Comedians Go To Heart Of Matter (Press, 6 July 1989)

On 6 July 1989, the New Zealand television programme "Heartline" was being filmed, featuring presenter Joanna Paul and the comedy duo "Funny Business," consisting of Willy de Wit and Peter Murphy. The programme aimed to educate viewers on preventing heart disease, the leading cause of death in New Zealand, using an engaging and comedic approach. During filming, Paul playfully remarked that the show's set resembled a "gay spiders’ hang-out," despite it being designed to represent the inside of a cleverly constructed artery. Willy de Wit noted that portraying red corpuscles in the show was one of the more unconventional roles the duo had taken on, surpassing even their more conventional work in advertisements for Harvey Farm chickens. The comedic twist of their roles often bewildered people when they learned that they were playing red blood cells for a health-focused show. "Heartline" follows a similar format to the earlier programme "Cancerline," which aired in 1987. Producer Dave Gibson explained that the new show also emphasised prevention over treatment and has incorporated a mixture of former "Cancerline" cast members and new comedians. Gibson's production company in Wellington was also working on a subsequent series of "Public Eye" and a safe sex programme set to air in September. The comedic team of "Funny Business" contributed their own sketches to "Heartline." De Wit mentioned the challenge of balancing humour with educational content, revealing that research for the show was enlightening. He shared a personal connection to the heart health theme, stating that his father suffers from angina, which made the project resonate more deeply with him. De Wit and Murphy based their sketches on biological knowledge acquired through research, including the specifics of how corpuscles function, such as their remarkable ability to circulate through the body numerous times a day. As the filming progressed, the comedians were close to finalising their scripts for a second series, with filming anticipated to begin later in the year. The collaborative blend of humour and informative content in "Heartline" aimed to effectively reach and educate the audience on vital health information concerning heart disease.

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