Hopwood - for the record

Manawatu media man Malcolm Hopwood chats to EMMA GOODWIN about his latest venture.

As public affairs manager of Palmerston North City Council for 11 1/2 years, Malcolm Hopwood has survived five mayors: Rieger, White, Bell-Booth, Tanguay and Naylor – but has now put away his council pen to start his own communications consultancy business.

After a total of 40 years in print, radio and television media and working in public relations, affectionately known as the dark side to journalists, Mr Hopwood has been a recognisable figure in the city since 1995.

The other side of his personality is firmly entrenched in the performing arts as an event manager.

Among his achievements he organised the first Opera in the Park and has also been heavily involved with promoting the Wine, Women and Song festival (and he will continue to do so for next year's event).

There was also the small matter of writing the This is Your Life show for the reopening of The Regent on Broadway.

He was busy packing away the baubles of his office and rehearsed his lines for his recent performance in Bless 'Em All at the Regent.

What's your hidden talent?

Moving my ears when I get excited.

What's your foolproof home-cooked meal?

It was veal parmigiana until I realised how many bobby calves had sacrificed their lives for me.

What are you working on at the moment?

Publicising ASB's Wine, Women and Song, our first major event for 2010 at Caccia Birch on February 21.

If you could take anyone out to dinner, who would it be?

I'd take Kathi Craig and Jenny Craig because neither of them eat much.

What happened at the last party you went to?

It was a dinner party at our place. We went to bed early so our guests could go home.

What do you like about Palmerston North?

Its compactness. It's the best boutique city in New Zealand. I can get anywhere in 10 minutes.

Tell us about your favourite holiday.

Trinity Beach out from Cairns, where I lived dangerously among the box jellyfish.

What's your most embarrassing childhood memory?

Telling a rude limerick to my saintly parents without knowing what it meant and receiving my first biology lesson afterwards.

The failsafe rule every public relations professional should know?

Tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth.

Is anything ever off the record?

No.

What's your word or phrase of the moment?

I'm Phil Goff and I'm off.

What's your most disliked band or musician and why?

Willie Nelson trying to sing jazz.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Ben Hepner singing Tosti, however I'd listen to Tony Bennett any time even if he sang the Wanganui telephone directory.

What are you reading?

Vanished by Joseph Finder.

What are your plans in the next couple of months?

To successfully establish my own PR, communication and event management consultancy.

- © Fairfax NZ News