're after a favour. We're desperately trying to get hold of Jane Campion. I thought you were going to say that. They're not connected to this branch of the Campions in Whanganui, that's for sure.

Yeah, that's fine. We understand Jane's very busy. She's in America. She's at the Oscars. So we thought, well, what's the next best thing? Talking to someone else named Campion in New Zealand? I'm just trying to think. They came from, we're in Wellington-based.

Yeah, no, listen, it doesn't matter. We're happy to talk to you. What's your name? I'm Margaret Campion, and I live in Whanganui. Margaret. So if you can just assume the role of Jane Campion. So we'll go, we've got Campion on the show today, and then I'll play some awards music,

and you just give an acceptance speech. Okay, here we go. Over we've got Campion on the show today, and then I'll play some awards music, and you just give an acceptance speech. Okay, here we go. Over to you, Campo. Oh, my goodness me. Anyway, it's a big thrill, and good on her, I say. That was really good. How do you feel after winning, hopefully you've won an Oscar or two.

How do you feel? Well, that sounds rather lovely, doesn't it? And it's great for New Zealand. What are you going to do with all the awards? Put them on the wall somewhere. Yep, lovely stuff. And your next project, what are we looking forward to? I guess it'll be another film, but I don't know what.

You'd hope so. And is there anyone you want to thank? Oh, all those good people down in the South Island on the farm that was used for the film and that community. I think that's great. What was your favourite scene in the movie? What was the most rewarding to film? I can't help you on that one.

I haven't seen it. Yes, I am. They were all her favourite. Yeah, exactly. And what are you wearing? Oh, my gosh. Wouldn't you want to know? yes I would I think a dress

I think it's a dress oh well it's so nice to talk to you Campion congratulations on your Oscar win and we'll send you out also some Hell Pizza as well oh that sounds lovely thank Thank you very much. Hold on.

It's in your Oscars goodie bag, Hell Pizza, now delivering beer and wine. Five words for 5K. You're just five words away from $5,000. It is our Game of Word Association. We play it every morning on the hits at this time. We tell you five words, you tell us what pops into your head.

If all your five words match up with our five, you win $5,000. Now, Producer Juliette, Ben and myself are broadcasting from home. Yes. Thanks to COVID-based reasons. And I have completely forgotten. It must be a symptom of COVID. I've completely forgotten the name of the person that you said was on the phone. Yes, we're going to go with Michelle from Auckland.

Yeah, apologies, Michelle. Welcome to the show. How are you? Hi, good, thanks. How are you? Yeah, good. You must want to wish well wishes to Jono and Ben. Yeah, apologies, Michelle. Welcome to the show. How are you? Hi, good, thanks. How are you? Yeah, good. You must want to wish well wishes to Jono and Ben. Oh, God, you're so self-indulgent.

What do you want to say? What do you want to say? Oh, well, I hope you guys are okay and everyone's, yeah, get back into it. Don't force people to do stuff like this. I'm sorry about him, Michelle. Now, Michelle, what would happen if you won? Heartwarming, heartwarming. What would you spend $5,000 on?

What would you like to spend it? We'd love to go for a trip. And we are having a wedding, so it would be nice to put money towards that as well. Would you invite us? Oh, I'm actually doing just a little, little wedding. Just a small one. Just a little wedding, mate.

Yeah, just a little bit of family and friends, basically. So we're not making the cut for that. Anyway, we'll move on. Hey, Michelle, you need to decide who you want to send into the soundproof booth, which just happens to be our soundproof spare rooms, our isolation rooms today, to match five words with. Who's it going to be, Michelle? I'll put Ben, please.

All right. I'll take my headphones off. I'll head away. Someone's going to have to yell loudly so I hear it through Zoom Michelle? I'll put Ben. Alright I'll take my headphones off I'll head away someone's gonna have to yell loudly so I hear it through zoom. All right Michelle you know how the game works we're giving away $70,000 and we had a winner last week so you know it can be done okay? Awesome. $5,000 will get you a half a block of cheese and a quarter of a tank of gas. Let's do it. First word, Michelle, that comes into your sweet, sweet noggin when I say Denzel. Denzel, Washington.

