NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

James Weir: How to succeed in business without really trying

By James Weir
news.com.au·
15 Jun, 2019 09:48 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

For years, we laughed at these people - but they're finding success by doing something we don't. Photo / AP

For years, we laughed at these people - but they're finding success by doing something we don't. Photo / AP

Opinion

COMMENT:

It is official: we are the stupid ones.

After years of rolling our eyes at reality TV contestants and people who are famous mainly for having really white teeth, we fell behind the eight ball. Somewhere along the way, these people who we relentlessly mock took over the world and are now calling the shots.

And we all look like suckers — with nothing to show for it but bitterness and not-white teeth, reports news.com.au.

Kim Kardashian has somehow become Donald Trump's unofficial Vice President. She was hanging out at the White House again this week where she gave a speech about criminal justice reform issues.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Did you see it? If you woke up on Friday morning and flipped on the news only to see out-of-context footage of Kim standing behind a podium with an American flag in the background and Donald Trump by her side, you would've experienced a unique sensation of disoriented terror. Or at the very least, wondered when a Legally Blonde 3 was released.

Before you scoff at Kim's presence at the White House, please be informed that — as well as wearing a Very Serious Blazer — she had cut her hair into a Very Serious Bob.

A blazer and a bob? I don't care who someone is — if they have both a blazer and a bob, I'll believe anything they say.

You can do anything as long as you have a blazer and a positive attitude. Photo / Instagram
You can do anything as long as you have a blazer and a positive attitude. Photo / Instagram

What's great about Kim's foray into the White House is no one else wants to be associated with Trump, so she has open slather. Kim sees opportunity and strikes. Another example of why we're all the stupid ones. In 2019, it is ignorance that will get you ahead, and if you're striving to not be ignorant then that is the most ignorant thing you can do.

Kim's not the only one taking over the world in a stylish blazer. Jessica Biel is now the world's most famous anti-vaxxer. Okay, apparently she insists she's not an anti-vaxxer. But she showed partial support for anti-vaxxers this week when she attended an important-looking conference with Californian legislators to oppose SB277 — a state bill which would limit medical exemptions from vaccines.

Discover more

Entertainment

Madonna reveals men offered her record deals for sex

15 Jun 08:32 PM
Royals

Meghan urged to stop spending 'huge quantities of money'

15 Jun 08:40 PM
Lifestyle

'Grotty' idea that made mum a fortune

15 Jun 08:46 PM
Business

Want to use your phone less? Here's what you need to figure out first

15 Jun 08:37 PM

We assume all the legislators were scratching their heads as to why the chick from '90s family drama 7th Heaven was sitting in front of them, but apparently she has a lot of influence when it comes to the state senate.

A report on Jezebel quoted a confused legislative staffer who witnessed Jessica's meeting and the only real takeaway was Justin Timberlake's wife mentioned the word "corporations" a lot. Again, if someone starts throwing around the word "corporations" while also wearing a blazer, I'll believe anything they bloody say.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jessica and Kim documented their efforts on Instagram. Of course. As the old adage goes, if you fight the good fight in a blazer and don't post about it, did it even happen?

A slap to the face for all Millennials

Speaking of old adages that still ring true, you can't have your avo toast and live in it too.

But in a kick to the guts to all those young people who complain about not being able to crack the property market, Married At First Sight cheater Jessika has become the only millennial in history to buy a house.

Jessika — whose penchant for cheating and lip fillers brought her to national attention — proudly declared on the reality show she wasn't entirely sure where her money came from.

What she lacks in blazers and bobs she makes up for with lips and cheating scandals. Photo / Instagram
What she lacks in blazers and bobs she makes up for with lips and cheating scandals. Photo / Instagram

"I don't know how I keep getting money … My dad's like, 'Do you need $5,000?' and I'm like, 'Yes, daddy!'" she splattered on the series earlier this year.

I bet you just rolled your eyes at that statement but apparently it's a terrific finance model because it has resulted in the purchase of an investment property for Jessika.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"As some of you may know I've recently done some adulting and proud to say I have just received the keys to my FIRST investment property in Perth!" she shared on Instagram, and we had to re-read that to make sure she didn't write "adultering".

The theme for today's column? Ignorance will get you to the white house but it will also get you a regular house.

And wear blazers. Lots of blazers.

And speaking of Millennials…

When did young people become such prudes? I was locked in a room with a bunch of them this week where I was forced to explain what I do for work — which is always embarrassing because my job description reads more like the daily schedule of someone who's between jobs rather than at one.

They looked confused when I said I watch TV and then tell people about it. At first they were confused because they didn't know what a TV was but then things took a turn when they started attacking the social impact of reality shows and raising the alarm about how the earth will be destroyed.

One of these 20-year-olds was wearing a glasses chain ironically and I swear she was about to demand a detailed report on how many carbon emissions my TV recaps produce.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

These tweens in glasses chains did not take me seriously at all and obviously I should've worn a blazer like Kim and Jessica.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

How healthy is chicken breast?

18 Jun 06:00 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

I thought I was a ‘moderate’ drinker until I started tracking my alcohol

18 Jun 12:00 AM

Sponsored: Embrace the senses

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

Watch: Monteith’s Wild Food Challenge final returns to Auckland after 11 year hiatus

18 Jun 06:32 AM

A live cook-off featured ox heart, wapiti, wild boar and plenty of edible wildlife.

Premium
How healthy is chicken breast?

How healthy is chicken breast?

18 Jun 06:00 AM
Premium
I thought I was a ‘moderate’ drinker until I started tracking my alcohol

I thought I was a ‘moderate’ drinker until I started tracking my alcohol

18 Jun 12:00 AM
Premium
UK sculptor claims NZ artwork copied his design, seeks recognition

UK sculptor claims NZ artwork copied his design, seeks recognition

17 Jun 10:23 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP