RIP Jon Gadsby

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
12
28

1449955911741

Kiwi writer and comedian Jon Gadsby dies
Tributes are flowing for legendary New Zealand comedian and actor Jon Gadsby who has died.

The 62-year-old’s family revealed in October he was battling cancer and those closest to him were rallying around. Fans and former colleagues of Gadsby took to social media to post tributes.

Peter Rowley, who starred with Gadsby on several popular Kiwi TV productions, including McPhail and Gadsby, posted on Facebook: “RIP Jono … “Added Dave Ward: “RIP Jon Gadsby. True Kiwi entertainment came from true Kiwis teaching us that it’s okay to laugh at ourselves. Thoughts and prayers Peter Rowley, and to his family and friends. Arohanui.”

Jon Gadsby was a fundamental part of my identity as a NZer. His political satire  show with David McPhail (McPhail & Gadsby) in the 1980s was pure genius.

The idea that you could mock the powerful on State TV is an idea totally alien to the gatekeepers who run media now. His passing is made more enormous by the total lack of any real political satire now.

Rest in Peace Jon, you’ve earned it.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. Yes JG was also a good musician as well as an aspirant poet. It was John from good old ‘Invers’ who won the heart of more than one chick we long haired guys were chasing at Otago Univ in the good old days of capping mags , serious inter faculty rugby , drinking Blues , viva- orals and repeats, Bs Cs and student protest.
    To think that we did not realise we were sitting in the company of a Kiwi treasure is astonishing.
    Bugger

  2. I remember so well “A Week of It; McPhail & Gadsby; Issues . . .” wouldn’t have missed them for anything…..he was taken too soon, we need him now more than ever . . .
    Tragic loss.

    • Yeah, they were really good. Those were the days you could lampoon politicians without the fear of having the police or some G-man spy agent paying you “a little visit” the next day.
      It is when you think back to what we had, it becomes very apparent what we have lost.
      Thanks Jon for helping us laugh at ourselves!

  3. McPhail and Gadsby were my regular TV diet when they were regularly on television, I am sorry that Jon passed away so early in his life, he deserved some more time with his loved ones and friends.

    But there we go, we cannot determine ourselves, when our time is up, sooner or later all things end.

    Sympathy for those closest to him, RIP Jon.

  4. (OMG . I didn’t know he’s passed away.)

    Yes I’ll always remember him with McPhail , and the superb comedy sketches,
    – Political Satire , a well appreciated reality check to provide balance through humour..
    When NZers were true blue Kiwis, and NZ was still an intact nation, and more importantly, families had weekends off, to spend together.

    THEN THE TRAITORS SET TO WORK.. (1980’s)TO DESTROY the NATION
    (The rest is history)

  5. NEW ZEALANDERS (ALL INDIGENOUS) SHALL/ SHOULD MOURN.

    NEW ZEALAND – “KIWI” Culture/ Nation is DEAD.

    Jon Gadsby was an icon of it/ a last reminder.

    Thanks to TRAITORS/SUBVERTORS
    (We KNOW who you are)

    THE KIWI is DEAD.

    FLOOD the Nation with mass immigration= MORE “tax payers” $$$$$ for the “OVERSEAS MONEY LENDERS”

    (“Globalisation” = ONE WORLD GOVT = eg Dilute & KILL NZ /KIWI /Nation/OUR culture/ private businesses/livlihoods)
    REDUCE all our State enterprises into international $$$ business for Profit/ shareholders $$$$
    COMMERCIALISE ALL LIFE how we knew it into $$$ Value only.

    =TREASON.

    And LIFE got WORSE for Families

  6. Thanks for making us laugh Jon.

    McPhail & Gadsby, a true Kiwi classic, courtesy of the exceptional talents of Jon Gadsby and David McPhail. Loved it.

    RIP Jon.

  7. I worked on a TVC once with Jon. He was real, cool, tried and true.
    NZ is a lesser nation today. Break a leg bro.

  8. Whence come such another? Never!

    We were honoured to have him touch our lives, albeit fleetingly, and through the glass mono-vision of our television sets.

    Thank you, Jon, for allowing us to laugh at ourselves.

  9. His passing’s a gift isn’t it ? Doesn’t it remind us of what we were conned into giving away thus inspires us to reclaim it surely? Our humanity, our brother and sister hood , our money, our time on our Earth, our resources and our dignity?
    Isn’t satire just an hilarious way of being deadly serious ?
    Wasn’t that the gift given to us by Jon Gadsby, and his colleagues of course?

    I don’t know about you but I look back and grind my teeth as I laugh my head off. What a great legacy to leave for all of us to draw from.

  10. It was my late teenage early adult years when Jon Gadsby & David McPhail were in their prime & its a shame (no doubt organised by NZ on air refusing to fund) nothing is produced today to highlight the faults of the ruling ministers.
    To my mind the early death at 62 is another tragedy with big food happy to promote food & drink that while enjoyable to consume is lacking in nutrients to prolong life or even worse loaded with chemicals from various sources that cause problems in our bodies. Obviously it is wrong to force people to eat only healthy foods but the advertising on MSM has created a lack of knowledge for most people so chronic conditions continue to increase with many unaware that changing the balance of their diets can improve their health. Nothing is certain in life & genetic faults exist so there is no guarantee for any of us so all I hope for is improvement in the knowledge available to consumers about their food choices.

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