‘Andrew Cuomo’ Curfew Billboard Brings Dystopian Vibes Not Unlike ‘Blade Runner’
By Mikelle Leow, 04 Jun 2020
Image via lev radin / Shutterstock.com
Mirroring the iconic style of his PowerPoint slides, a billboard from a person pretending to be Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo is seemingly “shouting” at locals to stay inside after 8pm. This time, the messages err on an eerier side, leaving people to wonder if 2020 is set in a cyber dystopia.
As a crowd control measure for protests fighting for racial justice after the loss of George Floyd, US officials imposed curfews across cities so everyone—with the exception of essential workers and the homeless—is kept inside.
In New York City, this runs between 8am and 5pm. To inform New Yorkers about the regulation, an unnamed person has taken out billboard space in Columbus Circle to flash fake Andrew Cuomo tweets like, “LOOTING INSULTS GEORGE FLOYD’S MEMORY,” “DO NOT BE A CRIMINAL!” and “HELP ME RESTORE CALM.”
Internet users are getting full-on Blade Runner vibes, and imagine the ad wouldn’t be out of place for a dystopian world.
The messages bring to mind the Blade Runner line, “A new life awaits you in the Off-world colonies, a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure.”
In a similar fashion, 2020 has been so intense, it’s being likened to the unreleased sixth season of Black Mirror.
New York’s current dystopia includes an electronic billboard above Columbus Circle flashing fake Cuomo tweets like “DO NOT BE A CRIMINAL!” and “LOOTING INSULTS GEORGE FLOYD’S MEMORY” pic.twitter.com/Il1tdBb1w3
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) June 2, 2020
Overhead, someone has paid to fill a billboard with messages, supposedly from @NYCGovCuomo, calling on New Yorkers to “help me restore calm.” order. The governor never sent those tweets, and the handle doesn’t exist 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/8Z0H7SVt8J
— Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) June 2, 2020
I know the "cyberpunk dystopia" images are flooding in fast, but seeing a digital billboard containing a message from the state governor, signed with a Twitter handle, which commands citizens to obey a curfew is still especially surreal. https://t.co/mtrjnlo2Ds
— Travis View (@travis_view) June 3, 2020
— Jonathan S (@OhTheStatic) June 3, 2020
not enough rain and neon to be properly cyberpunk unfortunately
— Steve Jail (@Biyombonesaw) June 3, 2020
added this for ambiance pic.twitter.com/YK8XUhG0PQ
— Juche Juice (@juchejuice) June 3, 2020
Half expect this to be followed by “A new life awaits you in the Off-world colonies. The chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure”. Truly dystopian. pic.twitter.com/AYMwxazph8
— Christopher Michael J. Marsh (@chrismjmarsh) June 3, 2020
Wasn't this what Roddy Piper saw when he put on the 🕶️ in They Live? pic.twitter.com/G4XUlVztex
— Miles Grant (@MilesGrant) June 3, 2020
[via Daily Dot, cover image via lev radin / Shutterstock.com]