How Twitter Trolls Took Over Fashion Week
A designer projected an unfiltered stream of tweets about the show on a giant screen on the runway. What could go wrong?
A red-orange dress from the Rebecca Minkoff Fall 2013 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Rebecca Minkoff's 2013 Fall/Winter collection is full of gorgeous clothes with vivid colors and bold prints. The runway show yesterday at New York Fashion Week had a giant screen that showed a livestream of tweets using hashtag #RMFall. The idea was for fashion lovers watching a livestream of the show online to interact with the live show.
But when you run an unfiltered livestream of the internet on a 30-foot screen, you never know what you're going to get.
While the crowd was taking its seats, I tweeted about the screen and the hashtag. This tipped off a group of Twitter pranksters who are loosely known as "Weird Twitter." They're the guys behind other Twitter pranks like sending Pitbull to Alaska, making the singer from Smash Mouth eat 24 eggs, taking over a Republican printer, fake killing Scott Baio, and causing a false panic over stolen bicycles by trolling the official hashtag of a Tornoto TED conference.
Once Weird Twitter knew they could get any tweet up on a giant screen that would be shown to fancy fashion-show attendees, including celebrities Nicky Hilton, Ashlee Simpson, Coco Rocha, and Shenae Grimes, they went for it, filling the screen with joke tweets.
The tweets below all showed up on the giant jumbotron. Luckily, the screen was only playing tweets while people took their seats, and it turned off once the actual show started.
Most people seemed oblivious, which may be the most damning assessment of the attempt to integrate social media into live events: If no one notices when mayhem is happening on the screen, they're probably not paying attention when it's all going as planned, either.
This happened:
A scatalogical photo of a unwell pig, a Weird Twitter meme, flashed onto the screen.
#RMFall I AM TRAPPED IN AN IMPOSSIBLY HUGE PAIR OF JEANS BACKSTAGE AT RMFALL EVENT PLEASE ASSIS T ME IN GETTING OUT OF THE JEANS
#RMFall I AM TRAPPED IN AN IMPOSSIBLY HUGE PAIR OF JEANS BACKSTAGE AT RMFALL EVENT PLEASE ASSIS T ME IN GETTING OUT OF THE JEANS-- Cool Niceman
Ron Paul. #RMFALL
Ron Paul. #RMFALL-- keptsimple
#RMFall SCREAM IF YOU LOVE ANIME
#RMFall SCREAM IF YOU LOVE ANIME-- China Cabbage Facts
I love to eat turds #RMFall
I love to eat turds #RMFall-- Matt
some exciting new diapers on display in the #RMFALL showcase
some exciting new diapers on display in the #RMFALL showcase-- JULIE DELPY $WAG
#rmfall What goes with crocs LOL
#rmfall What goes with crocs LOL-- drunk mario
I named my basenji Hitler. "Here, Hitler! Hitler, no! Stop that. Always on the rug with you, Hitler! I'm gonna put you down, Hitler" #RMFall
I named my basenji Hitler. "Here, Hitler! Hitler, no! Stop that. Always on the rug with you, Hitler! I'm gonna put you down, Hitler" #RMFall-- Mobutu Sese Seko
"It's always so embarrassing when I'm trying to have a dinner party and little Hitler just sits there just licking his anus." #RMFall
"It's always so embarrassing when I'm trying to have a dinner party and little Hitler just sits there just licking his anus." #RMFall-- Mobutu Sese Seko
