IT WAS supposed to be a Valentine’s Day themed video message designed to encourage people to put away their smartphones in pubs and restaurants.
But Cork politician Tim Lombard has found himself the talk of the internet for all the wrong reasons after posting the resulting clip online.
It presents viewers with the sight of the Fine Gael Senator, sat in a candle-lit, red velvet-curtained dining room strangely reminiscent of something out of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.
"Nights out with your loved one are important,” Lombard says.
"But all too often you can sit there and be side-tracked by what’s on your mobile phone."
As Lombard continues the camera begins to zoom out to reveal the scene around him.
"Nobody wants to go on a date and have someone scrolling through their device for the entire night," he adds.
"So, the next time you’re on a date with a loved one put your mobile phone away so that your loved one doesn’t end up on a date with a phone."
Roses are red, violets are blue...@voteTimLombard has a special #ValentinesDay message.
For more info see: https://t.co/nPGyTgWHBp#Valentines pic.twitter.com/GF5fP8ZF5K— Fine Gael (@FineGael) February 14, 2019
All the while the camera continues to zoom out until viewers discover the truth – Lombard appears to be on a date with someone dressed as a phone.
Do you get it? He’s on a date with a phone. The very thing he was complaining about.
It would appear Lombard has only just cottoned on though as he ends the clip by looking at his phone companion before looking back towards the camera and rolling his eyes.
The Fine Gael politician is hoping to encourage more people to chat to each other rather than waste time playing with their phones while out for an evening or night.
Unfortunately, it appears to have had the opposite effect, with many taking to their smartphones and Twitter to share their thoughts and feelings on the rather odd clip.
"Are ye f**king serious" one writes. "Twin Peaks Series 4 teaser just dropped," another adds.
A third adds: "What the actual...?"
"Remember when politicians were productive, that was gas," a fourth chips in with. A fifth commenter kept it simple: "Delete your account".
Lombard might want to leave the acting work to the professionals.
