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Entertainment
Dropping the mic: Famous Twitter exits
In April 2014, Rapper/fashion mogul Kanye West has quit Twitter multiple times since joining in 2010. In April 2018, he mentioned tweets he wrote were “my book that I’m writing in real time.” In October, he deleted his accounts again following controversy after meeting President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, but returned to Twitter within a week.Actress and comedian Leslie Jones tweeted in July 2016 that she would leave Twitter due to racist and hateful comments. She expressed, “I leave Twitter tonight with tears and a very sad heart…. You can hate the movie but the s*** got today…wrong.” Ultimately, Jones took a break instead of completely quitting.Singer Sam Smith announced in March 2016 that he would take a break from social media after the issues surrounding his Oscars acceptance speech. He later tweeted after the tragic Orlando nightclub attack in June.Director Joss Whedon thanked his followers on Twitter in May 2015 before shutting down his account. Speculation grew surrounding abusive complaints regarding Black Widow’s role in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which contributed to his decision. Whedon later clarified that he left Twitter to focus on his next project, stating he felt it was consuming him in an unhealthy way.<a href=”https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen” target=”_blank” target=”_blank”>Chrissy Teigen</a> is one of Twitter’s more popular users, but threats in response to her tweets about gun control once chased her away from the platform. Thankfully, she has since returned.Alec Baldwin has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Twitter, having left twice in 2011 and 2013. His most recent exit was prompted by a heated exchange with a journalist, leading him to tweet, “Now f**k this twitter + good luck to all of you who know the truth.” He has returned since then.Chris Brown has also experienced a turbulent relationship with Twitter. After a heated altercation with comedian Jenny Johnson in 2012, he instructed his fans to “catch me in traffic” instead of on the platform. He deleted his account then, as he did previously in 2009, but is presently active.<a href=”https://twitter.com/meganfox” target=”_blank” target=”_blank”>Megan Fox tried Twitter</a> briefly in 2013 but found it unappealing. She stated, “5 days on Twitter and I have yet to discern its purpose. #WhatIsThePoint???” The following day, Fox announced her exit on Facebook, declaring her account shut down and acknowledging her aversion to the platform.Miley Cyrus, who once sought to maintain her privacy, initially left Twitter in 2009 with a rap video announcing her exit. However, by 2011, she was drawn back by the enticing posts of Charlie Sheen on the platform.Damon Lindelof, the writer/producer of “Lost,” decided to leave Twitter in October 2013. His final cryptic tweet hinted at his show “The Leftovers, but ultimately, it was a decision to reclaim his mental health, as he felt Twitter was consuming him in an unhealthy way.Ashton Kutcher decided to hand his Twitter account over to a team after facing backlash due to an insensitive tweet about Joe Paterno and the related child abuse scandal in 2011. He apologized and indicated he needed to manage his account better, allowing others to take the reins temporarily. However, he has since resumed tweeting on his own.In April 2012, Nicki Minaj was frustrated when a fan site leaked her new music, leading her to make a dramatic exit from Twitter, tweeting, “Like seriously, it’s but so much a person can take. Good f******g bye.” However, within nine days, she returned.Negativity on Twitter compelled Jennifer Love Hewitt to announce her departure in July 2013, saying, “I’m sad to say twitter is no longer for me….Life should be filled with positivity…” However, her break was brief, and she returned to Twitter by August.Actress Amanda Bynes has experienced a similarly tumultuous relationship with her Twitter account, having deleted and relaunched it multiple times, much akin to her acting career.
