John Key's most cringeworthy moments

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 23: Prime Minister of New Zealand Hon John Key (L) shakes hands with captain Richie McCaw of the All Blacks as he holds the Webb Ellis Cup after an 8-7 victory in the

Prime Minister John Key has had his share of awkward and cringeworthy moments. Here are some of his greatest hits.

Pulling ponytails

In April, Key apologised to Auckland waitress Amanda Bailey for pulling her ponytail, an action she described as bullying.

News of the Prime Minister's ponytail pulling went global, with British comedian John Oliver suggesting Key couldn't pass any dangling hair without pawing at it: "He's more cat than Prime Minister at this point."

Picking up soap in a cage

While visiting The Rock radio station yesterday, the Prime Minister was asked to enter a cage that had been brought into the studio.

"Do I look like a zoo animal," he asked, before agreeing.

Once inside, he was told by host Tom Furniss to pick up a bar of soap from the ground, and did so to laughter from the station's staff -- picking up soap can be a reference to prison rape.

Key commented that the soap smelled, and was informed it came from a urinal. Furniss then told the Prime Minister he had a "pretty, little mouth" -- a reference to the film Deliverance.

Peeing in the shower

Key's admission -- while answering 10 "yes or no" questions on Radio Hauraki -- that he had urinated in the shower caused comedian John Oliver to call him "one ray of pure joyful light from New Zealand", and to deem the segment the greatest political interview of all time.

Runway appearance

While modelling the uniform to be worn by volunteers during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Key performed an affected walk down the runway. Key later admitted the display was "a bit stupid".

Vasectomy

Key shocked journalists at a regular post-Cabinet press conference when he blurted out that he'd had a vasectomy.

The Prime Minister then admitted it was "probably too much information", before a journalist asked if it hurt. "Not overly, actually," Key revealed.

Three-way handshake

Key's unusual three-way handshake with All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and International Rugby Board chairman Bernard Lapasset has gone down as one of the more uncomfortable moments of the All Blacks 2011 Rugby World Cup celebrations.

With the trophy finally in McCaw's grasp, Mr Key moved to shake his hand but Mr Lapasset swiftly intercepted and got there first. Mr Key, however, was fully committed and snagged a couple of McCaw's fingers. For a few awkward moments the trio were joined in an unconventional three-way handshake.

"Gay" red top

In 2012, Key jokingly criticised a red top worn by presenter Jamie Mackay in an interview on The Farming Show: "You're munted mate. You're never going to make it. You've got that gay red top on."

Key later said he used the term "gay" to mean "weird", and had picked up the term from his children and had no intention of seeming homophobic.

The previous week, Key courted controversy over reports he branded David Beckham "thick as batshit" while speaking to a group of students at Dunedin's St Hilda's Collegiate.

Gangnam style

Key performed a brief re-enactment of Gangnam Style when asked by Radio Sport host Tony Veitch to show off his "best white man dance".

"I don't think I'm going to knock PSY off ... that's the way it goes," Key said afterwards.

Admiring Liz Hurley

In another interview with Veitch, Key was asked if he would like to be Australian cricketer Shane Warne, and replied: "Yeah, well given his current liaisons with Liz Hurley."

"I like Liz Hurley actually. I reckon she is hot," Mr Key said. He later said actress Jessica Alba "looked pretty hot", and described Angelina Jolie as "not too bad either".

Mariah Carey rendition

Yesterday, Key topped off a round of commercial radio appearances with an awful rendition of Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas.

He had been told by host Dominic Harvey to choose between karaoke or pulling the ponytails of a number of female staff members lined up outside the studio.

A surprisingly high-pitched performance followed.