They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, although anyone who’s been the subject of a Twitter parody account might not necessarily agree. Parody accounts on Twitter have targeted celebrities, politicians, brands and even entire countries.
While some have been suspended, and others are coming under attack, there are still hundreds of thousands of people on Twitter who are more than happy to follow them for a dose of cynical and sarcastic humour. That said, some of them do push the envelope quite far, and aren’t necessarily going to appeal to everyone. If you’re easily offended, many of these accounts will definitely not appeal to you.
If you’re thinking of putting together your own parody account, be sure to read Twitter’s guidelines first to make sure you’re not in violating of the site’s terms.
Hosni Mubarak
For current events, the best Twitter parody account by far has to be the one which claims to be former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian revolution was permeated by a constant sense of humour, both on the ground and online, even in the signs that protesters were carrying. It’s no surprise then that several parody accounts have popped up, claiming to be the former president, but this is definitely the best one, and is even accompanied by a website, Confessions of a Pharaoh.
If you like this account, you’ll also want to follow Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Al Qaeda.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs‘ parody accounts already has over 400,000 followers and rightfully so. Being the CEO of one of the largest IT corporations in the world is bound to find you the subject of a few jokes, and much to Apple’s dismay, the account is still up and running, despite attempts to put a stop to it, since California recently passed a law criminalising online impersonations.
If you like this account, you’ll also want to follow Fake Carol Bartz, the parody account of CEO of Yahoo.
Stewie Griffin
Characters from shows are another popular form of parody accounts. Family Guy’s Stewie Griffin has at least 7 parody accounts on Twitter. It’s no secret why the best one has over 200,000 followers. As politically incorrect as the TV show’s character, you can get your Family Guy fix directly on Twitter.
If you like this account, be sure to check out Futurama’s Bender and Family Guy’s Brian Griffin.
Chuck Norris
Like Stewie Griffin, there are countless fake Chuck Norris accounts, but one of the best, and most consistent is Chuck Facts This is one of the most entertaining parody accounts out there, but if you’re easily offended, however, it won’t appeal to you.
If you like this account, also check out Mr. T and Vin Diesel, both of whom Chuck Norris fittingly follows.
FakeAPStyleBook
For all the grammar nazis, the FakeAPStylebook is a great source of humour. From misplaced apostrophes to common grammar and spelling mistakes, FakeAPStylebook is the perfect form of cathartic humour for all the editors on Twitter.
If you like this account, also check out Charles Darwin and Samuel Johnson.
Darth Vader
For all the Star Wars geeks, a must follow is the Darth Vader parody account. Commenting on current events from a Darth Vader perspective is clearly working since the account has over 200,000 followers and is listed over 11,000 times.
If you like this account, be sure to check out All Seeing Yoda and Depressed Darth Vader.
AT&T Fake Pr
Many companies have come under the satirical wrath of parody accounts with every misstep, and AT&T has been no exception. This parody account not only makes fun of AT&T’s service, it’s yet another example of how the world’s current events can be seen from just about any angle.
If you like this account, be sure to check out the fake BP PR account, BPGlobalPR and TSAgov. The fake TSA account, another one which is not for the easily offended, doesn’t appear to be active for the time being, but with over 1000 tweets, there’s plenty to catch up on.
Ferris Bueller
Another now defunct Twitter parody account, but it’s definitely worth reading through what’s already been posted. Children of the 80s will love this spoof account, Ferris Bueller, which tells the story of one of Matthew Broderick’s best films, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
What are your favourite Twitter parody accounts? Let us know in the comments.
