Latest news with #TheCheapSeats
Daily Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
The Cheap Seats' Melanie Bracewell reveals game-changing packing hacks
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Kiwi comedian and host of The Cheap Seats Melanie Bracewell travels for Pokémon and swears by packing cubes - and what's inside her carry-on may just inspire you to upgrade your travel gadgets, too. I travel… For work to places all around Australia. I'm on tour with my latest stand-up show A Little Treat and I love being able to check out different cities. Mostly I judge a city on how good the food is. I can't remember if I had an incredible show in Canberra or just a really great pad Thai. Being in TV show The Cheap Seats includes a little bit of travel. We love taking the show to different cities to give the fans an opportunity to catch a taping. Inside my carry-on you'll find… My boyfriend bought me a three-device travel charging set and it's the most thoughtful gift I've ever received. It means I can charge my watch, my phone and my headphones in one go. He saw my bag of various cables and plugs and gave me a solution. That's love. My favourite holiday destination is... Japan. I am a big pop-culture fiend. Some people want to travel to see things like the Eiffel Tower. I was excited to go to a Pokémon-themed café. Next trip, I'd love to go to South Korea for the League of Legends World Championships. Yes, I'm a nerdy gamer… next question! Comedian and host of The Cheap Seats, Melanie Bracewell. My travels are planned… By me. I'm a bit particular. When I want a specific meal, I will go into Google Maps and search 'creamy mushrooms'. I also love leaving some of the organising to the last minute, it makes it more exciting. That being said, my sister is a travel agent so next trip I should probably text her. As soon as I check in... I try on all of the sunglasses in duty free. Then ultimately decide none of them suit my face, and, 'Oh, no, is that our boarding time? Oh, no, they're calling my name over the loudspeaker. Run, Melanie, run!' My favourite travel companion is… My best friend, Jodi. She is someone who must squeeze the most amount of fun in the shortest amount of time. She also is really good at making the trip cheap. Sometimes I'm like, 'Oh, no, we're sleeping in a campground on bunk beds, I'm going to hate this'. But then we're doing our dishes in the communal kitchen chatting to other groups of people and I realise that this is what a holiday should be. I pack my suitcase… With packing cells. I never used to be like this; I would shove it all in and hope for the best. The cells have changed me. It makes packing so fun, like I'm doing a little puzzle. I'm a points person... I once reached the top tier at Air New Zealand, but I lost it since moving to Australia. The issue now is that I travel with all different airlines all the time, so I have no loyalty. If we could just band together and put all the points in one system, I'd be rolling in it. Melanie Bracewell on Monkey Beach at Pattaya, Thailand. I always get travel insurance… But I have never actually claimed anything with it. My phone exploded in Thailand, and I just bought another one because I needed it. My friend was like 'you could've got it back with travel insurance!', and I think I left it too late. I think the travel insurance industry keeps afloat because of lazy people like me. My preferred plane meal is… Vegetarian, because my boyfriend is vegetarian, and I don't want my salmon wafting in his face. My tip for keeping valuables safe is… Airtags on everything. I mean, the biggest risk to my property's safety is me. I will leave things on a train. Melanie Bracewell at Brighton Beach Pier in the UK. The plane seat I always choose in economy is… Window seat. I have a strong bladder. I don't want people climbing over me. I'm 6'2'' (1.88m), it's not fun for anyone. I save money when travelling by… I love food, but I'll always buy a big bag of cereal to cover my breakfasts. It means I'm not eating out three meals a day. The city I always use public transport in is... London. One time I was doing a television appearance, so they ordered me a private car to drive me to my destination. It took 65 minutes. Would've been 15 on the train. The Cheap Seats is on Tuesdays at 8.40pm on Channel 10 and on Originally published as The Cheap Seats' Melanie Bracewell reveals game-changing packing hacks
Herald Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Inside Chrissie Swan's $2.86m dual-residence Hawthorn East home with retro design flair
Media personality Chrissie Swan is hoping to make a stylish exit, listing her uniquely configured Hawthorn East property with $2.6m-$2.86m price hopes. Property documents confirm the former Big Brother runner-up and popular radio host is selling her character-filled dual-residence home known as Garland House, named after legendary entertainer Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. The mid-century home sits on 604sq m in the prized Boroondara pocket, and has been cleverly split into two self-contained residences, 'Judy' at the front and 'Liza' at the rear, each with private entries, outdoor areas and undercover parking. RELATED: Melbourne's elite swarm Toorak's newest mega mansion Shock energy bill 'knowledge gap' hitting two in five Victorians Surprise Melbourne suburbs tipped for biggest house price rises in 2030 Swan, who was catapulted into the spotlight on the 2003 season of Big Brother, finished second to fan favourite and two-time winner Reggie Sorensen. She's since become one of the country's most beloved broadcasters, currently hosting The Chrissie Swan Show on Nova and an accompanying podcast. The property has been listed through Whitefox Classic's Ellie Morish, who said the home had already drawn huge attention thanks to its bold design, flexible layout and celebrity ties. 'Buyers love the timber panelling, the wallpaper Chrissie designed herself, the Technika kitchen suite and the calming garden spaces,' Ms Morish said. 