Daily Archives: October 15, 2022

Gone are the American 'Mad', India's 'Diwana,' but our 'Unmad' is still going strong! Unmad is quite a popular magazine in Bangladesh, one that was inspired by American magazine 'Mad'.

And even before our 'Unmad', India's 'Diwana' drew inspiration from 'Mad'. The once-sensational 'Mad' and 'Diwana' may have faded from cultural consciousness somewhere along the way, but 'Unmad' still stands and makes us laugh with witty humour and subtle comedy.

Of course, we know that the larger-than-life characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are inspired by comics. To say that these characters drew 'life' from the sketchbooks of cartoonists would be a serious understatement; these characters were always more than just sketches and cartoons.

In more than a few ways, these cartoons and drawings packed such vividness that they could easily go toe-to-toe with the present-day anime and animated serieses. With the advent of the internet, dark humour has become prevalent. But these orthodoxy-challenging memes, jokes, and comic strips do not have equal appeal to all audiences. Obviously, you will not find the same level of dark humour on a Bangladeshi Facebook group for jokes as you would on Reddit.

The 'politically incorrect' wave of comics took off in the US through 'Mad' several decades ago, in 1952. Exactly a decade after 'Mad', 'Diwana' came out and followed 'Mad's suit. Fast forward to 1978, Ahsan Habib launched 'Unmad'.

'Mad' laid down the basic framework of how 'Unmad' and 'Diwana' worked in Bangladesh and India. Interestingly, the term 'mad' was already in Unmad's very name.

'Mad'ness

The publisher of EC Comics suggested to his staff contributor Harvey Kurtzman in 1952 to launch a humour title. Thus began 'Mad's maddening journey. It first came as a comic book and then a magazine. 'Mad's first issue was titled 'Tails Circulated to Drive You Crazy'.

Harvey Kurtzman became the founding editor of 'Mad'. 'Mad' fathered this genre where the most serious issues were comically presented, even though that appeared a tad bit (or a lot) inappropriate, if not insensitive. This kind of humour also has earned itself a name in English, 'Aberrant Humour'.

'Mad' had a mascot Alfred E, Painted by Norman Mingo. Alfred E's comic activities were the source of the readers' hilarity. His gaping teeth, freckled face are known to every 'Mad'-reader.

'Mad's popularity in the United States was such that Newman was oftentimes recognised by many who had never even read 'Mad'. Just like how many of us can recognize many popular characters from Indian serials even if we do not watch any.

'Mad' became an iconic voice in the US counterculture movement. By the early 1970s 'Mad's circulation rose to over 2 million copies. Mockery of famous pop culture characters and political figures was the point of amusement for Mad's audience. Starting with the Vietnam War and Watergate to Rambo, none was immune from Alfred Newman's 'madness'.

But by the end of the 20th century, Mad's popularity began to decline. Thanks to the Internet, people had other sources of entertainment. Magazinesque satire began appearing in movies like 'The Naked Gun' and shows like 'Saturday Night Live'. Online satire media like 'The Onion' were born too. 'Mad' began losing to competition from many sides.

After a 67 year long run, in 2019, 'Mad' decided to ditch newsstands. Instead, the 'Mad' authority opted for comic shops and to mail the copies directly to subscribers. However, long standing 'Mad' fans would receive new Alfred E comedy no more. Old features and cartoons would reappear in the new method of publication, bringing nothing 'new' to the table.

Diwana, Bharat

In 1964, 'Diwana' arrived to drown Indian readers in humour. 'Diwana' too had its own mascot, named Chilli. Modelled after 'Mad', Diwana, a Delhi-based media outlet, was published in both Hindi and English languages. The magazine was published till 1986.

Initially released in Hindi, the English version of Diwana also came out in the early 70s. From the middle till the end of the 20th century, the best cartoonists and illustrators of India drew cartoons for this fun magazine. At the height of its popularity in the 60s, Diwana had a circulation of two lakhs a week. The English version was edited by theatre director Som Benegal.

Apart from 'Diwana', there were a few other comical magazines in India as well. 'Lotpaat' came out in 1969 and 'Madhu Muskan' in 1972. 'Wisecrack' was also there. All these magazines left their mark on Hindi pop-culture.

But as much as these magazines are known to people today, the opposite is the case with 'Diwana'. Diwanar has eroded from the memory of most Indians. The publishing house Tej did not preserve any copy of 'Diwana' and no trace of it could be found on the internet either.

The craze carries on

According to an interview of Ahsan Habib, he began publishing 'Unmad' in 1978 along with Kazi Khaled Ashraf and Ishtiaq Hossain. Although the naming was a clever one, it caused some problems for publishers. Because of their 'troublesome' name, it was hard to get advertisements, big companies did not want to advertise in Unmad.

Bangladeshi newspapers started publishing cartoons and comics regularly from the 90s onwards. 'Alpin', 'Bichchu', 'Adda', 'Khabor Ache', 'Therapy', 'Bhimrul', 'Durbeen', 'Ros+Alo', 'Penchal' and 'Ghorar Dim' are a famous few. But they came as supplements to the newspapers. 'Unmad' on the other hand came out as a standalone magazine.

Film producer Md Sifat Hasan read 'Unmad' since his childhood. "We kept an 'Unmad' subscription from 2007 to 2016. But before 'Unmad', we read 'Alpin' and sometimes 'Ros+Alo'. But there was always a distinct attraction towards 'Unmad'. 'Unmad' somehow managed to become a successful brand in its own right," said Sifat.

Kazi Sara Sadia Noor, who works in a media outlet, became acquainted with 'Unmad' long ago. "In 1994, I was studying in class six. We lived in a rural town. There was a shop where you could find 'Unmad'. Sometimes, my mother or other times my brother would buy 'Unmad' from that shop. My whole family loved reading 'Unmad'," she said. '

In an interview, Ahsan Habib said that the highest circulation of the magazine reached 30,000. 'Unmad' printed every kind of humour: comedy, jokes, comic strips. 'Unmad' did not have a uniform mascot like 'Mad' or 'Diwana'.

