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Congratulations @Mobute

Congratulations @Mobute

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Updated Nov 17, 2019 at 09:45AM EST by Y F.

Added May 22, 2017 at 01:49PM EDT by Adam.

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About

Congratulations @Mobute is a Twitter joke in which people congratulate journalist and prominent Weird Twitter user Jeb Lund (@Mobute) for various accomplishments he has not achieved.

Origin

In January of 2014, Lund orchestrated a hoax in which he convinced some that he had been hired by political blog Slate as a blogger.[1] On the 23rd, he tweeted "I am just so honored and overwhelmed to be @Slate's first candidate to field a general blogger role. It is humbling and exciting."[2]


Big Glowing Orb Lund @Mobute Following I am just so honored and overwhelmed to be @Slate's first candidate to field a general blogger role. It is humbling and exciting. RETWEETS LIKES 2 21

Unaware Lund was not sincere, Mediabistro linked to his tweet for their Revolving Door newsletter, which reports on new hires by media outlets.[1] This led to confusion as to whether or not Lund had actually been hired, which Lund contributed to by continuing to tweet as though he had been hired by Slate (ex: shown below).


Big Glowing Orb Lund @Mobute Following My first thinkpiece for @Slate will be about what it means that I was even hired there

On June 9th, Twitter user and Vice politics editor Harry Cheadle[3] referenced the moment by congratulating Mobute for joining Libertarian blog Reason, which he wasn't (shown below). This marked the first "Congratulations @Mobute" joke.


| Harry Cheadle + Follow | @HCheadle congratulations @Mobute on his new gig at Reason RETWEET LIKES 1 17

Spread

In the coming months, more Twitter users began jokingly congratulating Lund whenever a major hire was announced in various industries. On July 2nd, 2015, Gawker[4] wrote an article about the spread of the jokes, pretending to take all of the "Congratulations @Mobute" tweets seriously. The joke continues to be popular on Twitter as of May 22nd, 2017.[5]

Various Examples


congratulations @Mobute Capitol Hill 1:43 PMET BREAKING NEWS FBI DIRECTOR TESTIFIES ON CLINTON EMAILS congratulations @mobute! live kelly tweets from 2018] Congratulations @Mobute on defeating ISIS BEO Speedwulf @crulge pisspiggranddad has returned safe. but in his absence, another must rise. summer 2017 presents: Wardell in Syria congratulations @mobute on inheriting the title of "king of insult comedy" The Associated Press Φ @AP For more than half a century, Rickles headlined casinos and nightclubs and appeared often on late-night talk shows. apne.ws/2nhy2UQ Congratulations @Mobute on being James Comey Steve Kopack Φ @SteveKopack Jim Comey says he's on Twitter. (Seems to be a stealth handle) Congratulations @Mobute on creating a phenomenon that required an Official MLB Hot Dog Ambassador Statement. Big League Stew @bigleaguestew Is a hot dog a sandwich? MLB's official hot dog ambassador weighs in dlvr.it/NIMqKj

Search Interest

Unavailable

External References

[1] Adweek – No, Slate Hasn’t Hired Jeb Lund

[2] Twitter – @Mobute

[3] Twitter – @HCheadle

[4] Gawker – Congratulations @Mobute On Being the Most Interesting Man on Twitter

[5] Twitter – congratulations @mobute search

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