Editorial: Pashing on dancefloors and spreading legs

Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield during a press conference at Parliament. Photo / Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images, File

EDITORIAL

One of the positives to come out of the otherwise often deflating daily updates on our combat with Covid has been the odd lines of questions and answers.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins added to the meme-worthy list of expressions this past week when he implored journalists to "just park masks for a moment" after becoming entangled in where face-coverings were still required.

But before anyone could start screen-printing T-shirts with "just park masks" over an image of the minister, he was rescued by a reporter who asked how come people could be "pashing on the dancefloor" but still have to cover up in a supermarket.

This allowed Hipkins to observe: "There are going to be a lot more people in the supermarket on a weekly basis than there will be out and about, pashing on the dancefloor."

Another slip of the tongue by Hipkins was New Zealand's Quote of the Year for 2021 according to an unofficial poll by Massey University after he accidentally referred to New Zealanders going outside to "spread their legs" during a press conference in August.

That line went "viral" as the kids used to say before the pandemic gave it such a bad connotation. Music mixes blended the phrase with beats and video clips beamed around social media of director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield's eyebrows twitching in response.

Don't be surprised next time you're out spreading your legs at a nightclub (under pulsing orange lights) to hear - spliced into whatever style of rhythm is so hot right now - Hipkins' repeated refrain, "pashing on the dancefloor".