Legendary basketball player Larry Bird has become an unwitting social media sensation after a tomato with an uncanny resemblance to him was spotted by fans, carrying off his facial features and dubbed “the tomato of confusion”.
A Twitter joker pointed out the tomato, which appeared to have a nose, two eyes and a downward-sloping mouth made by a crevice in its skin, and added a small bowler hat before holding it up in front of a garden.
The fun had only just begun as quick-witted followers spotted that the expression the fruit appeared to be wearing made it a lookalike for three-time NBA champion Bird, who shared the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award with Magic Johnson last year.
Impromptu artists duly superimposed various photos of the 6ft 9in 63-year-old with the tomato, adding that they were grateful to see his name trending for humorous rather than grave reasons.
that’s larry bird https://t.co/xEfRw7W9Kz
pic.twitter.com/XrWT7QUpen
Can’t unsee this pic.twitter.com/NiGaEqDJzl
As more than 13,000 tweets made the trending tomato one of the most talked-about topics on social media, one fan replied: “Some things cannot be unseen.
“You’re so right. That’s definitely Larry Bird.”
Another said: “This explains how when the Celtics were down, Larry Bird would help them ketchup. Sorry, nobody else was going for condiment jokes.”
pic.twitter.com/VvFVAiIznj
Larry Bird realizing there’s a tomato that looks like him in this world. pic.twitter.com/l6l31nkHHQ
Right before you dice that thing up pic.twitter.com/gasT7qiJxh
Yup. pic.twitter.com/crsxKKSEXD
Others made references to the 2010 documentary, ‘Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals’, telling the story of the rivalry between Boston Celtics forward Bird and Los Angeles Lakers point guard Johnson during the mid-1980s.
One Bird admirer who appeared to have also seen him in a pepper also affectionately told him: “I was born in Massachusetts and heard your name often among Celtics fans.
Some things cannot be unseen ? you’re so right! That’s definitely Larry Bird pic.twitter.com/xiDsL0oOd5
And on the 7th day…. God decided to have some fun and make a Larry Bird tomato. pic.twitter.com/3QgmlhQDxU
Dear Larry Bird – Thank you for your career. I was born in MA, and heard your name, often, among @BostonCelts4eva – I had no idea you looked a RedBellPepper. My food never looks like you. Thank you for being edible, and not something to mourn. You are loved.
When your doppelgänger is a tomato. Hello Mother Earth.
“I had no idea you looked like a red bell pepper. My food never looks like you.
“Thank you for being edible and not something to mourn. You are loved.”
