With the joys of social media, we also get a chance to glimpse into the glamorous celebrity life. In mere seconds, pop culture connoisseurs can briefly scroll through A-listers' thoughts and discover some entertaining details. But if there’s one thing we love even more, it’s finding the most satisfying clapbacks to insults or unwelcome remarks.
After all, for every starstruck fan, there are at least two keyboard warriors who spew negativity only to stir some more drama into the pot. Whether they try (and fail!) to show off their wittiness or forget that behind every star lies an actual human being, some people almost beg to be put in their place. And the whole world gets to watch it happen.
Let’s give a round of applause for the scathing tweets and sizzling burns from celebrities that left some seriously bruised egos, shall we? Our team here at Bored Panda has scoured Twitter to bring the most razor-sharp snapbacks ever composed in 280 characters. So grab your popcorn and pull your chair closer because we’re about to uncover some of the best and wildest cases. Keep reading to also find an in-depth interview about fierce replies online with Deborah S. Bowen, Ph.D. Then be sure to upvote your favorite entries, and share what you think of them in the comments!
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Dream Body. Danny DeVito
Anna Kendrick's Clapback
Kendall And Kylie Jenner Were Selling Expensive T-Shirts Featuring Their Faces Over Images Of Famed Music Groups And Artists
There’s just something about celebrities that makes us inherently interested in the lives they lead. We feel fascinated by their talent, looks, and charisma, and can’t seem to stop talking about them. Especially when they involve themselves in some zesty drama online. After all, even when celebrities are adored by millions of fans worldwide, they often become subject to constant opinions from people they don’t even know. So no wonder many celebs, fed up with unwanted comments, sometimes fiercely snap back to defend themselves.
As you’re scrolling through this list, you can’t help but feel entertained by stars who seized the opportunity for a sweet comeback. But when social media experts often tell us it’s best to take the high road and ignore petty haters and their insults, is it really the right choice?
To learn more about how celebrities deal with criticism, as well as how to better handle the pouring negativity online, we reached out to Deborah S. Bowen, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of PR Instruction at the University of South Florida. "Every celebrity, no matter where on the alphabet list they fall, is under constant pressure to maintain a particular public image that aligns with that celeb's brand," she told Bored Panda.
This Response
Cole Sprouse Had The Best Response To Bill O'Reilly Question
Sass Master James Blunt
"Much of the time, high-level celebs do rely on guidance from a PR rep, but a human brand is a human first. Living under a social microscope can certainly result in very intense human reactions to emotionally-charged situations," the professor explained.
However, it’s important to remember that these superstars are regular people who also make mistakes. "There's no template for handling a human being, so while any response would do well to be executed thoughtfully and strategically, the next-best thing would be to assess the situation objectively and figure out how to proceed in resolving the situation in a way that not only repairs the brand but also serves as a positive example to the public," Bowen said.
Lil Nas X Points Out Double Standard Between Straight And Queer Rappers
Zendaya Jokingly Claps Back At Eagle-Eyed Fan
Pretty sure this is fake. Saw it a couple years with two normal people- unless it was posted as an homage/joke
This Moment Of History
But as it turns out, we seek celebrity hearsay because our brains are almost wired to be intrigued by it. How we process it, however, depends on the type of gossip. One study found that people were happier to hear positive tattle and more annoyed to hear negative talk about themselves than about celebrities and best friends. And although their personal ratings suggested they weren’t particularly happy to hear negative gossip about celebs, "the significantly enhanced neural activity in the reward system suggested that they were indeed amused."
This Is A Beautiful Burn
Greta Thunberg Responds To Trump
Says the guy who attempted a coup because he couldn't accept he lost.
Trevor Noah Clapbacks At Ted Cruz
When asked Bowen’s opinion about this desire to seek drama happening online, she told us we absolutely enjoy devouring it. "If we didn't, as social creatures, love a little bit of drama, think of how little content we'd find on streaming platforms!"
"No one is immune to the draw; I succumbed to learning all about a particular rivalry on 'Beauty YouTube' a couple of summers ago, and spent hours down biographical rabbit holes, searching for exposition because the best drama has backstory," she continued.
Don't Mess With Pink
J.K. Rowling Is One Of The Queens Of Clapbacks On Twitter
Terry Crews' Response To A Fan Who Criticized Him For Not Taking A Picture With Her
According to Bowen, we adore seeing some spicy action on social media because it fills important narrative needs for us. "And maybe a little Schadenfreude, too," she added, mentioning the German word that describes the pleasure we get from witnessing someone's misfortune.
"The parasocial relationships we cultivate with our celebrity favorites online also give us an interest. Finally, this is confrontational adrenaline or dopamine that doesn't involve you. That's the best kind of intrigue: somebody else's!"
Lil Nas X With The Clapback
Bullies Are Cowards
Piers, U're Still Here?
But social media users, whether celebrities or general folk, can find other ways to tackle internet haters and bullies other than responding with the sauciest clapbacks they can think of. "The phrase that's thrown around Twitter is 'don't feed the trolls!', and that's my philosophy," Bowen told us.
"Have I been 'put on blast' for my opinions? Of course I have; I'm a person interacting with strangers on a social platform. But unless you want to get into what used to be called a 'flame war' with someone who is likely inconsequential in your life, take a deep breath and keep on scrolling. Don't feed that troll!"
Finn Wolfhard Roasted James Charles
Lil Nas X Is Clapping Back To Boosie Badazz And Other Peers
“Black gay men will never be successful!!!11!” the bigot says to a black gay man who has multiple chart toppers and a dozen hit songs
Oh, Burn
If you want to avoid being bombarded with hateful tweets and messages, as well as bring some ease into the social media chaos, the professor offered a few suggestions. "'Mute' and 'Block' are great tools to use with abandon, too. They give you the ability to temporarily mute or completely block people, topics, keywords, and so on. Take some of the tools that are available in any number of apps and use them to build a platform experience that works best for your style of online interaction."
