“Pinch punch, first of the month”—that’s the fun and wholesome game some people in English-speaking countries play during the first day of each month where the goal is to be the first one to say the phrase (and maybe add a gentle pinch). In fact, I’ve been doing it every single month with my family for years now.
But that’s nothing compared to New Zealand actress and writer Bridie Connell who has been playing “pinch punch” with her dad Brin for nearly 16 years! They have both gotten incredibly good at it, surprising each other in extremely creative ways.
Bridie and her dad have been battling it out by organizing serenading musicians, pulling pranks on live radio, fitting “pinch punch” during poetry readings, and even going as far as convincing a staff member on an airplane to be part of this decade-and-a-half long playful feud.
Actress and writer Bridie told Twitter about how she and her dad play "pinch punch" every month
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Image credits: BridieKConnell
Bridie's dad asked the airline staff to hand her a letter on an airplane
Image credits: BridieKConnell
He managed to one-up his daughter with an elaborate prank
Image credits: BridieKConnell
The airline felt guilty for helping out Bridie's dad, so they upgraded her to premium economy class for her flight
Image credits: BridieKConnell
The most incredible “pinch punch” prank has to be the airline one, don’t you think? After Bridie’s dad pulled a fast one on her, the story went global. Bridie told the Press Association that her dad (who is a company director living in Wellington) woke up “to discover he’s an internet sensation and is more insufferable than ever.”
According to Bridie, they couldn’t stop laughing. “We think it’s hilarious it’s taken off. Of course, he’s now trying to spin this into a fatherly lesson of perseverance and creativity over years of work.”
In May 2019, immediately after losing that month’s challenge, she declared that she was “already plotting” her revenge. But some good things do come with losing. In this case, the airline “felt ever so slightly guilty for helping” Bridie’s dad prank her that they upgraded her to premium economy class for the trip.
Bridie is an award-winning writer and has loads of experience in acting, comedy, voice artistry, and even musical theater. She has written and performed several plays with lots of success in New Zealand and Australia.
She was also a cast member of the Australian version of Whose Line Is It Anyway, recently starred in the webseries Resting Pitch Face and appeared in the film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt).
People loved Bridie's story and some Twitter users shared their own experiences with "pinch punch"
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