One of the best things about the magical world of Twitter is the easiness for characters and even Twitter-less celebrities to become humorously alive through parody accounts. Some of the most popular current ones include “Ya Boy Bill Nye,” a characterization of Bill Nye as a “bro” who is frighteningly enthusiastic about science, and “The Dark Lord,” a humorous version of Voldemort who comments on popular trends with an evil flair. Parody accounts that are specific to the William and Mary community have sprung up too, so if you haven’t made a Twitter yet (which you should!) or just have yet to find these accounts in your journey through the internet, here are four of the funniest ones for you to follow.
1. W&M Squirrel – @wmsquirrel
We have all encountered him, gotten to know him, maybe have even gotten slightly injured either directly or indirectly by him. The elusive W&M Squirrel – a savage beast who roams the campus and just manages to show up everywhere you walk, sometimes staring you down as you pass by his territory or darting across the path right in front of you. His Twitter account focuses on his daily life as a squirrel-student of the College, often referring to a Girl Squirrel whom he is “nuts” over and posting images of the campus from his perspective. For example, one of his tweets involves a foreshortened image of the campus wall entitled “morning commute.”
2. Taylor Reveley III – @fakereveley
What’s almost as good as opening your phone and having Reveley spout his wisdom at you every time you get on Twitter? Reading the humorous musings of a student imagining college life from the President’s perspective, of course! Fake Reveley’s account features “surprisingly succulent” Tweets about events that are happening around the College, and let’s just say that some of his remarks are not what one would think the typical college president would say. “I’m dressed as a boss for Halloween….wait, that’s how I dress everyday” is one of his most recent Tweets, for example. Any student who has experienced the wit and charm of President Reveley will appreciate this interpretation of him.
3. Lord Botetourt – @lordbot
Lord Botetourt, the “statuesque” friend of all William and Mary students, is quite a notable Twitter user at the College. This Twitter is dedicated to observations of the campus from the perspective of Botetourt’s statue that stands in front of the Wren building. Frozen in place, some of Lord Bot’s funniest reflections are about the fact that he is eternally outside – “I enjoy the holiday flare with which I am usually adorned, but I like the sound of a summer wardrobe,” reads one of his Tweets from Spring. Unfortunately, it has been almost a month since he has Tweeted last – hopefully this is just due to the fact that he has to thaw his fingers from the sudden burst of winter that we’ve gotten before he can pull out his phone again!
4. WM Griffin – @WMGriffin1693
The William and Mary Griffin doesn’t necessarily have a humorous angle, but I just had to include him because this parody Twitter account emanates Tribe spirit. The “pants-less” mascot is very up to date on the latest happenings with W&M sports and events, and he even injects Tribe spirit into wider matters such as the election – “I love democracy!! Is there a Green and Gold party candidate?” reads one of his recent Tweets. Whoever tweets as the Griffin (perhaps the elusive masked person themselves?) has a wonderful amount of school spirit and just looking at the page will make the reader proud to be part of such a strong community.