'There's a real sense of joy and personality here.' The front residence features three bedrooms, a large kitchen and living area, bespoke wallpaper and garden views, while the rear two-bedroom wing offers light-filled living spaces, terrazzo detail, and its own secluded courtyard. Across both wings, features include new timber floors, ducted heating, airconditioning, high-end appliances and retro touches, from mosaic tiles to wall art declaring 'Dramatic Exit'. The home is within walking distance of Camberwell Junction, the Rivoli Cinema, trams and several top schools. Ms Morish said the property would suit everyone from multi-generational families and creatives to savvy investors wanting a live-in and lease-out opportunity. 'It's incredibly rare to find this kind of set up in Hawthorn East,' she said. 'And you can feel how much love and soul Chrissie has poured into every inch.' Big Brother, which first brought Swan into the spotlight, is set to return to Channel 10 in late 2025 for its 16th season, with Nova 100's Mel Tracina, known for her entertainment segments on The Cheap Seats, will be stepping into the hosting role. The reboot is rumoured to film in Melbourne. The home will go under the hammer at 11.30am on May 24. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Penthouse gallery comes to Brighton Victoria's $5.4bn choice: level crossings or 20k homes Tranquil Peninsula escape that's as sweet as honey
West Australian
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Comedian Melanie Bracewell to perform her show A Little Treat at The Regal Theatre on Friday, May 16
For popular comedian Melanie Bracewell, travelling to WA from the east coast of Australia is like an international trip. 'I won't forget how far away (Perth) is because I'm from New Zealand and it is quicker for me to get home than it is to get to WA,' she said. 'But when I go to Perth I really try to make the most of it, it feels like an international trip for me. 'I have a few family members there as well. It's always nice to catch up with them.' The 29-year-old will perform her one-hour show A Little Treat at The Regal Theatre on Friday, bringing a chaotic night in her life to the stage. 'The show is basically about my lack of self control which I have now pinned down to actually being diagnosed with ADHD,' she said. 'It's about one evening of my life that went a bit chaotic and led to me finally the next morning booking to get an ADHD assessment — so it's me recounting that evening. It's been so fun to perform.' Bracewell also believes she is the only person in Australia and New Zealand to still be playing Candy Crush. Her pre-show ritual consists of doing and re-doing her eyeliner 'about 15 times', listening to a recording of the show she is about to perform and a quick go on the colourful, candy matching game from 2012. 'Right before I go on stage, I am playing Candy Crush on my phone, it's just another mind-numbing thing that helps me not panic or think about the crowd,' she said. 'I know it's kind of pathetic. I think I'm on about level 4000, it's actually quite sad.' One of the Auckland native's favourite moments from her current tour was from one of her Adelaide shows in February, when an audience member totally misunderstood a question the comedian asked her. 'I talk a bit about netball in my show and so I've been chatting to audience members about netball and I asked 'Who played netball?'' she recalled. 'This girl in my Adelaide show, I said 'What's your position?' and she said 'I'm an admin consultant for a construction company'.' The spontaneity of stand-up comedy is one reason Bracewell loves her job, but she also gets to provide the laughs on the TV show she hosts, The Cheap Seats, alongside Tim McDonald. The show has entered its fifth season this year and while some may perceive a love-hate relationship between the pair, Bracewell said none of the 'piss-taking' was serious. 'We have such a good relationship because we really can sledge each other because we know we have a deep respect for each other, (although) I hope you're not interviewing him and he goes I hate Mel,' she said. 'None of it is serious, it's all just entertainment, I think that's my love language as well, when people rip into me or I can rip into someone else, that's how I know we're friends.' After her tour wraps up, Bracewell plans to stay busy with the Channel 10 show, saying many were surprised to learn the pair write it themselves. 'Tim and I write the show, like we don't just turn up and read an autocue,' she said. 'Tim and I find most of the clips. We have a couple of researchers who submit some suggestions, but Tim and I will come in on Monday and be like 'This is what I've watched; This is what I've seen' and I think it helps the show with the authenticity of it because we know that we both find it's very funny. 'We're not just presenting this to an audience and asking some writer to put this together, and we're just gonna say it out loud and take all the credit for it. We really believe in it.' She also hoped to finally get a sitcom off the ground. 'I am trying to work on writing a sitcom. I mean, I probably talk more about writing a sitcom than I have spent actually writing a sitcom,' she said. 'It's a real goal of mine. I love TV so much, and I think it'd be a great challenge to put together a fiction show from scratch.' At one point during our interview, Bracewell was kicked out of the room she was speaking from and almost forgot her swipe card that ensured she didn't get locked out of the building. After some pauses and a brief, awkward interaction at her end, Bracewell reassured me she was now in the privacy of the hallway 'As you can probably tell, I'm quite a chaotic person. Stand-up has made me embrace that more and view it as a positive,' she said. 'I end up having interesting stories because I don't think things through very well, and I reflect on it well.' Our chat is interrupted again, by a man kindly handing back her Apple AirPods case she left in the room she was booted from. That reminded Bracewell of the last show she toured 'about me tracking down my AirPods that someone had stolen and used'. At least this time, 'quite poignantly', she had them swiftly returned. As our interview ended, Bracwell wished me luck in translating our conversation into written form.
