Youtube VideoIf the Mr Vintage t-shirts are anything to go by, Jermaine Kerehi of Masterton unwittingly became something of a New Zealand cult hero last week when he uploaded a video of some “motherfucking eels” slithering around in the gutter outside his home in Jones Place. And, as a result of his enthralling YouTube clip, he has been handed the latest Alcohol Sponsorship Press Award (ASPs), beating out a virtual who’s who of the New Zealand media scene.
The ASPs were established last year, are sponsored by Stolen Rum, are announced each Friday on the Twitter account @SteveBraunias and aim to recognise/take the piss out of excellence and/or strangeness in New Zealand media, including social media. The awards are open to editors, reporters, subs, weblog writers, photographers, illustrators, critics and even journalism students, “although they have to be enrolled at New Zealand’s best school, at Wintec in Hamilton”.
When Kerehi heard about his famous ASPs victory, he wrote on Facebook: “JUS WON SUM MEDIA AWARD! FOR THE EELS VIDEO!! LOL THEY SENDING ME SUMTHING IN THE MAIL! DNT ASK ME 2 EXPLAIN CAUZ I DNT EVEN NO JUS SAID SWEET THANK YOU VERY MUCH! LOL.”
Unconfirmed reports suggest he asked if he could have a bottle of bourbon instead of rum, however.
Metro hack and awards convenor Steve Braunias said “the filming’s pretty rubbish, but his commentary’s awesome”.
“Not even Sir David Attenborough could have bettered the gasps of disbelief and excitement at the sight of the eels flopping about in the gutter. There’s a genuine wonder in his voice as he talks about the ‘motherfucking eels’ of Jones Place. It’s easily the best piece of media about eels since a brilliant story by Hawke’s Bay Today hack Patrick O’Sullivan back in December.”
Here’s an interview with the man himself. And an outstanding Mighty Boosh song about eels and their ability to get “up inside ya'” and find “entrances where they can”. Youtube Video
Previous winners of the ASPs include Cheryl Riley (Hokitika Guardian), TV3 political editor Patrick Gower, Christchurch author Jane Bowron, George FM radio host Nick Dwyer, and Waiatra gardening blogger Abbie Jury
And last week’s finalists were:
- Nicky Hager and Anthony Hubbard (Sunday Star-Times), for confirming the long-held belief of how the US military-industrial complex regards New Zealand
- The Bay of Plenty Times, for its photo slideshow of what a cool place Leisure Island used to be and what many people hope it will be again.
- Louise Risk of the Waikato Times, for her story about a mum forced to live in a garage with her three kids. “As for the comments section,” remarked judges, “sweet Jesus.”
- Winston Peters, for providing reporters with a story about “corporate thugs… assassins… a bunch of Ned Kellys”.
- TVNZ hack Lucas de Jong, who got probably the most talked-about story of the week when he ratted on the kid in a Ben 10 T-shirt driving an SUV in downtown Wellington
- Fairfax hacks Robb Kidd and Sarah Harvey, who showed it was a very bad week to be a paedo.