Ahsan Habib believes that Bangladeshi people are generally of comical nature. Yet, many could not bear Unmad's sharp criticisms. In the 1980s, a judge filed a multi-crore defamation case against Unmad. They somehow made it out of the case after apologising.

Also, Unmad used to satirise newly released movies. Once, a director and producer who could not bear Unmad satirising their movie, attacked its office!

In an interview with the BBC in 2018, Ahsan Habib said that doing political satire or cartoons has somewhat become difficult these days. Cartoonists draw political cartoons but editors no longer print them.

After our independence, West Bengal produced some veteran cartoonists. Notable among them are Shailanarayan Chakraborty, Debiprasad Roy Chowdhury, Kutti, Chondi Lahiri, Rebatibhushan Ghosh, Amal Chakraborty and others.

Their cartoons were printed in Bangalee dailies and periodicals such as the 'Lalita', 'Prabartak', 'Suchitra Shishir' and 'Bharatbarsho'. Political figures like Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah were present in these cartoons as well as cultural figures like Rabindranath.

'Diwana's art editor Ramesh Gupta said, "The attitude of Hindustani people was changing towards satire; perhaps other problems took its place." Professor Emeritus Lee Seizel of the University of Hawaii at Manoa cited the comments of Diwana's editor in his book 'Laughing Matters: Comic Traditions of India'.

The editor is believed to have been Som Benegal. The editor said, "The government now controls the media, and they have no sense of humour... You can print a joke or two without the eyes of the censor. But it is not possible to run an entire magazine anymore."

One of Mad's primary objectives was to scrutinise and criticise the system. 'Unmad' also published cartoons on political and social situations. Sara says, "There was political satire in 'Unmad', but it was presented artistically. Cartoons and writings were printed on the political situation and social crisis."

However, Sifat was not yet old enough to fully understand politics. He said, "I was too young to have political awareness when I read Unmad. I never saw it from that point of view. It was solely a fun magazine for me."

From 2006, Sara put down 'Unmad' for a while. Then from 2013 to 2016, she picked up the habit again. Why the break in the middle?

"Socio-economic and political situations of Bangladesh gave birth to 'Unmad' but at one point they lost that touch. From 2003 to 2008, Unmad failed to stir up much 'insanity'," she said.

'Unmad' has also lost prominence because of the internet. Along with other contemporary publishing and business models, 'Mad' had to fight for survival against the internet. Diwana's popularity declined after cinema and television became more accessible to the masses in India.

In Bangladesh, satire, jokes, memes and dark humour are available on social media now, especially on Facebook. 'Unmad' is not what it used to be. Also, a busy life no longer allows Sifat to read 'Unmad'. She also feels that it may have taken a backseat due to the prevalence of numerous humour-content on social media and also indicated that the custom of keeping newspapers at home has stopped these days.

'Unmad' used to feature a game of pictures on its last page, containing instructions as well. If the page was folded according to that instruction, a new image would appear. Sifat loved this puzzle as a child. But Sarah does not clearly remember the picture puzzle game. She vaguely remembers it as a 3D puzzle.

Did 'Unmad' then appear completely differently to 'Unmad' readers by age? Are today's meme-loving youth thinking of Unmad as 'old man's humour'? According to Sifat, Unmad's content was relatable to people of different ages.

"Cartoons are a great medium; in both artistic and satirical ways. Cartoons are often able to convey messages through simple drawings more effectively than a poem, a song, or even a story," Sara said.

Ahsan Habib is one of the artists behind establishing the cartoon industry in Bangladesh. Like Sifat, 'Unmad' was the childhood and adolescent entertainment of many Bangladeshis. 'Diwana' or 'Unmad' may have followed 'Mad', but never imitated it. Sara believes that there should be no barriers to artistic imitation.

Sources: Mental Floss, New Yorker, Polygon, Rolling Stone, Scroll Dots, Kishor Alo, BBC Bangla, Khola Kagaz, Shirish Dalpala, Inmad Facebook Page

This article first appeared on The Business Standard website. This is a translated version of the original Bangla article.

Translation by: Aziz Hakim

Read more from the original source:
Our Unmad lives - The Business Standard

Saudi Arabias Foreign Ministry threw U.S. President Joe Biden under the bus this week by revealing that Biden had suggested the Kingdom to postpone a decision by OPEC+ to cut oil production. Biden wanted OPEC to hold off until closer to the midterm elections, when a price spike would not drastically effect the fortunes of Biden and the Democrats at the ballot box. Saudi Arabia is the de facto leader of OPEC and OPEC+, which includes Russia.

In spite of the Biden suggestion that cuts be delayed, OPEC announced the cuts anyway last week at its meeting in Vienna, Austria. It has cut exports by 2 million barrels a day.

This week, Biden hit back at Saudi Arabia with a veiled threat, telling Jake Tapper on CNN that there would be consequences for what the Saudis have done in shutting off the valves.

Theres going to be some consequences for what theyve done, with Russia, Biden said. Im not going to get into what Id consider and what I have in mind. But there will be, there will be consequences. This is a president of the United States threatening another world leader in order to gain electoral advantage and its the kind of foreign-interference-in-election activity that the Democrat-led House of Representatives said President Donald Trump engaged in, which led to his first impeachment.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the decision by OPEC+ was economic and was taken unanimously by its member states.

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would first like to express its total rejection of these statements that are not based on facts, and which are based on portraying the OPEC+ decision out of its purely economic context, the Foreign Ministry said.

The White House doubled down on linking Saudi Arabia with Russia:

We believe by the decision that OPEC+ made last week, (Saudi Arabia is) certainly aligning themselves with Russia, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a Tuesday press availability. And right now, this is not the time to bealigning with Russia, especially with this brutal, unprecedented war that they started in Ukraine.

The Saudi Arabia Ministry. of Foreign Affairs statement in full:

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the statements issued about the Kingdom following the OPEC+ decision

An official at the Foreign Ministry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stated that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has viewed the statements issued about the Kingdom following the OPEC+ decision announced on October 5, 2022, which have described the decision as the Kingdom taking sides in international conflicts and that it was politically motived against the United States of America.

