Let’s talk about Twitter. I’m sure almost everyone has heard of this social networking site where users “tweet” micro-blogs of 140 characters or less. I know, it sounds really lame at first. It’s easy to dismiss Twitter as a list of endless, mundane status updates. However, when I wrote an English paper on citizen journalism, I ended up discussing Twitter’s role in last year’s Iranian protests, known as the Twitter Revolution. My research convinced me that Twitter can actually be a great communications tool because it promotes sharing and accessibility. Think about it: everyone from world leaders to your favorite athletes are on Twitter. Here are my favorite people to “follow” on Twitter:
5. Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers21)
Seth Meyers is SNL‘s head writer and anchors “Weekend Update”, and so he’s according hilarious. Plus he’s a huge baseball and soccer fan. That makes him a double threat. Notable tweets:
“I consider myself a handsomer Diego Forlan.”
“Two World Cup games AND Kagan confirmation hearings! Best Monday ever?”
4. BP Public Relations (@BPGlobalPR)
Okay, not an actual person, but this fake BP account satirizes the oil company’s relief efforts in the Gulf. The tweets are biting, cynical, and often hysterical. The account also posts links to actual news stories concerning the spill. BP has unsuccessfully tried to shut the account down because it was garnering plenty of media attention. (Check out this hilarious interview ABC News conducted with “BP Terry”.) Notable tweets:
“Cleanup is not hindered by “red tape.” Unless you mean the red tape we tried using. Turns out oil doesn’t stick to tape.”
“The good news: Mermaids are real. The bad news: They are now extinct. #bpcares”
3. Roger Ebert (@ebertchicago)
Famed movie critic Ebert does it all on Twitter. He tweets links to his own reviews; interesting, obscure news; short social commentary, and re-tweets other posts that capture his imagine. He can be caustic, sentimental, and witty. It’s an interesting look at old-school intellectualism melding with technology. Notable tweets:
“Mullets decreed illegal in Iran. At last, something we agree on.”
“An adult does not feel free to ride a merry-go-round alone, and that is our loss.”
2. Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33)
Simmons, aka the Sports Guy, is one of my favorite sportswriters. A reoccurring theme on this list is hilarity, and Simmons doesn’t disappoint. His articles for ESPN are entertaining and thorough. His tweets also combine pop culture with sports, which explains why he has such a devoted following. It almost makes me forget his Boston bias. Notable tweets:
“I like Chris Bosh, but him holding up LeBron and Wade is like Don Cheadle standing in the way of Ocean’s 11 being made.”
“Much respect for the Germans. Well-coached, relentless, fast/skilled/tough, don’t flop, great uniforms. It’s just too bad they’re German.”
1. Jerry Bruckheimer (@BruckheimerJB)
This was a hard choice, but mega-producer Bruckheimer made some of my favorites movies (Remember the Titans, Pearl Harbor, Pirates of the Carribbean– don’t judge). He spends plenty of time on Twitter pimping out his latest projects, like Prince of Persia and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The real excitement comes when he posts “twitpics” from movie sets. Right now he’s on location in Hawaii shooting Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides. (Please, please, please be good.) Notable tweets/twitpics:
“We have found some incredible shoot locations in Hawaii for#PiratesOfTheCaribbean On Stranger Tides http://twitpic.com/210u5d”
“Going to try to share many behind-the-scenes photos from Hawaii – here’s where we’ll be sitting:http://twitpic.com/1xep7c”
As it turns out, I kind of love Twitter. I actually get a lot of my news from Twitter. I just log on and see the latest articles from my favorite news sources without having to check multiple websites. Convenient, no? If you’re still hesitant on actually “tweeting” I encourage you to sign-up anyway and follow all the companies, celebrities, and politicians you want.
For those of you who are on Twitter, who do you like following? What’s your account? Let me know in the comments! (And remember, you can always follow me here.)
~ Sarah