Gov. Greg Abbott is no stranger to sparking debate on social media, but in his latest post, he decided to take part in a viral meme.
In a short but succinct post to Facebook on Saturday, the governor shared the viral photo of Tina Fey, Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner sitting courtside at a New York Knicks playoff game. The meme has been popular for a number of reasons-Chalemet’s manspreading and the unique fits among them-but some online have used the photo to describe cities or neighborhoods through the three very differently dressed celebrities.
So Abbott shared the photo, but with the caption “Austin / Houston / Dallas.” With no additional context, the post appeared to cheekily use the three celebrities as symbolic stand-ins for three of the state’s largest metro areas.
The post quickly went viral, garnering more than 7,500 likes and 700 comments by Sunday morning, with many users largely agreeing with the governor’s playful framing of the Lone Star State’s biggest cities.
“That’s actually a pretty solid assessment,” one user commented.
“Greg got jokes but he accurate,” wrote another.
Austin, Houston and Dallas each carry their own distinct identity across Texas, and as one commenter put it: “only a Texan would know this.”
Austin, Houston and Dallas
Houston-or Space City-stands as a global energy, medical and shipping powerhouse. One of the most diverse cities in the U.S., Houston is also a cultural melting pot. Dallas is more well known as a major financial and corporate hub, home to major business and banking sectors.
Meanwhile, Austin has built a reputation around technology, live music and a growing film and creative scene that has helped shape its national image, identifiable through its unofficial slogan: “Keep Austin Weird.”
The lighthearted reactions to Abbott’s post also humorously addressed other Texas cities.
“Fort Worth is at home waiting for football season,” one person joked. “There’s San Antonio just off the edge of the screen on the left…,” another wrote.
Whether or not the governor’s celebrity pairings resonate, the post has clearly sparked conversation about how Texas’ largest cities are seen and represented, and how their identities continue to be defined in different, and often competing, ways.
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This article originally published at Gov. Greg Abbott’s viral post compares Texas cities to celebrities.