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would first like to express its total rejection of these statements that are not based on facts, and which are based on portraying the OPEC+ decision out of its purely economic context. This decision was taken unanimously by all member states of the OPEC+ group.

The Kingdom affirms that the outcomes of the OPEC+ meetings are adopted through consensus among member states, and that they are not based on the unilateral decision by a single country. These outcomes are based purely on economic considerations that take into account maintaining balance of supply and demand in the oil markets, as well as aim to limit volatility that does not serve the interests of consumers and producers, as has been always the case within OPEC +.

The OPEC+ group makes its decisions independently in accordance with established independent practices followed by the international organizations.

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would also like to clarify that based on its belief in the importance of dialogue and exchange of views with its allies and partners outside the OPEC + group regarding the situation in the oil markets, the Government of the Kingdom clarified through its continuous consultation with the US Administration that all economic analyses indicate that postponing the OPEC+ decision for a month, according to what has been suggested, would have had negative economic consequences.

The Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms that any attempts to distort the facts about the Kingdoms position regarding the crisis in Ukraine are unfortunate, and will not change the Kingdoms principled position, including its vote to support UN resolutions regarding the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, based on the Kingdoms position on the importance for all countries to adhere to the United Nations Charter, principles of international law, and the Kingdoms rejection of any infringement on the sovereignty of countries over their territories.

The Kingdom stresses that while it strives to preserve the strength of its relations with all friendly countries, it affirms its rejection of any dictates, actions, or efforts to distort its noble objectives to protect the global economy from oil market volatility.

Resolving economic challenges requires the establishment of a non-politicized constructive dialogue, and to wisely and rationally consider what serves the interests of all countries.

The Kingdom affirms that it view its relationship with the United States of America as a strategic one that serves the common interests of both countries. The Kingdom also stresses the importance of building on the solid pillars upon which the Saudi-US relationship had stood over the past eight decades. These pillars include mutual respect, enhancing common interests, actively contributing to preserve regional and international peace and security, countering terrorism and extremism, and achieving prosperity for the peoples of the region.

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Biden threatens 'consequences' against Saudi Arabia over OPEC oil production cuts, links with Russia - Must Read Alaska

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Council elections show that more than 70% percent of us just don't care, Richard Swainson writes (file photo).

Dr Richard Swainson runs Hamilton's last DVD rental store and is a weekly contributor to the Waikato Times history page.

OPINION: The people have spoken. It was a resounding whisper. Or perhaps a squeak. When it came to engagement with local body politics, still less participation in the voting process to determine city and regional councils, the vast majority spoke with their backsides, preferring to remain at home. The day before polling closed, only 23.2% of eligible Hamiltonians had bothered to exercise their franchise. Even allowing for a flurry of late-in-the-day hand delivery - a category I myself fell into, I should confess - and special votes, for those who had mislaid their papers and had a last minute change of heart, indifference was the predominant response. More than 70% of us just don't care.

Vladimir Putin could have been elected and the good folk of the Waikato would not have batted an eyelid. An unlikely scenario, of course, as the latter-day 'Vlad the Impaler' would have his eyes on the chief executive's job, where the real power lies and the salary vastly exceeds anything elected representatives could dream of being paid. It is a point that was made rather starkly back in 2007 when Michael Redman gave up the Hamilton mayoralty for the opportunity to serve the community as an impartial bureaucrat. Luckily the result was just millions of dollars lost in the V8 debacle, not an invasion of the Ukraine.

Tom Lee/Stuff

There are perils to the good folk of Hamilton not paying attention to local politics, Swainson says.

Pardon my digression. Extreme, highly improbable examples are needed to remind us all of the perils of not paying attention. Much of the media coverage of the 2022 elections was in this vein, looking to out the nutters and the conspiracy theorists and the anti-vaxxers, if not those whose transgressions were of a more ideological bent. Perish the thought that the politically incorrect might sneak in the back door, holding unpublishable views or expressing themselves in a vernacular unbecoming today's political discourse. The likes of Russ Rimmington, whose 'cultural ignorance' did actually see the electorate give him the cold shoulder. Voters forgave Russ when the then Hamilton mayor - and Justice of the Peace - incurred a dangerous driving fine and licence disqualification back in 2000 but a response to the Three Waters reforms that saw him talk of how "the Mori" will "usurp" and "jeopardise" the future development of "our country" was beyond the pale and he was denied his Waikato Regional Council paycheck. Twenty three point two percent of us put the horrid racist in his place.

READ MORE:* Nothing 'cruisy' in forecast for Hamilton's re-elected mayor Paula Southgate* He called council staff 'scum' - now he's been elected to work with them* Southgate back in Hamilton but other leaders ousted, including Quayle, Rimmington and Mylchreest

KELLY HODEL/STUFF

Paula Southgate is thankful to be Hamilton's mayor for another three years and praised all those who ran for election because "it's not easy". (This video was first published on October 9, 2022).

On the other hand, another gentleman with a history of speaking plainly to power has just been elected to the Hamilton City Council and I, for one, am looking forward to the fireworks. Andrew Bydder's robust response to bureaucracy, once labelling the Waip Council staff as "scum" and "disgusting filth" whilst accusing them of corruption and racism, suggests a politician who will not easily be hoodwinked by voluminous agendas and the obsequious wiles of the governing class. Perhaps Bydder is exactly what the HCC needs: a pragmatic doer, long frustrated with red tape and the indifference the obscenely over-salaried often show to legitimate complaints.

Bydder's election might not be what Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta meant when employing that quintessential 21st century buzzword, "diversity", by way of talking up election results, yet in the truest sense of the term it is. Assessing politicians on their skills, their ideological bias and their effectiveness is what democracy should be about, not gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality or religion. Local bodies which reflect the actual community's range of views - across the political spectrum, including extremes which some may find unacceptable - are truly diverse. Other assessments tend toward the superficial. A woman mayor may not be feminist in the eyes of her opponents. A Mori politician could well represent the ACT party.

Christel Yardley/Stuff

Newly elected Hamilton City councillor Andrew Bydder once labelled the Waip Council staff as "scum" and "disgusting filth" whilst accusing them of corruption and racism.

