There are plenty of celebrities, public figures, intellectual giants and business gurus using Twitter these days. But there are also some posters who entertain in a slightly different manner: the fictional, fictionalized or anonymous accounts. Here’s our guide to some of the most notable:
@fakeapstylebook If you’ve any interest in language or journalism, this is for you. As with any good spoof, there’s some genuinely useful advice masquerading as comedy, along with some comments which might cut a little too close to the bone. Sample tweet: “Sprinkle the word ‘quantum’ throughout science articles, particularly if you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
@drsamueljohnson The famed diarist reports on current events in his 18th century style. While some of the topics covered are British-centric, others have a more global appeal. Sample tweet: “#18thcenturyinternet ‘All Your Base Are Belong To Us, for they were granted to us in the Treaty of Utrecht.'”
@killallclients An anonymous web developer shares his frustrations over clients who don’t quite seem to grasp how computers and software works. Sample tweet: “‘We said we wanted NO HTML on our site! Now our competitors can steal everything!!!!’ ‘Right you are, giant static image it is then.'”
@theinternet Sadly quiet for the past couple of months, the world’s favorite communications network updates followers on tech issues. Sample tweet: “Oops! Sorry everybody. Gmail going down is my fault. I was calculating Pi.”
@drunkhulk Pretty much the same deal as Dr. Johnson, except by the Incredible Hulk. Whilst intoxicated. Sample tweet: “WAVE! GOOGLE VERSION OF NEW COKE! FINALLY END! IS IT JUST DRUNK HULK! OR DO INTERNET FEEL FASTER NOW!”
@ukwarcabinet Posts derived from British cabinet records updating on war events exactly 60 years to the day, complete with links to the original documents. Sample tweet: “Colonial Secretary recommends secret UK support for anti Vichy coup attempt in French Cameroons http://ow.ly/2jv83”
@queen_uk The nation’s favorite grandmother provides a gin-fueled commentary on her reign. Particularly entertaining during the constitutional morass after the recent indecisive British election. Sample tweet: “A case, Mr Jobs? You’d like to give one a case? One is trying to rule 16 countries with no iPhone4 reception; you’d like to give one a case.”
@adalek Another sadly infrequent poster these days, this was admittedly something of a one-note joke. Sample tweet: “EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE.”
@s_sylvesterglee In Twitter, as in life, Sue Sylvester wants to win. Sample tweet: “Why so glum, Gulf Coast? Your pristine shorelines are being coated in millions of gallons of DINOSAUR! Where’s you sense of whimsy?!?!”
@iamkellyfierce Kelly from The Office shares her wit and wisdom. It’s everything you’d imagine and worse. Sample tweet: “#ToyStory3 That Andy kid should up & get an iPhone instead of playing w/toys. Just give Woody 2 some poor kid or something.”
@edgar_allen_poe The poet explores the darker side of Twitter. Sample tweet: “Shall we begin to call Web Cookies by their more accurate sobriquet: intestinal parasites?”