Variety's the SPICE OF LIFE

Michèle sings the praises of an awards show she herself has a gong from

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It's a joy to be in a room filled with entertainers – that beautiful bunch of people who earn a living doing the thing they love.

We are, I feel, the luckiest people.

I was recently an emcee for the 2025 Variety Artists Club awards. The VAC has been around since 1966, established to foster collegiality amongst performers and to encourage professional development.

The night is a who's who of entertainment legends. I was sharing a table with singer Tom Sharplin, Richard “Rocky Horror” O'Brien, plus VAC patrons David Hartnell and Gray Bartlett.

As established as they are, the Benny Awards (named for the original winner of the supreme award, magician Edgar Benyon) have a strong focus on celebrating current faces in New Zealand entertainment.