KEY POINTS:
Oscar Kightley is an established writer, actor, director and comedian - now the funnyman can add New Year Honours recipient to his list of achievements.
Kightley has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to television and theatre during the past 15 years.
Some of Kightley's most familiar accomplishments are his comedy work with the Naked Samoans group, his role in developing the award-winning television series bro' Town and his co-writing and acting in the box office hit Sione's Wedding.
The Samoan-born actor has also established the Island Players Theatre Company and the Pacific Underground Theatre Group, for which he produced his first play Fresh off the Boat.
Kightley said he didn't know who nominated him for the honour but he was grateful to receive it. "It's a pretty big honour."
The comedian said he wanted the honour to also be in acknowledgment of all the people he'd worked with during his time in the business.
"I wish everyone I worked with in television and theatre could get one because everybody's helped."
He was also grateful to his fans.
"I'm thankful to the audience because you can make all the stories under the sun but if there's no one to look at them then what's the point?"
Kightley, who presents Niu FM's breakfast show, is a member of Creative New Zealand's Arts Council.
In 2006, he was made an Arts Laureate by the Arts Foundation.
In the coming year he will work on the fifth series of bro' Town and hopes to make a bro' Town movie.
He also hopes there will be a new comedy show for TV3 and some more theatre work with the Naked Samoans.
"Getting this honour, it does make all the hard work worthwhile [but] it sort of just makes you want to work harder.
"I'm totally bowled over by it but I'm not taking it as a sign of having achieved anything but more a sign that you are on a good path and just to keep going and get better, really."
