The Internet pokes fun at Paul Ryan

Written By Unknown on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 | 3:25 AM

Ryan's penchant for budget writing was fodder for one Web wit's entry in the
Ryan's penchant for budget writing was fodder for one Web wit's entry in the "Hey Girl ... " photo meme.
  • Internet memes welcome Paul Ryan to the presidential race
  • "Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan" revived on Tumblr after Romney announced his VP choice
  • Supposed Ryan lookalikes range from "The Office" actors to Eddie Munster

(CNN) -- Hey girl ... Mr. Gosling isn't the only Ryan with his own stable of Internet memes any more.

Whether it's a texting secretary of state, a condescending candy magnate or an unimpressed gymnast, the Web can't help itself when it comes to turning current events into running online jokes. So, why should politics be any different?

Enter Paul Ryan.

The Wisconsin congressman was well known among political junkies, but not so much to the general public before presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney tapped him Saturday as his running mate.

Within hours, the Web greeted the conservative budget hawk with a host of humor, some of it new and some given new life after lying dormant during the long, hot Washington summer.

Breaking down Ryan's budget plan
Ryan: 'We have a normal life'
Newt Gingrich on Ryan and Romney
Fact checking Ryan's Medicare plan

Here are some of our favorites so far:

'Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan'

These women were meme-ing Ryan before meme-ing Ryan was cool.

Back in May, the self-described "Women who think fiscal sanity and conservative values are sexier than anything else" started a Tumblr feed featuring photos of Ryan with captions merging his politics with a smooth, "hey baby" vibe. The blog borrowed from another Web meme: outings inspired by actor Ryan Gosling that include "F--- Yeah Ryan Gosling" and "Feminist Ryan Gosling."

Some Ryan examples:

_ Hey girl ... you know I can't inflate our love. And that would just devalue it anyways.

_ Hey girl ... unlike the debt, our love will never hit a ceiling.

_ Hey girl ... I may be vying for #2 but you'll always be my #1

_ Hey girl ... let's get fiscal.

Apparently they're not alone in thinking deficit reduction is hot. According to Google stats, the most common term searched along with "Paul Ryan" this weekend was "vice president." The second most common? "Shirtless."

The women had pretty much retired "Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan" until Romney's announcement on Saturday. It's been off to the (presidential) races since then.

Totally looks like ...

OK, so it's focusing just on that hairdo-defining widow's peak of his, but the leading candidate for Ryan's celebrity lookalike so far has been Eddie Munster -- the similarly peaked kid from "The Munsters."

But that's not all.

Some folks see Gabe from "The Office" (i.e. actor Zach Woods). Others move a few cubicles down and compare him to "Office" character Ryan (aka B.J. Novak, who's already getting support from people who want him to play Ryan on "Saturday Night Live."

Paul Ryan Gosling

If the women behind the "Hey Girl" blog are Ryan fans, it's safe to guess that whoever took the joke to Twitter is not.

Comically merging the politician with the actor, @PaulRyanGosling was born Saturday and has quickly attracted more than 23,000 followers. Some sample tweets:

_ "Hey girl, let's get rid of Socialist Security!"

_ "Hey girl, you don't need Medicare for that hip replacement. You just need one of my hugs."

_ "Hey girl, you can't spell Wisconsin without 'sin'."

Whether his newfound Web fame will help or hurt Ryan politically is anyone's guess -- although, in our mind, it's hard to picture someone deciding who should run the country based on a Photoshopped image of Ryan posing in front of the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. (Yes, he has apparently driven it.)

But there's one thing we can all be sure of. McKayla is not impressed.

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