The hashtag is everywhere in social media, but who is he, really? How did he come to fame? The Gabbler met with Hash (as he now prefers to go by), to talk about his rise to fame, the role of social media in revolution, and his preference for red candy only.
The Gabbler: It’s so nice to have you here, Hash! I’m told that you go by “Hash” now, right?
Hashtag: Yeah. I prefer the symbol, but whatever. (Like Prince.)
TG: Right. Anyway, where did the phrase “hashtag” come from?
H: Some blogger nerd named Stowe Boyd apparently called me a hashtag first back in 2007. And apparently the Brits call their pound sign a “hash,” too. So it just sort of evolved very organically from there. Listen, I don’t have much time. Now that Facebook wants me all up on its feed, I have even less time to chat. #toobusytocare
TG: All right, all right, I’ll keep it to 140 characters, okay? Haha!
H: #AsIf Twitter is the only one who wants me: Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google+, and now Facebook. It’s exhausting, being a social media superstar. #indemand #getonmylevel
TG: So you credit social media for your rise to superstardom?
H: #Tots! Basically, I’m the American Dream, incarnate. I come from humble beginnings, which is a big part of why my fans love me SO much. My grandfather, known as Number Sign (#– not to be confused with my famous great, great uncle, Sharp ♯) made his living mostly as an abbreviation for the word “number.” Unfortunately, he was rarely used, except for when lazy people didn’t feel like spelling out the word. My father was a Pound Sign, so he was basically used when you wanted to talk to the operator or for conference calls on the phone. He led a pretty boring life, too. But I knew I was destined for greatness one day! #Beforethetrend
TG: Wow, so your family’s symbol has really evolved over the years. That’s amazing. But before you became so intertwined with Twitter, you were used pretty frequently in programming for HTML and CSS, right?
H: Ugh, don’t ask me what the hell all that crap actually is. That’s too boring. I’ll leave that to the computer geeks. But yes, that’s when I first became used more frequently: on the interwebs. I mean, I’d been on computer keyboards, but my key was pretty dusty, if you know what I mean. In 1988, more mouth breathers at Internet Relay Chat (IRC) began using me as a hashtag.
TG: But I’m sure that was when you became a bit more well-known, right?
H: If you count those mouth breathers as actual people, then sure. I mean, The Biebs started out on YouTube, too. Sure, the losers with no lives are the ones who find us first, but once we hit mainstream: #theresnostoppingus! #biebs #neversaynever
TG: Aren’t you at least a little thankful for those “mouth-breathers”? They really are the ones responsible for using you on the web first.
H: #Ofcourse. The mouth-breathers did for me what the gays did for Lady Gaga. I owe them big time, okay? (Feel free to jerk off now, computer nerds who are surely reading this. #circlejerk) But it wasn’t until 2007 that my first real Twitter hashtag hit it big.
TG: Wow! What was the first hashtag?
H: It was #sandiegofire. Doesn’t that have a really sexy ring to it?
TG: Wow, so you were used to spread information on Twitter quickly about a fire in San Diego. That is amazing!
H: Yeah, I get that a lot. #DontHateMeCuzImBeautiful
TG: See, that’s what I find both amazing and terrifying about hashtags and Twitter in general. It’s like you are instantly this aggregate for information. I mean, Twitter and Facebook (and hashtags!) are credited to have played a huge role in the Arab Spring in 2011, because they gave citizens in those countries a way to voice their unhappiness with the current regime, organize protests with people all over, and be heard by millions. There is such a democratic power in social media, you know?
H: Uh huh. I’m totally inspired by the fact that I inspire people to like, start a revolution. #inspired
TG: But also, you must know that with that much power comes with a lot of personal responsibility. I mean, what about when that poor boy, Sunil Tripathi, was falsely identified as a bombing suspect in the Boston Marathon Bombings a few months back? His name became a trending topic on Twitter – in part because of you. How does that make you feel?
H: Look, this is #Murica. If people want to write complete garbage about each other without taking the time to check the facts, that’s #notmyfault. Besides, that’s the nature of hashtags: quick, clever, and up-to-speed. #ifyoucanttaketheheat
TG: Don’t take this the wrong way, Hash, but you’re more of a diva than I expected.
H: (To his assistant.) — I SAID ONLY THE RED SOUR PATCH KIDS, YOU FUGLY GREMLIN! #findinggoodhelpissohard – What, sorry? What were you saying?
TG: Uh, nothing. So what are some of your favorite hashtags?
H: Hm. I’m always up for a good #ThrowbackThursday, #TBT if you’re not a #noob. #RoyalBaby has been fun, too. #Love is always trending, but whatevs. #YOLO is big, too. The politics ones bore me, except for the Wiener double entendres, which have been fun.
TG: What are some of your least favorite hashtags?
H: I’m getting a little sick of the whole Instagram 16-hashtags-thing. “#foodie #yum! #healthy #Imadethis #dinner #dessert #nofilter” Christ. I mean, I get it, I’m huge right now, but leave some of Hash for the rest of us! Also, I can’t stand when lame adults try to use hashtags totally out of context. It’s like when Fox Family uses stupid PG hashtags about siblings fighting or the family dog, or a dumb hashtag on a TV commercial for Subarus. I have an image to uphold, people! #LAME.#dontruinit
TG: Yeah, that’s pretty obnoxious.
H: What’s your #fav hashtag?
TG: Oh, I’m not really a hashtag person. Haven’t you seen our Twitter feed? No offense, of course! I’m just not really big on it.
H: Um…I thought you guys were just being ironic about Twitter, too. What the hell? #WTF #rude
TG: Well, it’s just that I like spaces in between words. And I’m kind of a stickler for grammar, so I don’t like how you can’t put apostrophes in them. Also, they just seem kind of forced and unnecessary.
H: Oh, I get it! You’re messing with me! #knewit
TG: No, I’m really not. I’m just not a fan. I totally get why you’re important, and why people like you, but I find hashtags to be… well, annoying and distracting.
H: Just try it once. Make a hashtag, and tell me you don’t LOVE IT. #youknowyouloveit
TG: No thanks.
H: Come on!
TG: Really, I’m okay.
H: Fuck you, man! I don’t need this. Do you know how many pathetic girls need me on their secret wedding pinboards right now (#dreamwedding, #romance, #rusticchic)? Or how many Instagrammers are anxiously dreaming up a clever hashtag to show off their “unique” shot of the NYC city skyline for the millionth time? Or how many Twitter users are anxiously following what’s trending with ME? I’m more popular than Jesus right now. I AM HASH.
TG: Man, I could really go for some corn beef hash and eggs right now.
H: I’m so over this! #OverIt
TG: Well, it’s been real, Hash. Let’s tweet soon or something.
H: WHY IS THERE A YELLOW FUCKING CANDY IN MY BOWL? GET ME OUT OF HERE, PEOPLE. #HASHOUT
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