Two handsome Kiwi icons have been rollerblading the length of the country for
a new TV show, Blade NZ: New Zealand 8 Wheels at a Time.
Okay, so they aren't really icons, or particularly handsome, but Spy reckons comedic duo in-the-making Matt Earle and Josh Hall are ones to watch - and deserve credit for trying to bring back the mullet and rollerblades.
The pair confess their trendsetting style was a practical move: "The mullet is a practical haircut for life on the road. We started the trip with quite big mops of hair and, before long, realised it just wasn't going to work.
"It's pretty unsafe blading along a highway with hair blowing into your eyes. So we decided to cut each other's hair. It was the only cut either of us was confident in nailing. And boy, did we nail it." said Earle.
The former scarfies met at university in Dunedin 10 years ago. They were living in the same hall and quickly bonded over music, short films and comedy. Since then they have flatted together on and off, as well as travelled together, always working on silly projects and having a laugh.
Their work is good. They know how to get the best out of the classic Kiwi characters they meet, including the self-proclaimed pirate who gave them hitch-hiking tips and the rough-looking possum hunter who scared them at first, but ended up being the most kind-hearted person the duo met on their journey.
Watching them on the blades can be unnerving - you want them to get off the road before someone is hurt.
"There were a few dicey moments on the highways, but all in all we managed to keep pretty safe.
"The real trouble occurred in the off-road areas, such as blading down to Cathedral Cove or over the Tongariro mountain pass." said Hall.
Blade NZ will screen on TVNZ On Demand, from tomorrow, with two episodes a week.