Pollie brain snaps caught on camera
They are some of the most powerful and influential people in the world, but politicians are not immune to the odd meltdown - and when it happens a camera is usually on hand to capture every excruciating second.
He is tipped to be the future leader of the UK, so you would expect Boris Johnson to be able to handle himself in confronting situations with irate members of the public.
Let's face it, even the most popular pollies don't get everyone's vote.
But the London Mayor revealed his darker side during a recent run-in with an angry taxi driver who berated him as he cycled through Islington, in North London.
The cabbie was apparently furious over Johnson's lack of support for black cab drivers in their battle with Uber and so decided to make his feelings known.
The driver leaned out of his cab and made a vulgar hand gesture while simultaneously shouting: 'You're one of them mate', sparking a response that no one - especially not the cabbie - expected.
The eccentric former journalist, who is tipped to take the political reins from David Cameron, retorted with a foul mouthed rant - 'f***k off and die - and not in that order'.
He is certainly not the first pollie - and undoubtedly not the last - to be caught losing it.
Speaking of profanity-ridden tirades, who could forget Kevin Rudd's almighty obscenity-littered wobbler.
Once again, a camera was in earshot to capture every agonising syllable.
The video, titled "Kevin Rudd is a Happy Little Vegemite" and posted on YouTube, showed the former PM slamming his fists on the table and cursing repeatedly after getting himself into a bit of a tongue-tie.
"Don't have the f***ing patience to do it...This is f***ing Chinese interpreter up again...Ohh...just f***ing' hopeless," Rudd said.
Someone get the man a damp cloth.
The video emerged at the worst possible time for the 'Not-So-Happy Little Vegemite' who had been plotting a coup to overthrow the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard and reclaim the top job.
Rudd's bizarre outburst raised serious doubts over whether he had the temperament, patience and diligence to run the country, which leads us nicely into our next meltdown.
When Seven's state political reporter Mark Riley asked Tony Abbott about his controversial 's--t happens' comment in Afghanistan, what ensued was a harrowing 25 seconds of deathly silence.
Unable to answer the question, Abbott froze.
The PM's crazy stare and nervous head twitch delivered one of the most uncomfortable segments of television we have ever seen.
For a moment, Abbott looked as though he wanted to grab Riley by the scruff of the neck and throttle him, eventually breaking the silence with this candid response, 'I've given you the response you deserve'.
One politician who has never tried to hide his disdain for the media is maverick MP Geoff Shaw.
In a typically aggressive manner, he labelled journalists and camera crews a 'pack of vultures' and a 'disgrace'.
His ugly outburst came after the government's shock decision to withdraw fraud charges against him.
The rebel MP was also caught allegedly pushing over a protester and punching others on the steps of parliament.
Defending his knee-jerk reaction, Shaw said he was "heckled, yelled at, spat upon and hit by a large group of protesters" - a claim supported by CCTV footage of the incident.
Some, well some are just plain dumb.
In a disastrous interview on Sunday Night which made headlines around the world, Motoring Enthusiast Party's brand new senator Ricky Muir struggled to answer many important questions about his new role and his goals for the next six years.
On hand to lend a shoulder and some sympathetic words of support was Pauline Hanson who understands all too well the perils of a mid-interview choke.
In 1996, 60 Minutes ran a story entitled the Hanson Phenomenon. During the interview the controversial far-right politician was asked if she was xenophobic, to which Hanson replied: 'Please explain?'
So infamous was Hanson's notoriously simple retort, it inspired a lyrical parody that peaked in the Australian music charts.
