It's nice that even in the midst of the aftermath of a terrifying coup attempt at the U.S. Capitol, the internet can still come together to help catch an insurrectionist—by cracking wise on Twitter.
The FBI is seeking help in finding a rioter who looks just like iconic 80s actor Rick Moranis, and the internet is on the case, at least where jokes are concerned.
You must admit, the resemblance is uncanny.
The FBI has been posting a steady stream of photos of insurrectionists across social media ever since the January 6 event in an attempt to bring participants to justice.
But so far, this latest attempt has ended up more of an internet meme than a honey pot for criminals. Folks on Twitter immediately picked up on the rioter's resemblance to Moranis.
Though he's mostly stayed out of the spotlight since the early 90s after deciding to dedicate his time to his children, Moranis was a Hollywood fixture in the 1980s, starring as half of the duo of Bob and Doug McKenzie from the TV show SCTV and the film Strange Brew and in blockbuster comedies like Spaceballs; Parenthood; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and the legendary Ghostbusters that made him an icon of the era.
And if Twitter is any indication, Moranis' lower profile hasn't made him any less memorable in the 2020s. In less than 24 hours, the FBI's tweet racked up nearly 11,000 retweets, thanks mostly to people who couldn't help but laugh about the rioters resemblance to Rick Moranis.
The replies and retweets basically became a Rick Moranis film retrospective.
As of Friday, some 324 people have been arrested and charged with crimes for their involvement, many of whom were identified by people who knew them via the FBI's posts on social media.
Thankfully, Rick Moranis is so far not among them.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads