
The Best Night Of Comedy Is Back With The Best Comedy Show On Earth
Best Comedy Show On Earth
Hosted by Pax Assadi
Experience some of the top acts in this year's NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo at the sensational stand-up showcase, the Best Comedy Show On Earth, presented by the New Zealand Comedy Trust and Skycity. Following a sell out show at last year's fest, join big international and local names, whilst also discovering a few fresh faces for a night of total hilarity on Sunday 18 May at SKYCITY Theatre.
Featuring 10 comedians, 100's of jokes, 1000's of laughs, this unforgettable evening of stand out comedy will be hosted by none other than Pax Assadi. Pax has become a household name with his widely acclaimed autobiographical TV show Raised by Refugees on TVNZ. He's hosted 60 Seconds and The Great Kiwi Bake Off, and will also be familiar as part of comedy trio Frickin Dangerous Bro.
Crossing the ditch to join Pax on stage is Tom Cashman, the stand up is known as the Taskmaster's Assistant on Taskmaster Australia and for his viral TikTok content, where he's racked up millions of views. He's joined by Kirsty Webeck, Australia's reigning queen of cheerful comedy, returning after a standout set at last year's Best Foods Comedy Gala and Takashi Wakasugi, the Japanese-born, Australia-based comedian seen on Taskmaster Australia, Thank God You're Here, and the Best Foods Comedy Gala. Rounding out the Aussie contingent is Elouise Eftos 'Australia's First Attractive Comedian', and winner of Director's Choice at the 2024 Sydney Comedy Festival.
Closer to home, Aotearoa's own comedy stars take the spotlight. Brynley Stent — a 2021 Billy T Award winner and familiar face from Taskmaster NZ, Celebrity Treasure Island, Golden Boy, and Shortland Street — brings her signature chaos and charm. Kajun Brooking, the award-winning Whanganui-based comic known for his quickfire punchlines, just impressed audiences with his high energy set at the Wellington Best Foods Comedy Gala, you may have seen him on Te Karere, The Hui, and TikTok. Kajun joins the lineup alongside Ray O'Leary — fresh from smashing it in Australia — a two-time Billy T nominee known for Taskmaster NZ, Have You Been Paying Attention? and 7 Days.
They'll be joined by exciting emerging talents. Michelle Wiley, winner of Best Newcomer at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards and a 2023 RAW Comedy Grand Finalist, brings her sharp wit to the stage. And Ocean Denham, winner of Best Comedy at the 2024 Whangārei Fringe Festival rounds out the lineup.
Take a date or your mates; this is Sunday night done right!
The 2025 NZ International Comedy Festival with Best Foods Mayo runs from 2 – 25 May. The full programme is available now at www.comedyfestival.co.nz
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NZ Herald
4 days ago
- NZ Herald
Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Review: Returning To The Grill SkyCity A Year After A ‘Terrible' Meal
Spoiler alert: If you've been waiting for a sign to visit, Jesse Mulligan is waving you in with bright green flags. It's been almost a year since I took a deep breath and wrote about my terrible meal at SkyCity's The Grill. Publishing a critical restaurant review is an exhilarating experience. Four times as many people as usual read that column and strangers were literally asking about it on the street. The food and beverage manager from SkyCity called me at home for a chat. The person at the Herald whose job it is to sell Viva subscriptions let me know that I should feel free to seek out other terrible restaurants to write about, and soon. The SkyCity guy promised on the phone that they had fixed everything and offered to have me back for free. But it had only been a couple of days since the review had come out – how could they possibly have solved the many, many problems I had listed? What did they do, fire everyone and ship all the boring crockery to landfill? I decided to wait a full 12 months before returning, and this week I did it. I always pay for review meals with my own money and never announce that I am coming, so let's call this a 'check-in'. Below, I have listed my major complaints about The Grill in 2024 and whether or not they have been fixed: The taramasalata and tuna tartlette snacks on the menu at The Grill restaurant in the Horizon Hotel. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: Service was extremely slow Unsurprisingly, this was not a problem on my return visit, though – full respect to the PR team – the waitress looking after us had not been briefed that I was potentially there to save the restaurant's reputation. I know this because at one stage she looked at me quizzically and asked, 'Where have I seen you before?' before she realised that I was the VIP someone had mentioned to her earlier. She had already proved herself by then – she was fast, knowledgeable, quirky and personal. I bet she gets loads of tips because she has done that rare thing – found a public-facing version of herself that preserves all the best, quirky parts of her personality without sacrificing professionalism. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. Problem: The souffle was terrible and had no puff A twice-baked souffle is a classic dish, so I talked to a couple of chef friends and showed them photos before declaring this one dead last year. I didn't order it this time, but a guy at the table next to me did, and it looked fantastic! It had puff, it had height, and the guy (who was a fan of the old Grill and seemed to have very high standards) pronounced it delicious, mentioning in particular the sweet caramelised onions. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. The twice-baked cheese souffle now has puff and height. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: The cocktails were watery, pretentious and pre-mixed The list is still a bit OTT, but I can see the appeal of cocktails with Māori names and local ingredients when you're trying to sell to tourists. The SkyCity guy had promised to sit me down and 'give a bit more context to our pre-mix offering', but I specifically (and slightly rudely) asked that nobody from the company attend our dinner, so I will instead take his word that it doesn't affect the quality of the drinks. But look, I didn't order a cocktail because none of them appealed. Did they fix it? Sorry, not sure. Problem: Nothing appealing on the menu The Grill has expanded its short and brutal list of dishes to a page-turning culinary adventure. Now it has (great) snacks and starters and a double-page spread of interesting beef choices, plus sashimi, oysters and another full page of mains. There's also a brilliant tarte tatin served with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, and a cheese and cognac trolley! They tried it out on New Year's Eve and it went so well they've kept it. I loved everything about that trolley except the prices – $18 per sliver of cheese, but perhaps by that time of night you'll no longer be counting. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. Problem: Everything came on the same boring white plates The plates are still boring, with the odd exception. This might be a future opportunity to lift the experience even further. For now, it's all about the food. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Did they fix it? No, they didn't. You'll be able to make your carnivorous dreams come true here. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: Some of the food didn't taste good Most excitingly, the food now tastes very, very good. The starters are exceptional, the oysters and sashimi are wonderful, and the steak? Well, spoiling this glowing review somewhat is that I ordered the three-part 'study of beef' and, while the sirloin and scotch were great, the wagyu rump cap was underdone and unable to be broken down by human teeth alone. What a shame. That cut will need further work, but I feel certain that you'll be able to make your carnivorous dreams come true here: pick anything else, alongside some sauces and sides and gobble it all down with a big glass of Cabernet. Did they fix it? Yes, they mostly did. Problem: The wine service was bad, with typos all through the menu The turnaround here was quite exceptional. The Grill's wine guy these days is fantastic – with a short, interesting, ad-libbed speech for every wine-based question we gave him. There's also now a Coravin menu offering wines by the glass that would be too expensive to open otherwise. We drank some beautiful wines and heard some beautiful stories. Look out for the Plume methode, which I have never found anywhere else, and I reckon is one of the best bubbles options in New Zealand. I can confirm I have audited the wine list and found no spelling mistakes. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. The final verdict Wow, what a turnaround. The staff have a spring in their step and the open kitchen seems to be buzzing. The customers are all happy too – from hotel guests to Auckland foodies, coalescing over precise cooking and great drinks. If you've been waiting for the all clear to visit The Grill, I'm officially waving you in with bright green flags. More restaurant reviews According to dining out editor Jesse Mulligan. Nomiya's Japanese Snack Bites Are Works Of Art. ... And Jesse reckons their oysters are the best you will find in Auckland. Palato In Browns Bay Has The Best Pasta Menu In The City. And their tomato pasta sauce is unrivalled in New Zealand. What Happens If You Ask AI To Create Your Restaurant's New Menu? Luke Dallow did just that for his new Ponsonby Rd bistro, Gigi. But does it work? Birkenhead's Bon Pinard Completes The Set With Duo & Uno. This North Shore wine bar serves up indulgence with a flavour-packed menu. Feeling Blue In Ponsonby. Jesse recommends you head to Blue immediately for the persimmon salad. Food You'll Rarely Come Across, With A Side Of ... Lamps? It was high risk, high reward at this unassuming Georgian-Turkish fusion restaurant.

1News
31-07-2025
- 1News
What does host Jeremy Wells really think of the new Taskmaster NZ cast?
