OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
If Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has exposed one thing, it’s that Woke celebrities can’t handle free speech.
Twitter, one of the most influential social media platforms, had become a ‘safe space’ for left-wing Americans to push their narratives without any fear that they would be ‘fact-checked,’ held to public account, or ridiculed.
So, Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter now has some Hollywood celebs vowing that they’re leaving and never returning.
Debra Messing
“Will and Grace” actress Debra Messing recently joined the celebrity exodus.
“YUP. Goodbye Twitter. Instagram I’m all in,” her post stated.
Debra Messing had close to 700,000 followers on Twitter. She had used her account to wish violence on Trump and even posted a doctored photo of Adolf Hitler to make a ludicrous comparison to the former president.
Shonda Rhimes
There’s also “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes, who suddenly stopped posting on Twitter.
— AdamInHTownTX (Not a Biologist) (@AdamInHTownTX) October 30, 2022
“Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye,” Rhimes tweeted to her nearly 2 million Twitter followers two days after Musk took over the platform.
Toni Braxton
Grammy-winning R&B star Toni Braxton also got in on the alleged exodus, writing in part: “I’m shocked and appalled at some of the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition.”
You will be sorely missed pic.twitter.com/oTp4ObyXsY
— Ron Coleman (@RonColeman) October 30, 2022
Sara Bareilles
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles also tweeted the devastating news she was leaving to her nearly 3 million followers: “Welp. It’s been fun Twitter,” Barreiles said. “I’m out. See you on the other platforms, peeps.”
Toni Braxton and Sara Bareilles leaving Twitter is like the bottom of the 99 cent CD bin at Walmart walking out.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) October 30, 2022
“Sorry, this one’s just not for me,” she added, replete with a heart and prayer-hands emojis.
Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid deactivated her Twitter account on Friday and explained her decision in a post on Instagram, writing in part that the social media platform was “becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry.”
“I can’t say it’s a safe place for anyone, not a social platform that will do more good than harm,” Hadid wrote on Instagram.
Tea Leoni
Tea Leoni, acteress on the CBS political drama “Madam Secretary,” tweeted to her roughly 124,000 followers Saturday: “Hi everyone. I’m coming off Twitter today—let’s see where we are when the dust settles.”
“Today the dust has revealed too much hate, too much in the wrong direction,” Leoni added. “Love, kindness, and possibilities for all of you.”
Ken Olin
Ken Olin, executive producer on the NBC show “This Is Us” and actor on the ABC drama series “Thirtysomething,” tweeted to his 293,000 followers that he is “out of here.” Then he called for a kinder planet, apparently with censorship of people he politically disagrees with.
It’s been three days, weren’t you deleting your account?
Or was that just another liberal tantrum?
You guys sure have a lot of those. pic.twitter.com/rA58EHtr52
— Tricia Flanagan (R-NJ) (@NewDayForNJ) October 31, 2022
Retired professional wrestler and actor Mick Foley said in a post on his public, verified Facebook page that he is taking a “break” from Twitter “since the new ownership — and the misinformation and hate it seems to be encouraging — has my stomach in a knot.”
“Please vote if you can too — our democracy seems to be hanging on by a thread,” he added.
Brian Koppelman
Koppelman, a co-creator of the Showtime dramas “Billions” and “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber,” also tweeted: “Y’all’s, for real, come find me over on instagram and the tok. Gonna really try to take a breather from here for a minute or a month come deal close time.”
Martina Sirtis
Marina Sirtis, who played Deanna Troi on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” deactivated her account and left the platform after the Musk takeover, as was confirmed in a statement from her publicist.
“If I needed confirmation that leaving Twitter was the right move, Musk’s tweet about the attack on Paul Pelosi (which he later deleted) and the avalanche of hate that I received when I announced I was leaving, reinforced my decision,” Sirtis said in a statement.
“I’m sorry but I cannot be a part of anything owned by #ELONMUSK and his cabal of deplorable’s,” she added. “I’ll stay on for a couple of days so that we can say goodbye but after that I’m gone.”
Alex Winter, who played Bill in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” alongside Keanu Reeves, locked his Twitter account and let a message decrying Musk’s takeover.
“Elon Musk taking over Twitter and making it a private company with less oversight has immediately made the platform more prone to hate speech, targeted attacks, and the spread of disinformation,” Winter said in an email. “If Twitter returns to being a public company run by rational actors, many of us will return.”
Nothing of value will be lost.
In addition, Kathy Griffin was recently booted off the platform for impersonating Musk, so one might say that Twitter is getting better by the day. Between the massive job cuts, cancellations, and self-cancellations, the problems with the platform are working themselves out.
Woke celebrities and politicians like AOC have been throwing a temper tantrum since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, in part because the platform now resembles an actual ‘democracy,’ where users have an equal playing field and are relatively free to speak their minds.
Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
“Lmao at a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that ‘free speech’ is actually a $8/mo subscription plan,” AOC complained.
“Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8,” Musk retorted.
“Twitter’s current lords and peasants system for who has or doesn’t have a blue checkmark is b*******,” Musk added in a tweet. “Power to the people! Blue for $8/month.”
