Spoof campaign picks ‘Spacey for Egypt President’
The 'House of Cards' star has won over the hearts of many who are sharing his picture beside campaign slogans
With only two candidates, and a very likely winner, Egypt’s upcoming presidential election may not be the hottest of electoral races around.
But social media has found a way to spice things up by bringing a Hollywood star into the limelight.
Kevin Spacey has become the pick of many Twitter and Facebook users to become Egypt’s next president in a trending spoof campaign.
Sabahi, Sisi and Spacey
Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi and former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi can move over, the House of Cards star has won over the hearts of many who are sharing his picture beside campaign slogans, such as “Long Live Egypt” and “Spacey for President.”
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In the most widely shared image, the star is named “al-Spacey,” a play on the frontrunner’s name “al-Sisi.”
In House of Cards, set in present day Washington D.C., Spacey plays Francis "Frank" Underwood, a character who eventually becomes President of the United States.
In the first season, Underwood is a Democrat and House majority whip who, after being passed over for appointment as Secretary of State, decides to plan his revenge on those who betrayed him.
netflix
In the final episode of season two, Underwood becomes the 46th U.S. president.
On Twitter, the Spacey spoof campaign is being shared with comments such as: “@KevinSpacey for Egypt’s president.. He has my vote” and “@KevinSpacey [sic] you instead of Egyptian presidential election candidate Abd El Fatah el Sisi.. It's trending in Egypt.”
Spacey has been no stranger to being included in Egypt’s political whirlwinds.
netflix
In February 2011, during the Egyptian revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak, Spacey was at a red carpet event in Berlin and famously said: “As exciting as it is being here, nothing is more exciting tonight than what has happened in Egypt.”
In the May 26-27 election, Sisi, the now-retired army chief who led last summer’s overthrow of Islamist President Mohammad Mursi, appears poised to win on a wave of nationalistic fervor. His rival Sabahi came third in the 2012 elections.
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