"Dont give Me Culture, I'm not hearing You Rob"

[Bum.Bita]

Bogan Bingo draws growing numbers





Think bingo – think clickety-click 66 and the blue rinse brigade. Think Bogan Bingo – think air guitar and mullets.

Bogan Bingo is the latest mutation of the traditionally blue-rinsed pastime to spring up in New Zealand – and it is catching on fast.

After debuting in Wellington pubs, Bogan Bingo is spreading across the country and creating a wave of enthusiasm for the once colourless numbers game among a new generation of players.

Wellington woman Claire Medcalf, a professional event organiser, introduced Bogan Bingo to New Zealand. She saw it while visiting Australia a few months ago and quickly became convinced there were enough Kiwis keen to get in touch with their inner bogan to make the event work here.

"The event is part comedy show, part bingo. It's fun and very interactive," says Medcalf. "People are encouraged to come along dressed up, so at previous events we've had lots of mullet wigs, lumberjack shirts and stubbies."

The bingo calls rhyme with songs from the 80s and 90s and the number calling is interspersed with air guitar playing. When a player fills their bingo card, they yell out "f---ing Bingo" to claim their prize.

"It's definitely very risque. There's quite a lot of obscenity, bad jokes and bad dancing – it's definitely not old person's bingo," says Medcalf. Nor is it for real bogans, as Medcalf has discovered the hard way: "We did an event in the Hutt and nobody came. Everybody knows lots of bogans live in the Hutt. It's not an event aimed at bogans – it's more for people who like getting dressed up and having an interesting time.

"It's for people who want to let their mullets down and get in touch with their inner bogan," she laughs. "It's been really successful in Australia. We're just hoping we get the same reaction over here. And so far, so good."

[commando]

Odd.