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Anna and Kelly Pendergrast’s latest work is More Zeros and Ones a book they edited which is published by BWB. This book brings together essays from incredibly interesting thinkers and doers who write about environmental science, law and Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recent developments in technology. I just can’t recommend this book enough. I love this blurb from BWB:
Many of today’s digital technologies inadvertently amplify the power structures and prejudices of wider society. By examining the way digital tools and platforms are designed, built, and maintained, this BWB Text aims to identify how we can do better for everyone in Aotearoa.
Anna and Kelly are founders of Antistatic a research and communications consultancy like no other I’ve come across. I got to talk to Anna and Kelly, as Antistatic, last year about their part in the Flat Earthers exhibition/book/event. Still one of the best things I’ve ever done.
I was interested in talking to Anna and Kelly about humour and laughter for several reasons. Anna and Kelly’s work is often playful and because of this I think, is able to say some pretty profound things about some of the power structures that sit in technology. Also, Anna and Kelly do a lot of work in communications - taking very complex ideas and structuring them for different purposes. I was interested in how this deep knowledge of communication gives an insight into what makes us laugh.
Ann and Kelly brought the perfect ‘thing that made them laugh’ for this kind of conversation. The Laughter Lift is a segment on the Kermode & Mayo’s Take podcast. I loved the way this opened up a conversation about jokes and the social act of telling jokes. One of the things I loved talking about was that because we often share an idea of the structure of ‘the joke’ with the people are telling jokes to, even when the joke goes wrong it is still funny because it becomes a subversion of the form.
This gives me immense hope as I am practicing my ‘bit’ for the Verb After Hours - Beyond A Joke night Thursday 3 November, 8.30pm at Meow in Wellington. To which there are still tickets available. This is a shameless self-promotion but also, the folk who are appearing in this event are amazing!!
Ep 139: romesh dissanayake chats with Pip
Ep 138: Sylvan Spring chats with Pip
Ep 137: Rachel O'Neill chats with Pip
Ep 136: Whiti Hereaka chats with Pip
Ep 135: Kerry Donovan Brown chats with Pip
Ep 134: Aaron Lister and Joan Fleming read response to Angela Lane's Phosphene
Ep 133: Jared Davidson: Blood & Dirt at Verb Festival 2023
Ep 132: Whiti Hereaka talks to Pip Adam about imagined (at the moment) art work in the project she is working on.
New series announcement
Ep 131: Zero Hours - A short story by Pip Adam
Ep 130: Annaleese Jochems and Pip Adam talk about Audition at Book Hound
Ep 129: Beyond a Joke 16 - Murdoch Stephens talks with Pip Adam about a photo of a Kastrati oil sign.
Ep 128: Beyond a Joke 15 - Joy Holley talks with Pip Adam about Bodies Bodies Bodies
Ep 127: Sasha and Achille from 5ever talks with Pip Adam
Ep 126: Beyond a Joke 14 - James Nokise talks with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours
Ep 125: Beyond a Joke 13 - Eamonn Marra talk with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours
Ep 124: Beyond a Joke 12 - Gabby Anderson talk with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours
Ep 123: A Talk about Janet Frame by Pip Adam
Ep 122: Appetites Talk about Reality TV by Pip Adam
Ep 121: Please Unlock to Ride by Pip Adam
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