Philly's 12 best Twitter accounts of '12
At Philly.com, we spend an inordinate amount of time on Twitter. Whether we're digesting or breaking news, joking around with co-workers, helping Philadelphians navigate the city during Hurricane Sandy, or trying to figure out if Federal Donuts still has their maple bacon jawn in stock, Twitter is pretty much always open in a tab on every desktop in the office.
So, as we set our sights on 2013, we thought it'd be a good idea to call attention to those who brightened our feeds over the past year. Here are—in no particular order—Philly's 12 best Twitter feeds of '12.
@FakeWIPCaller - Sportsradio WIP is always a goldmine of unintentional comedy because of its callers' predilection for overreaction. FakeWIPCaller is always a goldmine of intentional comedy, perfectly parodying the tone and tenor of WIP's freakouts and leaps in logic.
@FederalDonuts - Federal Donuts is one of the few places in Philly that continually exceeds expectations. People talk the joint up a lot, but the FedNuts folks always seem to hurdle the bar with delicious food and fantastic service. The best part? Their Twitter feed is proof that they "get it." Are they talking about food or sex? When it comes to Federal Donuts, is there really a difference?
@PhillyFireDept - Follow the Philadelphia Fire Department juuuuuuuust in case the powers that be allow them to bring #notonfire out of retirement. Easily Philly's greatest hashtag of 2012.
@FanSince09 - What started as a gimmick account parodying bandwagon fans of the Phillies, FanSince09 has turned into something... more. Layers upon layers of irony tend to obscure what FS09 really feels about any subject (there's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to his trademark malapropisms). Oh, and a word of warning: if you say something racist on Twitter, FanSince09 will find you an out you to the world.
@Jim_Gardner - This list could almost start and end with longtime 6ABC anchor Jim Gardner. In a world where news breaks on Twitter, it's nice to have some real, newsman prestige in your feed. He's quick-witted, poignant, and responsible. So, basically, everything you expect him to be.
@JimFKenney - It's always feeding time for the trolls on Councilman Jim Kenney's feed. There's something particularly poetic about a city politician telling randos to "STFU" and making fun of them for only having 19 followers.
@JohnBolaris - If you don't follow John Bolaris on Twitter, you're hardly a real Philadelphian. He'll give you your weather updates, commiserate with you about the disaster that is Philly sports, and there was that one time his fiancée commandeered the feed and promised to show some skin. Plus, if you don't pay attention to what's going on with J-Bo on the Twitters, then you'll miss out of gems like this, courtesy of @Matt_Mullin.
@ChipChantry - Chip Chantry is the funniest person in Philadelphia. He deserved a damn medal for his commentary during the presidential debates. He's sharp, snarky, sarcastic, and relatable. Simply put, he'll brighten up your Twitter feed and have you giggling uncomfortably to yourself in the office.
@gonzoCSN - Don't let the the baby face and curls fool you: John Gonzalez is a grizzled veteran of the Philly sports scene. His columns are equally likely to be harsh denunciations of a team's missteps as they are full of subtle Simpsons references. Plus, the trolling is funnier when you know it's coming from press row.
@PhillyLoveNotes - Philly Love Notes is the must-follow Twitter account for folks who are romantic about the City of Brotherly Love. The website is the digital soapbox from which prominent Philadelphians belt out propaganda about the greatest city on the planet. Step on up and drink the Kool-Aid.
@DennisDeitch - Dennis Deitch is the Phillies writer for the Delco Times. He's bounced around the beats long enough that he's seriously plugged in all over town and really knows what the hell he's talking about. But, the real reason to follow Deitch is his absolute disdain for authority of any kind. Whether it's the management of the teams he's covering, the PPA, or even his own bosses, this guy doesn't pull any punches.
@StreetsDept - Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods and Streets Dept is tapped into all of them. If there's public art in Philadelphia, Conrad Brenner has seen it and probably already sent a picture to those smart enough to follow @StreetsDept. As a bonus, the year-end roundup of Philly's best street art moments was awesome.