Ian Channell
This celebrity goo was created by Scott Hardie.
publication date: Monday, June 15, 2026 (part of June 2026)
category: 
Controversy
clue: New Zealand has an official wizard, and he ain't Gandalf: This public performer has sometimes rallied the public against corruption in governments and corporations, but also sometimes lost his audience with comments widely seen as misogynist and bigoted.
explanation: Ian Channell, often referred to as the Wizard of New Zealand or merely the Wizard, is a public speaker from Britain who emigrated to Australia and eventually New Zealand. Performing publicly in a wizard costume, he earned enough public good will to resist government pressure to silence him, and even persuaded the government to recognize him formally as the official wizard of New Zealand, but some of his comments have attracted widespread criticism. more…
intended difficulty: easy
solved by: Russ Wilhelm and Richard Slominsky
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