That said, there is no mistaking the generational and gender shift on the Hamilton City Council. The retirement of veterans Martin Gallagher, Dave Macpherson and Rob Pascoe, together with that of Mark Bunting, a somewhat less experienced player, amounted to an exodus of the type of politicians woke analysts like to sneer at: the "stale, pale male" stereotype, long of tooth, pinky-white of complexion, who have overstayed their welcome. No matter of course that Gallagher and Macpherson at least were rather progressive types, fine servants of metropolis.

Fresh to council chambers are Emma Pike and Louise Hutt, comparatively youthful, with idealism still intact. When taken together with returned mayor Paula Southgate, stalwart Angela O'Leary, the impressive Sarah Thomson and the equally estrogen-charged Anna Casey-Cox, Maxine Van Ooosten and Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, not to mention the city's first wahine elected via the Kirikiriroa Mori Ward, Te Pora Thompson, city hall has all the makings of a matriarchy. Women outnumber men nine to five and the mean average age of councillors has come down several notches.

Kelly Hodel/Stuff

Swainson hopes the new council will save Hamilton's Founders Theatre from the wrecking ball.

What can we expect from a feminist, young-in-parts council? Climate change action would seem to be high on Hutt's agenda and in this there will be a natural ally in Thomson and at least lip service paid by others.

Speaking personally, I hope the new administration has the courage to save the Founders Theatre from the wrecking ball, a move in the interests of both the environment and a wider cultural community desperate for meaningful, shared space. The decimation of Hamilton heritage buildings accelerated under the last council, with the boom lowered on the Municipal Pools, the effective destruction of the Hamilton Hotel and goodness knows what alterations planned for the ArtsPost building. Having done their worst in Hamilton East, the bulldozers creep up Victoria St, emboldened by policies that first ignore the duty of maintenance then glibly dispense of edifices in which generations of Hamiltonians have emotional investment.

The extent to which such policies are driven by the unelected is something a fresh pair of eyes might be more sensitive to than those too long around the council table. In this, I wish Mr Bydder every success.

Continue reading here:
'Backsides' voted but fireworks are likely with one Hamilton councillor - Richard Swainson - Stuff

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under fire by several Canadians on social media after he went bungee jumping with his children near Ottawa on Sunday.

In the video that surfaced online, the prime minister is dressed in a red flannel jacket, blue jeans and boots. He counts to five and then throws himself off the 200-foot bungee tower in Chelsea, Quebec. He was accompanied by his two childrenhis son Xavier, 14, and his daughter Ella-Grace, 13. According to the prime ministers public itinerary, he had taken a personal day on Sunday.

However, many Canadians were unhappy that the prime minister decided to take a day off before the upcoming elections and while parts of Eastern Canada are still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Many instead pointed towards the efforts of Pierre Poilievre, who was present in a freedom rally for Iran the same day.

This event comes a few weeks after Trudeau was criticized, again, for singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a hotel lobby two days before the Queens funeral in London, UK.

Footage of the impromptu performance was shared on social media on Sept. 18, where critics accused Trudeau of acting inappropriate during the United Kingdoms 10-day mourning period. Before that, PM Trudeau was criticized for taking too many flightsincluding a 14-minute flight from Charlottetown to Summerside.

In the recent weeks, hashtags such as #Justinflation or #TrudeauMustGo are trending on Twitter.

But the real question is, what impact does it all have on the public?

Is it really influencing how anybody is going to vote? I suspect that people who put that on social media dont like Trudeau, who never voted for Trudeau, who are never going to vote for Trudeau, and those are also the people tuning into it and spreading it, says UofT Professor Emeritus Nelson Wiseman, a renowned political scientist.

Wiseman calls this an echochamberan environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own.

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Before we had social media, people turned to their radio and the television and there was a much more common base of information. We generally saw the same stuff. but , what you have here is an echochamber, he says.

But now, you can easily get other people who think like you on your crazy hook. Then it gets reinforced, but it doesnt usually follow.

Wiseman also believes that since these videos are usually trending on social media and dont always get coverage from national newspapers, its mostly affecting the younger demographic.

There are so many young people who hate Trudeau and are sending it to those who hate him and then it spirals. But Id still ask myselfdoes it actually have an influence? he says.

Unlike the royal familytightly bound by rules and regulationsthe prime minister of Canada does not have strict protocols on what is and isnt allowed.

PM Trudeaus actions are often reminiscent of his fatherknown for his flamboyance and aberrant behaviour sometimes, often paying little heed to whats acceptable and what isnt.

In 1977, a picture of the late Pierre Trudeau doing a pirouette behind the Queen's back at Buckingham Palace went viral for "breaking protocol".

Pierre Trudeau does a well-rehearsed pirouette behind the Queen's back at Buckingham Palace in 1977.

Although PM Trudeau's actions are not as politically incorrect as the image above, it seems that public opinion on social media is often against him.

Continued here:
Does it actually have an influence?: Expert weighs in PM Trudeaus viral bungee jump video - Yahoo News

Director Jordan Hogg, 39, was born in Scarborough and has cerebral palsy. He graduated in film studies from Hull University, trained through Channel 4s 4Talent scheme and won a Bafta breakthrough award in 2020. He has directed episodes of Shameless, Screw, Death in Paradise, Casualty, Coronation Street and Ackley Bridge. He is now the lead director on the new BBC One series Ralph & Katie, a spin-off from Peter Bowkers The A Word, and the first ever TV drama with two learning-disabled lead actors.

Whats Ralph & Katie about and how did you land the directing job?I was really jammy. I had a meeting with [creator] Peter Bowker to potentially direct The A Word episode with Ralph and Katies wedding but didnt get the gig. When I saw on Twitter that a spin-off about their first year of marriage had been green-lit, I emailed my agent and said it was my dream gig. Unbeknown to us, Peter had already remembered me and written it for me to direct.

Its the first time Ive helmed a whole series. My fingerprints are all over it, even the soundtrack. Im entirely unmusical but theres a scene in episode five where Ralphs marching along to the sound of me banging drums and blowing horns. John Williams will be shitting kittens.

