On this episode of Between Two Beers, we talk to Marc Ellis. 

Marc has done enough in his life to have an episode dedicated to each chapter. 

He played rugby for Otago, North Harbour, Blues, Highlanders and All Blacks and League for the Warriors and Kiwis, founded Charlie’s juice company – which after 10 years he sold to Asahi for $129 million, and was one of New Zealand’s top television stars for over a decade. 

In this episode we talk about what it was like to walk away with $18 million after selling Charlie’s - and why he decided to keep working, the best stories from university in Dunedin and touring with the All Blacks, why he thinks he was poisoned before the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, the time he was nearly killed by a bowling machine, the glory days with Ridgey, his favourite moments from Sports Café, what he’s doing now and much much more. 

Marc was our dream guest – and he delivered. Seamus and I grew up watching his unpredictable brand of hijinx and gags on TV, and his infectiously positive and fun personality rubbed off on us both. But behind the laughs and wild stories is an incredibly driven, successful, thoughtful guy and we had so much fun working through his full story. You'll love this one. 

Show notes | Episode 115 | Marc Ellis

Show notes | Episode 115 | Marc Ellis

2:14: A pinch yourself moment and a local speak easy

4:21: That time Marc nearly killed himself alone with a bowling machine

7:15: The Human Cannonball, the boat, and the Round Lake Taupo cycle

15:15: The last ten years of Marc Ellis

16:57: Macca at high school

19:43: The King of Otago University

22:49: Scarfie hijinks

25:01: Otago rugby and All Blacks tours

30:01: “Suzie” at the 1995 Rugby World Cup

33:38: Setting up Charlies

39:34: The decision to sell Charlies

46:12: The Warriors, Jonah, and JK

52:34: Sports Café

1:03:59: Matthew Ridge and Marc Ellis

1:11:21: Working on More FM after becoming a multi-millionaire

1:15:32: The Rangitoto stunt

1:19:13: Media Blanco and life now

1:21:35: Fame and anonymity

1:22:49: Advice from a father to a son

1:29:40: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Marc

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On this episode of Between Two Beers we talk to Dave Wood. 

Dave is a human performance specialist who works with some of the world’s most elite athletes to make them better at their job.  

He is currently Israel Adesanya’s breathing and mindset coach, and in a recent interview Adesanya said Wood ‘opened his eyes’ to the power of breathwork.  

Wood is now one of the most in-demand integrated health specialists in Australasia and has worked with Blair Tuke, Ella Williams, Kai Kara France – and one of Germany’s top footballers -  but the story of how he got to the top might be as remarkable as his quick rise. 

We talk about his debilitating hip injury, the failed attempts at rehab through traditional sources - and hitting rock bottom. Then The drive, desire and success of figuring a solution out on his own – and how he started teaching it to others - while working as an intensive care paramedic.  

Dave doesn’t normally do these types of interviews – and we feel grateful he gave us so much. We delved deep into his back story – and he was incredibly open about some of the most challenging moments in his life. He teaches stress mitigation, and being ‘calm under pressure’ and some of his ‘real world’ examples of what he’s been through – and travel stories - will blow you away. 

This was a cracker ep and it’s easy to see why Dave has risen to the top of his field. He’s relatable, he's real, he’s whip-smart and has lived one hell of a life. You’ll love this one. 

Listen on iheart or wherevers you get your podcasts from, and check you podcast app for show notes. You can watch the video of this one on Youtube. A huge thanks to those supporting the show on patreon for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, to get involved head to Between Two Beers.com.                

This episode was brought to you from the Export Beer garden studio. Enjoy. 

Show notes | Episode 114 | Dave Wood

1:38: The stress (or not) of the Auckland floods

3:43: The sausage story

8:14: The makings of Dave Wood

13:11: “I don’t want to go on a holiday, I want to challenge myself”

15:17: Left at sea in Bali

19:04: A culmination of experiences

21:11: Living in a lighthouse on the Andaman Islands

31:09: Seven days with a camel

36:23: Travel hardships in Venezuela

44:21: Reinventing himself as an Intensive Care Paramedic

49:57: Dealing with chronic pain: The creation of integrated training

57:12: Overcoming obstacles

59:33: From start up to working with Israel Adesanya

1:05:14: From athletes to corporates

1:10:17: A German football interlude

1:11:35: The importance of breathing

1:20:15: Wim Hof and cold showers

1:25:11: Can you read people’s stress levels?

