An enthusiastic audience for the History Channel’s hit series “The Bible” had led to some unexpected Twitter trends, such as “Satan” and “The Bible” competing for top billing among the most popular topics. Satan was still trending this afternoon, due in part to what many saw as an uncanny resemblance to our current president. (Maybe, if you squint — it’s not nearly as obvious as putting a George W. Bush prop head on a stake.)
Satan or Obama? Controversy in The Bible shows how casting can be seen as a political act. http://t.co/oJrVU4q5I6 pic.twitter.com/0ZP28wz8pY
— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/VaguelyFunnyDan/status/313713640702369793
Makeup artist who made #TheBible's Satan look like Obama says he "had nothing to do with it in any shape or form" http://t.co/dXDeD38BkB
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 18, 2013
Makeup artist Christa Schoeman told The Daily Beast, “I can guarantee that President Obama had nothing to do with it in any shape or form.” Enough people saw the resemblance, though, to put up a hashtag defense of President Obama, keeping #ObamaIsNotSatan trending throughout the day.
#ObamaIsNotSatan is trending worldwide.
— Mike Hayes (@michaelhayes) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/theflacojoe/status/313776987934191616
https://twitter.com/AiPolitics/status/313765614411993091
#ObamaIsNotSatan 1TV show has actor playing Satan who sorta looks like O. Lefties FREAK. 2 We point out differences. Lefties FREAK. Got it?
— Paul Kinkel ❌????????????❌ (@PaulKinkel) March 18, 2013
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What good is a hashtag without a good hijacking, though?
#ObamaIsNotSatan because Satan has shovel ready jobs.
— Dr Hugo Hackenbush (@MangyLover) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/DANEgerus/status/313763316969385986
#ObamaIsnotSatan But then, Satan's no Obama, either.
— Area Man (@lheal) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/Rschrim/status/313776445950402560
#ObamaIsNotSatan, because no matter how offensive, Satan has been historically charming.
— Acute YF Syndrome (@SmoovJC) March 18, 2013
#ObamaIsNotSatan The devil went down to Georgia. Obama prefers Martha's Vineyard and Hawaii
— Mike a.k.a. Proof ?? (@ProofBlog) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/TheMorningSpew/status/313726335493210114
#ObamaIsNotSatan – the devil doesn't take nearly as many golf vacations.
— ¡El Sooopèrr! ن c137 (@SooperMexican) March 18, 2013
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/313765703805194240
https://twitter.com/wonderlandr/status/313779211204710400
https://twitter.com/ExtraGrumpyCat/status/313763530912444416
#ObamaIsNotSatan I should know. I cling bitterly to my religion.
— Mattphilbin (@Mattphilbin) March 18, 2013
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Update: Commenter @liars_never_win let us know that he launched the #ObamaIsNotSatan hashtag. While his tweets were not the first appearance of the hashtag on Twitter, it appears his tweets started it trending. Here’s a sample:
https://twitter.com/liars_never_win/status/313721124657692673
https://twitter.com/liars_never_win/status/313723538064412674
https://twitter.com/liars_never_win/status/313745209617940481
https://twitter.com/liars_never_win/status/313745675965849600
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with a screen shot of the #ObamaIsNotSatan hashtag trending in the United States.