Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

Everyone says the best time to travel with a baby is before it can walk. Makes sense, when you think about it. Most toddlers, once they’ve learnt to trot around the place, live for nothing more. All they want to do is walk. In fact, if you think about it, you really don’t want to get close to even blurring the line between rolling and crawling and waddling away. The moment your child is old enough and independently spirited enough to drag themselves around, you’re done for. There is no reasoning with an exhausted one-year-old on a packed 777. You can’t calmly explain that actually the pilot has just put on the fasten seatbelt sign. You can’t even vegetate them with a screen. As the old advice goes, if you’re going to travel with a young one, you’re best to do it when they’re really young. Hold them tight and they’ll mistake turbulence for rocking. Chuck them on the boob or the bottle if their ears are popping. And hey, you’ll be at your destination in no time! Or not. As someone who usually prides themselves

Queen of the stage, Alison Quigan is a mainstay in New Zealand’s performing arts scene.   You may know her best as Yvonne Jeffries, Shortland Street’s maternally-minded receptionist, or from one of her many theatre productions, as Quigan has spent her career creating stories that portray the real lives of Kiwis on stage.   She’s back to her theatrical ways, directing a brand-new production by Sir Roger Hall, ‘End of Summer Time’.  It’s the story of retired cow cocky Dickie Hart and his wife Glenda’s move to Auckland, a decision Dickie thinks is the beginning of the end.  Quigan told Jack Tame that Hall’s a great observationist, and it’s his understanding of his audience that allows them to connect with his works.  “He’s been telling the story of this particular generation for 50 years, and he is very loyal to them and they are very loyal to him.”  She started directing his plays in the late 80’s when she took over Centre Point Theatre in Palmerston North, but as a solo show, this

Taskmaster NZ, The Traitors NZ, The Chase NZ – Kevin Milne is wondering if New Zealand has run out of ideas of our own.  Being inspired by the success of overseas productions is fine, he says, but we shouldn’t just be copying them outright.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Their 27th album and their most theatrical yet, Phantom Island is the latest release from Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.  It’s a partner to their prior album, Flight b741, and was recorded during the same sessions, continuing on with the same themes, but with a more orchestral sound.   Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the album.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid   In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.  Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.       Vianne by Joanne Harris   On the evening of July 4th, a young woman scatters her mother’s ashes in New York and follows the call of the changing winds to the French coastal city of Marseille.  For the first time in her life, Vianne feels in control of her future. Charming her way into a job as a waitres

"Do the Galapagos sea lions know how good they have got it? Sprawled across the pristine beaches, they wallow, snooze, and frolic across the powder-white stretches of sand, blissfully unconcerned by curious passers-by entering their slice of paradise on a goggle-eyed shore excursion. In fact, some of the sea lions waddled up to greet us into their realm of unrivalled wonder. The Galapagos grips you good, and doesn’t let go. I’m fresh back from my maiden visit to this extraordinary group of islands with Viva Expeditions, enjoying a four-night cruise aboard the magnificent La Pinta." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly a million people in New Zealand are currently receiving Superannuation, getting payments of between nearly $600 and just over $1000 every fortnight.   But in this cost of living crisis, how easy is it to survive on the pension?  Ed McKnight tried living on it for a week and came to a couple of conclusions around what it would be like to retire.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oral hygiene is incredibly important for maintaining your health, but when you’re brushing twice a day, you can burn through brushes pretty quickly.  With dentists recommending toothbrushes be replaced every three months, New Zealanders send an estimated 20 million toothbrushes to landfill every year.   Is there a better option? Kate Hall offers a few tips that could help bring down the waste.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 14 June 2025, legend of the screen and stage Alison Quigan joins Jack to discuss directing a brand-new theatre production from Roger Hall.  Jack considers what real life skills we need in the world of AI.  Kevin has a few thoughts on what skills we should be nurturing and hopes they might translate to more original ideas.  Francesca Rudkin dishes on the dishy stars in new film ‘Materialists’.  And Mike Yardley recounts his exploration of the Galapagos Islands.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damage in the garden can strike at any time.   Serious leaf damage (chewing and molesting of foliage all the way down the branches of a tree or shrub) is not something that small birds tend to do.    At ground level you can rightly guess that sparrows and quail are the possible delinquents, but when it really looks like full-on destruction you will need to do a bit of research:   Large bites in leaves: classic possum damage! Skeletonised Pohutukawa was bringing the trees to extinction – Project Crimson was the organisation that started the rescue mission.   Possums work on their local, favourite tree in the neighbourhood – constant chewing puts trees under pressure to make more leaves, often with an increased amount of sugar – Yum!   Bark damage is easy to spot: big scratches up and down the tree. Possum poo (1-1.5 cm in length) is often found under the tree – a dead give-away!   But the most ridiculous damage in your garden is possum chewing on fruit, especially citrus. I

Disney and Universal are suing AI image and video generator Midjourney   With just a couple of sentences you can create your own scene starring Homer Simpson, a Minion, or a Star Wars character. That's cool, but a problem for the studios who own the IP for that content.   The studios call Midjourney a “virtual vending machine” and “bottomless pit of plagiarism” in their suit.    Many of these AI companies have been using copyrighted material under "fair use" provisions to train their models, but this lawsuit directly challenges that. The lawsuit seeks damages ($150,000 per infringement) and an injunction that would immediately stop Midjourney’s operations.    Apple is bringing Call Screening to iOS26   Why are you calling me? That's the question the caller will now need to answer before you decide to pick up. Not interested, ignore them! This builds on the "live voicemail" feature they already rolled out. With this update, telemarketers will need to explain themselves before

