TV stardom, celebrity gossip and getting friendly with Hollywood greats.
It sounds like the rock star lifestyle. But while it is not, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has certainly brought a world of pop culture to The Lodge.
Our Tweeting PM is taking the populist PM persona to new extremes, commenting on anything from Gordon Ramsay’s potty mouth to Sam the koala and The Chaser.
Mr Rudd recently weighed into the Kyle Sandilands radio stunt row, describing it as “really off”‘ despite having been on a Sydney radio show strapped to an electro-shock machine during the 2007 election campaign.
Earlier, he was quick to jump into the controversy over an exhibition of nude photos of underage girls taken by the renowned Australian photographer Bill Henson. The PM described the images as “absolutely revolting”.
The PM has appeared on Gen Y show Rove three times and host Rove McManus has told how Mr Rudd’s office approached him — not the other way around.
Mr Rudd met Sacha Baron Cohen’s flamboyant alter-ego, Bruno, during his latest Rove appearance.
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also made a small-screen appearance with McManus on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Last year, Mr Rudd opted to visit Cate Blanchett’s newborn son rather than attend the funeral of former Labor minister John Button, while actor Nicole Kidman is on his Christmas card list.
Also last year, he invited actors Blanchett, Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan to the 2020 Summit at Parliament House.
The PM recently shared handpasses for the cameras with Carlton skipper Chris Judd — in what the Blues great dubbed “the Juddster and the Ruddster”.
Monash University politics expert Nick Economou said Mr Rudd’s celeb-loving pitch was a deliberate change from the John Howard era.
“(Rudd) campaigned so effectively against Howard on generational change and he’s just reinforcing it,” Dr Economou said.
“It’s part and parcel that the PM tries to come across as a common man.”
He said Mr Rudd liked being associated with success and was unlikely to speak out on national failures.
“He would not talk about Australia’s loss in the Ashes and say, ‘They tried hard, maybe better luck next time’,” Dr Economou said.
“But he’s not really that different to past prime ministers.”
Liberal Victorian Senator Scott Ryan said the PM craved the fame of a celebrity while failing to be a proper leader.
“Being seen with movie and TV stars appeals to Kevin Rudd’s vanity,” Senator Ryan said.
“He craves the attention and popularity that politics will not deliver.”
Playing the populist card has been a Rudd staple since before he became Labor leader.
In 2005, at the time of Schapelle Corby’s conviction for drug trafficking, the then Opposition foreign affairs spokesman was quick to demand the Howard government request a presidential pardon from the Indonesian Government.
Since becoming PM Mr Rudd has not raised her case with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.