A city in New Zealand has given comedian John Cleese the dubious distinction of naming a waste site after him.

In Palmerston North, located about 150 km north of the country's capital city of Wellington, a sign that renames a former landfill site "Mt. Cleese" has been put up.

A python puts the squeeze on John Cleese at Taronga Zoo in Sydney on Jan. 6, 2006, during a tour of Australia and New Zealand last year. A New Zealand city has named a waste site after the British comedian.
(Paul Miller/Associated Press)

"It's popped up overnight and nobody has said to pull it down. People just smile and leave it there," Chris Pepper, the city's water and waste manager, told the Manawatu Standard newspaper.

Pepper added that the name change is not official.

Cleese heaped praise on other cities he visited for his My Life, Times and Current Medical Problems tour, but the Monty Python alumnus insulted Palmerston North residents after his 2005 gig by saying he hated the city, which he called a town and described as the "suicide capital of New Zealand" in an online audio diary.

"If you ever do want to kill yourself but lack the courage, I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick," the British comedian and actor said.

Members of city council are reportedly responsible for the new sign, inspired by a suggestion by Palmerston North comedian and performer John Clarke.

Clarke had suggested renaming the former Awapuni Landfill — now operating as a composting centre — the John Cleese Memorial Tip. He suggested it be promoted with the tagline: "All manner of crap happily recycled."

With files from the Associated Press and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation