John Cowan hosts ‘Real Life’, a weekly nationwide chat show on Newstalk ZB featuring a different high-profile guest every week. John talks with them about their life, their upbringing, their passions and their view of the world.

Real Life With John Cowan

Julie Chapman - KidsCan Founder

Ben grew up in Otaki and went to Paraparaumu College. He is a self-taught computer coder and at the age of 12 those skills saw him inventing a GPS wristband that allowed hospitals and visitors to trace patients. This invention won him the youth category of Wellingtonian of the Year in 2016.After a gap year in Canada he launched his own company "Random42 Limited". The company dealt with water-monitoring technology and portable wind turbines. With many of his clients being down south, he made the move down there.In October 2022 Ben became Gore's youngest mayor at 23 years old.

<div>Ben grew up in Otaki and went to Paraparaumu College. He is a self-taught computer coder and at the age of 12 those skills saw him inventing a GPS wristband that allowed hospitals and visitors to trace patients. This invention won him the youth category of Wellingtonian of the Year in 2016.</div>
<div>After a gap year in Canada he launched his own company "Random42 Limited". The company dealt with water-monitoring technology and <a tabindex="-1"></a>portable wind turbines. With many of his clients being down south, he made the move down there.</div>
<div>In October 2022 Ben became Gore's youngest mayor at 23 years old.</div>

Ben Bell - Mayor of Gore

A popular contestant on Have You Been Paying Attention, comedian Melanie Bracewell has also appeared on The Project, Triple J, and Thank God You're Here. She was a contestant on the fourth series of Taskmaster NZ.


Melanie has contributed as a writer to 7 Days, Have You Been Paying Attention, Wellington Paranormal, and Mean Mums. She is also an experienced radio announcer and has worked as a producer and announcer at the popular radio station Radio Hauraki for six years, where she also hosts her own weekend show.


Melanie's first solo show, Brace Yourself, won Best Newcomer at the NZ Comedy Festival, and in 2018, she won the prestigious Billy T Award for her second solo show, Melodrama. In 2021, she had a sell-out season of The Rumours Are True at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, won the Director's Choice Award, and launched herself as the host of the Network 10 series The Cheap Seats. Melanie won Best Script: Comedy for her episode on Wellington Paranormal at the NZ Television Awards. In 2022, Melanie toured through Australia with her show, Ooh La La. She was also nominated for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. In 2023, The Cheap Seats won the Logie for Most Outstanding Entertainment Show.

<p>A popular contestant on Have You Been Paying Attention, comedian Melanie Bracewell has also appeared on The Project, Triple J, and Thank God You're Here. She was a contestant on the fourth series of Taskmaster NZ.</p>
<p><br class="html-br">Melanie has contributed as a writer to 7 Days, Have You Been Paying Attention, Wellington Paranormal, and Mean Mums. She is also an experienced radio announcer and has worked as a producer and announcer at the popular radio station Radio Hauraki for six years, where she also hosts her own weekend show.</p>
<p><br class="html-br">Melanie's first solo show, Brace Yourself, won Best Newcomer at the NZ Comedy Festival, and in 2018, she won the prestigious Billy T Award for her second solo show, Melodrama. In 2021, she had a sell-out season of The Rumours Are True at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, won the Director's Choice Award, and launched herself as the host of the Network 10 series The Cheap Seats. Melanie won Best Script: Comedy for her episode on Wellington Paranormal at the NZ Television Awards. In 2022, Melanie toured through Australia with her show, Ooh La La. She was also nominated for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. In 2023, The Cheap Seats won the Logie for Most Outstanding Entertainment Show.</p>

Melanie Bracewell - Comedian

This week John's guest will be Peter Beck. Peter is a Kiwi entrepreneur who founded the aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider Rocket Lab. 

Peter grew up in Invercargill, born into a family who loved machines. A toolmaking apprenticeship at Fisher & Paykel gave him hands-on engineering skills and access to top-of-the-line machinery and materials after hours.

Peter began building rockets at an early age, steadily increasing their size and complexity. He set up Rocket Lab in 2006 and has taken the world by storm.

An award-winning engineer, Peter has been presented with the Gold Medal from the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Meritorious Medal from the New Zealand Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Cooper Medal and the Pickering Medal from the Royal Society of New Zealand. In addition, in recognition of Mr Beck’s outstanding contributions to aerospace, entrepreneurship and technical innovation he was appointed as an adjunct professor in aerospace engineering by the University of Auckland.

<p>This week John's guest will be Peter Beck. Peter is a Kiwi entrepreneur who founded the aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider Rocket Lab. </p>
<p>Peter grew up in Invercargill, born into a family who loved machines. A toolmaking apprenticeship at Fisher &amp; Paykel gave him hands-on engineering skills and access to top-of-the-line machinery and materials after hours.</p>
<p>Peter began building rockets at an early age, steadily increasing their size and complexity. He set up Rocket Lab in 2006 and has taken the world by storm.</p>
<p>An award-winning engineer, Peter has been presented with the Gold Medal from the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Meritorious Medal from the New Zealand Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Cooper Medal and the Pickering Medal from the Royal Society of New Zealand. In addition, in recognition of Mr Beck’s outstanding contributions to aerospace, entrepreneurship and technical innovation he was appointed as an adjunct professor in aerospace engineering by the University of Auckland.</p>

Julie Chapman - KidsCan Founder

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