ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪv, pˈɪkɚɹɪŋ lˈɑːntʃt bˈɛɾɚmən æt ðə mˈɪkf, ɐ ʃˈoʊ hiː wɛnt ˌɔn tə tˈʊɹ ɪn nˈuː zˈiːlənd wˌɛɹ hiː wˈʌn ðə bˈɛst ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl ˈækt ɪnðə nˈuː zˈiːlənd kˈɑːmədi ɡˈɪld ɐwˈɔːɹdz, ænd ˈɔːlsoʊ æt ðɪ ˈɛdɪnbʌɹə fɹˈɪndʒ fˈɛstɪvəl wˌɛɹ hiː wʌz nˈɑːmᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd fɚðə pˌɛɹɪˈeɪ ɐwˈɔːɹdz bˈɛst nˈuːkʌmɚ.
In 2005, Pickering launched Betterman at the MICF, a show he went on to tour in New Zealand where he won the Best International Act in the New Zealand Comedy Guild Awards, and also at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he was nominated for the Perrier Award's Best Newcomer.