In the context of Donald Trump‘s ongoing campaign to convince America the presidential election is rigged, someone on Weird Twitter made a joke:
https://twitter.com/randygdub/status/787747220267278336
Ha ha! It’s funny because no one who actually intended to tamper with ballots would tweet about it. No one could possibly mistake Randy’s gag, making light of Trump supporters’ paranoia, for a serious admission. Or could they?!
Sadly, they could.
Here comes reliable, stable, and unbiased scoop-deliverer Matt Drudge to tell everyone what’s up:
Very legitimate news outlet Drudge gets hoaxed by @randygdub – runs his story on the front page. pic.twitter.com/9sf18hXiHO
— Imraan Siddiqi (@imraansiddiqi) October 17, 2016
Once Randy’s joke was reported as news on Drudge’s front page, all manner of “deplorables” popped up in Randy’s mentions to act all red and nude online.
aaaahahahahahahaaaa pic.twitter.com/B4wHSfknIJ
— Big Supernaturals (@UweBollocks) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/FredPiccoloJr/status/788054223862673408
https://twitter.com/Jennifermarx66/status/788069567629238272
There are several in Columbus Ohio ! I'm with an Officer friend right now we're waiting on your response!
— Jan Hess 🇺🇸❤🤍💙🇺🇲 (@hairbyjan17) October 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/Caryncann/status/787903135331209216
https://twitter.com/matthewsmommy35/status/788016920486408192
https://twitter.com/Jackson_Avenue/status/787756797989793792
… and one of them was actor and Twitter yeller Scott Baio.
I hope you get fired! Cheating is the only way she'll win. @realDonaldTrump Hey @JohnKasich is this okay with you? https://t.co/9mgk11KZHk
— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) October 17, 2016
The gag even made it to Rush Limbaugh, who discussed it on the air and somehow managed to link the fake post office worker to Benghazi conspiracy theories.
https://twitter.com/AndrewKirell/status/788095577842126849
Are all of these people stupid? Maybe!
Anyone who saw the post office thing and didn't immediately think, oh a joke, is too stupid to run their own life
— Nauru Tourism (@nauru_tourism) October 17, 2016
But pretending to take jokes seriously, removing their context, and trying to use them against opponents is a fairly typical tactic of the alt-right, so also maybe not?
Either way, someone named Randy G Dub is not a post office employee trying to steal the election from Donald Trump. The United States Postal Service has confirmed it:
“The Postal Service has completed an initial investigation of the mentioned tweets and does not be… https://t.co/NMQYp7CqQF
— USPS Help (@USPSHelp) October 17, 2016
Dear DeplorableCHUD1488,
— crisp mattman (@cushbomb) October 17, 2016
Randy does not work for us.
Sincerely,
The Post Office
Although this forced a retraction from Drudge, Randy’s mentions are still a very funny shitstorm, the well-deserved treasure of a successful troll.
im getting harassed online
— raandy (@randygdub) October 17, 2016
R.I.P Randy’s menchies.