Shag marry kill is not a death threat

The Herald reports:

A Labour MP is accusing Act’s Paul Henry of making a “death threat” against leader Chris Hipkins in a radio game, but the former broadcaster says there was no “violent rhetoric” and it was “plainly humour”. 

Hipkins told the Herald: “With political leaders around the world actually being shot and killed, Paul Henry should know better”.

“New Zealanders expect leaders who take their responsibilities seriously, not treat politics like a circus audition.”

But Henry said he was “completely dumbfounded by their reaction”.

The new Act candidate was on Radio Hauraki this morning and asked to play a “quick game of shoot, shag, marry”.

It’s a variation of a parlour game in which participants are asked to choose between three people, in this instance, one to shoot, one to shag and one to marry.

The options given to Henry were Labour leader Chris Hipkins, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and Prime Minister and National leader Christopher Luxon. 

“You’ve got to shoot Hipkins, haven’t you?” Henry said. “There is no question … You’ve got to shoot Hipkins. You’ve given me three choices, to be fair.”

Hipkins looks like a humourless pillock when he labels this a death threat. It does a disservice to those who get real death threats.

I suspect the vast majority of NZers have played shag marry kill, often with famous people. Hell, I’ve been at a party where people (most in attendance were female) played it, going through each parliamentary caucus.

One can certainly have a view that MPs and candidates should avoid playing the game on radio and television broadcasts. Australian PM Anthony Albanese got into trouble saying his choice for date, shag, marry would be Kylie Minogue for all three. It’s not compulsory to take part.

But to label Paul Henry’s comments as a death threat, as Ayesha Verall has is hysterical nonsense. It has been noted on X that a Green Party candidate has said far far far worse, and the media have basically ignored him.