1:29:27: The five pillars of health

1:34:27: The importance of the natural environment

1:37:38: Manifestation

1:40:07: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Dave

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Melodie is a Kiwi trailblazer, with a CV as good as any that have come across the BTB desk.

She’s won two rugby World Cups with the Black Ferns, worked at parliament as a journalist, was the first female rugby commentator in the world, perfected her craft across 15 years at SKY before becoming a communications executive – and she is now TVNZ’s General Manager, Sport and Events.

She also has an MBA from Auckland uni, two sons and is married to one of New Zealand’s best golf pros. 

In this episode we talk about her most viral moments behind the microphone, young Mel the beauty queen who started scraps, how Murray Deaker helped kick start her career, the first time she met Ruby Tui, the current state of women’s sport coverage in NZ, the Black Ferns and so much more. 

Mel was an incredible guest. She’s risen to the top of every field she’s entered – and done it with true authenticity. She’s the real –deal – you’ll love this one. 

Show notes | Episode 113 | Melodie Robinson

1:52: The Black Clash

5:54: Could Mel make it on the Alternative Commentary Collective?

10:21: Reflecting on an impressive CV via an incredibly supportive mum and dad

16:00: Melodie on losing your parents (and Celebrity Treasure Island)

21:51: Cutting her teeth in the parliament press gallery

27:38: A beauty queen who started scraps on the footy field

31:32: Mel the scarfie: University and rugby in Otago

34:48: The early days of the Black Ferns

41:31: How a university research project set a career in motion

43:49: A phone call to Murray Deaker leads to an opportunity with Sky TV

49:44: Starting out at Sky TV

52:20: Behind the mic from a woman’s perspective

56:25: A Steve Walsh interlude

57:38: William and Kate’s wedding night

1:03:11: Women on screen: Laura McGoldrick, Rikki Swannell and Ruby Tui

1:09:11: The importance of appearance on TV

1:11:03: Losing two greats: Willie Lose and Va’aiga Tuigamala

1:17:05 The current state of women’s sports coverage and the Black Ferns win

1:24:37: Life as TVNZ General Manager Sports and Events

1:30:22: Steve’s wounding golf chat

1:32:04: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Melodie

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On this episode of Between Two Beers we talk to Mike Minogue.  

Mike is a talented man. He’s a creator, writer, producer and actor, a star of the Big Show on Radio Hauraki, and a member of The Alternative Commentary Collective. 

You also might have seen him in What We Do in The Shadows, or as the lead character Officer Minogue in the spinoff TV show Wellington Paranormal -  and he’s recently produced the critically acclaimed film Coming Home in the Dark. 

In this episode we talk about his late start in the arts, his emergency circumcision, his relationship with alcohol, the loss of his father, what it’s like working with Jermaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Leigh Hart and Jason Hoyte, the most pivotal moment in his career and all the best stories in between. 

Mike is someone Seamus and I find hilarious. His persona, and comedic timing in his drive show with Jase and Keyzie is pitch perfect, but this ep reveals the depth of character behind the gags. We talk about some areas of his journey that he hasn’t aired before, and the thoughtfulness of his answers and the vulnerability he showed was inspiring. He’s a very impressive man, I think you’ll enjoy this one. 

Also there’s one section where you might notice a few jumpy edits, for legal reasons we edited out the name of the show, but wanted to keep the important discussion around it. I think it still works.       

This episode was brought to you from the Export Beer garden studio. Enjoy.  

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Paul Henry was one of New Zealand’s last great broadcasting celebrities.

He was a radio broadcaster through the 1980s, but it wasn’t until 2004 that he became a household name. His seven-year tenure on Breakfast saw ratings soar and he boasted the type of star power at his peak that just doesn’t exist in broadcasting anymore. But alongside the fame were a number of on-air controversies that followed his career.

Paul’s rise to fame and fortune is even more incredible when you chart his journey from abstract poverty in Bristol being raised by his single mother. Not to mention brushes with danger as a foreign correspondent that included being detained in Iraq, shot at in Cambodia, nearly lynched in the slums of Calcutta, threatened by the French navy at Mururoa and shelled in Bosnia.

But it all makes for a rich tapestry of life that we were lucky enough to hear about. Paul doesn’t normally do this sort of thing, so we’re feeling very lucky.

