# Never heard of Mike Epps, but his getting publicly busted by his wife on Twitter is HI-larious

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 18, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217 "2015-08-18T22:04:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/41 "2015-08-19T14:11:40Z")

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> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> I’m 40, and the biggest problem I had was the plot twist. I couldn’t figure out if the young lady blocked him because she got the hairy eyeball from Mrs Epps, or if Mr Epps blocked the young lady. I think the first version is funnier, but I’m not fluent enough in Twitter to understand the details. I get the gist, like a joke in Spanish, but not every detail, so I’m sitting here over thinking it instead of finding it very funny.

He blocked her.

I’m surprised that so many people had that much trouble with this. It’s a thread, you can google the abbreviations, and it’s not like no one ever posts reaction pictures or gifs here.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/42 "2015-08-19T14:12:16Z")

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Y’know, I attempted to read that article, to see just how much sense I could make out of it. But I couldn’t. I mean, I literally _couldn’t_ read it. The page froze up my web browser. Behavior like that is maybe understandable when the content is, say, a complicated online game. But when the “content”, such as it is, is entirely text? That’s just inexcusable.

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**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/43 "2015-08-19T14:20:18Z")

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> [@Omega\_Glory](#):
>
> I’m surprised that so many people had that much trouble with this. It’s a thread, you can google the abbreviations, and it’s not like no one ever posts reaction pictures or gifs here.

I don’t even use Twitter and I followed it just fine.

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**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/44 "2015-08-19T14:37:40Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> I knew of course that there existed people who were unfamiliar with social media. But I’m surprised to find so many of them here…on an online message board (not that far removed from being the same thing). 😕 This was admittedly a silly little trifle, but if you follow politics, or music, or cinema, or television, Twitter is pretty central to all of those pursuits and many more.

Wow. Then you’ve literally missed out on the “I’m too cool (or hip or a happy Luddite) for faceplace / hate twatting / instawho!?” threads. Aren’t you the lucky one?

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**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/45 "2015-08-19T14:40:13Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Oh my god, i can’t make heads or tails of that page.
> 
> You know what’s scary? I don’t understand any of that. What is going on? How do you understand what the “article” is about? Does that format make sense to anybody?
> 
> I think I’ll go die now. I’ve outlived my time.

Just a note to thank all the old fogeys like myself, who admitted they couldn’t make heads nor tails of this. I’ll meet you at the firehouse for Bingo. LOL!

When the video said he " . . . tried to get her to slip into his DMs . . ." I totally thought that was some new brand out-competing Fruit of the Looms. 😉

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**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/46 "2015-08-19T15:04:29Z")

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Is it tinfoil-hattery for me to guess that they call them DMs rather than PMs solely to avoid the implication that your message will actually be kept, like, private?

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**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/47 "2015-08-19T15:08:25Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> I knew of course that there existed people who were unfamiliar with social media. But I’m surprised to find so many of them here…on an online message board (not that far removed from being the same thing). 😕 This was admittedly a silly little trifle, but if you follow politics, or music, or cinema, or television, Twitter is pretty central to all of those pursuits and many more.

Perhaps, but I have been able to get by. I have a friend that shares my keen interest in politics and has a similar world view. He often sends me what I think are twitter links to something, but I have to ask him to please just summarize or quote what he thinks is so interesting. I have nothing against youtube, facebook or twitter\*, but I just don’t access those sites. I don’t even have apps for those things.

As I think about it, I suspect it’s simply due to the fact I just don’t know how (other than facebook, which I assume is user friendly). I’ve only got another 25 years or so in this world and I don’t want to spend the next 10 struggling with understanding social media. You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to master this site, and i still have no idea how to set up a poll or utilize nested quotes.  
\*Actually, I do have beef with twitter. It’s not twitter’s fault _per se_, but I’m very frustrated with “news” people asking for tweets and/or reading tweets on air. I think it’s ridiculous.

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**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/48 "2015-08-19T16:24:20Z")

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But the public has a right to know what @d33zNutZ\_47 thinks about the Greek bailout!

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**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/49 "2015-08-19T17:15:59Z")

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> [@Procrustus](#):
>
> Perhaps, but I have been able to get by. I have a friend that shares my keen interest in politics and has a similar world view. He often sends me what I think are twitter links to something, but I have to ask him to please just summarize or quote what he thinks is so interesting. I have nothing against youtube, facebook or twitter\*, but I just don’t access those sites. I don’t even have apps for those things.
> 
> As I think about it, I suspect it’s simply due to the fact I just don’t know how (other than facebook, which I assume is user friendly). I’ve only got another 25 years or so in this world and I don’t want to spend the next 10 struggling with understanding social media…

Just out of curiosity, do you have a plan for what to do if/when your preferred method of consuming news and media ceases to exist in _less_ than those “25 years or so,” and the people you rely on to “translate” the other media for you are, for whatever reason, no longer able to do so?

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**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/50 "2015-08-19T17:40:01Z")

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> [@Reluctant\_A](#):
>
> Just out of curiosity, do you have a plan for what to do if/when your preferred method of consuming news and media ceases to exist in _less_ than those “25 years or so,” and the people you rely on to “translate” the other media for you are, for whatever reason, no longer able to do so?

…kick you off my lawn? 😉

It is a great question. As online media and communication becomes more sophisticated and “meta,” I have less interest to engage. I will monitor trends from a distance, but don’t see the value in immersion.

