The siren Marilyn Monroe serenaded her president in 1962. Now, Kiwi stripper and political wannabe Lisa Lewis is trying it on too.

Within hours of Lewis receiving a YouTube clip of the iconic Monroe-to-JFK tune, she'd turned around her own version to mark Prime Minister John Key's 49th birthday today.

"I never sing karaoke. I take my clothes of for a living, I'm very confident in that aspect. But singing ... I did it."

Lewis, 29, said she had never sung live to anyone before, "apart from in the shower with an audience" of two dogs.

Wearing a green dress - worn only once before, at the Hawera races - Lewis can be seen reflected in a mirror and the frock is unzipped.

"Unfortunately I didn't have anyone at the house to do it up for me. I thought no one would notice... well the guys won't notice, the girls might because they know what it's like."

Key's spokesman Kevin Taylor confirmed that the Prime Minister's office had been made aware of the video clip, however Key was yet to view it.



"He's very busy today. We might refer him to it," he said.



The Prime Minister will fly home to Auckland tonight for "private" birthday celebrations, Mr Taylor said.

Lewis has not met Key before but hopes he'll see the video.

"I hoped that I could have done it in person," she said.

"That's one of the reasons I started my website for people like him. I get a lot of inquires, from people like John Key, that can't actually walk in to a strip club without get in trouble with their partners or the media. Now they can watch my shows from the comfort of their own home or office."

Lewis said Monroe was an inspiration for "many women", especially as she performed for troops - a dream of Lewis'.

"I want to fly to Afghanistan," she said. "I've done naked sky diving."

By way of comparison, footage of Monroe's Happy Birthday Mr President song is nearing five million views on YouTube and Lewis' birthday tribute to Key had topped 200 views by lunchtime today.

Controversial Lewis has remained in the public eye ever since she streaked at a rugby game in a bikini in 2006. She sold the bikini on TradeMe and, since then, the Hamilton-based solo mother has reverted to a previous career as a stripper and become the country's first naked newsreader.

She's now campaigning for a seat on the Hamilton City Council.