When J.D. Salinger died last week at the age of 91, the Twitter- and the literatti aligned to mourn the reclusive writer. Charles McGrath wrote a touching obit in the New York Times; Lillian Ross waxed poetic in The New Yorker and Bret Easton Ellis, tweeted, “Yeah!! Thank God he’s finally dead. I’ve been waiting for this day for-fucking-ever. Party tonight!!!” Ah, the Twitterverse, where Chilon of Sparta’s maxim “Don’t speak ill of the dead” doesn’t apply, as long as you can do it in under 140 characters. We turned to the Twitterverse to see how other luminaries, literary and decidedly unliterary, marked Salinger’s passing*.
Dingle! Dongle! The old man’s dead. Let’s break open that Frog’s Leap Cab and quaff. Anne, Anne! My decanter!
@mcattack – Jay McInerney
RIP Jerry. I bow my head in silent tribute 2 a man whose talent formed the basis 4 my own oeuvre, or is it ouvre? Does this have spellcheck?
@ParkSlopeBoi – Jonathan Safran Foer
When I was in Bohkara, a holy man said hold on 2 your dreams. Thought he said Holden. I’m adorable, self-effacing, well-traveled & I miss JD
@eatpreylove -Elizabeth Gilbert
I met Jerry at a cocktail party once. No, twice. I think twice. Once at the Regency and once at the Yaddo. Rest in Peace.
@UpstreamSwimmer – Salman Rushdie
Bill Gray is now an orphan.
@DoubleD – Don Delillo
Used 2 run in2 Jerry at CBGB, those thick eyebrows wiggling sardonically to Blitzkreig Bop. Told me, wryly, Holden was based on Joey Ramone.
@Eat88 – Patti Smith
J.D.’s dead! I can’t wait to play Holden in the screen adaptation. I love sweaters!
@aplusk -Ashton Kutcher
Always thought that Stradlater was > Caulfield. Nah, I’m just kidding.
@johncmayer - John Mayer
Hey little monsters! My fave author died today. (No, not Deleuze. Salinger!) I ruined my makeup crying. xx
@Ladygaga - Lady Gaga
Holden Caulfield is an anagram for Ill Unfolded Ache. Salinger’s death a chiropractic conspiracy? RT with info.
@IamIlluminati - Dan Brown
Anyone we’re forgetting?
* Editor’s note: This post is a work of fiction. Just wanted to be sure we’re all clear on that.
Comments (8)
I’ve read that Ellis’ tweet was meant as homage — in the voice of Caulfield.
Palin’s tweet is definitely the best of them all
what? fiction? what a bust. booo flavorpill
I have to confess I’ve actually had a desire to say exactly the same thing about Bret Easton Ellis. Non-fictionally.
palin’s an absolute idiot…
I mean you did say it, but it’s sort of not abundantly clear that this is made up, esp with the photoshopped images. Especially since some of them are believable and are actual twitter handles (while some don’t exist on twitter). Also I clicked over from a BoldType email, and that subj line doesn’t say “what if” like the article does. A bit confusing. Just sayin’.
[...] What If: Celebrities Tweet Salinger’s Death. [Flavorwire] var addthis_pub = ''; var addthis_language = 'en';var addthis_options = 'facebook, twitter, [...]
I can completely impart to the article on AOL’s economics site talking about how people are still borrowing way too much cash
I’ve been tiresome to be close-fisted and cut clandestinely on spending.
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