Robin Williams calls Australians 'English rednecks,' Australia then offends Alabama

Robin Williams managed to piss off an entire country by calling its citizens "basically English rednecks."

"The Australians are basically English rednecks. 'You down there, how are ya? Good to see you. Hello,'" he said on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on March 30.

The comment annoyed the bejeezus out of Australia's head redneck, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who told a radio show: "I think Robin Williams should go and spend a bit of time in Alabama before he frames comments about anyone being particularly redneck."

The mention of Alabama didn't set so gosh durn well with Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, who promptly defended his state:

"I'm not sure if Prime Minister Rudd has ever been to Alabama," says Riley. "If he has, he would know that Alabamians are decent, hard working, creative people."

An amused Williams called into a Fox radio show to comment about the Aussie-Alabama fracas he caused."Nice comeback, way to go K-Rudd," Williams said of the PM's Alabama-slamming response.

He went on to apologize to Rudd and offered to "modify my terminology and say 'English good old boy'" next time he tells the joke, which he's told often in Australia without objection.

"Please let me come back to Australia without a cavity search, and if not I'd love to go to a strip club with you in New York," he suggested.

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