‘The best thing you’ll see on the Internet before 2021 ends’: Bernie Sanders eviscerating Elon Musk in parody video goes viral

A parody conversation between Elon Musk and Bernie Sanders has gone viral, sparking many people to comment on how staggeringly realistic it looks.

The clip, which is over three minutes long and features moments from the pair’s respective appearances on the highly popular Joe Rogan Experience, was originally shared on Twitter earlier this week by Justin T. Brown.

Twitter users have been extremely enthusiastic about the clip, with one describing it as “the best thing you’ll see on the Internet before 2021 ends”.

The two men shoot the breeze about income inequality, greed, tech innovation, taxes and cannabis – in what makes for a hilarious exchange

Back in the real world, Mr Sanders has been especially critical of the Tesla and Space X chief’s tax affairs of late.

In recent years, various loopholes have allowed Mr Musk to pay a paltry amount of federal tax relative to his extraordinary wealth, which ballooned to such an extent in 2021 that he became the world’s new richest man.

Mr Sanders, who represents his home state of Vermont in the US Senate, has pleaded with the billionaire to pay his fair share of tax – a message that was quickly parrotted by fellow progressive Senator, Elizabeth Warren.

However, the comment appeared to irk Mr Musk, who responded on Twitter by writing: “ I keep forgetting you’re still alive [Mr Sanders].”

In the popular parody video of the pair, the issue of tax features heavily. One notable exchange also features Mr Sanders seemingly educating the businessmen on wealth inequality.

“Over the last thirty years, the top 1 per cent have seen a 21 trillion dollar increase in their wealth,” the 80-year-old states.

“The bottom half of America has seen a 900 billion dollar decline in their wealth.”

The richest man in the world, Mr Musk, replied: “Hmm, that’s strange.”

Musk then hilariously extolls the virtues of tunnels, flamethrowers and an underground spaceship to help with the problem.

Further on in the clip, Senator Sanders tells Mr Musk, “Pay your taxes. That’s what I want you to do”.

Musk, looking hesitant, replies with: “Well … no. Definitely not.”

While the clip is light-hearted and humorous, it did provoke some interesting reactions from several Twitter users, who wished to see a real-life version of the exchange.

As author Marianne Williamson wrote on Twitter, “It’s true [What Senator Sanders says] even though it isn't real.”

The original clip has been viewed over 15,000 times on YouTube, with several thousand more shares on both Twitter and TikTok.