John Key on David Letterman's Late Show

Published: 12:01PM Friday September 25, 2009

Source: ONE News/NZPA

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Source: ONE News

Prime Minister John Key joked on the Late Show with David Letterman that he will chauffeur Americans if they take up his offer to visit New Zealand in the next month.

Key has appeared on the popular TV chat show, giving the regular and light-hearted top-10 segment a New Zealand flavour.

Among his offerings were that "New Zealand is a convenient 20-hour flight away" and "if you go in the next 30 days I'll pick you up at the airport personally".

He also told Letterman's audience of millions of viewers that "unlike the rest of the world, we like America".

Key said he and Letterman joked about the distance between the US and New Zealand, with the talk-show host saying that New Zealand was his favourite country that he has never visited.

Letterman has a fear of flying, but said he took a great interest in New Zealand.

Knowing Letterman was a motor-racing fan, Key presented him with a Indy 500 champion Scott Dixon T-shirt.

Speaking afterwards, the prime minister was humble about his comic turn.

"They've got their writers and they write the show. Some of the humour wouldn't apply to a New Zealand audience."

Tourism NZ had pushed for a spot on the show so that Key, New Zealand's tourism minister, could push the country's profile.

It says the value of Key's appearance is hard to quantify, but if it was an advertising slot, it would be worth tens of millions of dollars.

John Key's top 10 reasons for visiting New Zealand are:

10. Auckland airport now has cinnabon (a chain of American baked goods stores and kiosks)
9. We have the loosest slot machines in the Pacific rim
8. It's only a convenient 20 hour flight away
7. It's like England, without the attitude
6. Leno's on at 9 o'clock
5. Get the whanau together, stay in a bach, crack open the chilly bin and slap on your jandals
4. Visit in the next 30 days and I'll pick you up at the airport
3. 70% of our energy is generated through renewable sources - They don't all have to be jokes
2. We drive on the left side of the road, like the British and Lindsay Lohan
1. Unlike most of the world, we still like Americans

What do you think of John Key's performance on David Letterman's Late Show? Leave your comments on the messageboard below

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ricerice1 ; 2010-01-23 @ 20:03 NZDT

I think it was cool

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bolly1975 ; 2009-09-26 @ 21:09 NZDT

I am at a loss to understand how anyone thinks he did a good job... he acted awkward (with that wierd smile), he sounded like a hill billy..he might as well held a sheep and wore a grass skirt to perpetuate the understanding that the yanks have of NZ!! What an embarrassment and what shame .. there are ways of being comedic without selling out yourself and your country....AND I dont remember having a referendum saying we liked AMERICANS!

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Toffee Pop ; 2009-09-26 @ 17:53 NZDT

I think John Key did us proud. Not only is he our PM but he shows that he is also a normal human being, a true-blue New Zealander, able to give and take a joke and gives himself no airs and graces being PM and comes across as a very intelligent man with empathy and respect for both his people and his country. Good on you John, you're a warm-blooded and caring NZer - most of us love you and you are doing wonders for our country. Long live John, our PM.

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cloudy ; 2009-09-26 @ 13:50 NZDT

Geez lighten up guys us kiwis are well-known for taking the mickey outa everyone, he did a great job and unlike some of those Top 10 subjects, it was VERY funny, got heaps of applause, long time since I seen that, mostly boring as, and well done for the NZ anthem played at the end, ummm isn't Tasmania a little island that broke away from NZ many moons ago???

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Amos Spitalhatch ; 2009-09-26 @ 08:23 NZDT

History will show that he did a better job as a clown than as a Prime Minister - is this really the best we've got? Dear, oh dear...

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