Bernie Sanders made a guest appearance on Twitch that began with a humorous twist as streamer Sykkuno entered the session sporting a VTuber avatar, which left the politician feeling a bit perplexed.
As the countdown to the U.S. Presidential elections intensifies, the growing power of gaming influencers is evident among leading politicians seeking to capture the public’s interest. Notably, Donald Trump has previously appeared on Adin Ross’ stream, followed by Tim Walz’s rally, which was broadcast alongside World of Warcraft gameplay.
This time, it was Bernie Sanders’ turn, and although he has dabbled in streaming since launching his own Twitch channel in 2019, his most recent appearances included collaborations with Valkyrae, Pokimane, Sykkuno, and AustinShow.
Initially, the well-known streamers took the time to introduce themselves, but Sykkuno’s introduction didn’t unfold as smoothly as anticipated.
He opted for a VTuber model due to a “skin condition,” and proceeded to clarify his choice of avatar over a traditional webcam.
“Are you familiar with VTubers?” Sykkuno asked Sanders. “Have you come across VTubers before?”
Looking somewhat bewildered, Sanders responded with a simple, “nope.” Pokimane stepped in to provide further explanation: “It’s basically an animated representation of a person.”
“Oh, well, alright,” Sanders replied, still slightly puzzled but then added a compliment about the avatar, saying, “looking good, looking very good.”
Sykkuno took a moment to mute his microphone, admitting to his followers, “Chat, he thinks we’re a bunch of crazies. He definitely thinks we’re a bit off.”
Despite the somewhat awkward beginning, the stream turned out to be a hit, attracting tens of thousands of viewers across Twitch and YouTube platforms.
Primarily hosted by AustinShow, the stream featured a range of challenging inquiries directed at Sanders, with a focus on pressing topics such as healthcare and foreign policy.
Prior to Sanders’ arrival, the stream also welcomed notable personalities like Mark Hamill and Mark Cuban.
Mark Cuban took the opportunity to dispel a viral rumor that suggested he had placed a bid in a charity auction for a chance to game with Pokimane, clarifying: “That wasn’t me. I would have paid any price! You can tell it wasn’t me because the bid wasn’t high enough.”
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