New Zealand Listener – August 10, 2019

100

That’sEntertainm

T

here is a common

thread to religion, says

James Nokise, and

it’s not necessarily an

overarching belief in

an interventionist god.

“Every religion has food,”

says the performer, writer and

comedian. “It’s a lot easier to

talk philosophy and theology

when you’re eating really tasty

food.”

Nokise presents eight-part

series Yours Faithfully (TVNZ

OnDemand, Sunday), in

which he explores a range of

religions, including Rātana,

Buddhism, Hinduism,

Judaism, Sikhism and the

Latter-day Saints.

The series begins with Islam,

although Nokise and series

creator Robert Anthony were

halfway through filming

that episode when the

horrific events of March 15

unfolded in Christchurch.

“That gave

In good faith

Comedian James Nokise brings a lighter touch to a series that

looks at religions in New Zealand. by entertainment editor FIONA RAE

TV • TV REVIEW • RADIO • TV & RADIO LISTINGS

Yours Faithfully, TVNZ

OnDemand, Sunday.

another emotional beat. We’d

been in the community,

we’d met people, talked with

people, we’d been at a wed-

ding with a family just the

weekend before.”

However, it was decided

that, apart from a sup-

portive message at the

beginning, “we didn’t

want to make the

Islamic episode mas-

sively different. We

didn’t want it