By: Barry Soper | Wednesday, July 18, 2012 6:00 AM

The thing about State Homie John Key is that he comes across as just one of the lads. The other night in Wellywood he proved that he did indeed have a misspent youth and it had little to do with growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in Christchurch in a state house with his solo mum.

He was officiating at the opening of a plush billiards room in one of the capital's poshest hotels. The city's shakers and movers turned up to see The Homie break the snooker balls on the full size, restored tables.

Before being handed the billiard cue he told the room full of French champagne flutes that he preferred his glass of water because it costs nothing at the moment. That got a laugh and so too did the word or two he had to say about the 22 balls on the table before him. He wasn't too sure about the red balls outnumbering the blue by 15 to one.

As he was handed the cue the pub owner wagered that if he could pot a red on the break he'd donate a couple of grand to Ronald McDonald House. Sniffing the cue, he drew it back and gave the white a half strength nudge. The reds broke and one drifted slowly but surely to the corner of the table before dropping into the pocket.

Snooker players were impressed, so too was the charity, but The Homie took it all in his stride. He was denied the pleasure of sinking all the red balls but took solace that the blue always outlasts them.

As sharp as he thought he was, he'll never match it with the fairer sex it seems. A pointy headed survey tells us that shielas are brighter than blokes in this country. Across the ditch though, the IQs across the sexes are on a par which makes you ponder the proposition posed by 'The Grunter' Rob Muldoon more than a quarter of a century ago.

Like today, the so called brains were draining across the Tasman way back then and Muldoon was moved to snort that at least it'd raise the IQ of both countries.

He was laughed at then but perhaps he was right!

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