I got kicked out of SCAD because my senior project was 142 oil paintings of Danzig having sex with a pterodactyl without its consent #RMFall
I got kicked out of SCAD because my senior project was 142 oil paintings of Danzig having sex with a pterodactyl without its consent #RMFall-- Mobutu Sese Seko
HITLER TOOK AWAY THE GUNS DON'T LET OBAMA TAKE AWAY OUR GUNS I LOVE FASHION AND MAKE UP I PUT IT ON MY PEEPEE #RMFall
HITLER TOOK AWAY THE GUNS DON'T LET OBAMA TAKE AWAY OUR GUNS I LOVE FASHION AND MAKE UP I PUT IT ON MY PEEPEE #RMFall-- sensitive tim
9/11 Was Actually Fucking Cool As Hell And I Hope it Happens Again #RMFall
9/11 Was Actually Fucking Cool As Hell And I Hope it Happens Again #RMFall-- Cool Niceman
Thank you @RebeccaMinkoff for the fantastic offerings this year. The police are towing cars outside #nyfw2013 #RMFALL #MBFW2013
Thank you @RebeccaMinkoff for the fantastic offerings this year. The police are towing cars outside #nyfw2013 #RMFALL #MBFW2013-- Löwenäffchen
At some point we all must face death alone. #RMFALL
At some point we all must face death alone. #RMFALL-- keptsimple
#RMFall if you're sliding into first and you feel something burst: diarrhea
#RMFall if you're sliding into first and you feel something burst: diarrhea-- Snoop Rion
#RMFall when you're riding in a Chevy and you feel something heavy: diarrhea
#RMFall when you're riding in a Chevy and you feel something heavy: diarrhea-- Snoop Rion
#RMFall when you're living in a shed and you something something red: diarrhea
#RMFall when you're living in a shed and you something something red: diarrhea-- Snoop Rion
Check under your seats. Everyone gets a free dildo! #RMFall
Check under your seats. Everyone gets a free dildo! #RMFall-- Lemonslabs
#RMFall hey models look at my picture over here and tell me if i’m cute
#RMFall hey models look at my picture over here and tell me if i’m cute-- Jay Satellite
Checking out all the hot new footwear styles at fashion week! #RMFall http://t.co/WfW16Y0O
Checking out all the hot new footwear styles at fashion week! #RMFall http://t.co/WfW16Y0O-- Jay Satellite
#RMFall Fashion? Fo’sho! We’re going all out with the hottest new pog and slammer styles for 2013. Get fashion-crazy with FashionPogs!
#RMFall Fashion? Fo’sho! We’re going all out with the hottest new pog and slammer styles for 2013. Get fashion-crazy with FashionPogs!-- Jay Satellite
these pants-covered-with-stuffed-animals are EVERYWHERE, and i love it! #RMFall
these pants-covered-with-stuffed-animals are EVERYWHERE, and i love it! #RMFall-- Jay Satellite
#RMFALL DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER
#RMFALL DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER DUKE NUKEM FOREVER-- China Cabbage Facts
#rmfall poop butt
#rmfall poop butt-- China Cabbage Facts
Bruce Dackler #RMFall
Bruce Dackler #RMFall-- Matt
hey everyone at #RMFall what is your horny level?
hey everyone at #RMFall what is your horny level?-- yr lil loveshark
(Asking for someone's "horny level" is a Weird Twitter meme)
Why no dogs at the #RMFall fashion show? Pretty messed up.
Why no dogs at the #RMFall fashion show? Pretty messed up.-- Dog Watch
Weedlord Bonerhitler, please pick up the white courtesy phone #RMFall
Weedlord Bonerhitler, please pick up the white courtesy phone #RMFall-- Austin H.
