Diplomatic Immunity - First Episode

Yo, yo, yo this is DJ Lady Killer, Party Filler, filling the yard with love....

– Cultural Liason 'DJ' Malepe Fa'auigaese (Mario Gaoa) gets the welcome party started

Your majesty, it would help with my understanding if you could just stop eating while you're shouting at me...

– Jonah Fa'auigaese (Dave Fane) fields an angry phone call from the King of Fe'ausi

For my sins I've been given the job of cleaning up your act...and I will do that, because that is what I've been sent here to do.

– Leighton Mills (Craig Parker) lays down the law to the ambassador

I think there's a lot of comedy that comes out of supposed taboo areas and to me that's the best kind of comedy. We're not a prissy culture when it comes to what we laugh at. We like the slightly blacker comedy, the slightly darker humour, and this has moments where you go `Oh my god, they're going there'. And on this show, we go there! And it's funny because it's not done maliciously. The comedy comes out of celebrating the madness of cultures colliding.

– Craig Parker on the irreverent nature of series Diplomatic Immunity, The Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2009

I was acutely aware of being the one who's culturally different [on Sione's Wedding and bro' Town]. In addition to that, I'd always wanted to write a show about politics and I'd always wanted to write a show with Dave Fane in a lead role, so those three things coalesced to become Diplomatic Immunity.

– Diplomatic Immunity creator James Griffin on the inspiration for the show, The Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2009

Now these concerns that concern you, I agree, they are concerning. But they don't really concern you.

– Ambassador Jonah Fa'auigaese (Dave Fane) brushes off the concerns of NZ Foreign Affairs official Leighton Mills (Craig Parker)

I was thinking more we get him laid and take photos, but, yeah.

– Mick (John Leigh) offers his angle on getting rid of Leighton (Craig Parker)

I think there's a lot of comedy that comes out of supposed taboo areas and to me that's the best kind of comedy.

– Diplomatic Immunity creator James Griffin, The Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2009