Dai Henwood

Dai Henwood brings the laughs — and the heart — to Southland.

Before 7 Days Live lit up the Civic Theatre in Invercargill, comedy legend Dai Henwood joined me in studio for a kōrero full of laughs, insight, and a few cheeky predictions. We talked about his recent ONZM honour, what keeps 7 Days fresh after all these years, and the joy of bringing comedy to the Deep South.

Dai also opened up about his cancer journey and how using humour to tackle tough topics has deepened his connection with audiences. Plus, we played a round of “Roll the Dai” — guessing who from the 7 Days crew was most likely to crack up mid-set, get roasted by the crowd, or be last standing at the afterparty.

And yes… I may or may not have had the ultimate fangirl moment. Because honestly, the world’s a better place with Dai Henwood in it — his humour, his heart, his courage. Absolute legend.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, Southland, you're gonna need to hold onto your
pants as you might just laugh them off, because Seven
Days Live is crashing into invocago this Said day Night.
Joining us now is the one and only Dykingwood Comedy
Legend Warriors super fan and fresh of being named an
Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Let's have
a yarn and see what chaos is on its way

(00:22):
to the Civic Theater on said day night. Good morning
up the Wars.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good morning after indeed, and what a lovely intro made
me feel very serious. Oh yes, I think everyone, everyone
is going to need to hold onto their pants because
a bit of the winds ripped through the country, hasn't it.
So we're going to we're going to be bringing down
some smile.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
To soon to soon, not at all, not at all.
We've definitely got our sense of humors down here. Before
we crack into what we can expect from the seven
to Seven Days tour, let's start with the Officer of
New Zealand Order of Merit. That's massive. What does that
mean for you?

Speaker 2 (01:02):
It was huge for me. It was something that was
very unexpected. I mean I sort of felt very proud
my mum and dad sort of both got them, so
I was the old one out in the family and
we sort of completed the far No trifecta there, and

(01:22):
it was huge because I'd sort of obviously people are
aware of all my comedy stuff and that, and then
over the last five years been dealing with quite a
serious cancer diagnosis and being able to give back through
fundraising and support of other patients has been an absolute
pleasure for me, and that's something I've been very grateful

(01:45):
for being able to do. And then being sort of
recognized for it was icing on the cake and I
felt very privileged and very honored.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
And we are very privileged and honored to have you
be a part of all of those communities and give
back as well. But I'll give you and he heads up,
maybe don't talk about having a final trifector in south
And because it might mean something completely different. Let's talk
hey you.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
For you say, oh no, no, it's just having a laugh.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Yes, take it. I'll take that. You've been part of
seven days since day dot. What is keeping the so
fresh and fun for you after all these years?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Well, look, so going on the TV show is one thing,
but the live show is where it is at its
at its freshest, because I mean, all the people I'm
on tour with good friends, We get along so well.
It's the show is easy to keep fresh because it's

(02:45):
just like you're at a party with mates. I've had
a couple of drinks and talking absolute rubbish. And each
show is unique, right, so everyone who's coming along is
going to have a unique experience. Whereas with TV stuff,
you just watch the same TV show, you all see
the same stuff. Whereas everyone and goes to a different
show that is unique and you're sharing it with just

(03:09):
the people that are in that room. And the fact
that we get to come out talk about some local stories,
some international stories, whatever has been going on in the day.
Plus we do stand up at the first half of
the show. It's exciting. It puts me in a good mood.
I love to and I love being with the other performers,

(03:32):
so it's pretty easy to keep it fresh. And I
sort of just I suppose with the cancer diagnosis that
I've had, I just approach every day as a blessing,
so I just like to go out on stage and
give it my all.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
Has that changed the way you connect with audiences? I
know that, especially with the Seven Days Live tour, it
is famously unfiltered. Some would say I've heard some story
come out of them for Cargo, but as there been,
you know that no stuff's given. I'm just going to
give it all kind of attitude, or you've always sort
of been like that anyway.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, I've always been like that. I think I suppose
I'm more aware now of how grateful I am for
every show and how grateful I am for the people
who come out and share a laugh with us. And
for me, it was there was a couple of years
after my diagnosis where I wasn't public and I was
really struggling with doing stand up because I wasn't being authentic.

(04:33):
And even though I don't talk about cancer a lot
on stage, just being able to mention it, people know
what I'm going through. I feel connected to people. I've
just had out pouring us so much love from around
the country that I just love getting on stage and
giving back a few laughs to people. So no, I

(04:54):
leave it all out there, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
And you've also mentored a heap of up and coming comics.
Is there someone you think that us Southlanders should be
keeping our pulse on, you know, keeping an eye on.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's there's someone Abbie Howell's, Oh yes, who is She's
stunned to really she's been on seven days a couple
of times, she's been on various other things. I think
she's really going to be an absolute superstar. Plus, the
main thing is the actual comedy scene is very vibrant

(05:26):
at the moment, and it's even showing with Kiwi's having
great success over in Australia and unfortunately some of them
staying over there. But the thing is there's always always
young ones coming through. But Abbie Howells keep an eye on.
And also if you get the chance to go and
see some comedy, just go and see it because you'll

(05:48):
be surprised by people who you don't even know.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
Okay, I've got one more for you. We've got a
stack line up, Jeremy Haley, Paul, Josh been justing, So
yeah for a game, can we roll the die?

Speaker 2 (06:02):
Hey, let's roll the die?

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Okay? Who is most likely to just crack up and
lose it mid set?

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Josh Thompson get roasted by the crowd, yes, and mainly
get roasted by us, to be honest, So he both
comes off stage.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
Just have an absolute shocker and forget where they are,
what stage of the tour they are, and just get
a roasting again from the crowd.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
And you guys, yeah, hey, once again it's Josh Thompson.
I'll tell you why. He a couple of years back
he had sort of not a broken leg, but his
leg was in a moon boot. And he went out
there and all his opening bit was always about his leg.
And he got out there and he just completely forgot

(06:49):
what he is going to say, and he just stood
there awkwardly while the crowd's looking at him, and Paul
yells from the side of stage, tell them about your leg.
Tom O's oh, then he said, talking about his legs,
So he crops up quite a lot. To be honest.

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Well, that's funny because my last roll the dye question
was be the last one standing at the afterparty speaking
of legs.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Oh, I reckon, Justine Smith.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
Oh I was going to go, Hailey sprout interesting.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
To be honest, Haley and Juzzy they roll as a combo.
So if Jessie's still standing, so as Hailey, Like.

Speaker 1 (07:25):
Every good woman needs a wing woman. So but before
I let you go, I just have to take away moments,
So excuse me while I have a full blown fangirl moment,
because young Chitty, she would never forgive herself if I
didn't take a second to say this, Die, thank you.
You've had me cackling since Roll the Die, and honestly,
the world is a better place just because you're in

(07:47):
your humor, your heart, your courage. It's all magic. So
from me and probably most of New Zealand, cheers for
sharing your gifts with us.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Oh Cura, you've really pumped. I'm ready to have the
stage now. We're in tod On tonight and we're going
to be flying by the time we get down to
the mighty South London.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
Well that's probably a good thing, because I've heard it's
not a show at the Civic or in Southland without
a couple of our audience interactions amongst themselves, if you
know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yes, we will not talk about the one show that
we did at the end of Great Day.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
I'm please you bought it for die Hu would absolutely
jin Thank you so much for having our cordo and
just make sure you catch him and the Seven Days
crew this Saturday night at the Civic Theaterre and of Vicago.
It's going to be one wild night. Don't miss out
tickets via the Seven Days website. Thanks DIY, Thanks he