Twitter Essay

Toronto writer Jeet Heer (@Heerjeet on Twitter) has perfected something called the Twitter Essay. Essentially, within the discipline of 140 characters posts, he writes a real time essay utilizing the call and response nature of Twitter. It’s a kind of improvisation or thought experiment, but they’re very intellectual, even erudite and they have a direct, forceful, nature. He’s developed a wide audience, and his idiosyncratic style of numbering each post has been widely copied. (If you’re interested in seeing his Twitter Essay on Twitter Essays, you can go here:

(https://twitter.com/HeerJeet/status/529749811906764804 )

Impressed by his work and his form, I have also been experimenting with the Twitter Essay:

1. Okay, let’s talk about Art Garfunkel.
2. He was part of the influential 60’s duo Simon and Garfunkel who were responsible for so many classic hits.
3. He had crazy hair that reminded me of big bird.
4. Nobody thought he had any talent.
5. I don’t think he wrote any songs, he just sang in that high voice.
6. Does anybody out there know if he wrote any songs?
7. No?
8. Nobody knows?
9. Okay.
10. So, he probably didn’t write any songs, he just looked weird and sang like a woman.
11. That was enough. It was the 60’s.
12. I wonder if he got a lot of groupies?
13. Does anybody know? Did anybody out there sleep with Art Garfunkel?
14. No one willing to admit?
15. Fair enough
16. Does anybody else think Art Garfunkel looks like Rex Murphy?

17. Look at this picture:

18. Now look at this picture:

19. DEAD. FUCKING. RINGERS.

20. I hate Rex Murphy.

21. He talks like Russell Brand writes, and he’s always crabby.

22. CBC should fire him.

23. Truth be told, CBC should just clear the decks and fire everybody.

24. Art Garfunkel turns 73 today.

25. He’s a Scorpio, the sign characterized by being stubborn and insensitive.

26. I had a girlfriend who was a Scorpio.

27. We met on Lavalife.

28. Here’s a picture, she’s the one with the nice smile and headband:

29. She broke up with me that day because I wouldn’t do the nude bicycle run.

30. Didn’t care about my physical insecurities, she just insisted it was a way for me to get over them.

31. I’ve had surgeries and am embarrassed by my scars, okay??

32. I don’t want to ride around naked on a fucking bike!

33. She’s the VP of bank now.

34. Art Garfunkel was an actor for a while.

35. Whenever you saw that he was going to be a guest star, like on the Rockford Files or something…

36. You knew it was going to be a good one to miss.

37. James Garner was a real actor.

38. He was a class act.

39. Just look at him!

40.What a man!

41. Art Garfunkel was the son of a traveling salesman.

42. Well, now is probably a good time to wrap up.

43. In sum, Art Garfunkel’s impact on popular culture has been negligible and certainly subordinate to Paul Simon and James Garner.

*I will post this on Storify for those who wish to save a copy for future reference.