Perth Now
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Comedian to bring chaotic night in her life to Perth stage
For popular comedian Melanie Bracewell, travelling to WA from the east coast of Australia is like an international trip. 'I won't forget how far away (Perth) is because I'm from New Zealand and it is quicker for me to get home than it is to get to WA,' she said. 'But when I go to Perth I really try to make the most of it, it feels like an international trip for me. 'I have a few family members there as well. It's always nice to catch up with them.' The 29-year-old will perform her one-hour show A Little Treat at The Regal Theatre on Friday, bringing a chaotic night in her life to the stage. 'The show is basically about my lack of self control which I have now pinned down to actually being diagnosed with ADHD,' she said. 'It's about one evening of my life that went a bit chaotic and led to me finally the next morning booking to get an ADHD assessment — so it's me recounting that evening. It's been so fun to perform.' Bracewell also believes she is the only person in Australia and New Zealand to still be playing Candy Crush. Her pre-show ritual consists of doing and re-doing her eyeliner 'about 15 times', listening to a recording of the show she is about to perform and a quick go on the colourful, candy matching game from 2012. Melanie Bracewell. Credit: Supplied 'Right before I go on stage, I am playing Candy Crush on my phone, it's just another mind-numbing thing that helps me not panic or think about the crowd,' she said. 'I know it's kind of pathetic. I think I'm on about level 4000, it's actually quite sad.' One of the Auckland native's favourite moments from her current tour was from one of her Adelaide shows in February, when an audience member totally misunderstood a question the comedian asked her. 'I talk a bit about netball in my show and so I've been chatting to audience members about netball and I asked 'Who played netball?'' she recalled. 'This girl in my Adelaide show, I said 'What's your position?' and she said 'I'm an admin consultant for a construction company'.' The spontaneity of stand-up comedy is one reason Bracewell loves her job, but she also gets to provide the laughs on the TV show she hosts, The Cheap Seats, alongside Tim McDonald. The show has entered its fifth season this year and while some may perceive a love-hate relationship between the pair, Bracewell said none of the 'piss-taking' was serious. 'We have such a good relationship because we really can sledge each other because we know we have a deep respect for each other, (although) I hope you're not interviewing him and he goes I hate Mel,' she said. 'None of it is serious, it's all just entertainment, I think that's my love language as well, when people rip into me or I can rip into someone else, that's how I know we're friends.' After her tour wraps up, Bracewell plans to stay busy with the Channel 10 show, saying many were surprised to learn the pair write it themselves. 'Tim and I write the show, like we don't just turn up and read an autocue,' she said. 'Tim and I find most of the clips. We have a couple of researchers who submit some suggestions, but Tim and I will come in on Monday and be like 'This is what I've watched; This is what I've seen' and I think it helps the show with the authenticity of it because we know that we both find it's very funny. 'We're not just presenting this to an audience and asking some writer to put this together, and we're just gonna say it out loud and take all the credit for it. We really believe in it.' She also hoped to finally get a sitcom off the ground. 'I am trying to work on writing a sitcom. I mean, I probably talk more about writing a sitcom than I have spent actually writing a sitcom,' she said. 'It's a real goal of mine. I love TV so much, and I think it'd be a great challenge to put together a fiction show from scratch.' At one point during our interview, Bracewell was kicked out of the room she was speaking from and almost forgot her swipe card that ensured she didn't get locked out of the building. After some pauses and a brief, awkward interaction at her end, Bracewell reassured me she was now in the privacy of the hallway 'As you can probably tell, I'm quite a chaotic person. Stand-up has made me embrace that more and view it as a positive,' she said. 'I end up having interesting stories because I don't think things through very well, and I reflect on it well.' Our chat is interrupted again, by a man kindly handing back her Apple AirPods case she left in the room she was booted from. That reminded Bracewell of the last show she toured 'about me tracking down my AirPods that someone had stolen and used'. At least this time, 'quite poignantly', she had them swiftly returned. As our interview ended, Bracwell wished me luck in translating our conversation into written form.
