Twitter troll shares old video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez young, happy and dancing
A newly-surfaced video of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing with friends in college has gained widespread attention online. The video shows the newly-elected representative from New York reenacting an iconic dance scene from "The Breakfast Club," while wearing a Boston University shirt.
It is unclear how the video surfaced – Ocasio-Cortez graduated from Boston University in 2011 – but many Twitter users were reposting the video to shame the congresswoman.
"Here is America's favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is," Twitter user AnonymousQ1776 wrote. Many Twitter users said this account was the first to "leak" the video, although it is unclear where the video actually came from or who originally posted it.
"...High School video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- Congratulations New York!" another person wrote sarcastically.
Here is America's favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is...
— AnonymousQ1776 (@AnonymousQ17763) January 4, 2019
...High School video of "Sandy" Ocasio-Cortez @AoDespair pic.twitter.com/j3hTnwErib
...High School video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -- Congratulations New York! pic.twitter.com/VSKdUImhZj
— Dan Jordan (@realdanjordan) January 2, 2019
One person pointed out that reenacting this scene from the John Hughes movie was a trend for college students when Ocasio-Cortez was enrolled at Boston University.
"A decade ago, somebody uploaded a video that mashed up an iconic dance scene from THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985) with a current popular hit, Pheonix's Lisztomania," Twitter user Parker Higgins explained. "Shortly after that went viral, a group of Brooklyn let's-face-it hipsters did a shot for shot remake of the mash-up, which was pretty exciting at the time!"
Higgins pointed out that several colleges made their own versions of the mashup video – and this was Boston University's.
The delightful dancing video of AOC that is being circulated right now* is actually part of a pretty storied, if now mostly forgotten, remix culture phenomenon. If you'll allow me...
— Parker Higgins (@xor) January 3, 2019
--
* apparently by numbskulls incapable of joy
The video divided the Internet – some calling it "scandalous" and "bizarre" others applauding Ocasio-Cortez's dance moves.
That video we found of #Ocasio dancing should destroy her political career. I expect there will be calls for her to resign by tonight
— Jack Kimble (@RepJackKimble) January 3, 2019
Bizarre Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez VIDEO surfaces same day new Congress takes over...https://t.co/gg7viZjwWi
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) January 3, 2019
Republicans have discovered the one thing that can TRULY destroy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: videos of her being fun and cool
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) January 3, 2019
The Breakfast Club dance- a career killer for so many aspiring politicians pic.twitter.com/mXQphOzZFe
— Brad Simpson (@bradleyrsimpson) January 3, 2019
"That video we found of #Ocasio dancing should destroy her political career. I expect there will be calls for her to resign by tonight," Jack Kimble – who claims to be a Republican Congressman on Twitter, but is not – tweeted.
Many met this criticism with sarcasm. "Republicans have discovered the one thing that can TRULY destroy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: videos of her being fun and cool," one person wrote.
A parody Twitter account has even been made for the now-viral dance video. "AOC Dances to Everything" shares the same video over and over, editing in a different song each time. The account itself has gone viral, gaining nearly 12,000 followers in just hours.
ABBA - Dancing Queen pic.twitter.com/MPEbzldwsd
— AOC Dances To Every Song (@aoc_dances) January 4, 2019
The Hill reporter Olivia Beavers said she spoke to Ocasio-Cortez after the video went viral. "It is not normal for elected officials to have a reputation for dancing well and I'm happy to be one," Ocasio-Cortez said, according to Beavers. "It is unsurprising to me that Republicans would think having fun should be disqualifying or illegal."
Asked @AOC re this dancing video. She said:
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) January 4, 2019
"It is not normal for elected officials to have a reputation for dancing well and I'm happy to be one."
& "It is unsurprising to me that Republicans would think having fun should be disqualifying or illegal"https://t.co/M0qMKmQ0ar