Impostor Tweets

Users are parodying or impersonating everything and everyone from BP to Angelina Jolie. Will it end? Should it?

@BPGlobalPR

The snarky, unknown account holder has more than 180,000 followers–almost 10 times the number of BP’s actual Twitter PR account, @BP_America. From @BPGlobalPR: “If we had a dollar for every complaint about this oil spill, it wouldn’t compare to our current fortune. Oil is a lucrative industry!”

@FakeSarahPalin

Palin’s second book release in November will no doubt provide tweeting fodder for her fake doppelganger. “Does anybody know the definitionism of the word ‘obtuse?’ I AM NOT FAT IF THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS.”

@AngelinaJolie

The movie star got wind of an impostor using @AngelinaJolie, had the account suspended and took it over, according to US Magazine.

@StevenABallmer

The Microsoft CEO has denied the need for his own Twitter account. From the fake Ballmer account: “Google is EVIL!” “Steve Jobs is EVIL!” “Oracle is EVIL!” “iPads are definitely EVIL!”

@TheFakeLarry (Larry Ellison)

The Oracle CEO’s fake page is modest in its following, but little else. Likes: “sailing, expensive cars, myself, the mirror, laughing at bill gatesâ€¦” Another tweet: “I’m trying to add myself to favorites, how do I do that?”

@Maozedong

Even long-dead communist dictators get lampooned. “There are two squares you can’t talk about today – 1. Tiananmen Square, 2. foursquare.”

@FakeParamount

Someone has a serious grudge with the studio that brought us Iron Man 2, and it seems to have stemmed from Paramount’s decision to pass on backing Anchorman 2 after budget qualms stalled negotiations. Weirdest Twitter account based on a grudge ever. “Ever wonder what would happen if the Titanic was a Transformer? Wonder no longer! James Cameron & Michael Bay unite for TitanicFormers 3-D!”

@fakecarolbartz

The Yahoo CEO’s fake bio has her holding previous positions as “Captain of the Titanic” and “Pilot of the Hindenburg.” Another tweet: “I don’t trust people with chin clefts.”

@feministhulk

Even if you’re not up to speed on your postmodern feminist theory, @feministhulk’s strings of Judith Butler-inspired non-sequiturs will crack up even the staunchest of liberals. “HULK LOVE BABIES. BABIES ARE UNFETTERED BY SEXIST IDEOLOGY, AND HAVE NATURAL INSTINCT TO SMASH THINGS.”

@oprahwinfry

Poor Oprah. The fluctuating weight jokes will never die. At least Forbes still gives her respect. “I’m Number 1 on the Forbes Celebrity Power list again! Treating myself to a BK Steakhouse XT tonight; I’ve earned it!”

@kanyewest

To be clear, Twitter shut down the fake Kanye West handle in 2009 after the real West’s online blog freak-out over the anonymous poseur. But honestly, we can’t seem to tell much difference between the outlandish fake Twitterer and the tweets coming from the real deal. Real or fake, the Internet doesn’t seem to care: In the 72 hours since Kanye’s first tweet on July 28, the notoriously brash hip-hop mogul attracted more than 300,000 followers.