On Thursday, before the world learned that former South Africa President Nelson Mandela died, another great leader learned some grave news.
He died.
Well, not him exactly, not D.C. City Councilman Marion Barry, but a woman with his name. Washington Post local reporter Mike DeBonis had some fun by posting the picture of the obit on Twitter.
But Barry wasn’t laughing.
@mikedebonis Really Mike, u ought to invest in a better sense of humor and/or brain.Walmart just opened. Maybe they can help you. Maybe not.
— Marion S. Barry, Jr. (@marionbarryjr) December 5, 2013
Weirdly Ben Smith (not even the Ben Smith of BuzzFeed, this one has no bio and 9 Twitter followers) jumps in to make sure the ex-Mayor understands the story didn’t really declare HIM dead. Such wisdom.
Yeah, thanks for that Ben Smith II. Barry understood and was still offended.
Barry has no time for these childish pranks. He has serious matters at hand, like mourning his “good friend.”
On WJLA and Fox 5 at 11pm discussing the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
— Marion S. Barry, Jr. (@marionbarryjr) December 6, 2013