There was a debate last night, possibly the last one for a while, and the confrontation was between Senator Kamala Harris and the homophobic, talking version of that box of baking soda you keep at the back of the fridge. We’ve recapped big moments from the debate, though Mike Pence didn’t say much and Kamala was amazing, but the real star of the night was, of course … the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head.
To say that Twitter exploded when that fly touched down on that improbable helmet of white lint would be an understatement. But for the rest of the night, it almost made the internet fun again. It was like a trip back to 2016 before we were all just screaming into the cyber void in terror all the time. Or, you know, last Friday when the president got COVID. That kind of fun.
The Daily Show made the obvious but great Psycho connection.
Debates Motel pic.twitter.com/40lpMsDU6l
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 8, 2020
But there were so many other great jokes thrown out, just on the fly!
I sent the fly.
Tell Pence.
I want him to know it was me. pic.twitter.com/J8qlzr8b8j
— Lana Del Gay 🏳️🌈👻✨ (@McClellandShane) October 8, 2020
Update: The fly has just checked into Walter Reed.
— Gary Shteyngart (@Shteyngart) October 8, 2020
I don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist, but I think @VP Pence may be bugged. #VPDebates pic.twitter.com/2YzsOW7V50
— Misha Collins — VOTE YOUR ASS OFF! (@mishacollins) October 8, 2020
hi everyone!! i’m on tv!!
— fly in mike pence’s hair🏳️🌈 (@flyinmikepence) October 8, 2020
That fly knew bullshit when it smelled it.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) October 8, 2020
This “Pence is literal shit or maybe dead” was a popular theme.
Wow. The fly on Pence’s head: #VPDebate2020 #VPDebate pic.twitter.com/xBoHsVHl5X
— Vinny Thomas (!) (@vinn_ayy) October 8, 2020
The fly knows.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 8, 2020
You know where flies land?
— Harold Perrineau (@HaroldPerrineau) October 8, 2020
It just didn’t stop.
2020 Writers: Okay, a fly, clever. Great lying hellspawn symbolism. But TBH you missed a great opportunity to use the murder hornet you already introduced in Episode 2.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 8, 2020
the fly entering the debate hall pic.twitter.com/WIqDCYaXzy
— boring bb22 hours (@ambriehlx) October 8, 2020
The Fly. https://t.co/AzgATxx82f
— Stands (@Stands) October 8, 2020
Was it a sign, though?
I’m not saying he’s an alien but I never seen a bug sit so comfortably on anyone since Men In Black.
— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) October 8, 2020
Why is there a fly on Pence’s head? It means he’s either a piece of shit or a servant of Satan.
— Jason Mankey (@Panmankey) October 8, 2020
The symbolism of the fly was not lost on the social media audience …
So, a fun art history fact! Flies are used to represent rot, wasting away, decay, death, melancholia.
A fly hovering over a church official or nobleman indicates disfavor with the king or corruption and dereliction of duty. pic.twitter.com/aLuiKFwWNI
— Jennifer Wright (@JenAshleyWright) October 8, 2020
Memes on top of memes.
That fly was just vibin up there pic.twitter.com/XfvexBZEbL
— adam.the.creator (@AdamPadilla) October 8, 2020
And, Joe Biden (or at least his brilliant social folks) were ON IT.
Pitch in $5 to help this campaign fly. https://t.co/CqHAId0j8t pic.twitter.com/NbkPl0a8HV
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 8, 2020
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 8, 2020
But don’t forget that safety matters, even for flies:
Thank you for the concern! I will begin quarantine now and get a COVID-19 test promptly!
— Fly on Mike Pence (@calliewine) October 8, 2020
And lastly, I think we know who has to play the fly on SNL this weekend.
I couldn’t help myself. I had to. #JeffGoldblum I love you and it had to be done… pic.twitter.com/UtChuIdXFN
— Geoff Leavitt (@gleavitt) October 8, 2020
We’d honestly share more memes but for now, we gotta fly.
Watched the VP debate and I thought that @SenKamalaHarris did well. Good balance of warmth, knowledge & gravitas. I doodled on my ipad while I watched. I tried to get the likenesses right; think they turned out pretty well. pic.twitter.com/J5cCk7YGP6
— Benjamin Dewey (@BenjaminDewey) October 8, 2020
(image: ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images)
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