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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 101: Elements 15 - Point. Emma Hislop talks to Pip Adam about Daisy Johnson's short story 'The Hunt'.
Ep 100: Elements 14 – Point. Cassandra Barnett talks to Pip Adam about a Wooden Croaking Frog Percussion Instrument.
Ep 99: Elements 13 – Plot. Ash Davida Jane talks to Pip Adam about ‘Kiss of the Sun’ by Mary Ruefle and ‘pool party’ by Ash Davida Jane.
Ep 98: Elements 12 - Place. Richard Larsen talks to Pip Adam about the first Glass Vaults' album 'Glass'
Ep 97: Elements 11 - Plot. Doug Dillaman talks to Pip Adam about Formula 1: Drive To Survive S3E9
Ep 96: Elements 10 - Plot. Laura Vincent talks to Pip Adam about her poems 'ACTIVITIES' and 'Anecdotal happiness'
Ep 95: Elements 9 - Plot M. Darusha Wehm talks to Pip Adam (Special Live-streamed Episode for Wellington Rape Crisis Annual Appeal Week)
Ep 94: Elements 8 - Plot. Dan Kois talks to Pip Adam about a sound mixing board.
Ep 93: Elements 7 - Plot. Ingrid Horrocks talks to Pip Adam about water and her work Where We Swim.
Ep 92: Elements 6 – Place. Ann Shelton talks to Pip Adam about her work The Witch, Pennyroyal (Mentha sp.), 2020
Ep 91: Elements 5 - Place. Kerry Donovan Brown talks to Pip Adam about Beatrix Potter's 'The Tale of Samuel Whiskers' or 'The Roly-Poly Pudding'.
Ep 90: Elements 4 – Place. Charlie Pearson, Helen Lehndorf and Marolyn Krasner talk to Pip Adam about the postcodes 4410 to 4412.
Ep 89: Elements 3 – Place. Rose Lu talks to Pip Adam about a cleaver.
Ep 88: Elements 2 – Place. Victor Rodger talks to Pip Adam about Club Paradiso.
Ep 87: Elements 1 – Place. Michaela Keeble talks to Pip Adam about a set of juvenile pāua shell from the beach where she lives.
Announcing the Elements Series
Ep 86: Dan Kois talks to Pip Adam about 'Train Dreams' by Denis Johnson
Ep 85: Caitlin Smith talks to Pip Adam about ‘Shoulder Charge’ by Jesca Hoop and ‘Another Goodbye’ by Caitlin Smith
Ep 84: Renter Writes - Eamonn Marra and Murdoch Stephens talk to Dr Elinor Chisholm at Unity Books Wellington
Ep 83: Brannavan Gnanalingam and Pip Adam talk to Kirsten McDougall at Unity Books Wellington
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