Election campaigns suck. Essentially you get a constantly changing message from someone you hardly know, with images being thrown at you until your brain goes numb and you accept what they’re saying, or switch off.
And, like church, the people who are into politics are often waaayy too into politics. They have a toxic combination of passionate intensity, and a lack of social understanding about their intensity.
This makes light conversation difficult:
“What's your view on beneficiaries?”
“I'm not sure.”
“Do you know that Pacific Islanders have the worst stats for living below the poverty line?”
“Well it's my family, so yeah. Sucks to be us.”
“Financial stress is often linked to depression which could explain domestic violence statistics.”
“Oh man, I just thought that was bros being dicks.”
“Tell that to the rest of your people! Tell them why you hate them!”
I will often wind someone up when they begin lecturing me on the plights of the Pacific people, especially when they're not from that community. But a more typical example would be this:
“What's your view on [Insert Party Leader Name]?”
“I don't have one.”
“So, you don't care about New Zealand's future?”
I don't know about you, but I often find the undertone of that sentence is this: “You don't deserve to be involved in having a say”.
Which is close to: “You don't deserve to have any power”.
Which can lead to: “I deserve to say what you do”. And that just makes me go “&^%$ you and your ego, I'm out.”
Yes, I'm escalating that conversation in my head quickly, but I'm also cutting out the 25 minute real-time argument to get there.
James Nokise wanted to make a show about engagement, empowerment and getting people interested in voting and policy. "A good political aspiration, but not much of a comedy show." Photo: Supplied
Unfortunately, a lot of these folks find themselves and their passion working in political settings. The really unfortunate ones end up in charge of the parties. Why unfortunate? Because it makes people think that to be successful in politics, and therefore involved in the shaping of the nation’s democratic structure you have to be rich, unhinged, or a subtle combination of the two.
It also means most people channel surf from political speeches to either sports highlights or the latest episode of that thing they like. And that is truly unfortunate, because it means we, as a public, disengage from the people shaping New Zealand's laws.
Russell Brand, a more experienced comedian than me, wrote about people actively not voting as a sort of soft revolution, for which he was praised and derided by friends and foes alike. I personally think it's not his finest moment, but I also think what got lost in the diatribe was his call for people to be actively inactive. There's a strong difference between that and political apathy, which is what we have a massive problem with in this country.
Two key stats stand out from this handy study by Statistics NZ: 42 per cent of people aged 18-24 who were enrolled did not vote. And 26 per cent of Maori did not vote.
That's why National are going out of their way to look like the best party for young families. It's a big part in why Tamati Coffey is running for Labour in Rotorua against Todd McClay (The TV host vs. “who?” – exactly). It's the fundamental reason for the Internet Mana Party being formed last week. Don't think of it as “Left-Wing Radicals meet Capitalist Millionaire” as much as “Grass roots campaigners and Social Media specialists combine”.
We've embraced the American-style “Cult of Personality” in politics. People stop reading policies, they read the person instead.
It's also why things are about to get crazy. Get set to see a Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition, both in their 50's, try to be “hip with the kids” during debates. Do you go for “Cool Uncle” or “Respected Parent”? Should there be dancing? Dare we say rapping? Which celebs are best for photo-ops?
But, most importantly, how the hell do you engage? I'm 31 and there's a massive difference between my world and that of my 20-year-old brother. First off, his world is a lot faster and more knowledgeable. “Dial up” is the scary bedtime story of the igeneration. We've embraced the American-style “Cult of Personality” in politics. People stop reading policies, they read the person instead.
Last year, I’d had a massive success with my comedy show, So So Gangsta (a comedic look at gangs and my own crap gangstaness) and I wanted to try doing something about engaging people in politics, mainly my younger siblings. My family aren't massively political, and we vote across the spectrum. Of all of them, I'm the policy geek. My sister, and a few of my cousins didn't even vote last election. It just wasn't a big deal to them.
So how do you address that? How can I show a direct correlation between the simple act of voting and social empowerment? I honestly believe that: “empowerment through engagement”. It's tied to my believe in another concept: “A Nation that does not understand its own laws may as well be a lawless Nation”
George Tanner, the former New Zealand Chief Parliamentary Council, said that. Under his term, New Zealand legal language became easier to understand for people without law degrees. I still think that's more Gangsta than anything the Mongrel Mob has done.
So my plan was to make a show about engagement, empowerment and getting people interested in voting and policy. That sounds like a good political aspiration, but not much of a comedy show. That's the thing about political comedy – joke first, message second. Otherwise it's just a humorous speech. So I came up with this:
How to make an election show during an election year that gets people involved in the democratic voting process:
Step 1: In no way mention politics or voting in the title of the show or allude to the fact you will be talking about the election.
Step 2: Collaborate with artists from different backgrounds (visual art, poetry, music) with an idea of creating a multimedia message. This will actually be a thinly veiled “campaign build” which should entertain the audience but also mentally exhaust them.
Step 3: Thematically build your show as a sequel to a show which focussed on New Zealand gangs, and give it a title (The Bronaissance) which makes it sound like you will looking at the parallels between Art History and Gang life. Include actual parallels just to be safe.
Step 4: Ask the Electoral Commission for 1000 enrolment packs to hand out at the end of show to your audience
Step 5: Start political section by referencing Margaret Thatcher - a predominantly 1980's British Prime Minister, who most of your “target audience” will only know as Meryl Streep.
Step 6: At no point show a preference for any political party. Instead highlight how ridiculous all parties are, undercutting any message of engaging with the current political system.
Step 7: Attack the concept of Cult of Personality, whereby the populace, rather than engaging with the system, relies on the lead of a figurehead to show them which way to align themselves. Do this with a Solo Stand-Up show..
Step 8: Finish the show standing on the a soap box, wearing a Jacket with a Union Jack on it, and draped in a New Zealand flag with bullet holes in it, telling jokes to comedically undercut the weight of any message.
So, did it work? Sort of...
What I'd actually made was just a show telling people who thought I was clever how bloody clever I was. I'd essentially created a humorous, one hour, political rally.
There was a lot of trial and error to make it hum. There were parts that got applause, but not laughs – so I had to re-work overnight to get both. There were serious points that needed to be delivered softer, and jokes I needed to make smarter, or even cut, to keep the tone even.
Opening night saw a small crisis: I got an ovation and encore (yay!), but not many people took the voter registration packs (boo!).
That's when I realised a massive problem – my audiences are actually quite politically minded. They don't need encouragement to get involved. I even have politicians coming to my shows who know I'll rip their party but also enjoy seeing me rip everyone else’s.
What I'd actually made was just a show telling people who thought I was clever how bloody clever I was. I'd essentially created a humorous, one hour, political rally.
Crap.
Turns out I just needed to get over myself and engage my audience to engage people. A quick reminder to them that everyone knows someone who doesn’t vote, and to take one for that person, and I managed to move around 744 packs – or 74 per cent, the same as 2011's turnout.
The show sold out in Wellington and had good numbers in Auckland. It got great reviews and will have return seasons, especially between now and September 20. But most importantly to me, my sister and cousins came to the show. They laughed, got a bit teary, and then enrolled to vote.
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As for how to engage? Maybe take a punt and try straight-up honesty. Here's some suggested slogans for this year's billboards / hash-tags:
National: You'll thank us later
Labour: We're trying, people!
Greens: How do you not get this?
NZ First: Giving up all the fucks since 1996
Maori Party: Don't blame us. We just work here.
Internet Mana: If we can make this work, we can make anything work.
ACT: Don't quote us on that.
United Future: Hello, I'm Peter Dunne.
Conservative: Serious issues from a tiny, serious man talking about serious things.