2x07 'Prime Minister'

[size=133:xv3ulkrr]Life imitates art on Conchords
By TIM HUME - Sunday Star Times
Last updated 23:20 07/03/2009

[size=100:xv3ulkrr]An American television audience has watched the PM of NZ, a bemused man-child, lobby unsuccessfully for a meeting with Barack Obama.
Relevant offers

Last Sunday, an American television audience of three million watched the prime minister of New Zealand, a bemused man-child with a severe side-parting, lobby unsuccessfully for a meeting with Barack Obama.

Shortly afterwards, John Key told reporters here he wouldn't bother trying to secure some face-time with the new president this year, because Obama was probably pretty flat out.

"
I'm a bit of the view that Obama has got so many things to deal with and, on a relative basis, we are a pretty small country,"
he said.

This latest addition to the "
life imitates art"
files comes courtesy of the second season of the Flight of the Conchords' hit HBO series, which has been screening for seven weeks in the United States and premieres here tomorrow night.

The Conchords' PM was played by veteran Kiwi comic actor Brian Sergent and not, as the comedians explained to the New York Times, by Key himself.

(They decided to go with an actor rather than a politician, said Jemaine Clement, "
the same way George Bush wasn't on 24"
.)

Any resemblance to real prime ministers was strictly coincidental, it seems;
the character was less a dig at Key than a reiteration of the joke about New Zealanders being unworldly, officious jobsworths, in the mould of failed band manager and diplomat Murray Hewitt.

In the end, their fictional PM has to satisfy himself with meeting an Obama impersonator, as the president's aides don't recognise New Zealand as a country.

Expect more New Zealand jokes, then ("
New Zealand: take your mum"
, reads one of the new tourism posters in Murray's office);
more Australian jokes too.

There's much that feels familiar to the second season of the cult series, which has now screened in 22 countries, earning its creators, Wellingtonians Bret McKenzie, 32, and Clement, 35, awards, accolades and a reputation as among the world's hippest entertainment talent.

Faced with a quick turnaround for the second 10-episode batch, there was speculation the Conchords were facing a sophomore slump. In interviews, McKenzie and Clement indicated they were struggling to meet HBO's demanding production deadlines.

But perhaps helped by the grace period provided by last year's 14-week writers' strike the second season has proven just as successful in the US, drawing an average audience of three million an episode and a positive critical response.

The duo's new A-list friends and admirers have helped strengthen the show;
acclaimed French filmmaker Michel Gondry directs an episode, and a number of famous faces have cameos, including singers Randy Jones and Art Garfunkel.

But perhaps helped by the grace period provided by last year's 14-week writers' strike the second season has proven just as successful in the US, drawing an average audience of three million an episode and a positive critical response.

giggletycoon wrote:

But perhaps helped by the grace period provided by last year's 14-week writers' strike the second season has proven just as successful in the US, drawing an average audience of three million an episode and a positive critical response.

Didn't we read a few weeks ago that Unnatural Love drew a season high of only 800,000 or so viewers? Either this article is including the audience when the show re-airs during the week, )and possibly the Canadian audience) or someone has their facts wrong.

gezyka wrote:Maybe person count in NZ is similar to the currency difference.

1 USD = 1.98530 NZD

<
-- hiding from kiwis

Too bad that 800,000.00 USD = 1,588,240.00 NZD because if the result were twice that, then I might really be onto something! ;
)

hellomyfriend wrote:Bret's karaoke video has been posted on, like, every Korean website in existence.


How unintentionally viral of the Conchords.

tickertapequeen wrote:

hellomyfriend wrote:Bret's karaoke video has been posted on, like, every Korean website in existence.


How unintentionally viral of the Conchords.

REALLY?

I woke up with that song in my head and it hasn't gone away.

tickertapequeen wrote:
I woke up with that song in my head and it hasn't gone away.

sargifster wrote:

tickertapequeen wrote:
I woke up with that song in my head and it hasn't gone away.

I mentioned this same thing in the shoutbox the other day. I had it stuck in my head for hours.

It was pretty freaky to have my head singing in a different language.

Who knew the Conchords could write catchy lyrics in another language? It's not like I have heard it loads of times yet either.

Glad I'm not alone in this.

sargifster wrote:

sargifster wrote:I've suddenly thought, we didn't get Jemaine in leathers straddling the woman in the episode...

They must have cut that bit out as we saw it being filmed.

This bit for reference:





That's a shame. At least we got it via the on set promo though.

drunkagain wrote:

drunkagain wrote:

aom192 wrote:

sargifster wrote:

I mentioned this same thing in the shoutbox the other day. I had it stuck in my head for hours.

It was pretty freaky to have my head singing in a different language.

Who knew the Conchords could write catchy lyrics in another language? It's not like I have heard it loads of times yet either.

Glad I'm not alone in this.

I had the theme tune to a Japanese anime show called 'Vampire Knight' in my head
for days so I know what you both mean

ohjeez wrote:OH MY GOD

MY HOUSEMATE IS AMAZING

SHE HEARD ME LISTENING TO KOREAN KARAOKE AND TOLD ME IT SOUNDED FAMILIAR. SHE THEN FOUND THIS ON YOUTUBE.

[this is chinese, not korean by the way]

[flash=350,287:wrx6doh5]https://www.youtube.com/v/mlifFcalSKc&hl=en&fs=1[/flash:wrx6doh5]