Elon Musk, the controversial billionaire entrepreneur, has once again stirred up controversy on social media, this time targeting the Taylor Swift community with his latest tweets. In a perplexing move, Musk shared an old post on Twitter that compared the pop singer to the character Napoleon Dynamite in drag, the Daily Beast reports. The post included a side-by-side photo of Swift and the fictional movie character, suggesting a resemblance in their facial features.
Swifties, the passionate fanbase of Taylor Swift, wasted no time in coming after Elon Musk for his derogatory remarks. They flooded his mentions with messages of support for the singer, expressing their disappointment in his actions. Some Swifties even went as far as suggesting that Musk's behavior warranted legal consequences, with one Twitter user stating, “He's sick. He needs jail time.”
The choice of targeting the Taylor Swift community puzzled many, as it seemed to be an unwarranted attack on fans who simply wanted to enjoy the remaining months of the American leg of the Eras Tour. People found Musk's decision to share an outdated meme in an attempt to be relatable on the internet cringe-worthy.
Speculation arose among Swifties that Musk's actions may be driven by a desire to seek Swift's attention. Some recalled previous instances where the tech billionaire praised the singer on the platform, leading to suspicions that he may be mocking her appearance in an attempt to elicit a reaction.
Musk has a history of seeking the attention of celebrities, often going to great lengths to engage with them. This was evident in his interactions with renowned author Stephen King, where he responded to criticism by announcing his plans for paid verification on Twitter and later admitted to personally paying for his own blue checkmark following the verification purge.