KEY POINTS:
If anyone is truly "world famous in New Zealand" then it has to be our full-throated national treasure John Rowles.
Last night's Inside NZ documentary on the singer, The Secret of John Rowles, (TV3, 9.30pm), was an excellent tribute, celebrating the legendary status of the crooner with a bit of breathless awe, but keeping its feet firmly on the ground.
The documentary was, like the man himself, perfectly pitched. It could easily have veered into satire but the makers cleverly saw there was no need. For example, what better way to demonstrate the rust-proof memorableness of his hits - for better or for worse - than have the gallery of talking heads all sing a line.
It is a tribute to the man, and the maker's efforts, that such an impressive array of talking heads, from Neil Finn to Sir Howard Morrison and Sir Cliff Richard, turned out to get a word in.
And Rowles' place in New Zealand music history was something upon which they all could agree. Again, they were all singing from the same song-sheet, helped by canny editing which had them taking the words out of each other's mouths.
The documentary took us back through Rowles' astounding rise to fame, from the wide-eyed boy from Kawerau to a star in swinging London, his name in lights alongside Cliff Richard and even Elvis.
It followed Rowles' fateful decision to turn his back on Britain in favour of Hawaii. And there was the comedown, from partying with Elvis to letting his money slip through his fingers, going out of fashion and that unforgettable nadir, the G-G-G-G-Gerard telly ad.
The documentary ended with Rowles wrapping up a tour of the country and waiting to hear whether it was profitable. But like his coiffure and his charm, Rowles' optimism is undimmed. "I'm singing more strongly than ever," he asserted, at 61. Even his boasts "Robbie Williams has nothing on me" are as inoffensive as his ballads. When he counts such blessings as "I've got good skin!" you can only feel happy for him.
Fame might be a mask that eats into your face, as a disillusioned Andy Millman opined on the Extras special last week. But in the case of our John Rowles, it has merely exfoliated a naturally glowing asset.
