NZ’s Most Controversial Influencer - Steven Setu on Masculinity and Freedom of Speech

Steven Setu is one of the most polarising voices in New Zealand social media: part comedian, part shock-jock, part internet troll. Love him or hate him, Steven Setu gets clicks and people watch… and watch… and watch.

In this brutally honest conversation, Steven opens up in ways he never has before.

Between the hot takes, the outrageous claims and the controversy, we meet the little boy from West Auckland who grew up without a father, was bullied, struggled with weight and identity, and built an exterior as thick as concrete.

But we also see the softness that sits just beneath the surface, especially when he speaks about his mother, his family, and his desire to “never give up.”

Across nearly two hours, Stevhen and I discuss masculinity, mental health, cancel culture, freedom of speech, bullying, body image, resilience and much much more.

As always with these conversations- the goal remains the same- to get a greater understanding of a person, their actions and their thought processes through non judgemental long form conversation.

This is Steven Setu: unfiltered, challenged, and closer than ever before.

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00:00 – Intro: Steven Setu & the Cost of Being Controversial 02:06 – Why Steven Reached Out & Calling Dom the “Final Boss” 04:26 – Polarisation, Free Speech & Being Given a Platform 07:02 – Hate, Online Attacks & Police Welfare Checks 09:07 – Masculinity, Gender Roles & Nurturing vs Strength 11:27 – Relationships, Traditional Roles & Feminine Energy 13:47 – Growing Up Samoan in West Auckland 15:01 – His Father Leaving & the Impact on His Identity 17:24 – Forgiveness, Anger & Family Loyalty 19:49 – Andrew Tate, Masculinity & Media Narratives 22:06 – Donald Trump, Democracy & Distrust in Media 24:34 – Pronouns, Culture Wars & Why Steven Speaks Up 26:57 – Mental Health, Medication & “Pushing Through” 29:22 – Depression, Sadness & Competing Worldviews 31:14 – Being Challenged on a Podcast (And Liking It) 33:20 – Bullying, School Trauma & Long-Term Effects 35:04 – Weight, Food, Culture & Emotional Eating 37:18 – Obesity, Polynesian Culture & Processed Food 39:33 – Shame, Humour & Self-Defence Through Jokes 41:53 – Fame, Online Hate & Public Perception vs Reality 44:17 – Vulnerability, Strength & Showing Emotion 46:19 – Faith, Spirituality & Interpreting the Bible 48:38 – Intelligence, Drama & the Gift of the Gab 50:58 – Fear, Risk & the OceanGate Submarine 53:17 – Billionaires, Ego & Risk-Taking 55:27 – Fear, Mortality & Saying No 57:34 – Forgiving His Father & Letting Go of Resentment 59:58 – Therapy, Counselling & Why Steven Rejects It 01:02:01 – Fame, Money & Why Success Doesn’t Fix Everything 01:04:12 – Material Wealth vs Inner Emptiness 01:06:28 – Why This Podcast Felt Different 01:08:20 – Winning, Pride & Proving People Wrong 01:10:45 – Bans, Algorithms & Being “Too Big to Ignore” 01:13:09 – LGBT Topics, Schools & Drawing Lines 01:15:30 – Brand Deals, Controversy & Being Dropped 01:17:56 – Legal Trouble & Owning Past Mistakes 01:20:12 – Inner Voice, Work Ethic & Fear of Losing Everything 01:23:17 – Family, Success & Staying Grounded 01:25:30 – Regrets, Pride & Self-Belief 01:27:57 – Funeral Question: How He Wants to Be Remembered 01:29:13 – Final Thoughts & Farewell