Launched in the summer on 2006, Twitter was a social networking platform of a different breed right from the start. Other than letting users pour their hearts out, it limited them to a 140-character “tweet,” thus demanding a little more creativity and a lot more “punch” delivered in each post. In nowadays, Twitter has more than 500 million users, out of which more than 302 million are active users. Twitter company reported revenue of $1.4 billion for 2014 and Twitter stock is considered a hot stock on the financial markets. However, what’s really interesting about Twitter is how much celebrities love it! The star-power on this social platform is quite remarkable and other than allowing celebs the chance interact with fans via live tweets, it has become a breeding ground for heated (sometimes explosive) celebrity feuds. Is there anything better for business that a good old Hollywood feud to get people engaged in? It was hard to narrow it down to five, but here are our favorite star-clashing moments as featured on Twitter:
Nicki Minaj VS. Taylor Swift
It all started when Minaj decided to vent on Twitter following a VMA snub for her “Anaconda” video. Nicki protested in the tweet that ignited the fight, saying that she would have gotten a nomination if her video featured “women with very slim bodies.” Given that Taylor Swift’s video for “Bad Blood” features many of her model friends, Taylor saw Nicki’s tweet as a directed at her and tweeted back at Minaj “I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other.” Nicki then went on to claim that her tweet was never about Swift to begin with, but Twitter was already buzzing and even Katy Perry (Swift’s alleged frenemy) joined the discussion, suggesting in a not-so-vague tweet that Taylor should be looking at herself as someone who fuels female feuds. The reason, of course, is that the nominated video for “Bad Blood” is highly suggestive of Perry’s and Swift’s ongoing rivalry. Swift ended up apologizing for misunderstanding and Nicki accepted. What a shame, though, that a truly valid feminist point made by Minaj, got completely lost in a silly ego warfare.
Amber Rose Vs. Khloe Kardashian & Kylie Jenner
In February 2015, Amber Rose felt an urge to comment about Kylie Jenner’s budding romance with rapper Tyga. Rose (who used to be engaged to Kanye West, who is now married to Kim Kardashian and is Kylie’s brother-in-law), discussed the inappropriate age difference between Tyga and Jenner in an interview, infuriating big sister Khloe Kardashian. The latter went on Twitter, reminding Rose that her track record is too tarnished for her to be criticizing others. Khloe made sure her 13.5 million followers knew that Rose worked as a stripper at age 15 and made a direct appeal to Rose saying, “please stop talking about us in interviews mama. None of us talk about you.” Kylie also chimed in on the situation on Twitter, but decided to ignore Rose’s comments, opting instead to thank her wonderful sisters for always having her back.
Sinead O’Connor VS. Miley Cyrus
Considering she was known worldwide for her provocations (who can forget her ripping up a picture of the pope live on SNL in 1992?), It’s a bit ironic to have Sinead O’Connor call out someone else from being provocative. This didn’t stop her from writing an open letter to Miley Cyrus in 2013 where she urged her not to “prostitute herself.” Cyrus, who has become the posterchild for uninhibited sexuality, wasted no time and fired back via Twitter. She compared O’Connor to the mentally unstable Amanda Bynes and cheekily wrote “I don’t have time to write you an open letter cause I’m hosting & performing on SNL this week.”
Donald Trump Vs. Russel Brand
He might be seeking the Republican nomination for presidency these days, but Donald Trump’s big mouth was busy insulting comedian Russel Brand just less than a year ago. In October 2014, after watching Brand on a late-night talk show, the hot-headed business mogul turned to Twitter to express his impression of the British funny man. Trump tweeted that Brand is “a dummy who is lost” and that he is “a waste.” He didn’t stop there and mentioned that Brand “looks really bad.” His rant also questioned whether or not Katy Perry was drunk when she married Brand. Wow. That’s a lot of hate for someone Trump obviously doesn’t know. Brand was quick to respond with his own tweet, asking Donald, “are you drunk when you write these tweets? Or does that foam you spray on your bald head make you high?”
Rob Kardashian VS. Rita Ora
It’s a known fact that Rob Kardashian hasn’t been doing well in recent years. While his sisters are making millions just being who they are, Rob has been battling depression, tremendous weight-gain and a slew of other issues. In 2013, Rob, who was heartbroken over a breakup from singer Rita Ora, sought vengeance and decided to let the entire world seek it with him. He went on Twitter claiming Ora cheated on him on several occasions and with multiple men. What he probably didn’t see coming was her oh-so-humiliating response. Ora wasted no time clarifying the nature of their romance “I never actually thought it was a relationship in all honesty. I never mentally defined it as boyfriend/girlfriend.” On Rob’s decision to trash her on social media Rita said “that’s not my personal way of therapy but I guess everyone takes split-ups differently . . . . You should have to sit an exam before you go on Twitter. To see if you’re mentally stable.”
