Tension was high Monday night as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg addressed Hurricane Sandy and its approach into the East Coast. For most viewers, though, it wasn’t the mayor’s speech that was most captivating — it was his sign language interpreter.

The woman, later identified as Lydia Callis, was an instant hit across the web for her dramatic expressions and theatrical gestures during the speech. A flurry of tweets, GIF-filled Tumblr pages and spoof video quickly went viral as a result of the now pseudo-infamous interpretation.

SEE ALSO: 7 Fake Hurricane Sandy Photos You’re Sharing on Social Media

At first, Callis was mistakenly attributed as Lydia “Calas” — a Twitter handle and Tumblr page went up with the incorrect spelling — but a correction was soon brought public.

Viewers across social media applauded her not only for her outstanding interpretations, but for giving everyone a reason to smile during a grim, stressful time. Hurricane Sandy will go down as one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, with estimates close to $20 billion.

Here’s a bit of what the Twitterverse had to say:

My mother-in-law, who is an ASL interpreter says @mikebloomberg‘s signer Lydia Callis is “amazing” and “crystral clear”. Animation helps.

— Daniel Bentley (@DJBentley) October 31, 2012

No making fun of Bloomberg’s sign-language translator. Seriously. Only love. She’s doing her job both very well, and with STYLE.

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) October 29, 2012

I really want Lydia Callis (Bloomberg’s sign language interpreter) next to Charles Barkley on Inside the NBA. Can someone make this happen?

— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 31, 2012

Shush, everyone, Lydia Callis is signing. (Also, that Bloomberg guy is talking.) twitter.com/ditzkoff/statu…

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 30, 2012

Watch the video up top and try not to grin, at least a little bit. Did you see Callis in action? Tell us what you thought.

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“Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.” Via Official New York City Fire Department

“Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.”

Via Official New York City Fire Department

“Damage being repaired on the roof of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Arts and Crafts Center after Hurricane Sandy made landfall.”

Via Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs/Sgt. Brett Perkins

Via North Carolina Department of Public Transportation

“No traffic on the FDR today. This was all under water the night before. It’s amazing how a storm like Sandy can completely shut down an entire city.”

Via WanderingtheWorld

A submerged escalator at the South Ferry subway station in Lower Manhattan. Via MTA

People bail water from a basement of an East Village business. Via Brennan Cavanaugh

“Bleeker Street Pizza: OPEN- The electricity was still out, but they were making pizza anyway, with the help of their gas-fired oven and a few spelunker head lamps.”

Via Nick Sherman

Via jesseandgreg

A truck is submerged in Battery Park, Manhattan. Via Andrea Canning

“Hurricane Sandy damage in Belmar, N.J. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012.” Via Talk Radio News Service

“Aerial views of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast taken during a search and rescue mission by 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard, Oct. 30, 2012.”

Via U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released

Via Andrew Cuomo

Via thejkinz

A street underwater. Via thejkinz

A tree uprooted in Long Island, New York. Via nikki_skye

via Meghan Pipe

Via lafontainenissan

Via miss_pagano

“Main St. After Hurricane Sandy” Via DumboNYC

“Jane’s carousel is basically an island now. Poor horses.” Via andjelicaaa

Via toastmatic

Via katemcdermott7

“John Schmidt, of the West Virginia Field Office, photographed his backyard during Hurricane Sandy.” Via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

Via juspostbellum

Via anitaaaaaaaaaa3

“President Obama visits the American Red Cross Digital Command Center following Hurricane Sandy”

Via Dell

“Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, visits Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment Oct. 30 in Portsmouth, Va. “

Via Virginia Guard Public Affairs

“Spc. Anthony Monte along with Soldiers from the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard, mobilized for Hurricane Sandy provide assistance to displaced residents at an emergency shelter at the Werblin Recreation Center, Piscataway Township, N.J., Oct. 29, 2012.”Via U.S. Army

Via John deGuzman

“Virginia National Guard Soldiers trudged through high water and cut trees to clear a path for two rescue missions that transported seven adults and one child to safety at two locations on Cattail Road in the Mears, Va. area Oct. 30.” Via The National Gaurd

A car that has been smashed by a tree in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Via CSondi

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“Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.” Via Official New York City Fire Department

---

“Destruction after fire in Breezy Point, Queens.”

Via Official New York City Fire Department

---

“Damage being repaired on the roof of the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Arts and Crafts Center after Hurricane Sandy made landfall.”

Via Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs/Sgt. Brett Perkins

---

Via North Carolina Department of Public Transportation

---

“No traffic on the FDR today. This was all under water the night before. It’s amazing how a storm like Sandy can completely shut down an entire city.”

Via WanderingtheWorld

---

A submerged escalator at the South Ferry subway station in Lower Manhattan. Via MTA

---

People bail water from a basement of an East Village business. Via Brennan Cavanaugh

---

“Bleeker Street Pizza: OPEN- The electricity was still out, but they were making pizza anyway, with the help of their gas-fired oven and a few spelunker head lamps.”

Via Nick Sherman

---

Via jesseandgreg

---

A truck is submerged in Battery Park, Manhattan. Via Andrea Canning

---

“Hurricane Sandy damage in Belmar, N.J. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012.” Via Talk Radio News Service

---

“Aerial views of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast taken during a search and rescue mission by 1-150 Assault Helicopter Battalion, New Jersey Army National Guard, Oct. 30, 2012.”

Via U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released

---

Via Andrew Cuomo

---

Via thejkinz

---

A street underwater. Via thejkinz

---

A tree uprooted in Long Island, New York. Via nikki_skye

---

via Meghan Pipe

---

Via lafontainenissan

---

Via miss_pagano

---

“Main St. After Hurricane Sandy” Via DumboNYC

---

“Jane’s carousel is basically an island now. Poor horses.” Via andjelicaaa

---

Via toastmatic

---

Via katemcdermott7

---

“John Schmidt, of the West Virginia Field Office, photographed his backyard during Hurricane Sandy.” Via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

---

Via juspostbellum

---

Via anitaaaaaaaaaa3

---

“President Obama visits the American Red Cross Digital Command Center following Hurricane Sandy”

Via Dell

---

“Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia, visits Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry Regiment Oct. 30 in Portsmouth, Va. “

Via Virginia Guard Public Affairs

---

“Spc. Anthony Monte along with Soldiers from the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard, mobilized for Hurricane Sandy provide assistance to displaced residents at an emergency shelter at the Werblin Recreation Center, Piscataway Township, N.J., Oct. 29, 2012.”Via U.S. Army

---

Via John deGuzman

---

“Virginia National Guard Soldiers trudged through high water and cut trees to clear a path for two rescue missions that transported seven adults and one child to safety at two locations on Cattail Road in the Mears, Va. area Oct. 30.” Via The National Gaurd

---

A car that has been smashed by a tree in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Via CSondi

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• New York City Subway Stations Turn Into Eery, Empty Platforms
• 6 Fake Hurricane Sandy Photos You’re Sharing on Social Media
• Here’s Proof That Hurricane Sandy Is Nothing Like Irene
• Incredible Viral Soldier Pic Debunked by Military
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• How Will Hurricane Sandy Affect The Internet? [VIDEO]
• 5 Emergency Apps to Download Before Hurricane Sandy Hits [VIDEO]
• How to Use Facebook and Twitter Without the Internet

Article source: http://feeds.mashable.com/~r/Mashable/~3/UW9yAwjiZOk/

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