Social Media Users Mock George Santos' 'Messy' Reality TV Energy In Viral Photo
TikTok and Twitter users are poking fun at a sunglasses-wearing Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) for a picture that’s received vintage paparazzi shot comparisons over the weekend.
The picture, snapped by photographer John Taggart for The Washington Post, stems from the flood of cameras that surrounded Santos as he showed his support for former President Donald Trump outside the Manhattan courthouse at his arraignment last month.
The Santos snap took off on social media after The Post used the image in its coverage of the embattled GOP lawmaker as he pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges last week.
The shot shows Santos in a pair of shades as he faces toward cameras and looks at a microphone with a crowd of people surrounding him in New York City.
The photo of George Santos outside Manhattan court in New York on April 4, 2023.
TikTok user Caroline Timoney, in a post captioned “he was born for this” with over 295,000 views, said nothing has made her laugh quite like the photo.
“So many people if they get accused of a crime they look like a mess, he has never looked better in his life,” Timoney said. “He stepped out of the house with his shades on, he’s leaning into it, so accusation chic.”
Other users replied that the photo is Santos’ dream “REALIZED” and compared the snap to a “Glamour” shoot.
“Why’s he’s giving kendall roy after the press conference,” wrote one TikToker.
“Anna Delvey walked so he could STRUT,” wrote another.
@carol.ine3 He was born for this
♬ original sound - Caroline Timoney
Twitter user @AdverbReclaimer, in one viral post, remarked that the snap was “one of the hardest pictures” they’ve ever seen in their life as users weighed in on the shot’s vintage aesthetics.
“It’s sad how there’s so many barriers to entry into reality television in our country, that so many people have to start off running for office,” one user jokingly replied. “Guy just wanted to earn an honest living sewing chaos and being messy on Bravo.”
Writer John Paul Brammer, in another tweet, noted that Lindsay Lohan’s paparazzi-criticizing song “Rumors” came to mind before another Twitter user put the song to a video featuring the photo.
https://t.co/kRMHO1tmRbpic.twitter.com/TPKhTWysD0
— Matt (@hearthst0n3) May 11, 2023
Santos appeared to switch his Twitter profile picture to the image in the wake of the memes.
You can read more reactions from Twitter users below.
I love this guy. Has 0 business being in Government, but honestly deserves his own TV show or some shit.
— The 🅱️ Movie (@RobotRoundhouse) May 13, 2023
— conspicuous leisure (@Inspectah8) May 11, 2023
— Gustavo Pizzo (@gugpizzo) May 14, 2023
— GTX (@0x_gtx) May 14, 2023
Reminds me of the poster for the HBO Phil Spector movie. *great film btw* pic.twitter.com/RVqUfuDsF4
— Jim (@AdverbReclaimer) May 13, 2023
So, they finally caught D. B. Cooper. pic.twitter.com/pddbf2O3Mr
— Josh 🌟 (@jansenart) May 14, 2023
The freeze frame of the soft opening right before the credits roll on Scorsese' "The Wolf Of K Street"
— Avery Δ (@AveryDelta2) May 13, 2023
Going as George Santos for Halloween next year dressed like this photo and I will just pathologically lie about my entire life the whole night pic.twitter.com/cHeaTX2Nbd
— Myles ☀️ (@cxxkmxnster) May 13, 2023