Lust for Life

In BANG! episode 7, Melody speaks to couples in their 60s and 70s about the different ways they choose to stay connected, Lesley Maskery discusses policy and practice regarding sexuality in rest homes, and we look to the future with Jenny Kleeman, on the ethics of sex robots.In episode 7, Melody speaks to couples in their 60s and 70s about the different ways they choose to stay connected, Lesley Maskery discusses policy and practice regarding sexuality in rest homes, and we look to the future with Jenny Kleeman, on the ethics of sex robots.To celebrate the release of the final episode of BANG!, Melody reflects on the many things she's learned during its making. "These areas of our bodies were given to us for pleasure. Make the most of it."I'm sitting at a wooden dining table with a sweet couple in their 70s. On my feet are the slippers they offered to me as I stepped in from the rain; in my hand a cup of their very good tea.This couple been married for nearly 40 years and an outsider who stumbled upon the scene might assume we're talking about grandchildren, or gardening.But we're talking about sex.The gentleman tells me about his naturally high sex drive - a state that sees him "ready to go" in a moment given the right circumstances. His wife nods in agreement. Sensing a sexual energy between them that I'm not sure how to deal with, I joke nervously: "Would you like me to leave?""Oh no," she says, "We've already done it."He looks at her fondly and adds, "We knew you were coming!"This interview is in the final episode of BANG!, but it was actually recorded fairly early on - and the mental image of this seemingly-innocent old couple getting it on wasn't one I was prepared for.The entire reason for making the podcast was to normalise conversations about sex and sexuality, but the project came from a place of curiosity rather than expertise. Early on, there was a whole lot of faking calm in the face of shocking or embarrassing situations but surprisingly soon I got to the point where nothing really phased me.It was a baptism of fire. In episode 1, I spoke to a childhood friend I hadn't seen in years about the time we showed each other our private parts in my treehouse…Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details