The Funny Side Jackie's Crazy New Show

Just for Laughs, She’s Going Back to School.

- Amy Prebble

One of the country’s funniest comic actors, Jackie van Beek, is sitting in her West Auckland home pondering who her favourite comedian is.

But she isn’t quick enough. Her daughter Cassie, a gorgeous elfin presence at the Weekly interview, supplies the answer in a heartbeat.

“Jesse!” she yells. Jackie (42) explodes with laughter. “To be honest, Cassie is right. Jesse is one of my favourite comedians. I am still extremely enamoured with his country musician character, Wilson Dixon.”

Jesse [Griffin] is also Jackie’s husband and the co-creator of her latest comedy show, Educators, an improvised series about the batty staff of a suburban high school. It arose from a live sketch show called Flashdunce, which the couple, along with comedian Jonny Brugh, devised in a Titirangi scout hall five years ago.

Jackie is emphatic that none of the teachers in Educators is based on anyone they know.

“This is not meant to be a naturalistic portrayal of teachers in New Zealand. It’s a comedy and we’re really poking fun at people who work in highpressure jobs and have gone a bit nuts. My greatest hope is that teachers around the country enjoy it.”