Australia PM Julia Gillard jokes: Mayans were right, end of the world is coming

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard barely breaks a smile in this spoof video made for a TV program that agrees with the Mayan calendar and predicts the end of the world on December 21. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

By Ian Johnston, NBC News

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned that predictions of the end of the world by ancient Mayans were correct and that the final days are coming -- in a deadpan ad for a lighthearted breakfast radio show.

"Whether the final blow comes from flesh-eating zombies, demonic hell-beasts or the total triumph of K-Pop, if you know one thing about me, it is this: I will always fight for you to the very end," Gillard said in a message to the "dear remaining fellow Australians."

She concluded her message by saying "Good luck to you all."

Australia's Herald Sun newspaper contacted Gillard's office seeking further information.

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"What Australian doesn't mind a laugh from time to time? Anyway, the world's going to end tomorrow so shouldn't you be writing about that?" a spokesperson for the prime minister said.

NASA: It's not true

Such has been the hype about the supposed Mayan prediction for the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012, that NASA was moved to issue a denial in a statement on its website.

"The world will not end in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012," NASA said.