Editorial: Mayor's ad lib a risque moment

There must have been some nervous Whangarei District Council PR people on Friday night.

Whangarei Mayor Morris Cutforth appeared on television show 7 Days - a comedy slash current affairs show based on the UK's hugely successful Have I Got News For You.

As Morris said at one point to comedian Paul Ego, "Now be careful, this is a family show".

Ego's response? "Not the last time I f******ing checked".

Morris had chastised Ego after the comedian asked whether, because Morris was a "virgin" mayor, he got to wear ... well, given 7 Days is an R-rated TV show and we're a family newspaper, I won't go into too much detail but it was a female anatomical reference that slightly startled our good mayor, I suspect.

Morris was taking part in a segment that challenged him to answer questions from the comedians without using the words "yes" or "no".

It could have gone horribly, horribly pear-shaped, given Morris' occasional penchant to ad lib when speaking publicly - always done with passion and earnest evocation of the attributes of Whangarei, I might add.

And ad lib he did, when answering questions about the proliferation of cannabis in Whangarei, indeed in his very own council chambers. Northland viewers might have sighed at the comedians' cliched references to cannabis, in the context of comedic current affairs, but no one got hurt. Including Morris Cutforth, who won over the comedians and studio audience with his auctioneer demonstration. If his public speaking ever attains the brevity, confidence and authority of his auction banter, look out. All good, harmless, slightly rude fun, which you can watch for yourself at the link below.

http://ondemand.tv3.co.nz/7-Days-Season-4-Ep-27/tabid/59/articleID/8652/MCat/52/Default.aspx