While politicians are well-accustomed to having their name thrown about on Twitter in tweets that range from approving to downright abusive, Members of Parliament are likely less attuned to being described in somewhat suggestive terms.
With that being said, it was probably a little amusing, if not slightly confronting, when Aotearoa's Green Party leader James Shaw logged on Twitter to find a left-wing commentator calling him "daddy".
Former Greens' communications director, commentator and lobbyist David Cormack shared a digitally edited photo of Shaw to his 15,000 followers on Twitter on Tuesday, showing the MP with a thick beard, long, wavy hair à la Brad Pitt and a smouldering stare.
The image had been edited via FaceApp, an application that realistically transforms faces in photographs using a form of artificial intelligence. For example, the app can transform a face to change its gender, make it smile, or look younger or older.
The pic, which was initially shared to Twitter by student Alex Auty, was later retweeted by Cormack with a caption succinctly stating: "Daddy."
It didn't take long for Shaw, 49, to stumble across his new look. Clearly lost for words, the Climate Change Minister simply responsed, "David" - a tweet which has since racked up more than 500 likes.
And it appears Cormack isn't the only one to admire Shaw 2.0, with a number of Twitter users responding to the photo with amusement and appreciation.
"You gotta admit, it's a good look," @straydognz commented, urging the MP to 'bring back the beard'.
"You gotta admit being a backbench MP looks good on you. #Relaxed," added Auckland Councillor Richard Hills.
"Listen, Dr Bloomfield's off the clock. Someone has to step up," @dickens_chicken joked, referring to the former Director-General of Health - a man who proved an unlikely heartthrob during his daily stint on television amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"More like James Shawty," quipped neuroscientist Rob Munn.
Replying to Shaw, Cormack wrote: "Look how popular you get when you just call out my name."
It's not the first time Shaw's appearance has been discussed on social media. In 2019, Shaw's 'seasonal' beard became a topic of conversation after Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick shared a photo of the two together, captioning it: "The summer beard is back, for a limited time only."
Shaw has been contacted for comment.
