Eastwood's speech sparks Twitter trend, "Eastwooding" photo meme

Actor and director Clint Eastwood addresses the audience at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 30, 2012.

/ STAN HONDA/AFP/GettyImages

(CBS News) Clint Eastwood's surprise appearance at the Republican National Convention was exciting for fans, but has also attracted some likely unintentional, unwelcome attention.

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The 82-year-old legendary actor and director made an appearance at the RCN to support Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. During a 10-minute improvised speech, Eastwood exchanged words an imaginary President Obama.

According to online trend analytics site Topsy, Tweets with the words "Clint Eastwood" peaked at 57,507 tweets at 10:19 p.m. ET.

"Still can't tell if Clint was hallucinating or President is really invisible now," actor Zach Braff joked on Twitter.

"Woke up from nap. Checked twitter. Apparently, Clint Eastwood got into a fight with an empty chair while I was asleep? What a country!" actor Wil Wheaton tweeted.

The President responded with his own tweet.

"This seat's taken," tweeted @BarackObama, along with a photo of the President seated at the White House.

Soon after the speech, CNET reported a brand new Twitter account created after Eastwood's speech, @InvisibleObama, reached 20,000 followers in less than an hour. The Twitter account heavily mocks Eastwood, Romney and other Republicans with tweets like, "Someone should tell Marco Rubio he's standing on my foot right now."

Eastwood's speech also inspired an Internet photo meme that consists of empty chairs or people talking to empty chairs. By Friday morning, about 600 photos with the hashtag #Eastwooding appeared on Instagram. An Internet meme generally refers to an online trend that transcends into a pop culture phenomenon.

While late-night talk show hosts and the Internet had plenty to talk about, not all of the sentiment toward Eastwood was negative. A handful of supporters applauded the actor for his participation at the RNC.

"I loved watching Clint Eastwood last night--he was terrific!" American entrepreneur Donald Trump tweeted.

"I thought Clint Eastwood's presence was electrifying and I praise him for being a Hollywood actor & taking a stand! Thanks Clint Eastwood!" actress Janine Turner tweeted.

"He's a unique guy and he did a unique thing last night," Ann Romney said in an interview on CBS This Morning.

[Obammalied]

Anything to take away from the real message from the GOP convention. Obamma is on notice and people are ready to hire a new guy.
The lapdog media can say what they want but the message is out and all the hype and spin aint gonna change the truth. This administration is a dismall failure and its time they (liberals)accepted the responsibility for it. Obamma wasted the first two years of his office when he had full house and senate support by ramming obbamacare down Americas throats. He squandered all that time to help the economy, but the only thing important to him was a legacy to try and back up the silly Nobel Prize he won... well now people are paying the price and are tired of it and his lies... say good night barack, the fat lady done sung.

[azelll]

For those supporters who insist the Pres. Obama is an empty chair/suit and that he has failed to live up to his promises, you fail to acknowledge reality.

The reality of the Republicans obstructing all legislation with over 100 filibusters the first year of his presidency and a like number the second year. NEVER in history has ANY party obstructed to this level, over twice the number of filibusters than ever before in the history of our government.

How, exactly, is a president supposed to succeed in his promises when one party is blocking the way? He did come through on MANY promises even in the fact of that obstruction and he compromised (a word the republican party has a distinct aversion to) on many occasions.

I am so weary of the falsehoods and outright l.,ies being perpetrated by the republican party. And you know what, the media is catching on to how they have assisted in this game. Be forwards, your reign of obstruction is coming to and end.

[T_Velocity]

just the kind of thing you'd expect from a bunch of replictards...palling up with hollywood media elites...


btw, kudos to eastwood for at least showing that some gopers have a sense of humor...even if they are wrong<g>

[LILYGARLOW]

Clint's performance was wonderful, it was performance art at it's finest--the empty chair as a portrayal of Obama was brilliant----his references to being told to shut up reflect how the 72% of Americans that opposed the new healthcare tax, felt when he refused to listen to them---he hit the nail on the head with the other inferences of Obama telling him to go **** himself--which half of America has heard loud and clear since the first day of this administration--We thinkers loved it and we love Clint Eastwood--pure poetry!

[azelll]

you - of course - are competely CORRECT. the republiCANS have had ONLY ONE objective - defeat the president....not improve the country

[LILYGARLOW]

Clint's performance was wonderful, it was performance art at it's finest--the empty chair as a portrayal of Obama was brilliant----his references to being told to shut up reflect how the 72% of Americans that opposed the new healthcare tax, felt when he refused to listen to them---he hit the nail on the head with the other inferences of Obama telling him to go **** himself--which half of America has heard loud and clear since the first day of this administration--We thinkers loved it and we love Clint Eastwood--pure poetry!

[mikethebarba]

Trump, Turner & Romney... Wow! Impressive support. When will this circus leave town?

[julianszs]

This was a senile theatrics overgrown and wilted. What is engraved in our minds is that Romney is a globalist, shadowy man, without a country, dusky, disconnected, and hidden, descending on distant archipelagos to stash his gains from constantly manufacturing transactions in place of goods. Romney's saga heralds a globalist onslaught on the whole idea of community, township, and country as he tears apart the bond between production & prosperity, the regenerative basis for nationhood.

[RomeisBurning]

Just replace the name of Romney with Obama and you"ll have it right, I see you enjoy drinking K. Marx Koolaid

[azelll]

you - of course - are competely CORRECT. the republiCANTS have had ONLY ONE objective - defeat the president....not improve the country

[LovePool]

Old people are not afraid to be politcally incorrect. Eastwood's speech was hilarious. I didn't watch the convention, but watched his speech on youtube. When I read the Globe and a few other articles this morning, I was surprised at how outraged they are about Eastwood's speech. Why is it okay for the media to bash Eastwood, but not okay for Eastwood to bash Obama. It's politics; that's the way it rolls. The media needs to be less subjective and more objective (the way we jounalism was 20 years ago). If they've got an opinion, it's fine to air it, but call it an editorial and don't pretend the entire country has the same opinion every AP author has. Eastwood's entitled to his opinion and his improve speech was hilarious.