Back Benches live election show tomorrow at eight! (Nov 26)
As former Eating Media Lunch director Paul Casserly said of Back Benches in a recent article in The NZ Herald:
"I really like live TV that actually feels live. Thanks to some feral freaks from the Legalise Cannabis Party - (correction: The Occupy movement) who began chanting the sort of thing that feral freaks shout about - it seemed for an exciting nano-second that things might be about to spiral out of control like one of those scenes involving Ukrainian politicians. You can expect more zingers and engorged members on their election special."
You sure can because 'live' is what Back Benches does. So if you're looking for 'live' election coverage, look no further than our one hour of election night pub politics, on Back Benches, down at The Backbencher. It kicks off at 8pm sharp and you're all most welcome to join us. We'll have a revolving door of Wellington Central MPs and commentators and the high tech 'Electionator 2000' - actually a whiteboard with different coloured pens for plotting the results through the course of the evening.
Speaking of commentators, they've (we've) been rolled out left, right and centre to hold court on everything from hairstyles to asset sales. Of all the commentators I have heard from, I have perhaps been most impressed with Ana Gilling, a Victoria University political science lecturer. Check her out on our pre-election show from Wednesday. I was so absorbed in the responses that I found myself a bit slow on the replies - I just wanted to listen!
Green MP Kevin Hague even tweeted why can't we have a Back Benches-style panel like this on election night - it seems "very fair." Well, we do have, and we've invited Ana Gilling back for tomorrow night.
So the politicians have spoken and now it's our turn. I'm just about to take my form downtown and place my advance vote. Very exciting. I'm in the Mt Albert electorate, so my electorate candidates are Stephen Boyle (ACT), David Clendon (Greens), Melissa Lee (National), Frank Poching (Conservative) and David Shearer (Labour). I'll weigh up what I've seen and heard over the past few weeks and place my tick. Trust you'll do the same!
See you down at the Backbencher tomorrow night. Be there by 7.30pm. And if you've never been to a show, here's your final ever opportunity to do an election night Back Benches style.