Denzel, Washington. That's what popped into my head, Juliet. Yep, mine too. Floss is the second word this morning for you, Michelle. Floss. Is it floss, is it? Floss, F-L-O-S-S. Floss.

I think teeth. Teeth, teeth floss, good word. My daughter's saying floss the dance. Oh, the dance. Oh, jeez, I remember the floss. Yeah. Loved the floss. It was great.

I'm just thinking teeth, yeah. Yeah, no, lock in teeth. All right, wings is the third word for you this morning, Michelle. Fly. Fly. Dictionary, coming in at number four. Dictionary. Oh.

Okay. Jeez, you're running a lot. What's going on there, Michelle, in the background? Busy operation, mate? My daughter's throwing words at me. Oh, it's a team effort. Okay, all right. What does your daughter think of dictionary?

Dictionary, I guess. Dictionary. Encyclopedia? Dictionary words. Dictionary. Oh, it's a hard one. I could be on quite a few. We can come back to dictionary.

We'll jump ahead to word number five, which was necklace. Oh, necklace. Jewellery. Jewellery, perfect. Yeah, and dictionary, the one that you're stumped on. What do you reckon, Michelle? Um... You're saying book, honey.

My daughter's just saying book. But I know there's going to be a tricky one in there. I'm just kind of trying to figure it out. A lot of the times it's the first word that pops into your head that works the best. I know, it would be good, but I know. Going to have to lock in an answer, matey. Book. Let's make it a book.

Book it is. All right, Michelle, if we get $5,000 to you, will you then invite us to the wedding? Yes, I will. Okay, alright. Ben, come back. Ben! Can you hear us, Ben? There we go, he's back from his COVID hole that he's living in right now.

Ben, Michelle said she would invite us to the wedding. I bullied her into it. Are you still working on that one? Yeah, slowly chipping away at her. If we win her $5,000. So our wedding invite is all on your shoulders. Okay, here we go. Let's try and win Michelle five grand. Denzel. Washington.

One from one. Floss. Candy? Candy Floss? That's okay Kiss the wedding invite goodbye Dental floss No teeth

Oh yeah same lines yeah gotcha Yeah Michelle I'm sorry we dipped out on the second word obviously We'll go through you know we'll do this little dance that we like to do And go through and see how many you would have got. Wings is the third word, Ben. Wings. Fly.

Dictionary. Words. It was book and necklace was the fifth and final one this morning. Jewelry. Well, not bad, Michelle. Three out of five. That's okay. That was still good. That was not bad, Michelle. Three out of five. That's okay. That was still good.

That was fun. Thank you. Hey, well, I hope you have a beautiful wedding, okay? Thank you so much. We're going to catch up with Kate Rogers. She's an entertainment reporter on News Hub and has the inside word of what went on yesterday at the Oscars. Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jada, all the other people there. Do you know, I've been banging on about the fact that I read some of Will Smith's book over the summer break. And there was an article I was reading before, just quickly, and they mentioned one of the things that he talks about in the book,

saying that he's a bit of a coward. That's how he describes himself. He described he didn't stand up to some things, quite traumatic things happened earlier in his life. He didn't stand up and he always regretted that. So they were in this article saying maybe that was one of the reasons why he stood up for what he thought he needed to do for his wife yesterday. Not trying to make excuses either way.

I just thought it was quite an interesting observation. Would you slap someone for your wife? Well, look, I'm not a, you know me, I'm not. But, you know, protecting, you want to protect your family and your loved one. It depends. Would you slap someone? I don't know.

I don't know. I have never slapped anyone. If it was like a self, here we go, I'll save you, Ben. If it was a self-defense situation, then yes, you would need to defend yourself or defend your wife. Yeah. There we go. That's a good answer.

You're defending her honor. Well, in a lot of ways, maybe that's what Will Smith was feeling like he was doing. But it has divided the internet, and it's divided everyone who watched it. And so we're going to talk to Kate Roger, entertainment reporter, very shortly to find out the latest and what her thoughts on the whole surreal incident was.

