A scenario involving Donald Trump and a TV channel dedicated to gorillas has taken Twitter by storm.
The story all stems from a joke tweet by Twitter user @pixelatedboat, which claims to show an extract from the exposing book by journalist Michael Wolff, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House.
The extract claims Trump complained the TV in the White House didn’t have a “gorilla channel” on it, leading to his staff creating one for him which he proceeded to watch for 17 hours a day – kneeling in front of the TV and praising the gorillas for the way they fight.
Wow, this extract from Wolff’s book is a shocking insight into Trump’s mind: pic.twitter.com/1ZecclggSa
— the gorilla channel thing is a joke (@pixelatedboat) January 5, 2018
The story is of course a joke, but some have taken the extract to be real. In posts which have since been deleted some, including more than one journalist, retweeted the excerpt appearing to believe it to be real.
Another round of applause for at least these 4 blue checkmarks who thought the Gorilla Channel was real….@ericgarland @funder @samanthamaiden @shadihamid
Great work @pixelatedboat! pic.twitter.com/LALxGiFRmN
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 5, 2018
I can’t believe people are actually falling for the gorilla channel thing pic.twitter.com/XuBeSXMmBC
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) January 5, 2018
This response even lead the person who tweeted the excerpt to change their name on Twitter to “the gorilla channel thing is a joke” to make sure people understood.
tfw you parody a guy making up shit about Trump but people believe it so you become part of the problem
— the gorilla channel thing is a joke (@pixelatedboat) January 5, 2018
Wonder if this new display name will help. Probably not.
— the gorilla channel thing is a joke (@pixelatedboat) January 5, 2018
Whether or not simply due to savvy social media awareness, the streaming network Netflix has even got involved in the discussion.
please stop calling our customer service hotline to ask if we have The Gorilla Channel
— Netflix US (@netflix) January 6, 2018
Taking things to a whole new level, Vice News even decided to make the gorilla channel a reality, streaming a feed of gorilla entertainment.
The footage is taken from a segment on gorilla conservation for the outlet and HBO taken at Virunga National Park in the Congo.
We just made the fake Trump Gorilla Channel a reality. Go bananas watching it here. https://t.co/0fokgdkUri
— VICE News (@vicenews) January 5, 2018
So to clarify. Of any revelations from Michael Wolff’s book on Trump’s White House, the president kneeling in front of a TV watching a hastily pulled together compilation of gorillas fighting for most of the day is not a real one.
That doesn’t mean people don’t think a channel dedicated to the lovable apes isn’t a bad idea though.
In defense of Trump, I’d be cised for a 24-7 gorilla channel.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) January 5, 2018
┏┓ ┃┃╱╲ in┃╱╱╲╲ this╱╱╭╮╲╲house▔▏┗┛▕▔ we╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲ watch the gorilla channel and the gorilla channel only╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲ ▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔
— gabe bergado (@gabebergado) January 5, 2018
Thesis: trump watches a fake gorilla channel
Antithesis: there is no fake gorilla channel
Synthesis: we demand a gorilla channel
— Tom Whyman (@HealthUntoDeath) January 5, 2018
Where’s Sir David Attenborough when you need him?
