Prime Minister John Key's good bloke routine has worked for him for seven years straight, helping foster the image of him as a good egg, a bit of a joker, a good sport.
Key has made his informal interview slots on commercial radio a major part of his media strategy. Politically, it is is a good tactic. Commercial radio reaches people who don't give a poop about the more serious side of politics. Key knows that and plays to his audience accordingly.
The problem is his audience inevitably ends up being a lot wider than the one he originally plays to. It gets on social media and news sites.
It is usually harmless fun, however much his opponents might bridle at it. Some of us have even egged him on in such antics.
But he has a startling tendency to go overboard. He can not even blame the hosts who come up with the ludicrous things they get him to do. He's been in the game seven years and has the choice of saying "no".