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Nik Dirga

@nikdirga.bsky.social

120 followers 100 following 220 posts

RNZ Digital Explainer editor and AAP journalist, indefatigable blogger, cartoonist and creator of small press comic Amoeba Adventures, website nikdirga.com! Used to be an American, New Zealander since 2006.

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · Aug 23

It's been six months since I put out "Clippings," a big old 350-page collection of the best of my journalism over the years. It's been really fab to see the great response from friends, family and even total strangers. Get it here! www.amazon.com/dp/B0DW4D9KR...

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 2h

New on my website today - A look back at the Swamp Thing movies, the forgotten comic book movie franchise! nikdirga.com/2025/10/17/s...

Swamp Thing: The forgotten comic book movie franchise

As part of my annual Halloween month monster movie marathon, I went back to the swamp. Swamp Thing, that is, who starred in two almost forgotten comic book movies that oozed their way through the ‘…

nikdirga.com

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 15h

Clearly I should’ve just been writing about gloriously weird birds all along

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 20h

The greatest bird in the universe has finally won Australia's bird of the year. ALL HAIL THE TAWNY FROGMOUTH! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 20h

The greatest bird in the universe has finally won Australia's bird of the year. ALL HAIL THE TAWNY FROGMOUTH! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 1d

You know who else rides bikes naked? SATAN, that's who.

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 3d

New over on my website today: Diane Keaton was always my first movie love. nikdirga.com/2025/10/13/d...

Diane Keaton was always my first love

God, where to start with Diane Keaton. She was perhaps my first big Hollywood crush, because I was a budding teenage intellectual who caught Annie Hall on the TV sometime in the mid-1980s and recor…

nikdirga.com

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 5d

Diane Keaton forever and ever 💔

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 8d

I remain baffled that anyone thought Tron needed to keep coming back because even the original bored the pants off young me many moons ago

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 9d

My latest explainer at RNZ: Meet the New Zealand doctors trying to sell you weight loss products on Facebook. One problem - They don't actually exist. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Fake New Zealand doctors are trying to sell you GLP-1 weight loss products

Explainer - The popularity of Wegovy and Ozempic has seen a flood of ads pop up. Who can you trust?

www.rnz.co.nz

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 9d

Every time I see something '90s described as "vintage" now I die a little bit inside

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 11d

New on the website today - Five years, that's all we got - Jacinda Ardern and the costs of being Prime Minister: nikdirga.com/2025/10/05/f...

Five years, that’s all we got: Jacinda Ardern and being Prime Minister

There’s something spooky about watching a documentary covering events you lived through and still haven’t quite processed yourself. Jacinda Ardern was New Zealand’s leader up until about 2 1/…

nikdirga.com

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 12d

Always loved this line from “Lillian” which sums up their whole vibe eh:

Pain and misery always hit the spot
Knowing you can't lose what you haven't got

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 13d

If you’re looking for a bit of good news today, read this yarn about a meme dude who’s turned out to be a really good dude and raised $300,000 for multiple sclerosis research. www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/a...

'It just happened to be my face': The SF man behind an immortal meme

It may be the most iconic blink on the internet.

www.sfgate.com

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 14d

Want to see a movie?

Figure 1, the run-down foreign-owned downtown corporate cinema chain ticket price; Figure 2, the locally owned independent cinema ticket price for roughly the same time.

Nearly DOUBLE the price for the pleasure of enjoying the decaying ambience of Sky World/Metro Centre.

Ticket price for around $30 for Saturday afternoon show, Queen St Event Cinemas

Ticket price for around $15 for Saturday afternoon show, Hollywood Avondale

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 15d

New by me today: What Trump's calls for a '100 percent tariff on foreign movies' might mean for New Zealand - and if it's ever actually going to happen -- www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

How Trump's '100 percent tariff' on foreign films might affect New Zealand

Explainer - Donald Trump wants a 100 percent tariff on "foreign movies" made outside the US. What would that do to NZ's film industry?

www.rnz.co.nz

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 16d

Even better second time around.

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 19d

I will single-handedly will summer into being by sitting on the deck with a cold drink and a good book, by god 🤔

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 21d

BREAKING: Dan's esophagus

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 22d

Crystal Ball Crowley GIF

ALT: Crystal Ball Crowley GIF

media.tenor.com

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 22d

This sounds like a job for someone to..... explain! www.rnz.co.nz/news/busines...

What will changes to sick leave and annual leave entitlements mean for you?

Explainer - The government has announced sweeping plans to change leave rules. How will it work?

www.rnz.co.nz

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 23d

Perhaps the real Rapture was the hot takes we made along the way

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · 23d

Is Tylenol safe? What New Zealand says about Trump's latest claims on vaccines, autism and paracetamol

What America's changes on paracetamol and vaccines might mean for New Zealand

Explainer - Donald Trump claims paracetamol causes autism, while the US has also made cuts to vaccine access and research. What could it all mean for NZ?

www.rnz.co.nz

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · Sep 16

New by me over at RNZ today - why are some top New Zealand musicians leaving Spotify?

www.rnz.co.nz/life/music/w...

Why are New Zealand musicians leaving Spotify?

Top New Zealand bands like Tiki Taane and The Bats are leaving Spotify behind. Why?

www.rnz.co.nz

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Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · Sep 16

He’s great fun live too

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · Sep 13

New on my website: How did the Evil Dead’s Ash go from the guy in the backseat of the car to a horror movie icon by the third film?

nikdirga.com/2025/09/14/t...

The Evil Dead and the evolution of Ash, from shy boy to demon slayer

I love the original Evil Dead trilogy and its splattery slapstick charms, so you’d better bet I was down for a marathon of the whole shebang at the legendary Hollywood Avondale this weekend, featur…

nikdirga.com

Nik Dirga @nikdirga.bsky.social · Sep 13

Sure, I could be watching sports … or I could be watching a marathon of 4+ hours of Evil Dead movies starring Bruce Campbell at the legendary Hollywood Avondale. #joinus #swallowyoursoul