David Attenborough: Ocean  David Attenborough explores the planet's undersea habitats, revealing the greatest age of ocean discovery and emphasising the ocean's vital importance while exposing its problems and highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery (Disney+).    Titan: The OceanGate Disaster   OceanGate's Titan tourist submersible imploded in 2023 on a deep-sea dive to the Titanic. This documentary details how a bold vision ended in tragedy (Netflix).    Paris Has Fallen  A protection officer and an MI6 operative team up after a terrorist attack. Realising there might be a mole in the secret services, the duo race to take down their dangerous enemy and thwart a larger conspiracy threatening Paris (Neon).     LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Materialists   A young New York City matchmaker's lucrative business gets complicated as she finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.    Dangerous Animals  A shark-obsessed serial killer holds Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, captive on his boat. Racing against time, she must figure out a way to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes has been out at Fieldays for the last few days, checking out a few products and cooking up a storm. She joined Jack to round up some of her foodie highlights, as well as share her ‘super simple’ Korean-style rump steak recipe that’s been popular among the other visitors.  Korean Beef and Spring Onions    If I have to pick a steak to cook, I’ll go with rump every time as it’s so darn tasty! It’s great for a quick fry or grill.       Ingredients  3 tbsp caster sugar   6 tbsp dark soy sauce   2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for grilling   2 tbsp sesame oil   Squeeze lemon juice or 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar   1 tbsp grated fresh ginger   3 cloves garlic, grated    500g rump steak   6-8 spring onions, sliced    Toasted sesame seeds, to serve        Method  In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, soy sauce, oils, lemon juice, ginger and garlic. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cut steak

I still remember the exact seat where I was sitting.    It was 20 years ago, and I was primed for one of the key exams in my tertiary education. I’d passed Teeline shorthand at 40 words a minute. 50 words, 60 words, 70 words. To progress on my journalism course and ultimately earn a degree I had one final challenge: I had to pass a Teeline shorthand exam at 80 words a minute.   We learnt Teeline from a wonderful tutor, a woman named Julie with exacting standards, a wicked sense of humour, and a way with words. She’d peer over your shoulder when you were tracing out different characters.   “That’s a squitty-looking outline,” she’d say with a wry smile.  The moment I realised I’d passed 80 words a minute, I walked up to the front of the class and kissed her on the cheek. It took five months of work with daily lessons. I drilled myself with cassette tapes at home. But in a stuffy room on Madras Street, finally, I’d done it.  But here’s the crazy thing. That was the very last time I

Nadia Lim is a chef with a finger in every pie.  She’s a MasterChef New Zealand champion, cookbook author, TV personality, dietitian, entrepreneur, and an inspiration for many in the kitchen.  Her recipes and passion have shaped the way many approach food, the release of her cookbook Easy Weeknight Meals inspiring plenty of people to take up utensils.  To mark the 10th anniversary of that very cookbook, a special edition is being released, complete with 16 bonus My Food Bag recipes.   Easy Weeknight Meals 10th Anniversary Edition, published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP $39.99. She told Jack Tame that ten years has gone by fast – time moving faster the older you get.  “I’m 40 this year and I started this journey out when I was like, 25, and gosh, the time’s just flown by,” Lim said.  “I’ve never been a great person at kind of, looking back in the past, but when anniversaries like this come around, it’s a good time to kind of look back and stop, pause, and reflect.”  LISTEN AB

A significant milestone happened in Kevin Milnes life recently – or shall we say a Milnestone.  Wednesday marked 50 years since he and his wife Linda went on their first date, and he joined Jack Tame for a chat about marriage, relationships, and anniversaries.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britpop legends Pulp are back after 24 years.  They released their 8th album, More, which was recorded over the span of three weeks, starting in November of 2024.  In the Bandcamp description for the album, Jarvis Cocker writes:   “We hope you enjoy the music. It was written & performed by four human beings from the North of England, aided & abetted by five other human beings from various locations in the British Isles. No A.I. was involved during the process. This album is dedicated to Steve Mackey. This is the best that we can do. Thanks for listening.”  Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the album.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Surf House by Lucy Clarke   Wish you were here? Think again... High on the wave-pounded cliffs, far from the bustling souks of Marrakesh, sits The Surf House. A hidden gem on Morocco's shores, the house is a sanctuary for the surfers, travellers and dreamers who wash in. But the idyll is built on something rotten. And when Bea arrives, relieved to find refuge after a dangerous encounter in a Marrakesh alleyway, she soon gets caught in the swell of a deep, dark mystery. Because another young woman went missing one year ago - and the last place she was sighted was The Surf House.     The Oligarch's Daughter by Joseph Finder   Paul Brightman is a man on the run, living under an assumed name in a small New England town with a million-dollar bounty on his head. When his security is breached, Paul is forced to flee into the New Hampshire wilderness to evade Russian operatives who can seemingly predict his every move.  Six years ago, Paul was a rising star on Wall Street who fell in

"Nestled on the western flank of the Andes, three hours northwest of Quito, I was swathed in the finery of the Chocó rainforest. Mashpi Lodge is an eco-tourism jewel, a five-star oasis within the wider Mashpi Reserve that serves up a resplendent rainforest encounter with the mighty Chocó. Truth be told, because the reserve traverses a wide altitude range, from 550 metres to 1400m, there’s the rainforest and the cloud forest. There’s a high level of endemism here, by the separation through the Andes. The forests on the western side of the Andes evolved entirely differently to the Amazon rainforest on the eastern side. To really make my head spin, geological history testifies that prior to the seismic uplift of the Andes, this was all one sprawling forest." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.