Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Our parents are some of our biggest influences.   It was Kevin Milne’s birthday last week, and also the anniversary of his father’s death, and it got him thinking about the influence fathers have on their sons.   This is compounded by the release of Louis Theroux’s Manosphere documentary, which reinforced to him the importance of a positive male influence in a child’s life.  LISTEN...

Gorillaz have returned with their ninth studio album.   The Mountain was recorded across a range of locations, primarily India and London, and draws heavily from the Indian classical instrumentation, pairing it with the group’s eclectic electronic and pop influences.  It features performances in multiple different languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba, with the...

Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester   What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?    Kate, thirty years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllic metropolitan, North London life. Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year's hit TV show, Cheating.    When Kate's world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and i...

"The weather could not have been a more idyllic. I was basking in the brilliance of Lake Taupō aboard the glorious replica steamboat, Ernest Kemp, as were several dozen guests from all over the world. Cruising the great lake for over 40 years, this gorgeous little vessel that accommodates 50 guests, began life in Kerikeri, named in honour of the last member of the Kemp family to live at Kemp House...

Kiwis are struggling with their health and wellbeing in the workplace.  Umbrella Wellbeing has released its annual report into the state of workplace health and wellbeing, which surveyed over 11,000 people across 33 workplaces over the last two years.   It found:  More than half the workplaces surveyed struggle to support staff wellbeing and mental health   About 25% of workers...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 21 March 2026, beloved children's author and creator of Hairy Maclary, Dame Lynley Dodd joins Jack to discuss being honoured with the Legacy Award at the New Zealander of the Year awards and the lasting impact of her work.  Jack considers when secret identities should be kept secret .  Kevin Milne reflects on the influ...

Seeing as it’s getting towards autumn, a number of bulbs need planting in the garden - I’ll pick on a few of them.  Tulip  Fabulous early spring colour – remember the historical stuff with the Dutch making heaps of money out of often virus-ridden “varieties” (early 1600-s AD) – around Fl 3000.00 per bulb while the average yearly wage of a skilled craftsman was around Fl 300.00. The bubbl...

Mission Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2024, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, RRP from $25.00   The wine:   A classic Hawkes Bay red blend with the power of Cabernet framing the softness of Merlot. Flavours of blackberry and tobacco, Doris plum, Kalamata olive, and dried herb, with some smoky wood muscle. Dry, lots of texture from tannins and acidity framing a core of dark berries and plum. It’s...

The US Government wants to be the ones who control AI regulation   In a new policy document, the White House lays out seven key objectives for the singular US approach to AI. In summary, the framework places significant responsibility on parents for issues like child safety and lays out relatively soft, nonbinding expectations for platform accountability. They say centralizing the policy will...

Scarpetta    With skilled hands and an unnerving eye, Dr. Kay Scarpetta tries to unmask a serial killer and prove that her career-making case from 28 years earlier isn't also her undoing (Prime Video).     Crackhead  Drug-addicted party-animal Frankie has blown it all up - her inheritance, her relationships, and most recently, her sister's house. It's time to go to re...

There is something about a burger that is so cheering. There's pork, crispy kale, and apple in this burger that has it all going on – flavour, texture and heartiness!    Makes 2 burgers       Ingredients  300g ground pork or mince (I use a food processor to break down decent pork chops)    ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs   4 tbsps. milk    1 smal...

Project Hail Mary    Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that's causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity -- but he may not have to do it...

This is the age of the individual. The self. Generation me me me me me.   An age in which each of us is encouraged by a heady mix of technological trends and cultural pressures to think of ourselves as unique and special. To treat ourselves as a brand.  And in a world with every person/brand competing with everyone else, fame and celebrity is often used as a measure of status.  It’s...

Established more than 40 years ago, the Exponents are Kiwi rock legends.  They’re part of New Zealand’s sonic landscape – a guaranteed play at the pub, a party, or a summer barbeque.   The band initially parted ways in 1999, but have periodically reunited in the years since and will be doing the same for this year’s Synthony Festival.   Frontman Jordan Luck told Jack Tame they’re ve...

Amid all the nostalgia and reunion tours of late, Kevin Milne has been battling to keep his music taste fresh.   Instead of rushing to buy a ticket for Guns N’ Roses or Split Enz, he picked up a ticket to Kiwi band The Beths and went along last night.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It’s been three years since I was last in Tauranga and it’s so uplifting to see cranes in the sky, the glossy sheen of brand-new buildings, and the civic centre’s sure-footed makeover taking shape. Fresh and inviting public spaces are continuing to unfurl across the Te Papa peninsula and waterfront. After paying my regards to the delightful Hairy Maclary and friends sculptures adorning the fabulo...

Hamilton is welcoming thousands of music fans for Homegrown festival today.  The festival has returned to the city it started in after almost two decades on Wellington's waterfront.  More than 25 thousand people are expected at Claudelands Oval, including Chris Schulz.  He joined Jack Tame from the festival to chat about this year’s offering.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio...

A Better Life by Lionel Shriver   Gloria Bonaventura, a divorced mother of three living with her 26-year-old son Nico in a sprawling house in Brooklyn, decides to participate in a new city programme - Big Apple, Big Heart - that would pay her to take in a migrant as a boarder. Gloria is thrilled when sweet, kind, helpful Martine arrives. But Nico is sceptical. A classic live-at-home, unemploy...

Even though everybody has to sleep, it's rare that people consider how sustainability can play a role in their bedroom.  Kate Hall joined Jack Tame for a chat about a few ways you can make your sleeping environment a bit more sustainable – from the mattress to the bedding to the furniture itself.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cicadas are slowly on the wane towards the end of March. It’s been a pretty Noisy March so far, typical of the regular system whereby Cicadas have a three, five, or seven year life cycle.  Black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus) are still making a heck of a noise in the late afternoon/evening, especially in the North Island and top of the South. They’ll be enjoying that dodgy boy-girl pa...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 14 March 2026, Kiwi rock legend Jordan Luck joins Jack to discuss The Exponents reuniting for a special performance at Synthony.   Jack champions an alternative transport option as fuel prices rise .  Louis Theroux's latest Manosphere documentary is spotlighted in Screentime.  Nici Wickes joins Jack live from the...

Saving versus spending can be a difficult balance, especially when you don’t have good habits or a plan in place.  And while many struggle to save enough in the first place, are there people who take it too far in the opposite direction and save too much?  Lisa Dudson joined Jack Tame to discuss saving money and how to decide the split that works best for you.  LISTEN ABOVE  Se...

Google Maps is getting a new look   Google Maps is getting it's biggest update in over a decade with the launch of “Immersive Navigation”. The new view places you in a 3D space with a view of the road features, buildings and terrain around you – almost making it look like a video game. It has smart zooms and transparent buildings to give you a better look at what’s coming up on your drive, in...

Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere  Louis Theroux immerses himself in the world of extreme online influencers and content creators who are redefining modern masculinity. He examines the appeal of these ideas and attitudes, and how these figures are influencing young men's values (Netflix).      DTF St. Louis   A love triangle between three adults experiencing middle-age...

Tomatoes are abundant and cheap and so it’s time to make the annual batch of tomato chilli jam. It is sooooo good!    Makes 2-3 jars      Ingredients  1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped   5 red chillies, deseeded and chopped or ¼ tsp chilli flakes   2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed   2 cups white sugar   ½ cup apple cider vinegar   2 tablespoons...