Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter has some in Hollywood heading for the exit.
“Gray’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes and others within the leisure business say they plan to stop the platform now that it’s owned by Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” who has vowed to make sweeping adjustments — together with probably reversing the ban on former President Donald Trump.
“Not hanging round for no matter Elon has deliberate. Bye,” Rhimes tweeted to her almost 2 million Twitter followers Saturday afternoon, two days after Musk closed his $44 billion deal to buy the service.
Here is a operating listing of folks from the overlapping worlds of tv, motion pictures, music and sports activities who say they plan to go away.
Sara Bareilles
The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter tweeted to her almost 3 million followers Sunday: “Welp. It has been enjoyable Twitter. I am out. See you on the opposite platforms, peeps.
“Sorry, this one’s simply not for me,” Bareilles added, capping her submit with coronary heart and prayer-hands emojis.
Toni Braxton
In a tweet to her almost 2 million followers Friday, the Grammy-winning R&B star decried the content material she mentioned she had seen on Twitter since Musk’s takeover, writing in part: “I am shocked and appalled at among the ‘free speech’ I’ve seen on this platform since its acquisition.
“Hate speech beneath the veil of ‘free speech’ is unacceptable; due to this fact I’m selecting to remain off Twitter as it’s now not a secure house for myself, my sons and different POC,” Braxton added, utilizing an initialism for individuals of colour.
Mick Foley
Foley, a retired skilled wrestler and actor, mentioned in a submit on his public, verified Fb web page that he’s taking a “break” from Twitter “for the reason that new possession — and the misinformation and hate it appears to be encouraging — has my abdomen in a knot.”
“I actually do take pleasure in connecting with all of you on social media, however it might get overwhelming typically. I feel I’ll be again on in a number of weeks, however within the meantime, I’ll proceed to submit on Fb and Instagram,” Foley wrote Friday. “I hope all of you’ll be form to 1 one other.
“Please vote in the event you can too — our democracy appears to be hanging on by a thread,” he added. (Foley’s Twitter account seems to have been deactivated.)
Whoopi Goldberg
Goldberg, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning co-host of “The View,” introduced on the ABC speak present Monday that she is “performed with Twitter” in the meanwhile.
“I’ll get out, and if it settles down and I really feel extra snug possibly I am going to come again,” Goldberg mentioned on the present.
Goldberg’s account appeared to be deactivated as of Monday afternoon. Goldberg’s publicist didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Gigi Hadid
The mannequin deactivated her Twitter account on Friday and defined her choice in a submit on Instagram, writing partially that the social media platform was “turning into increasingly more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry.”
“I can not say it is a secure place for anybody, not a social platform that can do extra good than hurt,” Hadid wrote on Instagram.
Brian Koppelman
Koppelman, a co-creator of the Showtime dramas “Billions” and “Tremendous Pumped: The Battle for Uber,” not too long ago tweeted: “Y’all’s, for actual, come discover me over on instagram and the tok. Gonna actually attempt to take a breather from right here for a minute or a month come deal shut time.”
The screenwriter and producer has since locked his tweets, which means solely accepted followers can see what he posts.
Erik Larsen
Larsen, a comic book e-book creator and artist greatest recognized for “The Wonderful Spider-Man,” reportedly tweeted in April that “the day Elon Musk buys Twitter is the day I delete my account and go away Twitter.”
Larsen’s handle, @ErikJLarsen, appeared to have been deactivated Monday.
In an e mail, Larsen confirmed he’s completed with Twitter.
“Yeah, I left. I mentioned I would go away if Musk purchased Twitter. Musk purchased Twitter,” he mentioned. “So, I had no alternative. The transfer solely emboldened these most poisonous customers. The racists, ‘patriots’ and creeps are again in full power.”
“I’ve no regrets,” he added.
Téa Leoni
Leoni, an actor greatest recognized for starring on the CBS political drama “Madam Secretary,” tweeted to her roughly 124,000 followers Saturday: “Hello everybody. I’m coming off Twitter at present—let’s see the place we’re when the mud settles.
“At this time the mud has revealed an excessive amount of hate, an excessive amount of within the unsuitable course,” Leoni added. “Love, kindness, and prospects for all of you.”
Invoice Morrison
Morrison, a comic book e-book artist and illustrator who has labored on tasks in “The Simpsons” media universe, confirmed in a message on LinkedIn that he deactivated his Twitter account due to Musk’s takeover.
“I thought I would wait to see if he reinstated Trump’s account, however determined that there have been loads of causes to go away even absent of a Trump return,” Morrison mentioned.
Ken Olin
Olin, an govt producer of the NBC present “This Is Us” and a former star of the ABC drama collection “Thirtysomething,” tweeted to his roughly 293,000 followers that he’s “out of right here.” He then made a plea for kindness and peace.
Marina Sirtis
Sirtis, an actor greatest recognized for enjoying Deanna Troi in “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology,” deactivated her account and left the platform after the Musk takeover, her publicist confirmed in an e mail.
“If I wanted affirmation that leaving Twitter was the proper transfer, Musk’s tweet concerning the assault on Paul Pelosi (which he later deleted) and the avalanche of hate that I acquired once I introduced I used to be leaving, strengthened my choice,” Sirtis mentioned in an announcement.
The actor had vowed to go away in a tweet on Friday, writing: “I am sorry however I can’t be part of something owned by #ELONMUSK and his cabal of deplorable’s. I am going to keep on for a few days in order that we are able to say goodbye however after that I’m gone.”
Capt. Chelsey ‘Sully’ Sullenberger
Sullenberger, the retired “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot who managed to land an airliner within the Hudson River with out the lack of a single life in 2009, tweeted Wednesday that he “might be taking a step again from the platform for now.”
He informed his followers to seek out him on Fb, LinkedIn or Instagram.
Alex Winter
Winter, an actor and filmmaker greatest recognized for enjoying Invoice within the “Invoice & Ted” movie collection alongside Keanu Reeves, locked his Twitter account someday after Musk’s acquisition. His bio on the site now says “Not right here” and hyperlinks to his Instagram profile.
“Elon Musk taking up Twitter and making it a non-public firm with much less oversight has instantly made the platform extra susceptible to hate speech, focused assaults, and the unfold of disinformation,” Winter mentioned in an e mail. “If Twitter returns to being a public firm run by rational actors, many people will return.”