Why was it such a dream project?Ive always wanted to make a show about people with disabilities where its about their everyday lives. Ralph and Katie face all the same obstacles that anyone does. If you have a disability, 99% of the time you dont even realise. Your disability isnt at the forefront of your mind, so it isnt in the drama either. Personally, I forget Im disabled until I approach some stairs or Ive walked too far and my knees kicking off. Sat here talking now, it doesnt even dawn on me.

Is the hope that viewers look beyond the labels?The idea is that you quickly forget theres disability in the show and it becomes about the characters. I want it to be judged as a relationship drama, not a disabled drama. Ralph and Katies disability is more of a thing for other people than them. Its how everybody else reacts to it and all the crossed wires. Ralphs mum, Louise, [played by Pooky Quesnel] panics because shes so protective. My mothers exactly the same. Whenever I have a medical issue, shes there like a whippet but certain things you dont want to share with your mum [laughs].

What adjustments were made for lead actors Leon Harrop and Sarah Gordy, who both live with Downs syndrome?Nobodys even attempted this before, so we were adapting on the hoof. We had a wonderful woman called Jess Mabel Jones who was our creative coach effectively an interpreter for Leon and Sarah to help us find emotions. Shed come up with images and smells that they could associate with each storyline, to get in the right headspace. She used a rehearsal technique called mirroring, where shed perform a scene, then theyd do it back to her. At the end of each day, we did de-roleing to come out of character and back into the real world.

And people with disabilities were represented behind the camera tooFive out of six of the writing team have disabilities, plus obviously me. And we sent out an edict that there must be a disabled trainee in every department. We wanted to pioneer a new way of working and change the world.

Didnt you also set new standards for inclusivity and accessibility on set?Rather than sweeping changes, we spoke to everyone individually about their needs, whether they identified as having a disability or not. Much of it was minimal things. People asked for easy-read scripts or bigger print on call sheets. This lad Turbold, who was the best boy, wanted us to put boy in inverted commas in the credits, to stress its not just a male role. We trialled an app to leave anonymous feedback at the end of each day. The TV industry is weirdly set in its ways but we wanted to buck the trend. What we put in place wasnt expensive at all. All it takes is the desire to do it.

Do you hope those working practices become widely adopted?One hundred percent. The whole idea was to demonstrate whats possible and how other productions can be more welcoming. It benefits everybody. You get a much more productive shoot if individual needs are considered and everyones happy.

How far can Sarah and Leon go as actors?A long way. Sarah gets immersed in her roles and feels it deeply. And, hand on heart, Leon is one of the top three actors Ive ever worked with. His timing, instincts and listening qualities are off the chart. Hes always wanted to be a leading man and is so proud. Hes got loads of ideas for season two, mostly involving me being the bad guy and him running me over in various large vehicles (laughs).

How would you respond to potential criticism of the show as politically correct box-ticking?Well, Im a Yorkshireman, so theyd better not cross me. Just watch the show. Youll see its very politically incorrect at times. Its not woke or PC, its representative of society. Everyone has their story to tell, so why cant we tell ours?

Is the TV and film industry improving in terms of disability representation?Its getting there but too slowly. Its the most underrepresented demographic by far on both sides of the camera. In 15 years, Ive never come across another disabled director. An LA charity told me the other day that in high-end US drama, they know of five disabled writers and one disabled director. Thats in the whole of America. Weve done it on one show.

What were your childhood ambitions?Ive wanted to be a director since I was 12. My parents were getting a messy divorce and I vividly remember them having a row in the next room when Lawrence of Arabia came on telly. David Lean transported me to the desert for three hours. It was proper magic. I thought, if I can do this for one person someday, it would be amazing. But I was a kid with cerebral palsy from Scarborough and this life seemed so far away.

When I left school in 1999, there was no internet. I had no idea what opportunities were available. Instead, I did what any disabled kid does and became a fitness instructor! After doing that for four years, I went back to university to study film, learned all I could and worked my way up. Ive been massively fortunate to blag it this far.

Youve moved back to your home town of Scarborough. What drew you back?I settled in Manchester when I got my first job on Shameless. Me, my wife and son moved back to be by the seaside and near family. Its a nice place for Teddy, our little boy, to grow up. His Yorkshire accent is even heavier than mine. When I speak to Americans, I say: Remember that pub at the start of An American Werewolf in London? Its like that around here. But its home. I can open my patio doors and hear nothing but the sea.

How do you unwind when youre not working?I follow Newcastle United and love wrestling. I think its the purest form of storytelling. I listen to Johnny Cash, Thin Lizzy and the Eagles, and Im a massive Disney geek.

Whats the next project in the pipeline?Im directing a Channel 5 miniseries called Blind Spot. A four-part drama, kind of Rear Window meets The Conversation, which were filming in Budapest over Christmas. After that, who knows? I just got a US agent and the dream is to take our Ralph & Katie model across the pond.

If the government let you make one policy change tomorrow, what would it be?There should be a minimum quota of disabled people working in every industry. Because 18% of the population has a disability, 18% of your staff should. Disabled people always find easier ways to do things because we have to. Employers are missing out. Our lived experience and ingenuity is an untapped goldmine.

Ralph & Katie airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One. The entire series is available as an iPlayer box set

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Jordan Hogg: In 15 years, Ive never come across another disabled director - The Guardian

Eid Ul Azha 2022 saw the release of three Bangladeshi films- Ananta Jalils Din: The Day, Raihan Rafis Poran, and Anonno Mamuns Psycho. Despite having a stellar cast (Pujja Cherry, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Rosey Siddiqui etc), Psycho didnt fare well in the box office. As for Din: The Day, people regretted that it wasnt as comical as AJs previous films. Mejbaur Rahman Sumons Hawa entered the scene almost three weeks after Eid. Some people at the cineplexes were torn between watching Hawa or Poran, Chris Hemsworths chiseled body in Thor and Brad Pitts swag in Bullet Train escaping their notice entirely.

