The Trouble With Men

19 October 2001

The changing roles and expectations of men today, is the topic for a new documentary series to be hosted by comedian Mike King and funded by NZ On Air.

Mike King will travel the country in search of men from all walks of life. His job is to separate the reality from the myth of the modern Kiwi male.

“In The Trouble With Men, Mike will take viewers deep into the world of men and masculinity in a series where males will talk about the roles they play, their place in New Zealand society, and issues such as sex, fashion, violence and family. Mike will talk to lads and dads of all ages, backgrounds and cultural groups,” said NZ On Air’s chief executive, Jo Tyndall.

“The director’s vision is to get away from the popular theory that the pressure on men to change is entirely the result of the evolving role of women in society. The series will also look at the effect of technology, economics and globalisation on the role New Zealand men and boys play in a modern world,” said Ms Tyndall.

Producer Vincent Burke, from Top Shelf Productions, is adamant the series won’t be a letter of complaint. It will be an exploration of the ever-changing gender-based roles and stereotypes that affect both men and women, viewed from a male perspective.

“As part of the research for The Trouble With Men, we prepared a questionnaire and circulated it to a large number of men of different ages and socio-economic backgrounds. The results surprised us all. It became very clear that men are concerned about their changing role in society and would like to enter into a dialogue on the subject,” said Mr Burke.

NZ On Air has allocated $227,312 to Top Shelf Productions for six half-hour documentaries to be broadcast on TV One.

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