New DOT Commish Subject of Parody Twitter Account — And it’s Hilarious

By Gersh Kuntzman
Apr 21, 2021

Mayor de Blasio’s appointment in February of an intellectual property attorney to run the $1.3-billion Department of Transportation may have seemed like a parody but it was not — but Commissioner Hank Gutman now is being parodied on Twitter.

Late on Wednesday evening, someone started tweeting as @hankgutmanDOT — and the tweets appear to be a running list of thoughts an unqualified transportation official might have.

“What is a bicycle for,” was the first tweet, posted at 8:53 p.m. on Wednesday.

What followed was a hilarious list of things Gutman might be asking Siri and not realizing the thoughts were being broadcast to the world.

“Can police park in bus stops,” read one.

https://twitter.com/HankGutmanDOT/status/1385052577583218695?s=20

“Why called open open streets if no cars allowed,” read another.

“Elon Musk contact info,” is a reference to public officials who believe the Tesla boss and tunneling czar has all the answers.

Streetsblog was also prominently featured.

“Reporter knicks hat streetsblog name,” seems to be a reference to our own sartorially spectacular senior reporter Dave Colon.

And “gursh kuntsman age,” is an obvious attempt to learn more about Streetsblog Editor Gersh Kuntzman, who is 55.

Here's new Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman in his first virtual presser. — Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman at his first virtual presser in February.

An emergency email to DOT was not returned on Wednesday night.

Streetsblog also reached out to several obvious satirists — Aaron Naparstek and Doug Gordon of the “War on Cars” podcast. Naparstek denied involvement. His theory, based on the followers list, is a Queens parodist. (Gordon also denied involvement.)

Other than Gutman’s lack of transportation qualifications, it is unclear what is motivating the parody account, which, at least as of Wednesday night, is just funny and not particularly cruel.

The Gutman parody follows a similar parody account making fun of the mayor. That account, @goodnycmayor, bills itself as the account of a “Competent Mayor Bill de Blasio.”

Here are some other great fake tweets:

https://twitter.com/HankGutmanDOT/status/1385043467915694086?s=20

https://twitter.com/HankGutmanDOT/status/1385042933389402112?s=20