Yeah. Do you know what's concerning me? Because we're both broadcasting from home at the moment. We've both got COVID. Omicron, baby. Omicron brothers. As I've just plugged my phone into my computer and it's asked my phone,

do you trust this computer? And now I know what this computer's seen. And no, I don't trust it. I don't trust this computer. Would you trust my computer, Ben? No. No. I can see why the phone's like, hang on a second.

Hang on, buddy. Don't connect me up with him. We'll see how you go with that, and we'll catch up with Kate Roger, entertainment reporter. Get the latest on the Oscars in just a few moments on The Hits. If they were the internet,

you'd want to clear this history. Jono and Ben on The Hits. The whole world is talking about the Oscars. What happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock on stage? Things got awkward and tense. It was a gi change up keep my wife's name out your mouth i'm going to okay what happened afterwards what has happened since uh we're joined by news hub entertainment reporter Kate Roger. Kate Roger, the Jolly Roger, welcome. My darlings, I've missed you guys. Oh, you too.

It's always nice to hear your voice. Same, same. How are you? My God, what an Oscar. Chaos. Kate Roger, do you have the inside word? What happened? Why was Will going from zero to 120?

It was absolutely mental watching it unfold, wasn't it? I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing. I've never more desperately wanted to be inside that room in my life, and I bet you guys feel the same. Well, yeah, because it seemed like at first it seemed almost like it was staged. It was like, oh, this seems like it could be a part of the show, and then it very quickly seemed like it wasn't, and things got very awkward in the room.

Yeah, well, different people walked around the world. Some had their sound cut. So I was simply tapping away maniacally, putting everything into the system because obviously I need to cut my story as the awards go out. And then I heard the sound go. I saw Will Smith go up and I thought, oh, this is obviously just a set piece.

And then when I saw him yelling from the crowd, we couldn't hear what he was saying. And I thought, no, no is obviously just a set piece. And then when I saw him yawning from the crowd, we couldn't hear what he was saying. And I thought, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, back up the truck. This is imploding. This is a genuine cluster happening in front of our very eyes. Whose side are you on here, Kay Rogers? Team Will, Team Chris. I love it when you put team in front of anyone's name.

It makes us sound cooler. It does. It's so much cooler. Team Jono, Team Bennett. It's so hard to know, isn love it when you put team in front of anyone's name. It makes us sound cooler. It does. It's so much cooler. Team Jono, Team Bennett. So hard to know, isn't it? How do I feel? I'm a Gemini, so I can just put money on both sides. There is, unequivocally, without question, absolutely no condoning of violence anywhere,

and particularly on stage, two grown men on stage in front of the whole world. That is not cool. Do I look at Will Smith sitting next to his wife? Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia. She chose to shave her head last year. It's not something you make a joke about, Ro. It just isn't. I know we have Ricky Gervais up there.

I know Chris Rock has always made jokes across the last few years at the expense of fact both Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith and are they supposed to have thicker skin and just roll with it maybe not, I'm conflicted don't believe in the violence I do believe in standing up for the people you love

just not that way It's kind of sad though that the whole thing happened and now today we're talking about this as opposed to, you know, people like Jane Campion who won for Best Director or, you know, Coda that won for Best Film. It's kind of taken the shine off, you know, even Will Smith for winning his Oscar. Agreed, and I thought that first thing this morning, guys.

You're so right. I'm just gutted. I mean, he's the master of his own destiny, don't get me wrong, but he's won an Oscar, and I'm stoked for right. I'm just gutted. I mean, he's the master of his own destiny, don't get me wrong. But he's won an Oscar, and I'm stoked for him. I'm stoked for everyone. There were some really, really beautiful, lovely moments. Yeah, I mean, but is it a good thing? Is it the jab in the arm the Oscars needed?

A little bit of violence, a little bit of showbiz pizzazz, and will we be back next year for more? Did you just really say that's what the Oscars need, a little bit of violence? I don't know if it's a good thing. I don't think it's a good thing. It's what I've been missing from the Oscars this entire time. Okay, I'm going to ask.

Don't answer that. You don't need to ask that question. But what has happened since? I mean, what's your inside word has happened on the ground? Because we heard that maybe there could be a chance he gets his Oscar taken off him. He was out partying last night. I mean, what's been going on? He certainly was out partying and to his own music,

which was actually more tragic than everything else, I think. He was getting jiggy with it on the dance floor at the Vanity Fair party. I look at him. I look at the Oscar he's holding. I look at, let's say, Harvey Weinstein, who has an Oscar. If he's still got his on his mantelpiece in jail, then I don't think Will Smith should have his taken off him. And I don't think he will.

Well, there we go, Kate Rodger. The inside word from the slap incident. Slap happy Will Smith, Chris Rock, Kate Rodger, Jono, Ben. I keep naming names. Wrap it up, Raya, wrap it up. I love you guys. You too, Kate. Lovely to talk to you.

Thanks for your time. Shout out to all the unpaid Uber drivers dropping the kids off in peak hour traffic. Jono and Ben on the hits. Now, we're putting together a bucket list, the things that we want to achieve before the end of the year. And was getting COVID on your bucket list, Jono? Well, yeah, probably getting over COVID is now probably the first agenda, first on the agenda is both of us recovering from COVID.

Both are now separate houses at the moment. So we'll put that number one on the bucket list, Ben. And then I just wanted to ask you, like, what is the level of things we are trying to achieve on this list? Because I think we need to make them obtainable. Like, Jono, don't forget to pick the kids up from school at least two out of the five days of the week. The other three they can feed for themselves. You know, stuff like this. It's not a to-do list as far as the day-to-day chores and stuff.

Don't forget you've got a dentist appointment at 4.30. Stuff like this. No, it's stuff that we want to achieve as a show and things that maybe we can help listeners out with as well. And we actually received an email with someone who's having a bit of a rough time at the moment. And we thought, well, maybe we can make this part of our bucket list to make them feel a little bit better yeah because they had something on their bucket list which was uh to own an item of some description so before we embark on the selfishness of what we want to achieve then we thought we would give back first because that's the show we are we give it aren't we selfless well we're giving, aren't we? Selfless. Well, we're giving.

Hopefully not giving COVID to anyone, but let's try and give. Let's give Nigel a call and we'll explain more. Good morning, Nigel speaking. Nigel. Jono and Ben from The Hits, mate. How are you, buddy? Good. How are you going?

I'm not too bad, mate. Ben's here as well. Hey, Nig, how's things? I'm not too bad, mate. Ben's here as well. Hey, Nige. How's things? I'm not bad. I hear you're at home with COVID. I was listening to you. No, no.

Fun times. Yeah. What's up? What can I do for you? Hey, listen. We got a message from you. Yes. Your son Nathaniel.

What's happened? Oh, actually, he's right here. So he can tell. This is John Owen Ben on the radio. Hey. Tell him what happened. I went up a jump because Dad told me to go full speed on the go-kart, and I hit a bump as I was going up it,

and then I accidentally started leaning forward, and then it flipped the go-kart. Oh, and you really hurt yourself too, didn't you? Yeah, it kind of put my bone out my arm. Oh, it was actually poking. How much pain are you in at that moment, or are you in a bit of shock? Both. And classic dad advice, just go hard out.

Absolutely, it's got to be done. How long is the recovery? How long are you out? 11 weeks before he can go back to school, and it'll probably be 18 months before he's back to normal. Oh, poor little fella. Is it still hurting now, Nathaniel? It's just, like, sort of, like, pinches in my shoulder. Not that much.

Yeah. Hey, well, listen, we understand you wanted a PS5. Yeah. I really do want a PS5. Yeah. I really do want a PS5. Well, we've talked to our friends, friends of the show at themarket.com, and they want to give you a PS5 so you've got something to do over the next 11 weeks

while you recover. Oh, my God. Oh, he's crying. Oh. Fine. That is so awesome. Thank you so much. How's that, Nathaniel? Really?

Hi, Bubba. Hi, buddy. Sounds like you really want that PS5, and it's going to at least give something to do Because it's going to be a hard recovery for you You poor little fella Oh I think you've got Tracy, me and Nathaniel

All the tears in our eyes We'd really appreciate what you've done for us No worries at all Well you're a wonderful family And it's the least we could do To be honest we didn't do much The market have come to the party on this one The market are amazing.

Absolutely. Themarket.com. You can get prepped for school holidays, entertaining the kids while working from home, or while they're recovering from broken bones. This is right. Thank you so much. And thank you to the market.

Oh, you guys enjoy that. No, safer. I hope it's a good recovery, a speedy recovery for Nathaniel. Yeah. That's right, mate. The market have more than 10,000 toys and games to keep the kids busy millions of products thousands of brands get it all done at themarket.com and thank you so much for the market that was really lovely to be able to do that for

them wasn't it john it certainly was and if you uh want us to knock something off your bucket list we'll try and do it for you we're going to try and get hold of Rupert Grint who played Ron Weasley in Harry Potter for a lady who wants to meet the three British gingers. She's met Harry, she's met Ed Sheeran, she wants Rupert. So anything like that, just text us 4487, okay? And we'll try and help you out. Yeah, how can we help you? 4487 on the text. John Owen

Ben's bucket listed as the hits. Get fuelled up with the hits fuel grab. Who doesn't need this right now? This is such an amazing prize. Thanks to Gas Petrol Service Stations. An electric vehicle owner. What's that? Sorry?

An electric vehicle owner. No time for you to chip in, mate. 127 Gas Petrol Service Stations nationwide. And you can win a whole lot of free gas. Fill up your tank with the Hitz Fuel Grab. How does it work, Jono? Well, simply, am I allowed to chip in now? Yeah, now, throw it over to you. The floor is yours.

Basically, you come on, the pump starts pumping the gas. You've just got to yell stop before it runs out of petrol. We'll get Kimbo on from Dunners. How are you, Kim? Hey, good. How are you guys? Great to have you on. You been burning any couches this morning? Any fun stuff in Dunedin? Absolutely not. No. Kim, you know,

the word would have spread throughout the South Island. Shona and Ben have COVID. What are they saying out there? Kim, any well wishes you want to send to us? Get us soon. Anything else you want to say? Look, Kim, your chance to win a whole lot of gas right now. You can fill up your tank.

So you've already got $50 fuel. We're not going to take that away from you. But what you've got to do is you've got to call stop before the buzzer, before the pump runs out, all right? So you can play it as long as you want, but you don't want to hear that buzzer. Okay, sweet. Jeez, you've been sweating when you've been filling up at the pump lately, Kim. Absolutely. Yeah, true. It's a nightmare. been filling up at the pump lately, Kim? Absolutely.

Yeah, true. It's a nightmare. I'll get tested just in case as well. You might have flu-like symptoms, but it's also the price of petrol, which is very high. So let's start the pump, Kim. $50. $84. $90.

$112 $140 $175.50 $192 $220. Oh, Kim! Oh! I think she got in there. She got in there?

You can hear a lot better than us. We're through Zoom. She said stop, but I was too slow on actually pausing. Oh, my God, Kim. I was like, you are a mad dog! Yes! Wow, we're pushing the limits of our fuel grab thanks to gas petrol service stations.

You got $220 worth of petrol. Whoa, thanks guys! Tell you what, she's pushing boundaries Kimbo. Hey Kim, thanks so much for playing another chance to play with Brad and Laura at 5.20 today. And we'll be back again tomorrow. Thanks to Gas at Petrol Service Stations.

