A video taking aim at Steven Joyce's run in with a rubber toy at Waitangi has circulated around the halls of Parliament.
Mr Joyce says it was inevitable he would be ridiculed on a US late night comedy show over the dildo-throwing incident, regardless of whether he asked for it or not.
British comedian John Oliver dedicated around four-and-a-half minutes of his Last Week Tonight satirical show on US channel HBO to the incident at Waitangi.
The now infamous footage went around the world, making headlines in a number of publications.
Almost immediately following the incident, in which a woman threw the sex toy at Mr Joyce during a media stand up, he sent a tweet asking someone to send the video to Oliver to "get it over with".
The video included Kiwi director Sir Peter Jackson who waved a flag with an image of the object hitting Mr Joyce's face and the Union Jack.
Mr Joyce did not believe the video had damaged New Zealand's reputation abroad, and found the humour in the lampooning.
"You've got to be able to take a joke in politics.
"I thought it was very funny, particularly by the time he got to the 'Hallelujah Chorus', I thought he'd dug deep and outdone himself," he said today.
"It was a fairly lengthy exposition but he probably thought he had a bit of material to work with."
He said while some had criticised him for "egging" Oliver on by sending the tweet, Mr Joyce was convinced he and his team would have done it regardless.
"My view is that it was always going to happen. It would have happily taken odds on it with somebody last week about it not happening but I wouldn't have had any takers."
On Sir Peter's performance, Mr Joyce joked he would be "probably better behind the camera".
Labour leader Andrew Little used some very descriptive language for a play-by-play of the video.
"You've got dancing dildos, a hallelujah chorus, and a scene of raining manhood..."
Then he took to digging out every somewhat rudely related pun he could.
"I thought it was a bit of a slap in the face for New Zealand.
"Nothing wrong with a gentle ribbing."
Prime Minister John Key said Oliver's segment was "pretty predictable".
He says many late night show hosts often focus on politicians who he says are "easy targets" for them.
Mr Key didn't think Sir Peter appearing in the video waving the dildo flag proudly was a sign he was against the flag change.
"I don't know whether you can draw that conclusion."
But if Mr Joyce thinks it's over, he might want to brace himself a little bit longer -- he still has to face his Parliamentary colleagues during question time today.
It isn't the first time New Zealand has featured on Oliver's show -- Mr Key was also ridiculed for his ponytail-pulling antics and the alternative flag designs were also a target.
Newshub.
