BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

Did thousands of Americans vote for a dead gorilla?

  • Published
    9 November 2016
Share page
About sharing
Harambe for President badgeImage source, Twitter
ByBBC Trending
What's popular and why

As the dust settles on the news that Donald Trump has beaten Hillary Clinton to win the US presidency, BBC Trending takes a look at some of the more quirky social media trends that emerged with the election results.

The Harambe mandate

Many social media users reacted with disbelief to tweets that were flying around suggesting that more than 10,000 people had voted - not for Trump or Clinton - but for a dead gorilla. What?

Yes, Harambe the 17-year-old Western lowland silverback gorilla who was shot and killed earlier this year after a child fell into his enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo, is said to have received thousands of 'write-in votes', an American electoral anomaly whereby you can actually vote for someone not on the ballot paper.

Whether or not those reports are actually true, and whether or not the votes could really have impacted on the results of the election, plenty of people felt pretty angry.

Tweet from @csydelkoImage source, Twitter
Tweet from @stugotjokesImage source, Twitter
Tweet from @David_LeavittImage source, Twitter

When life imitates art

There were thousands of tweets from non-Trump supporters comparing the unfolding events of election night to the worst ever episode of Charlie Brooker's dark and doom-laden TV series, Black Mirror, external.

Tweet from @maxjosephImage source, Twitter
Tweet from @robfeeImage source, Twitter

This was the TV show's response.

Tweet from @blackmirrorImage source, Twitter

Meanwhile, others asked if the election result was in fact just a prank from Ashton Kutcher, external's hidden camera MTV series, Punk'd, external.

ashton kutcher really outdid hisself with this year long episode of punk'd for the electionImage source, Twitter

Making an impression

Another actor whose name was trending on election night was Alec Baldwin, external. The comedian, who made an unfulfilled promise to leave the US if George W. Bush was elected back in 2000, has lately been winning widespread acclaim for his Donald Trump impersonation on Saturday Night Live, external. The president elect has been less than pleased with his portrayal and some wondered what the future had in store for Baldwin.

Tweet from @tunaoftheskyImage source, Twitter

Some Twitter users, most of them apparently Trump supporters, have been asking Mr Baldwin about a potential move to another North American country.

"Have you packed your bags for Canada yet? @AlecBaldwin" tweeted @DieselCane22, external.

While others have been congratulating him on the four years of guaranteed work he's now got in the bag doing his Trump skit on the Emmy Award-winning comedy show.

Tweet from @flynn985Image source, Twitter

Employment opportunity?

Social media users have been finding it hard to reconcile that Billy Bush lost his job during the 2016 campaign, while the man making the lewd comments in those now infamous tapes has become President.

The US TV and radio host (and close relation of two former US Presidents) was axed from his position at NBC earlier this year after the Washington Post revealed, external a 2005 video in which he appeared alongside Donald Trump who was bragging about trying to have sex with a married woman.

Tweet from @MattGrippiImage source, Twitter
Tweet from @RichLowryImage source, Twitter

Might the President-elect create a top job for Mr Bush in his first administration? Twitter has plenty of ideas, like this one.

Tweet from @WriteinTrumpImage source, Twitter

Escape bid

And one American man posted this hopeful message on the BBC World Service Facebook post, external about the election result.

Facebook message from Joel WassnerImage source, Facebook

For anyone wondering why Mr Wassner is hoping to move in January - that is when the President-elect is to be inaugurated and will officially take over from Barack Obama, becoming the 45th president of the United States.

Mr Wassner's post has had a few responses.

"OK come to Afghanistan!" wrote Shah Alam Alimi on Facebook.

While Jo Kershaw put some conditions on her offer: "If you can do DIY, my sister and I will put in a joint bid, Better hurry though, Britain will not be accepting immigrants much longer."

Kofi Ereky in Africa said "Come to Ghana, I have a nice sister for you."

Next story: US election 2016 result: 'He's not my president'

Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images

Americans who are tweeting that Trump cannot represent them accused of throwing an anti-democratic tantrum. READ MORE.

You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, external, and find us on Facebook, external. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.

Top stories

  • Live. 

    Israeli ministers discussing Gaza plan for ceasefire and hostage release

    • 5698 viewing5.7k viewing
  • Jeremy Bowen: There's now a realistic chance of ending the war - but it's not over yet

    • Published
      6 hours ago
  • How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden

    • Published
      48 minutes ago

More to explore

  • Stars, secrets and slip-ups: Celebrity Traitors is off to a cracking start

    Alan Carr on the Celebrity Traitors, sitting in an armchair and smiling
  • Young children taking knives to school, BBC finds

    Graphic: Knives in foreground, in background children sitting at school desks.
  • 'It was like a movie' - How immigration raid on Chicago apartments unfolded

    Image of law enforcement officer pointing a gun, with sparks in the background
  • Inside the room where Nobel Peace Prize is decided – but will Trump get his wish?

    Members of the Nobel Peace Prize committee and secretary sit around a table in the room where they make their decision
  • 'I missed a £100 council tax bill while in hospital – the debt ballooned to £6k'

    A young man, with long dark brown hair and a brown beard and moustache , sits next to a hospital bed. He has a bandage on his neck.
  • My eating disorder made me good at lying, says Victoria Beckham

    Victoria Beckham waves while wearing a white suit with other people in the background as she attends the Victoria Beckham premiere in London on Wednesday.
  • The battle for Scotland's flag: Why the right has adopted the saltire

    A man raises his fist while standing in front of a group of people waving flags, including saltires and a union flag.
  • Would leaving the ECHR really 'stop the boats'?

    Montage image showing Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and Sir Keir Starmer
  • The Upbeat newsletter: Start your week on a high with uplifting stories delivered to your inbox

    A graphic of a wave in the colours of yellow, amber and orange against a pink sky
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    Man who appealed Pelicot rape conviction handed longer jail term

  2. 2

    Man re-arrested over Manchester synagogue attack

  3. 3

    Sunak joins Microsoft and AI firm as paid adviser

  4. 4

    Former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood charged with four counts of rape

  5. 5

    Naked mole rats' DNA could hold key to long life

  6. 6

    Alleged McCann stalker 'sent creepy messages'

  7. 7

    'I missed a £100 council tax bill while in hospital – the debt ballooned to £6k'

  8. 8

    How Trump secured a Gaza breakthrough which eluded Biden

  9. 9

    From the fishing trip to a Gavin and Stacey film - five things Jones and Corden's book reveals

  10. 10

    Five ways abolishing stamp duty could change the housing market

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

The Celebrity Traitors

  • An all-star cast enters the ultimate game of deceit

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors
  • All the betrayal and drama unpacked

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked
  • Meet the Celebrity Traitors as the mind games begin

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    The Celebrity Traitors has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    The Celebrity Traitors
  • A treacherously good version of a pop classic

    • Attribution
      iPlayer

    Added to Watchlist
    BBC Proms has been added to your iPlayer Watchlist.
    BBC Proms 2025: Britney Spears
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.