Just after 8.20, supporting gas, you're supporting Kiwis 100% Kiwi owned. The show where the masks make them look a whole lot better. John Owen Ben on the hits. If you just tuned into the radio show, firstly, thanks for joining us. But secondly, yesterday you mocked me through the whole three hours about the fact that I'd got COVID. COVID, yeah. I thought it was – well, I was upset that you hadn't had it earlier

and that we didn't get the much-deserved press that this show requires, Ben. If you'd got it the first wave a year or so ago, you'd be like, oh, Ben Boyce has got COVID. know tune into the hits to see what's happening not now mate you're just one of the pack one of the one of the many uh but ironically last night i get a phone call from you probably about eight o'clock last night and you're like guess what so yeah uh i think it was The world Saying

You can't spend three hours Mocking me For having COVID And get away with it I thought I was being Pranked at first I seriously thought I was being pranked

Ben Humphrey called me And he's like John has tested positive I was like This is a prank I refuse to believe it So then I called you myself Tell you what

Like Chris Rockett Felt like a slap in the face It really It did Because I had been Like And when you take the test Ben you'll know this Tell you what, Chris Rockett felt like a slap in the face It really did Because I had been And when you take the test Ben You'll know this when it does come back positive There's just disbelief

And it's surreal You're like, not me, out of all people Surely not I was having a conversation yesterday with Rachel Jackson-Lees Who's the newsreader on the show She'll be pleased to have that conversation with you and now looking back, she'll be like, oh, great. How close was I to him?

Obviously, you're wearing masks in the office, right? I was, but she's like, you must just be, you must have immunity to it. You know, you've had it in your house. It's been all around the studio. And she's like, gee, you must be immune. And I'm like, yes, I am a legend who can't catch COVID. Maybe COVID's too scared to come into my body

because of all the Heineken sloshing around in there. It's like, mate, there's nothing we can do to that to make it any worse. But it's real disbelief because you've spent two years trying to keep this thing away, trying to not get it, and then all of a sudden you're like, what? Has this happened to me? And there's just that period of you just think you're in your head with it and you don't have anything and i tested positive three i took four tests yesterday three times i tested negative

uh but it wasn't until the one later in the night where it came through positive and once it comes through positive it's so it's almost like your body goes well now we're in for a wild ride buddy strap yourself in don't you feel like everything just went downhill as soon as the positive test you got a fever you're sweating you got aching muscles yeah well it's kind of like life in general you feel a little bit tired at any stage of life you know if someone could ask me how i was feeling night or day and i'll be like yeah a little bit tired but then as soon as you got covered you're like oh the body's like oh i've got a great excuse yeah like i said I'm in another room now for the family and it feels like the moment of, you know,

you were able to be divorced from the family but you didn't have nowhere else to live. You'd move into the spare room. Does it feel like that for you, Ben? Yeah, I'm Ben from Jono and Ben, so my family are used to keeping a distance, a social distance from me. So at the moment, they're like, we'll just keep them in there and we'll carry on as normal.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, there we go. That's our thing. But you know, see, both of us have it. Both of us have it, Ben.

Two on a whole show. We won't get any press for this. Nothing. We're not doing it for press. Why is everything about press for you? There's a whole thing going on at the Oscars. That's getting a lot of the attention right now. Listen, if I'm getting COVID, I want some press for it.

I'm going to get nothing. I'm thinking of everyone that obviously is in isolation right now or has gone through it. It can be a little bit testing, I can imagine. Kia kaha, stay strong out there. And Juliet, you keep dodging those Omicron bombs, baby. I will try my hardest.

Just don't test yourself. Don't test yourself. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Maybe I just avoid that. Ignorance is bliss. Spy. Know what's up. Spy.co.nz

All right, off to producer Juliette, who's in her last week before she heads off to France. Are you going to do French kissing in France, Juliette? Who knows? Who knows? We'll see. Did the French actually invent French kissing in France, Juliet? Who knows? Who knows? We'll see. Did the French actually invent French kissing? I'm not sure.

That's a good question. Imagine the first person who gave that a bash. You'd be like, oh, okay. You like it. Oh, it's a little bit weird, isn't it? Was that your tongue? Okay. I guess you're giving something a go.

