Energy drinks are bougie now
Caffeine and sugar are out, neuroberries and mushroom powders are in. Plus, all the week's news you may have missed, from Jacinda Ardern's US trip to Kamahl Santamaria's TVNZ exit...
Kia ora and welcome to The Spinoff Weekend, your Saturday update on everything that happened this week. A lot happened! Jacinda met Joe, TVNZ was leaking like a sieve, The Warehouse became a supermarket, international travel became really stressful, and cheese got really, painfully expensive. We’re covering all that stuff, plus the evolution of energy drinks into some really out-there combinations. Grab yourself a cup of Coffee Supreme, relax and enjoy your long weekend. You made it. You’re here.
-Chris Schulz, senior writer
Beyond kombucha: the rise of wellness tonics
Forget Red Bull and V and prepare to wrap your taste buds around a new wave of energy drinks that have entered the market. Called things like Wyld, No Ugly and Ārepa, full of mushroom powders, tree fungi, collagen and neuroberries, they promise all kinds of health benefits, from improved mental focus to long-term cognitive repair, improved fitness, sleep and even better sex. Do they work? “Yes, there is potentially some science behind it,” says registered dietitian Conrad Goodhew, who advises caution, and suggests consumers do their own research. “There are some strong voices out there in the world at the moment. It’s really easy to get caught up in that.” Read the full story here.
Should we buy groceries at the Warehouse now?
“You butter believe it” was the line The Warehouse used to announce it was selling blocks of Tararua Butter for just $4. But was cheap butter the sign of The Warehouse trying to do more than offer cheap clothes and toys? “The banner on their website would have you believe that that’s the case,” writes Nick Blakiston, who dives into the red shed’s online store to search for milk and bread, to find out if it really is worth switching from the duopoly to The Warehouse for groceries. “There are more than 450 items of mostly non-perishables available for purchase.” You can read Nick’s findings here.
The price of cheese has come to represent the cost-of-living crisis. So we’re tracking it. Here’s an explainer on why we’re introducing The Spinoff Cheese Index (TSCI).
‘Good to see a not-so-old and good friend’
Anna Rawhiti-Connell rose early on Thursday to help cover Jacinda Ardern’s meeting with US President Joe Biden in The White House. How’d it go? “The mood was expectedly sombre as Ardern offered condolences on behalf of Aotearoa, New Zealand for the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings and offered to share what New Zealand had learned about gun control,” wrote Anna for The Bulletin. Things soon reverted to normal when Jacinda returned to Aotearoa, reports Toby Manhire. “At the end of a highly successful US trip which exceeded any reasonable expectations, the scene back in Aotearoa will be more prosaic, the mood grumpier,” writes Toby.
What’s life really like in the press gallery? After six years, departing Stuff reporter Henry Cooke dishes secrets from The Beehive on media podcast The Fold.
The Shit You Should Care About Daily Newsletter
From our friends Shit You Should Care About: Let’s be real – the world can be an absolute shit show. The news is hard to understand (and depressing as hell), we’re all getting too much of our info from social media, and everything is moving SO DAMN FAST. That’s where I come in! I’m Luce, and I read the news so you don’t have to! Every morning I send out a run-down of the world/ internet/ culture/ Harry Styles news, so you can stay in the loop without feeling down in the dumps. Come and join over 55k other pen pals and let’s get in-the-know together!!
You thought international travel was stressful before? Just wait
Flying in pandemic times has always been stressful, but as borders open up and people begin hopping on flights again, it was thought those stresses might have passed. They have not, reports Paul Davies. After taking a family on a long-delayed trip to Melbourne, he reports flying is more confusing than ever, and he’s not the only one. What’s the best way to cope? “Find out everything that’s required of you to make your travel experience smooth,” one frequent traveller suggests. “Each destination has a different set of Covid rules so prepare early.” Read Paul’s full report here.
A message from senior writer, Alex Casey: Earlier in the year we published When the Lessons End, an in-depth examination of one woman’s experience at the hands of her private music teacher, and the impact it had on the rest of her life. Stories like these take months of rigorous reporting, travel costs and hefty legal fees to get to publication stage, all of which was only possible thanks to our members. I feel so lucky to work for an organisation that encourages long-form investigative journalism, but the reality is that this work is impossible without the ongoing support of our readers. If you can, please support our work by donating today.
The Kamahl Santamaria saga could cause even bigger problems for TVNZ
When Kamahl Santamaria left his Breakfast chair after 31 days, a “family emergency” was cited as the reason. As we know now, the truth was far more complex than that, as allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct began being aimed at the former Al Jazeera presenter. As the company began leaking like a sieve, TVNZ’s hiring process came under fire. “The sheer volume of complaints, along with the pattern they seem to reveal, suggests that it would not have been hard to discover his reputation ahead of such a high-profile hiring,” argues Duncan Greive, who says this was the worst possible moment for a scandal like this to happen at TVNZ.
It’s been a hell of a week for TVNZ, but what about Breakfast, the show at the centre of it all? Tara Ward finds out how the show is faring.
Everything else we loved reading this week…
Are antenatal classes still fit for purpose? Emily Writes asks the question.
Why was RNZ’s new theme music made in Australia? Alex Casey investigates.
Are you a “savvy switcher?” You probably should be. Find out how here.
It’s 20 years since The Wire debuted on HBO and changed episodic television forever. NYT (paywalled) examines the Baltimore cop show’s influence.
Three Spinoff staff were brave enough to cook sausages for all three Masterchef NZ judges. Silly, dumb, or incredibly brave? Here’s how it went down.
What happened in Bromley stinks. Stuff explains why a terrible stench has enveloped the Christchurch suburb, and what’s being done about it.
If you’re looking for a rent reduction, now might be a good time to ask your landlord, reports Reweti Kohere.
RNZ unveils the story behind this infamous photo with Muhammad Ali.
After all those Covid issues, should Dancing With the Stars NZ have happened at all? Sam Brooks asks the question.
In her final piece for The Spinoff, long-time staff writer Josie Adams paid a stranger to find her soulmate online, and the results were … awkward.
Finally, here’s your guide to every new TV show coming to streaming services this month, including new seasons of Westworld and Borgen, plus another season of the best show on TV that no one seems to be watching or talking about, For All Mankind. Catch up on it all on Apple TV+ now…
Thanks for reading to the end of The Spinoff Weekend. Your reward is the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs song, and its wonderful Max Max-inspired video vibes. See you next week! -Chris
I love that I can comment on this via Substack. Always a great read.