This may very well mark the beginning of a new era where the story, not the celebrities, is the star of the film. It was more about what, rather than who, they were there to watch. People had to wait for hours to get tickets for either of these films because of the houseful situation at the cineplexes that seat much fewer audiences than larger local halls (Usually a film doesnt have houseful shows this late into its release, but Poran did). I went to one such local hall, Sainik Club in the capital, to watch Poran on its fourth week and to Bashundhara City to watch Hawa on its debut week. The first had about 15 people in the theatre with no wait time, the latter kept me waiting for four hours in the afternoon on a weekday.

Both films are massive box office successes catering to audiences of conflicting tastes. Poran is on firmer grounds in this regard because its target audiences were oblivious to the glaring misogyny and overall unfortunate craftsmanship of the film. When I interviewed the audiences after the film ended, they all had good things to say including making bhalo chhilo (which was impossible to determine with the faulty projection on the ghola screen), just wow, and meyeta bodmaish (that just might be what the film had set out to prove in the first place. The men are killing each other, but please go ahead and blame the girl for dating two guys at once because that is worse than murder apparently).

Sadly, for Hawa, its audiences-cum-critics are the film buffs, people who spend a considerable portion of their lives watching/analyzing world films. This crowd is nearly impossible to please. So, while the mass is praising the politically incorrect Poran, the educated crowd is split in half about Hawa. All the festivals and film appreciation courses in world couldnt prepare us for acknowledging an artistic films mainstream success.

Hawas audiences are like its two promotional songs. Theres the mass (Shada Shada Kala Kala) and theres the contemplative connoisseurs (E Hawa). Whether we give it credit for setting a higher bar for local films, anyone can commend its effective marketing. Some may say its a tad too aggressive, especially when it is not a plot-heavy film, the kind the mass audience have grown accustomed to.

In the film, a snake charmer (Nazifa Tushi) is caught on the fish net of Chan Majhis (Chanchal Chowdhury) boat. The seamen lust over her as they meet their untimely demise one by one under mysterious circumstances. Thats about the extent of kahini in this film.

I cant responsibly point out how Hawa could be a bigger hit, without mentioning what scares me about Poran being such a massive blockbuster. The fact that its misogynistic sentiments are lost on our people is worrying. If it wasnt loosely based on a true story, I would conclude the writers never met a female specimen of their species in the entirety of their lives, prompting them to conjure up such characters.

Roman (Sariful Razz) is the go to mastan of a corrupt politician. His relationship with struggling college student Ananya (Bidya Sinha Mim) escalates from eve teasing to sexual abuse to a loving couple without a logical progression. One minute he attempts to break her jaw on a secluded street, the next he is her boyfriend (insert surprised GIF). Those of us who forgot to check our brains at the door will suffer throughout the 2hour 19mins, for the film is riddled with such contradictions. Ananya turns out to be a bully herself, using her brute of a boyfriend to threaten classmates and teachers to help her cheat on exams. He even helps her get close to her other love interest, Sifat (Yash Rohan), under the impression that Ananya needs the reluctant nerd to tutor her. Ananya, while still in a relationship with Roman, pressures Sifat to marry her. Although the two have zero chemistry, he caves (insert said GIF again). I can go on all day pointing out whats wrong with this film, but if you get it, you get it already.

However the films may be, Hawa and Poran pulled audiences into theatres, the way Marvel movies used to before they lost their sheen. If the Netflix top 10 movie list is any indication, then its safe to comment we have a preference towards films closer to our culture. Yet every Bangladeshi film last year suffered in the box office competing with Hollywood films. Shimu was released at the same time as Batman. Lal Moroger Jhuti, Nona Joler Kabbo, Chandraboti Kotha- all shared the same fate. What brought the audiences in large flocks this time around? The entertainment factor. Its like the crowd had been singing the chorus of Smells Like Teen Spirit all along, but we were busy collecting accolades, riding our high horses, reaching a grandiose technical finesse for our ever so ghola screens.

Sadia Khalid Reeti is a film critic/screenwriter and is the Showtime Editor of Dhaka Tribune

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The phenomenon of 'Hawa' vs 'Poran' - Dhaka Tribune

The work Paddy Considine has been doing in his latest job has been making people talk. The 49-year-old actor is the one who gives life to Viserys Targaryen in the successful Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon. There are not many episodes left where his character is one of the main characters, due to the illness that the king possesses.

However, his work (along with that of Matt Smith) has been strongly praised by critics and audiences alike. It is rumored to be one of the favorites for upcoming awards shows, such as the Emmys. Episode 8 of HOTD has given a lot to talk about, especially for the heartbreaking moment played by Considine and Smith's characters.

With the actor's farewell with the cast, as has already happened with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, it's time to review all the great performances of the figure. Here, check which were his best works and how to watch them on streaming.

1.Journeyman

After a decisive fight, boxer Matty Burton finds himself lying in the room. Weakened and struggling to remember things, he must give his all to recover and keep his family together.

Is not available to stream with a subscription service.

2.The Death of Stalin

On March 5, 1953, Iosif Stalin, General Secretary of the USSR, died in circumstances that have not yet been clarified. Over the course of two days, the power vacuum resulted in a fierce struggle for the succession. Among the contenders are Georgy Malenkov, the cunning Nikita Khrushchev and Lavrenti Beria, the sadistic head of the secret police.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

3.The Girl with All the Gifts

In the future, a strange fungus has turned almost the entire population into insatiable zombies. A group of children immune to the effects of the virus are the only chance to save humanity. The children are sheltered in a military base located in a village in England, where they are studied in search of a cure. Melanie, one of the girls, stands out above the rest and causes the future of the human race to depend on her.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

4.Macbeth

Protected by the deceitful prophecies of the Fateful Sisters, witches or goddesses of destiny, Macbeth decides to assassinate his king and take the crown. Aware of the horror to which he gives himself up, he forges his terrible destiny and allows himself to be possessed by the evil born of the lust for power, believing himself to be invincible and eternal.

Feature film adaptation of Shakespeares Scottish play about General Macbeth whose ambitious wife urges him to use wicked means in order to gain power of the throne over the sitting king, Duncan.

