Tired of watching the tech and financial press fawn over Facebook's initial public offering? You're not alone.
Facebook's IPO has drawn a hefty dose of cynicism, witticisms, and other assorted ribbing from around the Web. Below are some of the most amusing reactions to Facebook's first day as a publicly-traded company:
- On Thursday evening, Ed Hunsinger kicked it off with a tweet that quickly went viral: "Why is Facebook going public? They couldn't figure out the privacy settings either."
- Conan O'Brien had something to say on Twitter as well: "Today, Facebook went public, just as MySpace's last user went private."
- Donald Trump couldn't resist a jab alongside some vague financial wisdom: "Seems hard to believe that @Facebook could be worth that much--be careful if you invest. And Mark Zuckerberg--get a pre-nup."
- Brian Lam, editor of The Wirecutter, wondered what the fuss was about: "People getting super excited about corporations getting rich. Will never understand it."
- Of course, NMA.tv, the Taiwanese animators who've previously parodied the iPad, Google Glasses and other tech topics, has already made a mockery of the Facebook IPO. (Hint: A Zuckerberg clone riding a bull down Wall Street and some blood-letting is involved.)
- Tim Siedell, a popular advertising creative director, called Facebook "the new American dream" while taking a swipe at co-founder Eduardo Saverin: "Get an idea, build something, renounce citizenship to avoid taxes, sell for billions."
- Software engineer Mike Rundle took a swing at Facebook's oft-derided mobile apps: "I'm psyched that Facebook just raised a bunch of money because now they can afford some Cocoa developers to build them a native app!"
- The National Post's Steve Murray had his own jab at Facebook's apps: "What are the chances that facebook will open and then immediately suspend or crash like it does on my iphone?"
- Jack Dorsey's reaction was fitting for a co-founder of Twitter: "Wow. Slow news day."
- Film director Nicholas Stoller takes the award for most cynical response: "The fetishization of Facebook stock is weirding me out and suggests to me something deeply off about our society."
- Musician Kasey Anderson has had enough of the wisecracks: "9:28 AM: Woke up. 10:18 AM: Already tired of Facebook IPO jokes."
Fair enough, Kasey. But Andy Borowitz's mock letter from Zuckerberg to potential investors is worth a read, at least. Here's the opening line:
"For years, you've wasted your time on Facebook. Now here's your chance to waste your money on it, too."
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