Comedy legend Ben Elton was in town ahead of his Authentic Stupidity Tour so we decided to take him to Giapo, home of Cher's favourite icecream and other tasty treats. Hear the full chat and check out details on Ben's tour here: https://benelton.live/

Robert and Jeanette chat with Ali Mau, the renowned broadcaster and journalist, to discuss her new memoir No Words For This. Ali takes us through her incredible journey, from her early career in 90s newsrooms to her pioneering work in the #MeToo movement. She opens up about the abuse she endured at the hands of her father and the emotional impact it had on her life and career. Ali also shares her experiences as a journalist in a male-dominated industry, navigating the challenges and triumphs that shaped her path.

In the memoir, Ali reflects on her transformation from a celebrated media personality to an advocate for sexual harm survivors. With vulnerability and strength, she discusses the difficult process of confronting family secrets while continuing to expose stories of injustice as a reporter. It's an honest exploration of resilience, healing, and the power of words to both wound and heal.

Note: This episode contains discussions around sexual harm, which may be triggering for some listeners.

After a video did the rounds online with a theory about women getting extra ear piercings when they have a midlife crisis, we wondered if such crisis are actually a thing and turned to Psychologist Sara Chetwin for the answer. You can reach Sara and find out more at www.mindworks.co.nz

Chris Parker is one of our favourite guests, so we were keen to invite him in to celebrate the festive season. It's all in the name really.... Chris-tmas, right? Check out Chris' upcoming shows for 2025 at https://www.chrisparkercomedy.com/

We popped a call through to the North Pole to see how Christmas preparations are going in the lead up to the big day!

In 2019, the world lost Darryl Paton to suicide.
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A loving husband to Emily, a fabulous dad, a great brother, son, colleague, cousin, uncle and mate to many. At the time, only a few people knew Darryl had Bipolar and an even smaller number that it was having a large impact on his life. He carried a heavy burden of self-stigma, fearing if people knew, it would lead to judgement and him being treated differently. He insisted those who knew, kept his diagnosis under wraps.

"Darryl confided in me that telling others about his bipolar was terrifying, he couldn't do it, he couldn't say it out loud. So he chose to hide it. We must create a culture where discussing the big stuff that's going on becomes easier. Whether it's a good day or a rough one, we need to connect, check in on each other and have better open chat," Emily explains.

Nine months after Darryl's death, Emily rallied support from her community, amassing over 2,800 signatures in favour of a space to encourage people to connect and chat. After 2.5 years, Emily unveiled the first Chatterbox seat (but never planned to stop there).

VJ Cooks is a GREAT place to find heaps of recipes and inspiration, and founder Vanya Insull has some great cook books available as well, you can check them out HERE: https://vjcooks.com/

Robert & Jeanette caught up with Vanya to get some Christmas food inspo.

Eric Idle popped in ahead of his New Zealand tour to talk all things Python, life, music and his love for Auckland.