WHS Kids on TV:
Hei Hei TV were here in March to film our children for a new On-Demand series called "My Favourite Dead Person."
It sounds a bit creepy, but it really isn't. The series is about famous New Zealanders, no longer with us, who did some pretty cool things in their time.
The description from 'The Spinoff' is - 'Comedian Josh Thomson brings the history of the South Pacific to life with a sketch comedy series as he gets kids to share their favourite stories from history in My Favourite Dead Person.'
Daniel and Savio were interviewed about the life of Tom Ah Chee - the inventor of Georgie Pie. He also opened New Zealand's first supermarket (Foodtown Otahuhu, 1958). Ah Chee had made an unsuccessful bid for the New Zealand rights to McDonald's before deciding to establish his own fast-food restaurant chain.
The first Georgie Pie restaurant was opened in Kelston, Auckland in 1977. At its peak, the chain employed about 1,300 people.
Josh Thomson - of '7 Days', 'The Project' and the movie 'Gary of the Pacific' fame - interviewed our children. He is a genuinely funny guy and made a great connection with all our children who took part.
Children who shared about their favourite person from NZ history were:
Rhys Williams and Zayden Auva’a; Reece Bourchier and Romulus Betham; Amelia Fraser and Emma Maurer; Lily Meas, Sienna Brown and Cece Matthes; Savio Victor and Daniel Yan; Emma Yue, Aahana Sharma and Aanya Prasanth; Paige Meredith and Isla Talbot; Chloe Hannard, Maddi Deakin and Kayla Ballard.
The whole series can be found on TVNZ+ here:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/my-favourite-dead-person
What happens when you bring together local history, clever tamariki and some of Aotearoa’sbest comedians?
You get the children’s history sketch show that is My Favourite Dead Person.
My Favourite Dead Person is a new series for tamariki on HEIHEI. Hosted by comedian Josh Thomson, the series explores some of the most interesting, entertaining and inspiring people from throughout New Zealand’s history, told by our tamariki and through comedy sketches.
The show features well known figures like Kate Sheppard and Tupaia, to some lesser known heroes such as Tom Ah Chee (the man responsible for Aotearoa’s first supermarket and takeaway drive through) and Charlotte Badger (famed pirate and the first Pakeha woman to arrive in New Zealand).
The episodes highlight some of New Zealand’s unsung heroes,greatest achievements and surprising stories.“It was really cool to be able to share amazing stories from history from our own backyard,” says host Josh Thomson. “I think if I was taught about pirates and takeaway drive through entrepreneurs at school I probably would’ve paid a lot more attention!”
The series’ hilarious sketches feature some of Aotearoa’s top comics and actors such as Brynley Stent, Miriama McDowell, David Correos, Lana Walters and Joe Daymond. However the biggest stars of this show are some of Aotearoa’s smallest; the tamariki who tell these stories.
“Working with the kids was such a great experience. They are the real stars of the show,” says Thomson. “It was a lot of fun getting to show them that history doesn’t have to be boring or drab, but can be funny, interesting and, of course, very inspiring. I hope the kids that give it a watch feel the same!”.
All eight episodes of My Favourite Dead Person are available to watch now on HEIHEI. Be sure not to miss this one-of-a-kind history series!