Earlier this month we checked in with local legend and friend of the business, Paddy Gower. Hitting up our Ponsonby store so that the man, the myth, the legend himself could fill in the gaps of his “back to work” kit, we caught up with PG to hear all about life in the fast lane that is journalism.

 

Q&A With Paddy Gower - Legend & NZ Journalist

BMC: What does an average “day in the life – work week edition” look like for you?

PG: I’m on some kind of mission. And if I’m not actually on a mission. I am trying to get on one! That’s how journalism works for me, it is always about the next story. I am all-consumed when I have one, and angsty if I don’t. I call stories ‘yarns”. My job is all about chasing yarns, it is about adventure, it is about helping people. I am so lucky, every day is different. How good is that?

BMC: That’s awesome. Obviously you love what you do – was there a defining moment in your life where you knew this was the career path you wanted to go down?

PG: As a cub reporter for the New Zealand Herald I was sent up One Tree Hill the night before the tree was cut down. I interviewed all these people up there who were on a vigil for its last night, talking about what the tree meant to them. The next day it was on the front page with all their amazing quotes and the last picture of the tree on the hill. I had recorded history and shared it with others. I was hooked.

 

BMC: Wow – that’s epic! Do you have any other career highlights alongside that one?

PG: Getting questions to Donald Trump in America in 2016 was pretty out there. The way the “On Weed” and “On Booze” docos connected with the public was amazing too. But moderating the Leaders debates at two elections really tops it all. The pressure is just so intense, you actually feel the weight. Then it’s just this explosive 90 minutes. Being out there in the middle on behalf of Kiwis is just so epic. But over and above all these my true highlight was the funding of the miracle drug Trikafta, after campaigning for it on behalf of people with Cystic Fibrosis. I literally cried tears of joy for the first time in my life.

BMC: Now that’s a bloody impressive track record! So, those are your highlights – but what is the biggest lesson you’ve learn from working in journalism?

PG: Always keep your passport with you. I locked mine in a hotel safe in Dubai one time. I forgot to take it to the airport the next day when I was going to Iraq of all places! John Key was Prime Minister and the delegation left without me. I honestly thought I was going to be fired. Amazingly, there was a sandstorm and his plane was turned back from Baghdad. I jumped on the plane when they went back the next day. I can still remember the hardarse SAS troopers smiling when they saw me clamber back on, clearly thinking ‘what the hell is up with this guy!?’.

BMC: When you’re not interviewing Trump or forgetting your valuables in the Middle East, it’s probably important that you take some time to kick back and take it easy. With that in mind, how do you unwind when you’re away from work?

PG: Cycling, surfing and yoga. I am an active relaxer. I don’t drink alcohol, so I am filling my life with stuff.

BMC: Switching gears slightly, as we are in the business of keeping stylish legends like yourself dressed their best. We’ve seen you in suits, leather jackets, and you were a pretty big fan of the Hauraki Big Show’s Turtleneck Tuesday… But if you had to pick your ultimate go-to look for work – what would it be?

PG: Dressy boots. Black jeans, tapered. A turtleneck of course. A blazer or a tailored overcoat.

 

BMC: Sounds like you’ve pretty well perfected your go-to work look now. But how would you say your sense of style has changed throughout the years?

PG: I started with no style whatsoever back in the day. Then for ten years I wore bad suits and bad ties in Parliament. That slowly became better suits and ties. Then I got out of that place altogether, ditching the suits. I now like the freedom of wearing a real mix of clothes, I like to be as smart as I can every day. I like to have quirks in the colours or with the pieces.

BMC: Before we let you go, what’s next for Paddy Gower?

PG: My new show “Paddy Gower Has Issues” is coming up this year. I’m going to break down the big issues facing New Zealand. It is going to be a vibe.

BMC: Bonus question, just because we can… if you weren’t a journalist, what do you think you’d be doing?

PG: I’m not even going to answer that. I don’t want to do anything else. This is me. A Journo.