The Topp Twins were thrilled on a recent tour of the UK to find themselves reviewed in the conservative Financial Times.
In a ringing endorsement of the tonic for the soul that the sisters provide, the paper said that if the Topp Twins were made compulsory the country would be able to do away with mental health institutions.
The restorative power of their unique brand of entertainment is well known to New Zealanders, but their first documentary film The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is about to let their public get closer still to Jools and Lynda Topp.
Now 50, the New Zealand Music Hall of Famers are celebrating 100 years with the film's release, which tells the story of their lives so far, and those of their very Kiwi characters, particularly their favourites Ken and Ken, and Camp Mother and Camp Leader - the only two people in the world who have backed a caravan through the Waikino Gorge, according to Jools.
Another couple of their well-know alter egos, Raelene and Brenda - the two good-time girls from West Auckland on the lookout for "a hunk of spunk" - get a lesser billing.
"They are just way too scary, those girls. You never know what they are going to do.
"When you put the high heels on and those hot pants and the black wig and as soon as I tie my little bow in my hair, watch out!" quips Lynda.
"We're just a couple of country gals," they say.
It is the rural background that provides the country music strand in their idiosyncratic cabaret.
They grew up on a farm near Huntly in the Waikato of the 1960s.
Their career as entertainers started with busking and political activism, and developed from underground to mainstream, with television shows and national and international tours.
"How redneck can you go - two lesbian women who are entirely politically motivated doing a spoof of country music, and people love it - even the country people love it.
"We are not sending it up; we are not putting it down; we are loving that music and having a little play with it," Jools says.
The film turns out to be something of a history of the political protests that divided New Zealand from the late 1970s, including Maori land rights, homosexual law reform, as well as anti-nuclear and anti-apartheid protests.
"We won all those issues too.
"Maori land rights were addressed by the Government; the Homosexual Law Reform Bill was passed; Nelson Mandela was released and became the leader of his country.
"Every Saturday and Wednesday we were out saying the Springboks can't play here until they change their apartheid laws - and they did," says Lynda.
Jools adds: "I think it probably wouldn't have happened anywhere else but New Zealand, because we are small enough to think we can change something.
"If you have a political agenda in New Zealand people are either for it or against it - no-one's ever on the fence."
The twins have always mixed such forthright political views with an ability to come across as the nicest folks you're ever likely to meet.
But there are limits, they say.
"If John Key said we're going to bring the nuclear ships back into Auckland harbour we might not be so nice; we might have to get the spray cans out again and put our dungarees on," Jools says.
In recent years their concerns have become both more global and more personal - the health and origins of the food we eat, clean water, environmental issues.
But even here you can be sure there will be a satire-laden punchline lurking.
"It's probably the most political thing you can do right now is get people from all walks of life and sit `em down - there's Mr Joe Bloggs who votes for National and Mrs Someone up the other way votes for Alliance - and they are all in this room together.
"But at one point in time that whole audience will laugh. They all let go at exactly the same time.
"It stops people from being defensive, and they will go out afterwards and say that was a breath of fresh air," Lynda says.
Jools adds: "Human beings are a funny old bunch. We could write a book on psychology - the way you control a crowd and get them to come with you.
"You can offend a crowd very easily. If you do anything wrong or are using someone from the audience, the sympathy will go to that person if they think you've overstepped the mark. It's a fine line when you start utilising the audience, which we do - we always play with the audience.
"If you do use someone from the audience you make them a star, and then the audience comes with them and with you.
"It's a win-win situation. That needs to happen in the world."
Lynda: "People think that in order for someone to win, other people have to lose. That's a really unjust way of looking at life - you'll scramble over other people to get to the top, instead of picking them up along the way and saying what can we do together."
Identical twins, Jools and Lynda often talk like one person, although they have grown apart in looks over the years. They say their desire for win-win situations is a result of their common biology.
"In some ways being a twin is never about I'm going to be better than her or she's going to be better than me - that helps us" says Lynda.
"We've only ever been celebrated as twins," adds Jools. "When I was born I was four pounds and they thought there's something wrong with that baby. They thought Mum was having one baby of eight pounds - a normal size, healthy 1958 baby.
"When Lynda popped out later there was a great celebration. It was OK, it was twins and they found the other four pounds. Put us together and there was the eight-pound baby.
"So I guess in a way we've only ever had the idea that to be a twin is to celebrate life and you've always got someone to back you up and we are a bit of a force to be reckoned with. But there was a time in our lives when we had to find out who we were as individuals."
