Our much loved soap Shortland Street is making headlines around the world, thanks to a now-famous cracker of a line that has gone viral.
Fans of New Zealand’s longest running drama are probably aware of the episode that went out with a shock ending, hanging on the line: “Please tell me that’s not your penis” before the end credits rolled.
The final scene showed a tense moment with Dr Chris Warner, played by Michael Galvin, confronting his teenage son Harry who had synced his cellphone’s data to every computer in the house, including Dr Chris’s tablet.
Despite the fact the scene is dealing with the difficult issue of teens sexting, the episode ending has taken on a life of its own, and is doing the rounds right now as comedy gold.
So far, the scene has been viewed close to 500,000 times on the show’s Facebook page, received more than 9,900 likes, and over 6,000 comments.
British media have also picked up on Shorty St’s new found fame, with the Daily Mail, The Independent and The Mirror all calling it possibly the best television cliffhanger ever.
The show’s producer Maxine Flemming called it the “cliffhanger of the year. “
“It is a comedy story, but like all good comedy there’s a truth at the core of it, and it is social commentary, that story.
“Many teens are doing stuff like this, and many parents are worried about it,” she told Stuff.
She said Michael Galvin may have to put up with a bit of ribbing from the public now the joke is out.
“I think Michael now is going to have that line shouted at him across the street… So I’m sorry about that Michael!”