Yeah, yeah. Trying new things. Do you want me to do it back to you? So obviously the Oscars were on yesterday and you would have absolutely seen, because it's the talk of the town, the situation that happened between Chris Rock, who was on stage,

and Will Smith, who was sitting in the audience when Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair because she suffers from alopecia. So she shaved her head to kind of, I guess, deal with that. And Will did not take it well. Here's the audio. Jada, I love you. G.I. Jane 2, can't wait to see it.

All right? That was a nice one. Okay. I'm out here. Uh-oh. one. Okay. I'm out here. Uh-oh. Richard. Oh, wow. Wow.

Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me. Chris Rock apparently didn't know that Jada Pinker-Smith was going through alopecia as well. Right. Yeah. No, I mean, there's a lot to be said. I mean, you can see both sides of the argument i know some people are like will smith they don't condone violence don't slap him but he was sticking up for the honor of his good woman uh but also chris rock maybe shouldn't have

made jokes about you know what can you make jokes about nowadays like what have you ever seen ricky gervais's speeches, he is the king of controversy and the king of making really, really marginal jokes. And so I feel like Chris Rocks was not as bad as some of the things that Ricky Gervais has said, but also, you know. I think the trick is to have a great distance between you and the audience

when you're yelling jokes at them. Well, yeah. I mean, we've never seen that happen before, an actor come up on stage. For many of us, we thought it was staged at first, but then it got kind of awkward and a bit real. And since then, there's been an emergency meeting from some of the Oscars heads overnight. They've launched an official review as to whether Will will get to keep his Oscar

for Best Actor, which he obviously, after the old slap in the face, he went on and won. So that's a little bit awkward. So I'm sure we'll find out soon. Ben, you cheated in a colouring in competition, pack and save colouring in competition when you were 12 years old. You entered the under sevens.

Did you have to hand back your award? Well, no. Maybe I should. I didn't get an award, though. That was the thing. I think I got a Milky Bar. Did they make you return that Milky Bar? No, they probably would now, in retrospect.

The committee would meet, the Killeringen committee. Yeah, no, because, I mean, what do you think, Drew? I haven't got your opinion on this. Are you Team Chris or Team Will? So, initially, oh, it's so hard. I was kind of like, oh, my goodness. Like, if Will Smith... But then I don't know what Jade is thinking. You know what I mean?

Like, I want to say, oh, my God, just go watch Ricky Gervais and see what he has to say about things. He is so much worse. But then you also don't know what Jade is going through or what she's feeling. And so obviously Will does. Yeah, it feels like there's more going on behind the surface. You know, like Chris Rocks has made jokes about her before

and in other Oscars there's jokes being made about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, you know, like earlier in the Oscars and again at the BAFTAs a few weeks ago about their marriage. So it could have been a build-up of that. There could have been some stuff going on between Chris Rocks. And you just don't know what's going on behind the surface. Totally. Totally.

Do you? I mean, I guess, you know, just because they're celebrities, do they need to sit there and be mocked publicly? Hmm. I would say yes. Yeah. I was going to say, if they get to live a nice life and earn heaps of money, then maybe yes.

Yeah, I mean, it's sad, though. We've said it a couple of times this morning. It's sad that we're talking about this. You know, maybe he shouldn't have made the joke. He should have done the slap. But we're not talking about who won the awards because we're all focused on the slap. Yeah. Oh, wow.

Congratulations to all the awards. Do you want to give a shout-out to the best documentary winner, Ben? Yes. Congratulations on your documentary. One heck of a doco. And that one is called... And the best sound recording? Yeah, again, amazing sound. Yeah, incredible. It was all recorded.

Yeah, it was. I heard it all. And that is your Spa Entertainment update for this hour. For more, you can head to the hits.co.nz. Your essential listening for non-essential banter. Jono and Ben on the hits. Yeah, that is our show. We're back tomorrow. We've got more cash to be won.

We've got more fuel to be won. And unfortunately, we've got more COVID. We'll just keep that ourselves. Have a great day. Jono and Ben, brought to you by Resene, New Zealand's most trusted paint. and unfortunately we've got more COVID. We'll just keep that ourselves. Have a great day.