TV show wins quote of the year
It’s featured on American talkshows, made headlines across the world and was labelled a defining moment of New Zealand’s longest-running soap opera. Now, the Shortland Street penis line has been named Quote Of The Year.
The infamous line entered the New Zealand psyche on February 10 when Michael Galvin (playing Dr Chris Warner) delivered the line he called a rare acting gift from the show’s scriptwriters.
‘‘We live for these kinds of things. I was so excited about the scene, when it came to do it I didn’t want to ruin it,’’ he said.
But the scene truly took off online three days later when a snippet was posted on Facebook. In it, Warner says, ‘‘Please tell me that’s not your penis’’, as dramatic Shortland Street music plays. His son, Harry, looks mortified.
The quote was the TV show’s ‘‘cliffhanger of the year’’, according to producer Maxine Fleming. US comedian Jimmy Kimmel called it ‘‘a hell of a cliffhanger’’ when he spoofed it on air.
Fleming called the line a gift that keeps on giving, after hearing they had won Quote Of The Year for 2017.
‘‘We all knew around the writers table that we had something special when script producer Nick Malmholt came up with the line, but none of us had any idea that it was going to get the huge response that it has received.‘‘
Announcing this year’s winner, Massey University speech writing specialist Dr Heather Kavan said the line’s success was multifaceted. ‘‘The suspense is laughably theatrical, rather than anxiety-inducing, and therefore many people enjoy hearing it again.’’
The line beat a savage burn by Winston Peters against Gareth Morgan, political commentary about Peter’s post-election power from journalist Ali Ikram, and former deputy prime minister Paula Bennett talking about her ‘‘new feather-duster status’’.
A campaign from Rainbow Youth came second in the public vote. In an advert by the advocacy group, actor Jatinder Singh delivered the line: ‘‘It’s deeply disappointing but it’s not gay.’’