With the sixth series of Taskmaster NZ launching in August, host Jeremy Wells reveals the five new cast members competing for this year's trophy, and shares his honest impressions of each of them. You can learn a lot about a human being by observing their behaviour on the set of Taskmaster NZ. Jeremy Wells should know – he's hosted all six series of the show – each one boasting a fresh lineup of fiercely competitive and complex individuals. Jeremy Wells with the latest cast of Taskmaster NZ. (Source: TVNZ) 'You expose yourself in quite a unique way on Taskmaster,' he says. 'The comedians walk into the studio recording completely blind. They don't know what the live tasks will be and they haven't seen the edits of the previously filmed tasks. It can be quite revealing watching people watch themselves.' ADVERTISEMENT And so, having recently filmed ten new episodes, Wells took a quiet moment in the TVNZ office to reflect on his impressions of this year's contestants. First up: Pax Assadi. What did he make of the seasoned standup comedian? Pax Assadi (Source: TVNZ) 'I was expecting Pax to dominate the physical tasks,' admits Wells. 'He's a former age-group representative in basketball. He backs himself as a golfer. And, whilst not being the smartest tool in the shed, he certainly carried an expectation that he was going to bring a lot to the physical tasks. But could he live up to his own expectation?' Wells refrains from answering his own question. 'You'll have to watch.' Assadi isn't the only contestant bringing huge physical prowess to Taskmaster NZ. Wells reveals that Bree Tomasel, best known for hosting Celebrity Treasure Island, also represented her age group – in softball. That was in Queensland Australia, where the popular presenter was born into a nimble, coordinated family. "Her parents 'Mama Di' and 'Big Steve' were the South Queensland Disco Dancing Champions," says Wells. 'In 1981, right at the tail-end of the disco era. And they still have a routine that they break out at weddings and things.' Bree Tomasel (Source: TVNZ) ADVERTISEMENT Wells knows this because Mama Di and Big Steve were in Auckland during the filming of Taskmaster NZ. They became regulars on the set, hanging out in the green room and joining the cast for after-work drinks. 'I believe Mama was sucking back the savs and Big Steve was a lager man,' says Jeremy. 'I was very taken by Big Steve. I think he may have done a bit of modelling in his time. He's like a male version of Bree.' But what about Bree herself? Wells thinks it over and comes up with two powerful adjectives. 'Pragmatic,' he says. 'Yielding.' Next contestant: Jackie van Beek – a well-known face of both the big and small screens. But what's she really like? Jackie van Beek (Source: TVNZ) 'Quietly competitive,' says Wells. 'Methodical. She had a really interesting relationship that developed over time with (fellow contestant) Jack Ansett. She was very much a mother figure to him, took him under her wing, was always keen to point out some life lessons to Jack. 'Jack's young,' concedes Wells. 'A little bit green. He needed to learn some lessons.' About what? ADVERTISEMENT 'He's very talented but quite prone to engaging his mouth passionately before actually thinking things through, and Jackie would be there to tap him on the hand and say, 'be careful there sonny'.'" Jack Ansett (Source: TVNZ) But it wasn't all bad with Ansett, continues Wells. 'Jack took to his role with the most vigour, the vigour of a post-pubescent boy. I mean he's only just gone through puberty – four or five years ago – he's had a huge surge of testosterone, and he's had to cope with that. It can't be easy to be Jack Ansett.' (A quick Google search suggests Ansett is 27 – hopefully his testosterone will be under control any day now.) And the fifth contestant, comedian, TV writer and actor Alice Snedden? 'What a lot of people don't know about Alice,' says Wells, "is that she's a former lawyer. Very considered. I would describe her as a wordsmith.' Alice Snedden (Source: TVNZ) Also, Snedden comes from a famous New Zealand cricketing family, shares Wells. 'Martin Snedden is her uncle. There was Colin. And she did apply a lot of that deep knowledge of cricket theory in how she went about her tasks.' ADVERTISEMENT So that's all the contestants. But of course there's one more crucial member of the cast yet to be analysed. Wells' assistant Paul Williams. 'What's there to say about Paul that everyone doesn't already know?' asks Wells of the comedian and musician. 'He's an open book. He has milk shakes for breakfast, drinks soft drinks whenever he can, eats like seven-year-old child. He lives and breathes tasks. Loves administering tasks.' And finally, a moment of introspection. What has Wells learned about himself in the filming of this latest season? The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including tsunami threat remains for NZ and quake sparks Russian volcanic eruption, plus the pop star and the politician spotted having dinner. (Source: 1News) 'I enjoy watching people do tasks," divulges Wells. "I love watching people humiliate themselves as much as the next man. I love watching people under duress, and it always surprises me how different brains apply themselves to the same task. 'But the difficult thing about this role is you have to judge people. And I'm not a particularly judgemental person.' Taskmaster NZ premieres on Monday 18 August, 7.30pm on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+ and screens on Mondays and Tuesdays.

1News
31-07-2025
- 1News
Live: Tsunami advisory in place until at least 3pm
What does host Jeremy Wells really think of the new Taskmaster NZ cast? Wells reveals the five new cast members competing for this year's trophy, and shares his honest impressions of each of them.