Middle NZ: Mindless TV a hot topic

The Bachelorettes Lesina Nakhid-Schuster and Lily McManus. Photo File

I couldn't help but overhear a conversation about the Bachelorette NZ recently.

The two blokes, yep blokes, discussing it were rather animated about it all so I pricked my ears up and listened a bit harder.

The conversation went like this:
Bloke 1: "Lesina sent the mole home last night."
Bloke 2: "What. Why the hell would she do that?"
Bloke 1: "Well she's got Lily now so she doesn't need him."
Bloke 2: "That's a bad move on her behalf, I think."

This was not the first conversation I had heard these two have about the programme "starring" Lesina Nakhid-Schuster as the bachelorette for the first few programmes and then, a shock twist, a second bachelorette Lily McManus was introduced.

I heard that conversation as well. Her identity was apparently the worst-kept secret in New Zealand. Certainly Bloke 1 and 2 appeared to know all about it.

So I thought I'd check this programme out even though I had also heard it described as trashy (not by the blokes).

Oh my goodness. It's bad. The "dates" are more like interviews, with the bachelorettes asking all sorts of deep and meaningful questions.

It's actually so bad you can't tear your eyes away. On Monday night Lily had a date in a spa pool where both she and her date were blindfolded. Give me strength.

Bloke 2 mentioned he almost choked when he saw the spa pool scene, while Bloke 1 said watching the show was like having a large glass of wine after work: "But that's unhealthy so instead I watch mindless TV."

They are both waiting for Glenn (he got sent home because he didn't get a rose) to come back. Apparently he's rather strange and said some very odd things such as he didn't know if he was going to pick Lesina or Lily.

Poor Glenn — he obviously didn't get it.

Anyway, the last I heard was from Bloke 1: "I'm switching to Married at First Sight — it has crazy Australians who for very obvious reasons appear to be single."

Me, I think I'll stick to the very large glass of wine.

While we are on the entertainment theme, it's been a big couple of weeks in the Bay with Michael Buble and Elton John playing at the Mission.

Elton's up again this weekend. I went along to Thursday's concert. I was seated way up the bank among a fantastic crowd. It was great fun and Elton is a very polished performer.

All this music made me think about what my grandchildren would be listening to in 40 years or so. I had a couple of them at home on Saturday so decided to do a little experiment.

I played them three songs, I Want to Break Free by Queen, Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley and Massachusetts by the Bee Gees. Their toes were tapping and they listened intently.

Linda Hall, Assistant Editor, Hawke's Bay Today.

The winner for them both was Queen. In hindsight I didn't really pick the best Bee Gees song. Might have to do that experiment again in a few weeks.

Interesting though, especially as after that we played a game that's been around for years — Pick Up Sticks. It was a long, loud game and I ended up crying with laughter.

Might have to hunt out some more old games, better than anything on telly at the moment.

Linda Hall is assistant editor of Hawke's Bay Today.