Show notes | Episode 111 | Paul Henry

1:52: Between Two Beers (with The Henry Gin)

7:40: Landing Paul Henry on the podcast: a story via Sudan and Osama bin Laden

17:37: “A rich tapestry of life”

21:05: Sodomy in Malaysia and being detained in Iraq

35:27: Life as a foreign correspondent

42:10: Jesus Boots and growing up in poverty

47:55: Lessons from mum and dad

55:59: The journey to becoming the biggest broadcaster in New Zealand

1:02:28: Reflections on breakfast television

1:08:09: Pushing the boundaries: the controversies of Paul Henry

1:17:18: Commercial whaling with Guy Williams

1:19:27: Life after broadcasting

1:22:43: Palm Springs, nudism and perineum sunning

1:26:42: What next for Paul Henry?

1:33:00: Interviews and the three-question method

1:36:08: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Paul

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In this episode we’re rewinding the clock back to September 2021 when we sat down with Eugene Bareman.  
  
Eugene is New Zealand’s MMA mastermind.  
  
He’s a fighter - a multiple NZ champion in kickboxing, Jui Jitsu and MMA, A business owner - his Auckland gym City Kickboxing is widely regarded as one of the best MMA gyms in the world and a coach who has produced a group of fighters that have soared to the top of the UFC world. Eugene was named UFC coach of the years in 2019 and 2020 and has trained two UFC champions.  

In this episode we talk about why he dropped out of school in fifth form, and the work ethic that saw him rebound to get an A bursary and go to law school, why he stopped fighting, and when he might start again, what really happens in the UFC locker rooms before a big fightnight, the first time he ever met Israel Adesanya and how he sees him differently to the rest of the world -  and the best pranks seen at his City Kickboxing gym.  

This was a really deep, insightful chat, and it’s so easy to see why and how Eugene has won the respect of so many around the world. His thirst to improve, worth ethic, humbleness, honesty and wisdom, makes this episode a cracker – even if you’re not an MMA fan.  

Listen here on iheart or wherever you get your podcasts from and check your podcast app for show notes. A huge thanks to those donating to the cause on Patreon, if you want to support the show go to www.betweentwobeers.com. 

This episode was brought to you from the Export Beer Garden studio. 

Show notes | Eugene Bareman | Re-Release

2:00: Back at Massey High School: rugby, study, and the turning point of his life

12:51: Family fundamentals: Provide for your children, back yourself, learn from your mistakes

16:20: Law school and falling in love with fighting

22:20: Eugene Bareman: the fighter

26:20: On mental toughness

30:45: The ambition to get to 50 fights

34:40: Has this journey gone better than imagined?

37:33: Getting into the UFC

42:20: Israel Adesanya

51:34: Behind the scenes of a UFC fight night: locker room and between rounds

1:03:41: Reacting to losses in combat sports

1:10:21: City Kickboxing: Changing lives

1:17:39: The weight of responsibility

1:21:19: Hard work, pranks and banter

1:25:52: The role of the trainer in combat sports

1:31:05: Getting recognised overseas

1.33.01: Last words from Steven, Seamus and Eugene

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On this episode of Between Two Beers we talk to Luke Kemeys.

Luke is a chartered accountant, a business advisor, and the driving force behind one of New Zealand’s most engaged Facebook Groups, Boys Get Paid. 

BGP is New Zealand’s biggest punters club and while this episode does have some interesting chat about the horses, it also transcends racing, as Luke shares his experienced wisdom in building communities and business strategies that will work in the modern age. 

In this episode Luke tells us how his Facebook Group which started with five people turned into a 21,000+ monster, how he helped turn his NextAdvisory accounting firm into a million-dollar business in five years, the power of Linkedin, relationship building and storytelling, the time he narrowly missed out on a $1million dollar collect at the races, all BGP’s most audacious bets and much much more. 

Luke’s thirst to grow, improve and learn is inspiring. He’s a super sharp guy, doing big things in the community, with a million tales to tell. You’ll love this one. 

Listen on iheart or wherever you get your podcasts from, and check your podcast app for show notes. You can watch the video of this one on Youtube. A huge thanks to those supporting the show on Patreon for the cost of a cup of coffee a month, to get involved head to BetweenTwoBeers.com.              

This episode was brought to you from the Export Beer garden studio. Enjoy. 

Show notes | Episode 110 | Luke Kemeys

1:39: An away game for Luke in the Export Beer Garden Studio

3:49: A business meeting over a couple of Fiji Gold’s in August 2017

8:26: Boys Get Paid: the beginning of the punters club journey

20:20: BGP and the power of community

28:15: Behind the scenes of building an app

34:20: BGP grandpa

37:19: Becoming more recognisable

39:46: Misconceptions of BGP and the race industry

46:13: The financial realities of BGP

51:39: Next Advisory: changing the accounting game

58:19: Using social media to connect with Rob Fyfe

1:03:31: Talking bets

1:16:34: Luke and his gambling habits

1:26:20: Luke on men’s health

1:28:40: Last words from Steve, Seamus and Luke

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In this 'best of entertainment 2022' compilation, we pick out a bunch of our favourite snippets from our favourite episodes with non-sporting guests across the year.

