FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Food

Can This Onion in a Plastic Bag Get More Twitter Followers Than Donald Trump?

The handle is doing well, with more than 160,000 followers so far, but has a very long way to go in overtaking either of Trump’s Twitter accounts.
Photo via Twitter user @HalfOnionInABag

Whatever your feelings about President Trump may be, it's plainly evident how exceptionally polarizing and unpopular he is compared to incoming presidents of the past. According to The Washington Post, Trump ranks as the least-popular incoming president in the last 40 years. Both Gallup and an ABC/Washington Post poll found Trump's pre-inauguration favorability rating to be a mere 40 percent. To contextualize that figure, George W. Bush dropped to a 42 percent approval rating after Hurricane Katrina ravaged much of America's southern coastline.

Advertisement

Despite these low ratings, Trump does dominate in another realm: social media. No one would deny that Trump has a massive and highly engaged Twitter following. As of writing this, @realDonaldTrump has 21.6 million followers and @POTUS—which Trump took over following inauguration—has 14.2 million followers.

Nevertheless, one bold onion is pretty sure it can overtake Trump's Twitter numbers, and no, we aren't talking about that The Onion.

@HalfOnionInaBag is the handle of a new Twitter account that was founded this week with the express purpose of showing Trump that, well, even half an onion in a bag can be more popular on Twitter than Trump is. That's a lofty goal, but it already has 160,000 followers as of press time.

What if this account that is simply half an onion in a Ziploc bag ended up with more followers than @realDonaldTrump? pic.twitter.com/D28lODPZLO

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 20, 2017

We reached out to the anonymous visionary behind @HalfOnionInaBag, who told MUNCHIES that the Twitter handle was a brainstorm that arose "out of complete and total frustration" following the inauguration. The enigmatic creator told us, "I wanted to make a statement of some sort then and there, and decided, why not do it on Trump's favorite platform?" So Twitter it was.

Just curious @realDonaldTrump, is it difficult to peel an onion with such tiny hands?

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 22, 2017

Advertisement

Could a half onion in a Ziploc bag really get under the skin of the leader of the free world? In the words of the brain behind the onion, "It's ridiculous that I'm about to say this sentence, but: A Twitter account that is simply a half an onion in a plastic bag getting a lot of attention and gaining a lot of followers at his expense could actually bother the current President of the United States."

Eric Trump always looks like he accidentally bit into a whole raw onion & is trying to act like he meant to and that it actually tastes good pic.twitter.com/SNFPL4RlSe

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 22, 2017

How did the idea come about? "When I opened my fridge and saw that pathetic half onion in a bag (that I have [since] been told multiple times was cut wrong, making it even more pathetic), I knew I had a winner." They added, "I wouldn't be surprised if there ended up being a [Trump-held] anti-Half An Onion In A Bag press conference called at this point. That's the type of person we're dealing with here."

Who wore it better? pic.twitter.com/kHSarXv9YW

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 23, 2017

@HalfOnionInABag still has a ways to go, but is picking up momentum quickly and expressed support for the Women's March on Washington this weekend.

To everyone marching today, go get 'em! You make me wish I had legs so I could join you and hands so I could carry signs like these. pic.twitter.com/7PFIeNMJQP

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 21, 2017

So what happened to the other half of the onion? "We try not to talk about that around Halfie, but… let's just say I had an omelet for breakfast that morning," the account holder says

In the process of writing my first book: "Half Onion In A Bag: The Art of the Meal"

— Half An Onion (@HalfOnionInABag) January 21, 2017

We're starting to fear that @HalfOnionInABag's life expectancy may be seriously limited. Perhaps we should thank it now for its public service—and hope that the call of the burger doesn't prematurely curtail this original example of political discourse.