take a shit in my pussy #RMFall
take a shit in my pussy #RMFall-- t(0_0)t
#RMFall GOD AND GUNS MADE AMERICA GREAT KEEP YOU'RE POWDER DRY WAKE UP AMERICA NOT MY POTUS #TCOT #TEAPARTY #NOTRACIST #GOP #GOBACKTOKENYA
#RMFall GOD AND GUNS MADE AMERICA GREAT KEEP YOU'RE POWDER DRY WAKE UP AMERICA NOT MY POTUS #TCOT #TEAPARTY #NOTRACIST #GOP #GOBACKTOKENYA-- t(0_0)t
#RMFALL DRONES
#RMFALL DRONES-- The Weasel
my finger stinks #RMFall
my finger stinks #RMFall-- Preston Olson
H͈̻̝̠̜̼̫ͭͪ͞E͚͕͇̒ͧ͂ͣ̓̒̋̃L̨͔̩͍̹̯͓͎̍̑͐ͬ͊ͨͅP̴̝͚̯̻͕̬̣͂͂ͯ ̔̒҉̴̘̱̺̦̼̮M̫͛ͩ̌ͫ͒̏̀͘͘͠E̥̲̱̜̙̳̳̦̬ͭ̀͝͡ #RMFall
HÍ͈̻ͪ͞ÌÌ ÌœÌ¼Ì«E͚͕͇̒ͧ͂ͣ̓̒̋̃LÌÌ‘Į͔̩́ͬ͊ͨͅÍ̹̯͓͎P̴͂͂ͯÌ͚̯̻͕̬̣ ̔̒҉̴̘̱̺̦̼̮M͛ͩ̌ͫ͒ÌÌ€Í Í˜Í˜Ì«EÍÌ€Í̥̲̱̜̙̳̳̦̬͡ #RMFall-- Daniel Singer
*Oprah voice* "You get a Dildo! and YOU get a Dildo! I LOVE DILDOS!" #RMFALL
*Oprah voice* "You get a Dildo! and YOU get a Dildo! I LOVE DILDOS!" #RMFALL-- Smug Prepper
Rebecca do you make clothes for a fat man with two penis's (penis are normal shape, aranged in standered 2 penis's pattern) #RMFall
Rebecca do you make clothes for a fat man with two penis's (penis are normal shape, aranged in standered 2 penis's pattern) #RMFall-- Passive Voice
REBECCA MINKOFF: NOTORIOUS BIKE THIEF #RMFall
REBECCA MINKOFF: NOTORIOUS BIKE THIEF #RMFall-- Ross Courtright
Sandy Hook was a hoax. #RMFall
Sandy Hook was a hoax. #RMFall-- Stewie Cartman
Manti Te'o's girlfriend is actually Kony #Kony2013 #RMFall
Manti Te'o's girlfriend is actually Kony #Kony2013 #RMFall-- Brian Miner
Sure, I'll eat ass. I love eating ass #RMFall
Sure, I'll eat ass. I love eating ass #RMFall-- 1080
Hitler did nothing wrong #RMFall
Hitler did nothing wrong #RMFall-- Nik Brodeur
Fart. #RMFall
Fart. #RMFall-- David Clarke
Attention All Attendees: They Are Confiscating Bikes Out Front!! Please Go Check To Make Sure Yours Is Still There!! #RMFall
Attention All Attendees: They Are Confiscating Bikes Out Front!! Please Go Check To Make Sure Yours Is Still There!! #RMFall-- ⒷⒶⒹ
#RMFALL RIMJOBS
#RMFALL RIMJOBS-- cursed lamborghini
Can someone who knows about penis sores DM? I can provide pics. #RMFall
Can someone who knows about penis sores DM? I can provide pics. #RMFall-- Nik Brodeur
#RMFall ass and boobs and balls and sexual toys etc
#RMFall ass and boobs and balls and sexual toys etc-- Daniel Wright
live in a pit, die in a pit #RMFall
live in a pit, die in a pit #RMFall-- rap game goregeous
i pushed a poop out so hard that it made my back crack #RMFall
i pushed a poop out so hard that it made my back crack #RMFall-- mike
#RMFall Piss Holocaust
#RMFall Piss Holocaust-- t(0_0)t
#RMFall new Staind album dropping this spring
#RMFall new Staind album dropping this spring-- quart
Eventually, the added tweets caused #RMFall to become a U.S. trending topic, which led to a whole slew of spam tweets from accounts that target any trending topic. The pornography on the screen is from one of those spam accounts:
