Jacinda Ardern and Stephen Colbert's special relationship

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern watches as Stephen Colbert flicks through his diary to schedule in his visit to NZ after she invited him again during her appearance on The Late Show in September this year. Photo / CBS

EDITORIAL:

Once upon a time, perhaps the highest-profile global exposure a New Zealand prime minister could have was at the United Nations in New York.

In recent years, Jacinda Ardern, John Key and Helen Clark have all made a notable impact there. Whether it has been making history avec baby at the General Assembly, a seat at the Security Council table, or heading the UN's Development Programme and a bid for Secretary-General, NZ has made its presence known, contributed to global affairs and promoted our country, people and principles on the world stage.

Now, it seems, one of the best avenues for promotion is American late-night TV.

Key appeared as a guest on The Late Show with David Letterman 10 years ago, promoting a tongue-in-cheek segment on the "Top 10 Reasons You Should Visit New Zealand".

Ardern has now appeared twice on the same entertainment show with new host Stephen Colbert. The two clearly hit it off and, both times, Ardern invited him to visit NZ - even offering to pick him up at the airport.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2018. Photo / Scott Kowalchyk, CBS

This whole week, the fruits of this special relationship - Colbert's recent NZ trip - have been aired to his 3.5 million viewers in his "New Zealand week". They include Ardern and Colbert singing in a carpool karaoke rip-off, joking around at a low-key barbecue with the PM's partner, Clarke Gayford, and singer Lorde, and talking seriously about the swift enactment of gun legislation post the March 15 mosque attacks.

The jury may be out on whether it is becoming to watch our prime ministers goofing around in this manner. But regardless of whether you think the actual footage is quirky or irksome, clever or clueless, the phenomenal coverage - from the TV show, social media clips and comments, and press reports all over the world - shows the promotional caper is clearly a no-brainer.