#ShakespeareInTheTrump: ‘Julius Caesar’ Backlash Mocked With Trump-Takes on Bard’s Works

Twitter is having fun at the President’s expense today, inspired by a week-long backlash against a Shakespeare in the Park performance of “Julius Caesar” that featured a Donald Trump-inspired take on the title character.

The outcry against the production by New York’s Public Theater led sponsors Bank of America and Delta Airlines to withdraw their support, and culminated Friday night when two protesters crashed the stage and interrupted the performance.

Notably, a production of the play in 2012 featuring a Barack Obama-inspired take on Julius Caesar provoked no such outrage. Inspired by that and by Friday’s incident, Twitter decided to lean into it and imagine some other seminal works from the Bard — only Trumpified.

Also Read: 'Real Time' Fact Check: How Liberals Really Reacted to Obama-Themed 'Julius Caesar'

Democratic political consultant John Aravosis started the conversation Saturday morning, asking his 65,000 followers to imagine what it would be like if “all of Shakespeare was really written about Donald Trump,” suggesting “King Lear” would be renamed “King Leer” and adding the hashtag #ShakespeareInTheTrump.

What if all of Shakespeare was really written about Donald Trump? What would the titles be?
King Lear –> King Leer.#ShakespeareInTheTrump

— John Aravosis (@aravosis) June 17, 2017

Twitter rolled with it, and had plenty of suggestions:

If you prick us do we not have blood coming out of our wherever? #ShakespeareInTheTrump

— Kenneth Hoffman (@NOLAKenneth) June 17, 2017

You blocks
You stones
You worse than senseless things
O you hard hearts
You cruel men of Trump#ShakespeareInTheTrump pic.twitter.com/96rmdpZ4gK

— BROKEN PROMISELAND (@VoteAngryNow) June 17, 2017

#ShakespeareInTheTrump But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the FBI, and Comey's in the Drapes.

— Linda 'Lordy' Krylov (@LindaKrylov) June 17, 2017

#ShakespeareInTheTrump If you prick me, do I not act the bigger prick? If you wrong me, shall I not claim vaguely to have something on you?

— John Drummond (@4eyesJohnny) June 17, 2017

"Alas, poor Yorick / He had a pre-existing condition" #ShakespeareInTheTrump #AHCAKills pic.twitter.com/pfRj28GJrj

— Donald J. Drumpf (@RealDonalDrumpf) June 17, 2017

"To thine own self be lewd."#ShakespeareInTheTrump

— Where's Julee (@wheresjulee) June 17, 2017

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." #ShakespeareInTheTrump pic.twitter.com/JpHovoatj7

— Spang (@CMontyBurnsIII) June 17, 2017

Merry Wives of Gingrich#ShakespeareInTheTrump

— John Aravosis (@aravosis) June 17, 2017

Neither a borrower nor a lender be – unless it's a loan from Russia, always take those! #ShakespeareInTheTrump

— Kristen A (@KissyBFL) June 17, 2017

Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Eve? #ShakespeareInTheTrump pic.twitter.com/zz2KqDeKjc

— Kenneth Hoffman (@NOLAKenneth) June 17, 2017

Alas, poor Bannon, but I didn’t know Steve. A fellow of infinte jest but I told them to straighten it out or I will. #shakespeareinthetrump

— Ross A. Lincoln (@Rossalincoln) June 17, 2017

"Now is the winter of our discovfefe" #ShakespeareintheTrump https://t.co/1iDrUXAN8q

— Roberta Lipp (@RobertaLipp) June 17, 2017