Included are Jack Tame, Jason Hoyte, Hayley Sproull, Chris Parker, PJ Harding, Mikey Havoc, Dom Harvey, Brodie Kane, Mitch James, Petra Bagust, Lucy Blakiston and Jono and Ben.

Show notes | Episode 109 | Best of Entertainment

0:28: Best of 2022 Entertainment

2:22: Jack Tame on the art of interviewing Winston Peters

7:09: Jason Hoyte on the absurdity of working with Leigh Hart and THAT scene with Nadia Lim

12:26: Lucy Blakiston on the Instagram growth from 1 million to 3 million followers

16:38: Jono and Ben open up on suicide

20:42: Hayley Sproull on the content of her DMs

26:15: Chris Parker’s goldfish story and auditioning for David Bain

33:05: The story behind the Gore gag with Mikey Havoc

41:58: Petra Bagust on being New Zealand’s most famous virgin

49:52: Mitch James’ early career as a busker

57:24: Brodie Kane on the transition from broadcast to podcast

1:07:30: The difficult act of working with your partner with Dom Harvey

1:14:22: PJ takes us on a tour of Seamus’ DMs

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In this 'Best of sport 2022' compilation, we pick out a bunch of our favourite snippets from our favourite sport episodes across the year. Included are Dion Nash, Kendra Cocksedge, Ryan Fox, Shane Cameron, Ric Salizzo, Brad Smeele, Eliza McCartney, Ross Taylor, Daniel Kereopa, Lance Cairns, Grant Fox and Ruth Croft.

Show notes | Episode 108 | Best of Sport

0:29: Best of 2022 Sport, welcome to Between Two Beers

2:24: Dion Nash shares the real story of the weed scandal in South Africa from 1995

15:43: Ryan Fox shares his best Tiger Woods stories

27:53: Kendra Cocksedge reveals the origin of her eye-raising nickname

31:32: Shane Cameron takes us inside the fight of the century with David Tua

42:10: Ric Salizzo reveals the happy chaos of Sports Café

53:24: Former professional wakeboarder Brad Smeele shares the details of the tragic day when he suffered a horror injury attempting one of the hardest tricks in the world and ended with him waking up as a quadriplegic

1:02:13: At 19, Kiwi pole vaulter Eliza McCartney won Kiwi hearts and a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics. She takes us back to that special day

1:13:23: Ross Taylor gets candid about the Black Caps captaincy saga that cast a shadow over his career

1:20:39: Surfer Daniel Kereopa had the world at his feet, until it all fell apart

1:32:44: Lance Cairns talks about his son, Christopher

1:44:27: Grant Fox opens up on his friendship with the late, great Sir Martin Crowe

1:54:47: Trail-running world champion Ruth Croft shares her journey through meditation

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On this episode of Between Two Beers we talk to Butch Miller. 

Butch is best known for being one-half of the WWE Hall of Fame tag-team, the Bushwhackers. 

Butch is 78-years old and lives a fairly simple life in Wellington these days. But he’s still firing on all cylinders – and some of the yarns shared across this one were quite breathtaking. 

Like how he started wrestling with team-mate Luke in 1966, and trained for 10 years with Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage in a Californian gym, his behind-the-scenes stories of fighting Andre the Giant and traveling with him on the road in New Zealand, fighting in front of 96,000 people at Wembley, fighting Dwayne the Rock Johnson’s grandad, the origins of the Bushwhacker walk, negotiating with Vince McMahon, transitioning from the Sheepherders to the BabyFace Bushwackers, and so much more. 

The BushWhackers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015, to honour their 35-year journey through professional wrestling, the trials and tribulations along the way and their elevation to the top of the wrestling world. And Butch has recently released a book, Blood Sweat and Cheers which captures the journey with some unbelievable stories. Would make a great xmas prezzy for a few dads out there. 
 
Butch is a hard case and a legend. But with a soft, caring, sensitive underbelly. And this one even got a bit emotional at the end when he was talking about how proud he was of his journey. And we were right there with him. Hopefully you enjoy this as much as we did. 

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