Comment: Paul Hickey - Local tourism, remakes on the way and The Hits Pop 100 Countdown

Paul Hickey from The Hits. Photo / File

COMMENT
Here comes the weekend and normally we're all set to welcome it with open arms.

But this week I've sensed a bit of nervousness among locals as the Auckland border restrictions have been eased, and the potential of Auckland visitors heading our way once again.

In our city it is a catch-22 isn't it? While Auckland was in lockdown, there was a noticeable difference in the number of domestic visitors in town.

So we need that massive market of Aucklanders to ensure our local tourism and hospitality businesses can stay standing, but that worry about a certain virus is making people second guess the value of it.

We need them here, it is a fact. And while they can visit we need to embrace them (not literally) and just follow all the guidelines set out by the experts.

***

When it comes to deciding what to watch on TV nowadays the options seem endless with Netflix, Neon, Disney, Amazon, plus your good old regular broadcast TV.

It was certainly interesting to read earlier this week that a new study of audiences and news consumption showed that the most popular site, station or channel among Kiwis is now YouTube, overtaking TVNZ 1, with a daily reach of 51 per cent of the overall New Zealand audience.

But while the way we watch television has evolved, it seems ideas can struggle.

I see that another couple of remakes are in the pipeline, where Zac Efron is all grown-up for his latest movie.

He's set to star in a remake of the beloved 1987 comedy Three Men and a Baby for Disney+.

The adaptation will mark the second remake of the French original which inspired the 80s hit film starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson as New York bachelors who find themselves caring for an infant through bizarre circumstances.

No word on a release date yet.

And at least with this next remake it is changing a wee bit. In fact you could say it is getting flipped, turned upside down.

Nineties comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is coming back and Will Smith is on board, but it's not going to be like the Fresh Prince you remember.

The new version has reimagined the show as a drama called Bel-Air with essentially the same plot as the original, but with a much darker vibe, focused on the realities of a teen being sent from West Philadelphia to live with his rich uncle in Bel-Air after getting himself into some trouble. Now that has me intrigued.

***

This week on The Hits, we have popped the question - "What is the greatest pop song of all time?"

I'm pretty excited about The Hits Pop 100 Countdown happening next Friday where we will find the answer to the question, but we can only get there if you tell us what that song is, according to you!

Maybe it's an 80s anthem, a 90s banger, or one of today's hottest hits?

Text the word POP and then your vote to 4487 to help us put the countdown together, and if your pick comes in at number 1, you'll be in to win $1000.

If you want some ideas, listen right through next week as I play some contenders, and then Friday, September 11 we roll out the Pop 100 from 8am. It will be one big day that pops and pops, until we get to the top!

Paul Hickey is the host of the locally based 9am-3pm show on The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM. Follow on Facebook The Hits Rotorua and on Twitter @paulhickeynz