Gary McCormick has spilled the beans on a comedic, late-night naked spa pool encounter as he remembers decades of friendship with Sir Tim Shadbolt that began in the cells of Wellington Police Station.
Shadbolt died yesterday after a long illness.
The former long-time Invercargill Mayor, also known over six decades for his serial public office candidacies, family and work controversies, reality TV appearances, and student radicalism – he once spent 25 days in Mt Eden jail after refusing to pay a $50 fine for saying bullshit – was 78.
Among Shadbolt’s many high-profile gigs were nationwide live debates against politicians alongside fellow personality McCormick and cartoonist and writer Tom Scott.
McCormick told Andrew Dickens on Newstalk ZB of a time Shadbolt left him and his girlfriend in hysterics after an unexpected naked spa pool encounter at a “lovely” hilltop lodge in Alexandra.
Neither man was “the sort of guys who like to throw our gear off and run around naked”, but after Shadbolt turned down his invitation to go to the lodge spa after a show, McCormick and his girlfriend decided to ditch their swimwear.
However, after bumping into the couple as they walked to the spa, the veteran mayor said he’d changed his mind, and the pair dashed back to get their togs, McCormick said.
“This is about 11.30 at night ... and we’re in the spa in our togs looking very sensible and prim and proper.
“And all of a sudden I see this great, white whale lumbering towards the spa pool completely naked. Because Tim obviously thought we were going to be naked. Therefore, it was right for him to be naked.”
His mate was halfway into the spa pool before he realised his mistake, McCormick said.
“He slumped back and went crash on the pavement next to the spa pool. And then we were all hysterical laughing.”
He and Shadbolt met after both were arrested when then-Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon closed down a Māori tent embassy on Parliament grounds, McCormick told Dickens.
“I just felt people should be allowed to go to Parliament grounds and set up an embassy if they want, I mean, where else can you go? Tim had the same attitude and we ended up in the cells at Wellington Police Station for the day, with great music and entertainment, I might add. I think it was about 40 of us.”
Experiences such as this allowed the natural storyteller to “wing it” on their later debates tour, McCormick said.
“He wasn’t terribly interested in doing a lot of prep and he didn’t really need to because his life experiences, ranging from 42 arrests to 35 years in local government, not to mention all the other stories he had because people would always introduce themselves.”
Those life experiences put Shadbolt behind bars with some tough characters, but the Bullshit & Jellybeans author was also a boxing champion on his Manapouri power project crew.
“He was fearless. You know, it never occurred to Tim to hesitate because something could be overwhelming and he might be in dangerous territory ... he could handle himself and he certainly wasn’t afraid.”
McCormick wasn’t sure Shadbolt would “handle the boring meetings” of local government, “but he did stick it out – and full credit to him”.
“Tim was the last great charismatic speaker in the sort of Labour [working people] tradition. He was able to stand on the soapbox ... and people would listen. They’d immediately be drawn to him by his charisma.
“Once in a car park after we’d done a show, he said, ‘I think I’ll become Prime Minister of New Zealand’.”
McCormick was dubious, but soon after Shadbolt turned up in Invercargill, where he served 27 years as mayor over two stints.
“I thought, maybe he’s right. Maybe he might move on from there and become Prime Minister of New Zealand. And in a way, it’s a pity he didn’t.”