The Traitors NZ host gives her take on the state of the world.

Due to the fact she didn’t have enough strings to her bow – actor, director, writer – Madeleine Sami has taken on a new gig, host of reality show The Traitors NZ. Sami, who has been on our screens since her time on Shortland Street in the 90s, replaces a very different presenter, Paul Henry, to bring her unique blend of humour and theatrics to the show. 

Here, she laments humankind’s empathy deficit and recommends kiwifruit and K-pop.

What bothers you most about the world right now?
Where do I start? The bad guys are in charge and are funding our leaders who are also BAD GUYS! Our system has never been more obviously corrupt but we’re all too Black Mirrored up to our eyeballs to take a stand. I don’t know how to fix this but I know it has to change. And maybe we all just need to take a deep breath, grow some flaps and start fighting for our future. 

What sort of people do you avoid?
People that are too earnest. I love to laugh! I grew up around a bunch of jokers and people that take life too seriously are… irksome. 

What makes you want to get up in the morning?
Perimenopause lol. I’m literally waking up all through the night. Why did no one tell me about this stuff man?! How did our mums get through this? It’s rude to get to this age and suddenly feel like your body isn’t yours anymore. I am one year in to what I think is my perimenopause journey and its a mind fuck. So little research. So little help out there for women. So, at the moment, I’m trying to get my body strong so my brain can be strong and my bones can be strong and I can open a pickle jar when I’m 80. 

How do you hold onto hope in these crazy times?
I hold on to my love and my loves. I think humankind is in a serious empathy deficit and we all need to start seeing ourselves in others more and remembering what being part of an “in person” community feels like. I’m thinking of installing a landline. 

What is the single best quality a human can have?
Kindness. 

What’s over-rated?
Capitalism.

What’s under-rated?
Kiwifruit. We get a bit blasé about them in New Zealand but I’m in Australia at the moment and they’re $2.49 at my local IGA! They’re fruit gold! They’re also really great for your guts and sleeping. 

If you could have a do-over, what would you change?
Colonialism. Just give all the money and artifacts back to all of the countries you stole from, and pay us all for our generational trauma, please. 

What brings you joy?
Making up dance fights with my kid to K-pop. Strolling through the streets talking shit with my love. Date night at Ooh-fa. 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Floss regularly.

What advice do you wish you’d never followed?
No regrets, guys. But I do wish I had never tried the damn lemon detox diet. IYKYK. 

Tell us about a controversial opinion you hold.
I have a soft spot for blowflies. They’re just anxious dudes and are way better than house flies, who want to shit on all your food and fly around your face. Whenever I have a blowfly in the house I always just talk gently to it and try to usher it out a window. They’re sweet, stressed out guys and I have a lot of time for them. 

When you’re feeling low, what helps?
Walking and music and friends. 

In what ways is public-facing Madeleine Sami different to private Madeleine Sami?
I feel like they’re pretty much the same? Except I’m more likely to let my rage out privately. I have a lot of rage. The beauty of getting to your 40s is you can’t hold back the rage anymore. IT’S THE PERIMENOPAUSE! 

Last question: Give us some life advice.
Oh lord. I don’t think I’m qualified to give life advice on anything! I will say these feel like worrying times and we all need to stay engaged and hold our elected leaders accountable. My life advice is VOTE!