We New Zealanders have been criticised rightly for our Tall Poppy Syndrome—i.e. our propensity to criticise or otherwise ridicule those among us who succeed. And by the way I don’t believe we are alone in that or that it is necessarily a fault... I am sure that other nations do it. And those who don’t, such as Australia, are displaying an unwarranted arrogance and, in Australia’s case, a need to obviate the claim of once a convict always a convict. But we New Zealanders do knock down our achievers and it is not a good look. It’s for that reason I am reluctant to write about Sir Howard Morrison. Sir Howard died yesterday. That is sad. He will be missed. He achieved much. And was much loved. But not by me. I met him a couple of times and each time he was an arrogant son of a bitch. That’s my experience and my opinion. However, that is not important, nor is it what this Fryday is about. This Fryday is about how the media has treated Sir Howard’s death and Sir Howard’s death has been treated with an overkill bordering on the obscene. Both major television networks were live at Ohinemutu last night. Why? What did that add to the story, other than give Temuera Morrison an opportunity to grandstand? And why did the death of a man, who happens to be part Maori, give justification for Simon Dallow to deliver his introduction entirely in Maori? And as for “the great Totara has fallen” uttered by all and sundry—spare me. Even Radio New Zealand had erstwhile Howard Morrison Quartet member Wi Wharekura proclaiming that Sir Howard’s death made him (Wi) a superstar! I know that’s not Radio New Zealand’s fault, but perhaps they should have shut Wi up or not put him to air instead of him making a fool of himself. There was and no doubt will be more of this media orgy, but I have neither the time nor the space to list it, and frankly can’t be bothered. Sir Howard was a flamboyant character and, as he admitted on many occasions, an egotist. He would have loved all this media attention and considered it warranted. He was after all The Great Totara. Fair enough. But this little sapling finds it all a little sickening, that’s all.
