Muck Raking: Stuart Devenie
This month, man of many talents Stuart Devenie ponders K. Stoddard Hayes' probing questions.
Official Xena Magazine: Issue 16
Birth name: Stuart Forbes Devenie (rhymes with 'Benny').
Nicknames: Stew. As in the casserole.
Favourite word: At the moment it's 'intersectorial'. I heard it on an interview here and it made me laugh. It was a bureaucrat talking.
Hometown: Hastings, New Zealand.
Current Residence: Whangarei. It's up north. Our family's lived there for 10 years, and I commute down to Auckland to work.
Croutons or Bacon Bits? Both.
Favourite Salad Dressing: Vinaigrette.
Shampoo or Conditioner? (after an unsuccessful attempt to recall the brand name:) Eggs. Because we have ducks and chickens.
Have you ever gone skinny dipping? Yes. [No elaboration on that?] Do you want the names of the people I went with?
Do you make fun of people? Yes, sometimes.
Favourite Colour? Green.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime? No. Oh, no, can I change my mind? A bad performance in Ring Around the Moon. [That was a crime?] Well, the reviewer thought so.
One pillow or two? Two. [Cotton or feather?] Feather.
Have you any pets? Yes. A cat called Marmite, and all the antipodean readers will understand that. Do you have Vegemite over there? It's a yeast extract that you spread on bread and toast. Marmite is very New Zealand. And we have several ducks and chickens. And I have a pet eel called Neil. Neil the eel, who lives in our stream and actually comes when I call him. Friends do not believe me, but it's true.
Favourite music? (Long pause) I'll say disco.
Hobbies? Gardening, reading, chess.
Which toothpaste do you use? Sensodyne.
Favourite food? Thai food.
Favourite town to take it easy in? Berlin, because I had such a good time there.
Favourite ice cream flavour? Hokey Pokey. Everyone loves it! And you can only get it here. It's ludicrous. This ice cream could single-handedly rescue us from our economic plight.
Favourite non-alcoholic drink? Sparkling mineral water.
Adidas, Nike, Reebok or other? Where? I don't mean the location I mean where on the body? [On your feet.] Skellerup (a New Zealand brand).
Favourite cologne? Habit Rouge.
Favourite subject in school? History.
Favourite sport to watch? Watching a play.
What is your most humiliating moment? Being stopped for speeding. I just found it embarrassing and humiliating.
What is your craziest or silliest idea? That we can sort it all out. But I'll keep hoping.