Available on HBO Max.

5.Miss You Already

Milly and Jess have been friends since they were little and have always shared everything. Although the two have grown up differently and have developed different lives, their friendship remains strong. However, this is put to the test when Milly is diagnosed with breast cancer. Milly needs her friend more than ever, but Jess must also face a drastic change in her life: she is pregnant.

Available onEPIX NOW.

6.Child 44

In 1953, Leo Demidov, an undercover Soviet police agent, loses his status, his power and his home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa, for treason. Exiled from Moscow to a shady provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov in order to track down a serial child murderer.

Available on HBO Max.

7.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Ties That Bind

A divorce case involving a landowner and his young wife spirals into something darker, drawing Whicher into the heart of the English countryside where he uncovers the most disturbing and destructive of secrets.

Available onBritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

8.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Beyond the Pale

Based on true events, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher tells the story of the Road Hill House murder, which took place in the summer of 1860 in the county of Wiltshire, United Kingdom. The Kent family home was the site of the abduction and murder of their youngest son, three-year-old Francis Saville Kent.

Available on Hoopla andBritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

9.Pride

Realizing that they have Margaret Thatcher, the police and the conservative press as their common enemies, London gays and lesbians band together to support striking coal miners in Wales in 1984.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

10.The Double

Simon is a shy man who goes unnoticed at work, is despised by his mother and ignored by the woman of his dreams. The arrival of his new co-worker, James, will change his life radically. James, physically the same as him, but completely opposite in his way of being, will begin to supplant his identity.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

11.The World's End

An immature 40-year-old man convinces his childhood friends to finish together a drinking marathon they started 20 years ago and never finished, but as they try to complete the feat, an unexpected threat emerges.

Available on HBO Max.

12.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Murder in Angel Lane

Whicher, a retired policeman meets Susan Spencer in a tavern. She is looking for her niece Mary, who has come all the way from London in search of her baby's father. But when Susan turns up dead and her baby is missing, Whicher offers his help in finding the killer.

Available on Hoopla and BritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

13.Now is Good

Tessa, a 17-year-old girl diagnosed with terminal cancer, makes it her mission to live her adolescence in fast motion. So, while her family faces fear and pain, she wants to enjoy every moment.

Available on Tubi.

14.Blitz

Blitz is a London serial killer who is killing police officers. Chief Inspector Roberts and Sergeant Brant, a tough, uncompromising and politically incorrect police detective, are tasked with trying to stop the psychopath.

Available on fuboTV.

15.The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

In 1860, Inspector Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard is sent to rural Wiltshire to investigate the murder of the three-year-old boy Saville Kent, who was snatched from his bed at night and murdered.

Available onHoopla and BritBox via Amazon Prime Video.

16.Submarine

A 15-year-old boy has two goals: to lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to keep his mother from leaving his father for a dance instructor.

Available on Tubi.

17.The Bourne Ultimatum

Jason Bourne continues his international quest to discover his true identity. From Russia to Europe, North Africa to the United States, Bourne must stay one step ahead of the people who want to capture or kill him before he has a chance to discover the truth.

Available on Peacock.

18.Cinderella Man

During the Great Depression, James J. Braddock, a retired boxer, decides to return to the ring in order to feed his family. He was not a talented boxer, but his courage, sacrifice and dignity took him to the top.

Available onSTARZ and Amazon Prime Video.

19.My Summer of Love

The affair of a rebellious young girlwith a worldly seductress affects her brother, a professing Christian.

Available on Amazon Prime Video.

20.24 Hour Party People

Manchester, 1976. The performance of the Sex Pistols in front of a capacity of 42 people changes the lives of Tony Wilson and his friends. From that night they formulate a plan that will change the face of pop music and bring notoriety to the whole city.

Available onFreevee,Kanopy, Tubi andHoopla.

21.In America

The Sullivans are an Irish family who emigrate to New York, where the father wants to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. The family lives in a ramshackle apartment in Manhattan, where they try to adapt to life in the new city. Despite the poor conditions in which they live, they all try to get by. However, the memory of Frankie, the son they lost, continues to haunt them.

Available onSTARZ and Amazon Prime Video.

1.House of the DragonAvailable on HBO Max.

2. The Outsider Available on HBO Max.

3. Peaky Blinders Available on Netflix.

4. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980 Available on Amazon Prime Video.

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Paddy Considine's filmography: What were the House of the Dragon actor's best works? - Bolavip

Illustration by Abro

The 2010s witnessed a surge in the electoral fortunes of far-right parties in Europe. Most of these parties were once languishing on the fringes of mainstream politics. But in the past decade, many of them have greatly surpassed their previous electoral performance.

Recently, the far-right Brothers of Italy won a majority in general elections in Italy. The party is likely to form the new government. It will become the third far-right regime elected in Europe since 2010. The other two are in Hungary and Poland.

In April 2022, the presidential candidate of the far-right National Front in France bagged an impressive 41.45 percent of the total vote. In the September 2022 parliamentary elections in Sweden, the far-right Sweden Democrats won the second largest number of seats.

A change of tactics by far-right parties in Europe helped them break out from the fringes. Adopting populism was the tactic. Populism is often understood as a thin ideology. It borrows ideas from the more established ideologies of the left and the right to concoct alarming narratives. Such narratives portray a party as being the voice of the people.

The surge in far-right electoral fortunes in the 2010s was largely associated with the surge in the appeal of dedicated far-right parties. In some cases, however, its more moderate parties that have opportunistically veered towards far-right rhetoric

A populist poses as a warrior fighting against the corrupt, complacent and conniving elites. Populism enhances the threat of a crisis, warning of an impending breakdown.

European far-right groups increasingly began to style their politics in a populist manner. Their mission is to safeguard their regions Christian heritage, keep out immigrants and, of course, challenge the elites. They explain globalisation, multiculturalism and liberalism as attacks on the common (Caucasian) natives of Europe who, apparently, are being replaced by non-European races. But the surge in the electoral fortunes of far-right politics is not only associated with dedicated far-right parties.

In the US and, to a certain extent, in the UK, right-wing populist figures were able to infiltrate mainstream centre-right parties and push them further to the right. It is a curious case of entryism because the roots of entryism lie in the far-left tendencies of Marxism, such as Trotskyism.

In the early 1930s, the Marxist ideologue Leon Trotsky advised communists to dissolve their limited communist groups and infiltrate mainstream parties to change their ideological orientation. Entryism became a common communist tactic. But, as it became better known, many far-right groups started to practise it as well, infiltrating moderate right-wing parties in a bid to make them adopt far-right ideas.

For example, Donald Trump in the US was a political maverick who decided to contest Republican Party primaries for the 2016 presidential elections. To distinguish himself from the partys other hopefuls, Trump tapped into far-right emotions and narratives. This excited Republican Party supporters who had for long grumbled about the partys lukewarm stands on matters of race, religion and immigration. They saw in Trump a man who was willing to transcend the established conventions of old-style conservatism and blurt out populist takes on various issues, no matter how politically incorrect the takes were. He won.

Four years later, he failed to win a second term. But he was successful in radically refashioning the ideological orientation of the Republican Party, which now leans a lot more to the right. The same was the case with the UKs Conservative Party, when the eccentric populist Boris Johnson was able to push it towards becoming a more animated right-wing outfit.

In India, before Narendra Modi became prime minister, the mainstream Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had begun to distance itself from its far-right roots. Modi, a man who was still politically and emotionally attached to BJPs roots, has restored BJPs far-right/xenophobic demeanour.

Nevertheless, the surge in far-right electoral fortunes in the 2010s was largely associated with the surge in the appeal of dedicated far-right parties. Brazils Partido Social Liberal (PSL) is a non-European example and, to a certain extent, so is Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). Yet, whereas PTI cannot be placed in the column of dedicated far-right parties, it can be compared with Hungarys ruling Fidesz party.

Fidesz emerged in 1988 as a centre-left outfit. It then began to move more to the centre. Unable to gain much electoral traction, it again shifted, but this time to the right. The party was able to somewhat increase its vote-bank in 1998. In the early 2000s, it was rocked by scandals, but the party decided to overcome this by forming an alliance with the right-wing Christian Democratic Peoples Party.

When issues such as immigration, globalisation, multiculturalism and the rise of Islamism surfaced across Europe, Fidesz found itself in an advantageous position to capitalise on these fears. The party took a populist turn by enhancing these fears and questioning liberalisms ability to safeguard Hungarys national identity and Christian heritage. It went on to win multiple elections between 2010 and 2022. It effectively turned Hungary into a conservative authoritarian state.

PTI was formed in 1995 as a centrist party. Some of its founders maintain that it was originally conceived as a left-wing outfit. They say, had this not been the case, the late Marxist Meraj Muhammad Khan would not have joined it in 1998. PTI remained on the fringes across the early 2000s, even though it began to shift to the right. This was mainly because of the influence of the mainstream Islamist party the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which PTIs chairman Imran Khan became an admirer of.

From 2007 onwards, Pakistans economy began to nosedive and Islamist violence grew manifold. Political turmoil saw the Musharraf dictatorship ousted in 2008 and the return of the countrys two main parties, the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the centre-left Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). As Islamist violence escalated and the economy continued to decline, the military establishment aided PTI to fill what it claimed was a void.

The establishments reputation was scarred during Musharrafs later years when his double game of attacking one segment of extremists but nourishing others, began to trigger unprecedented Islamist violence. Khan and his PTI were propped to divert the attention away from the establishment towards the two mainstream parties. PTI turned populist and began to demonise PPP and PML-N. It then started to blame Islamist violence on the US.

By 2021, PTI (now as a ruling party) had increasingly adopted populism, bordering on the far-right. Despite being ousted in April 2022, PTIs slide into far-right territory has continued.

In Pakistans context, this means reinforcing Islamist points of view on various social issues, working towards gaining an electoral landslide so as to control all major centres of power in the country and establishing an authoritarian regime buttressed by engineered elections.

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 9th, 2022

Continued here:
SMOKERS' CORNER: THE RESURGENCE OF THE FAR-RIGHT - Newspaper - DAWN.COM - DAWN.com

Aucklanders were as glib and apathetic as their 30% voter turnout in reacting to Wayne Browns mayoral win on Sunday morning.

Brown won Aucklands mayoralty with 144,000 votes in the preliminary count, 55,000 ahead of main rival Efeso Collins. As of 3pm on Saturday, 355,000 votes were cast in a city of 1.1m eligible voters.

Auckland Transports (AT) chair has already resigned following Browns win, and the citys new boss wants to see more heads roll after calling for the entire AT board to go.

Browns strategy to victory was focusing on turning out the older than 50 homeowners with a simple message about fixing Auckland.

So, Stuff hit the streets of central Aucklands Karangahape Road, a Sunday market in the North Shores Takapuna, and high street in Onehunga to ask:

What do you think of Wayne Browns win?

Chris McKeen

Zena reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I dont know, I havent heard anything, Im not sure. Im not sure who that is.

Chris McKeen

Amo reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Hes a good man. Thats why I voted for him. He does well with the people.

Chris McKeen

Gregory reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

What party does he represent?

Chris McKeen

Jude reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Someones got to win. Nothing I can do about it.

Chris McKeen

Fran reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I was disappointed. I dont think we need old men. Weve got enough old men.

Chris McKeen

Bailey reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I dont know. [Efeso Collins] was the only one I knew anything about.

Chris McKeen

Rusha reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

I would like to see public transport being looked at. I like the half prices for public transport at the moment theyre really, really good.

Chris McKeen

Rachel reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Never heard of him... He doesnt represent me. Im a 40-year-old Mori woman. I dont think he represents me.

Chris McKeen

Steve reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Its probably a politically incorrect thing to say, but the right person won.

Chris McKeen

Roimata reacted to the news that Wayne Brown had won the 2022 Tmaki Makaurau Auckland Mayoral election.

Im not too sure. I heard that he was also the mayor for the Far North.

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Word on the street: 'Never heard of him' - Aucklanders react to Brown mayoral win - Stuff