News

Mike Pence & Paul Ryan Twinning Tweets and Memes

by Katherine Speller

The internet often needs to cling to something — anything — when people don't exactly want to deal with the reality of a situation, like Donald Trump being the 45th president. Perhaps, then, it was no surprise when a heaping amount of energy at Trump's joint address on Tuesday night was focused on the eerie Doublemint Twin display behind the president: Mike Pence and Paul Ryan were twinning as they flanked the president's side during his speech like tax accountant gargoyles whispering sweet nothings about keeping trans children from using their bathrooms of choice or defunding Planned Parenthood.

Twitter users quickly caught on to the fact that both the House Speaker and the Vice President were wearing matching black suits, blue ties, American flag pin get-ups (not like that's a super #daring fashion choice, but whatever). However, after a few too many symmetrical displays of yes-man hand clasping, head tilting, brow furrowing and almost-synchronized (Pence gets up first like every time) standing ovations, it got to be way too much real fast. While the Uncanny Valley effect of watching them nod and clap and stand together sort of lessens the longer you stare at it, I'm still grateful for the people of Twitter who kept it real and kept it funny throughout the speech.

If you see something, say something.

#Twinsies

Curiouser and curiouser.

Practice makes perfect.

The one time I'll allow kink-shaming.

Oh God, nobody tell them.

Their commentary was probably less fun though.

Once again, it's nights like these when I need to thank the Pagan Gods of Twitter for making certain political events significantly more palatable. It's also a healthy reminder for all elected officials: You can't turn a major speech — no matter how circus-like it may be — into a fun house mirror without getting dragged online for it.