John Oliver's gay rabbit parody book outsells the original by Mike Pence

British satirist John Oliver has succeeded in lampooning Mike Pence after his spoof book about the vice president's family's pet rabbit outsold the original.

Oliver, one of the best known political comedians on US television, took Mr Pence's children's story about Marlon Bundo and made the bunny gay, mocking the vice president's conservative views on homosexuality and humiliating him in the bestsellers charts.

John Oliver, who was committed to his joke, published a copycat story the day before the Vice President's was due to be released, and it has managed to outsell the original on Amazon.

In the original, Marlon Bundo's A Day In the Life of the Vice President, the Pence family pet learns about the daily responsibilities of the vice president. The book was written by Pence’s daughter Charlotte and illustrated by his wife, Karen.

In order to make fun of Mr Pence's views on homosexuality, Oliver caused the protagonist Marlon Bundo, to fall in love with another male in his version.

Oliver's book was penned by comedian and staff writer Jill Twiss, and the synopsis says it is about “a lonely bunny who lives with his grampa, the vice-president of the United States” who one day “falls in love with another boy bunny”.

Proceeds from the book will go to Aids United and the LGBTQ charity the Trevor Project.

Mr Pence's daughter, 24, confirmed she bought a copy of Oliver's re-telling, and told Fox Business: "But in all seriousness, his book is contributing to charities that I think we can all get behind. We have two books that are giving to charities that are both about bunnies, so I’m all for it, really.

Proceeds from her book will be split between Tracy's Kids, an organization that provides art therapy to cancer patients, and A21, a non-profit that fights human trafficking. 

Her father, however, has not commented. He is famously opposed to gay marriage, and said in 2006 that  it would lead to the “deterioration of the family” and “societal collapse”.

Oliver urged his fans to buy a copy of the book, saying on his television show: "Selling more books than Pence will probably really p--- him off."

The book-buying frenzy sparked debate among fans of John Oliver and those with similar views to Mike Pence, with many leaving one-star reviews under each book on Amazon.

One reviewer wrote that they bought Pence's book "in response to Mr Oliver’s hate-filled diatribe", while another wrote they bought Oliver's as an "up yours to Mr Pence!"