Now they live in different parts of the country: Jools near Helensville, north of Auckland, and Lynda near Staveley, south of Christchurch; but they say they feel they are only an hour's flight away.
"We both have partners, and lifestyle blocks with dogs and cows and ride-on lawnmowers - we've gone back to our farming roots," Jools explains.
Jools' passion is horses while Lynda's is trout fishing.
"She will catch a trout and kiss it and let it go again - Fish Lips, we call her," Jools says laughing.
"But sometimes I ask people what their passion is and they can't think of one.
"Parts of me couldn't think of life without a passion."
They might be separated by Cook Strait these days, but Jools' brush with breast cancer a couple of years ago has brought them closer together again.
"We don't sweat the small stuff no more. We don't worry if the dishes haven't been done immediately after dinner or not - you go through some little struggle."
Her father put the whole thing in perspective after she'd had a mastectomy.
"Mum came in and as mothers do she was panicking and wanted to hug me, and crushed all my hoses that were coming out of my body, and just about pulled them out, but they didn't come out because they'd been stitched in.
"Then Dad came in the room not long after that, good old farming type he was, and he said, `You don't want to worry about anything until it happens', and `do you have Trackside on your television?'
"I thought, he's the strongest one here.
"Everyone else was going 'Oh darling are you all right?' and they worried, and Mum went into mother mode and took over the kitchen.
"Dad was concerned for me.
"But it was a beautiful moment.
"I thought if everyone could be like that, life would be a whole lot simpler."
Lynda adds another of their mother's aphorisms: "Worry never fixed anything. It just makes you feel ill and you don't eat properly".
And for good measure, adds another: "Now remember, you must never hate anybody. You can dislike someone, but you must never hate anybody.
"It was a good bit of advice. Even the people out there who would be the opposite of our political agenda or have some kind of issue with the gay or lesbian - you can't hate them.
"If you hate them then all you are doing is wasting your energy.
"So what you have to do is celebrate the things you believe in and people will come with you".
Not to be outdone, Jools adds: "You can only educate people. Where education ends, abuse begins."
It appears they may have inherited their political sloganeering from their mum.
Camp Mother would probably approve.
Fly tying with Ken
How to tie the Camp Mother Wuzzywing Moist Fly
Says keen angler and fishing aficionado Ken Moller: "This is my favourite fly. It's my own design and combines the Fuzzy Wuzzy Wet Fly and the Winged Dry Fly styles to create the Moist Fly. It is made from pink glitter chenille out of respect for the elusive Lady in Pink, aka Camp Mother."
Origin: Ken Moller, of Wairarapa
Hook: 4 to 6
Tail: black squirrel
Body: dark pink glitter chenille
Hackle: pink saddle hackle
Wing: Pink quill feather
Head: dark pink or black
Fly-tying instructions
- Bind the hook shank with thread halfway up ending at the bend.
- Tie in a bunch of squirrel to create the tail.
- Tie in a length of pink chenille finishing halfway up the shank.
- Red or green is the traditional colour for a Fuzzy Wuzzy and some men find it hard to even buy pink! But trust me boys, this little fly will have them jumping out of the water!
- Now tie in a beautiful set of pink wings.
- Tie in a hackle of pink.
- Build up a small head, whip finish and varnish.
Topp scones
Camp Mother's delicious recipe for hot scones
There's nothing I like better than to whip up a batch of scones for morning tea. You can't beat them for simplicity or taste. I prefer a plain scone, but some people add cheese or dates. If you have guests over, a Devonshire Tea is always impressive. Whipped cream and strawberry jam on scones is pure heaven. Whichever way you choose to prepare them, always serve your scones hot from the oven, and use good New Zealand butter.
You will need:
8oz (250g) self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
Good shake of salt
1oz (30g) castor sugar
1/4 pint (150ml) of milk
2oz (60g) good New Zealand butter
How to make them:
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Rub butter into dry mixture with your hands. This is important as the warmth of your hands softens the butter.
- Add sugar. Mix to a soft dough with the milk. Turn on to a floured board and knead quickly. Don't finger it too much or you'll lose the light fluffy texture.
- Pat out dough. Cut into rough squares with a wet knife. Place on a hot baking tray. You can brush the tops with milk to make them go golden brown.
- Bake in a hot oven at 450F (220degC) for 12-15 minutes.
Scones are delicious served with jam, honey or golden syrup. Always serve scones with a cup of tea and if it is summer time take morning tea on the porch.
