Michael King (born 12 April 1962) is a New Zealand mental health advocate,[1] television personality, and former comedian.

[8][9][10] He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2019 and he returned the honour in 2021 as a protest over the lack of progress in the mental health system.

[18] Initially making his name as a stand-up comedian, playing heavily on his Māori origins, he made the move to a more lucrative mainstream audience, appearing on the New Zealand TV shows Comedy Central, Game of Two Halves, Strassman, TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Pulp Comedy and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

He claims to have purchased a travel agency to assure himself of access to the drug: "If it ever came to it I could always jump on a plane and put myself up in a hotel for a few days".

[23] In 2009, King started a Radio Live programme airing on Sunday evenings entitled The Nutters Club.

On the programme, King works with mental health professionals David Codyre and Malcolm Falconer, and invites listeners to phone in with comments and to share stories or issues which might be troubling them.

After this, he set up a social media campaign for mental health awareness[26] as well as a Gumboot Friday which raised money to help youth to access counselling.

[27][28] In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, King was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), for services to mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

[29] In June 2021, he returned the medal to the government in protest of a lack of progress improving the mental health system,[30] a move he had foreshadowed a month prior.

[11][31] His resignation was accepted by the Queen, who directed that King's appointment as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit be cancelled and annulled.

[34][35] Mental Health Minister Doocey expressed disagreement with King's remarks while Green Party MP Tamatha Paul said that public figures needed to use their words wisely when talking about the impact of alcohol.

"[37] In November 2012, King was ordered to complete 200 hours of community work after pleading guilty to a driving charge.