There’s always a hope that your favored technology will not be obsoleted before you no longer need it. I guess culture is like that, too.

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**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/51 "2015-08-19T17:53:49Z")

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> [@Reluctant\_A](#):
>
> Just out of curiosity, do you have a plan for what to do if/when your preferred method of consuming news and media ceases to exist in _less_ than those “25 years or so,” and the people you rely on to “translate” the other media for you are, for whatever reason, no longer able to do so?

I guess I’m screwed. I have been trying to figure out how I got this way. Part of it is perhaps a feeling that things like twitter are a passing fad and I can safely ignore. Remember myspace? What if I had taken the time to figure it out and set up a page, and then no one cared anymore?

Currently I can read newspapers on line, which is quite similar to paper versions. At least it’s the same general concept. I can watch news on TV. I don’t think I’m missing that much by skipping twitter and youtube, but maybe I am.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/52 "2015-08-19T17:58:56Z")

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Boy do I feel stupid. That guy was talking slow as if his viewing audience were retarded and I _still_ didn’t grasp what the hell he was talking about.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/53 "2015-08-19T18:04:35Z")

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I was thinking DM meant Dick Magnet.

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**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/54 "2015-08-19T18:17:47Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> I knew of course that there existed people who were unfamiliar with social media. But I’m surprised to find so many of them here…on an online message board (not that far removed from being the same thing). 😕 This was admittedly a silly little trifle, but if you follow politics, or music, or cinema, or television, Twitter is pretty central to all of those pursuits and many more.

I’m also always a little surprised by this, because I agree that fundamentally it’s not such a big leap. The main difference that I see is the register of discourse. Granted, that’s largely a result of the medium–those who grew up with cell phones are more likely to “discuss” these things on Twitter than a message board, and thereby are going to shape their language accordingly. Otherwise, both media are equally prone to gratuitous sputterances.

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**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/55 "2015-08-19T19:14:08Z")

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> [@Loach](#):
>
> Mike Epps is a stand up comic and has been in movies for about 20 years. If the “New Uncle Buck” gives you fits how about “Starring as Richard Pryor in the upcoming Lee Daniels/Harvey Weinstein biopic.” You may not know him and he isn’t on the superstar level but he certainly is a well known comic and actor.

I wasn’t disputing how well-known he is. You can’t determine anything from whether I know someone or not - I am completely clueless about most celebrities.

It’s more that saying “he’s the new Uncle Buck”, to me, is like saying “he’s the new Jar Jar Binks”. It is _not_ a recommendation.

Also the effort involved in decoding the whole story. “He tried to get a pretty girl to send him a message but his wife sent him an emoticon so he blocked her” - too high-school to be worth the time.

YMMV.

Regards,  
Shodan

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/56 "2015-08-19T22:08:34Z")

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> [@Procrustus](#):
>
> Currently I can read newspapers on line, which is quite similar to paper versions. At least it’s the same general concept. I can watch news on TV. I don’t think I’m missing that much by skipping twitter and youtube, but maybe I am.

One of the nice things about Twitter is that for many of the newspapers that are behind paywalls for their online presence, links through Twitter tend to bypass that paywall.

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/57 "2015-08-19T22:22:35Z")

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> [@SlackerInc](#):
>
> …but if you follow politics, or music, or cinema, or television, Twitter is pretty central to all of those pursuits and many more.

How so? I read the occasional tweet as quoted in other media, but don’t use twitter myself, and have never felt like I was missing anything for not doing so. What’s something in twitter that I am missing out on if I follow politics, music, cinema or television?

It has seemed to me that there is so much noise and effort involved in actually following important or interesting people on twitter that I am best served letting other media filter it through to me. Does this seem wrongheaded to you?

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**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/58 "2015-08-19T22:42:59Z")

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I dunno, I’d say that given the subject matter and its weight, the way in which it was reported was perfectly appropriate.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/59 "2015-08-19T22:54:36Z")

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> [@Frylock](#):
>
> What’s something in twitter that I am missing out on if I follow politics, music, cinema or television?

It’s all a matter of degrees. How closely do you want to follow politics? And from what particular angle do you want to do so, or wish you could more thoroughly? There are likely a number of people you could follow on Twitter that would make that easier - from politicians themselves, to individual analysts, to campaign machines, journalists, etc. Yes - you could go individually to [538.com](http://538.com) to see what Nate Silver is up to, then to WaPo’s website to check out the columnists, or Drudge to see what the right’s take on something is, then check umpteen different candidates’ websites to see what they’re up to, [CNN.com](http://CNN.com) for highlights, etc. It’s news aggregation for your particularly tailored interests.

> [@](#):
>
> It has seemed to me that there is so much noise and effort involved in actually following important or interesting people on twitter that I am best served letting other media filter it through to me. Does this seem wrongheaded to you?

Absolutely not - there is always someone straying off on tangents and filling your feed up with noise, and it does get annoying. When that happens, I’ve started to become a lot more trigger-happy on the unfollow button - there’s always someone else out there providing tighter content on a similar topic to divert my minutes to.

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**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/never-heard-of-mike-epps-but-his-getting-publicly-busted-by-his-wife-on-twitter-is-hi-larious/728217/60 "2015-08-19T23:16:39Z")

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> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Oh my god  
> […]  
> I think I’ll go die now. I’ve outlived my time.

Clearly, you have. It’s spelled “OMG”.

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