She Has No Time
It's Almost As If Sarcasm Doesn't Exist Anymore
Lili Reinhart Responded To Body Shamers Who Were Concerned About Her Weight
"The best kind of organic social media interactions, I find, result from one of the parties attempting to make a connection ("hey, you know So-and-So?" or "I grew up right near you!") or joining in a conversation as a positive contributor. Then, authentic debate might happen in a potentially productive way. Being a good steward of your little chunk of social media might make you feel like a hall monitor at times, but it also probably makes you a happier social media user," Professor Bowen concluded.
Not All Of J.K. Rolwing's Fans Agrees With Her, But She Couldn't Have Cared Less
I read some of it, I do not view her as transphobic. She does not strike me as hateful. She has her views, that are concerned about certain female issues If someone has exact quotes (in context) that I have not been made awares, I would love to read. Also, she created something wonderful. If we boycotted every human being that did or thought something "wrong," where would we be?
Too many people seem to think that if you fight for the rights of one group of people you are - by default - against the rights of everybody else. Which of course is not true. The 'thought police' seems to be a thing nowadays.
Load More Replies...I really have strong opinions on this but I darent post them for fear of being down voted and kicked off. I don't believe in spreading hate or tearing down someone else's beliefs and I will ALWAYS listen to a logical reasoned argument but BP is starting to censor any opinion that isn't of the majority or controversial which isn't right. SOME PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND BELIEFS TO OTHERS. And I'll probably get down voted for this!
A difference of opinion is "Oh i don't like onions" when someone says they love onions. Oppression of other humans isn't an opinion.
Load More Replies...I know we've all read the clickbait version of events, but everyone should give the contextualised version a read before coming to their own conclusions https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/ Jk does come across a little bit weary of trans people, but it comes from a place of trauma. She is advocating for the rights of women (including trans women) to have safe spaces in society, and is pushing back against the blurring of gender lines, as it hinders the feminist movement, and quite frankly, triggers her PTSD. It's a shame that a few badly worded tweets have completely overshadowed the message she was trying to get across.
"She is advocating for the rights of women (including trans women)" No, she doesn't. She is a terf, who don't count trans women as women who need safe spaces. Google her "only women menstruate" tweets for clarification.
Load More Replies...didn't the Nazis burn books that didn't agree with their beliefs
Load More Replies...Just in case some are unaware, JK is transphobic. That was probably the person's motive to burn the books and movies
A lot of Rowling books were also burned by fundamentalist Christians for being about witchcraft, etc. 'work of the devil' and all that. She's managed to annoy two opposite ends of society
Load More Replies...For anyone who needs some context: this was before JK revealed herself to be transphobic. This particular tweet was when OP found out that JK supports gay rights.
CAN EVERYONE STOP DOWNVOTING THE OTHER COMMENTERS!!! Thank you! That author is a nasty p.o.s and they refuse to acknowledge that people like me, and many others on BP should have rights. Thank you.
Of course you have rights, like everybody else. I don't think anybody here on BP denies that. But it does not mean other people's rights have to be cast aside. That's all.
Load More Replies...She is not transphobic, she is being canceled by bullies that do not represent the trans community. She is pro-women rights, trans deserve equal rights but they do not deserve to step over women's rights.
She'll rile up some women hating extremists in this comment section for sure
Can someone send a link to this stuff? I love Harry Potter and jk Rowling but I had no idea this happened and I would like to know more
Contrapoints did a very informed, thoughtful, fair video essay on the whole thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gDKbT_l2us It's one of the most nuanced and best researched explorations on the whole thing I could find so far. I really recommend it!
Load More Replies...She for one does not understand trans people or the issues they are facing, and that is okay, however with her following it is immeasurably irresponsible to carry out the narrative that because "I suffered you should suffer, too, if you think you're so great" and just relentlessly go around spreading her opinions from every platform, that are ill informed and damaging to any progress lgbtq+ people have made with literal blood, sweat and tears, and sometimes their lives. I say all that with the clear knowledge what women go through having been through it myself, where we've started and how much blood, sweat and tears we still need to spill in order to get where we need to be. One fight does not have to be an obstacle to the other, and it's been scary to see her lose her mind over trying to prove that it does.
Right... so because she's super-wealthy now, and "has got our money", she can say what she likes regardless of actual harm caused, and moreover can wish the person who expresses against her dead of toxic fumes?? Why is anyone still admiring this woman, and why is this horrifically arrogant and unpleasant comeback being upvoted??
Lizzo Claps Back At Men Who Use Her Name As An Insult To Women
Lebron James On President Donald Trump Uninviting Stephen Curry And The Warriors To The White House, After Curry Already, Announced He Would Not Attend
Perfect Reply
This Headline Was Trying To Call Lupita Nyong'o's Brother, Peter Nyong'o, Out. But He Knows He Looks Good
Zendaya Slams A Body-Shamer On Twitter
Gigi Clapping Back At A Troll
3 men equals a s**t? Well since he probably could not get one date in 3 decades... S**t = she will sleep with anyone ... Wh*re = she will sleep with anyone BUT ME
Lil Nas X Clapped Back At U.S. Governor
Rihanna's Response After Amanda Bynes Tweeted "Chris Brown Beat You Because You're Not Pretty Enough"
You should never use someone else’s abuse to your advantage. Ever.
Gabourey Sidibe Couldn't Have Cared Less About What Trolls Wrote About Her On Twitter
Troll-Slaying Comeback
Did the idiot not even read the books? Where in the book does someone turn into a frog?
Olivia Wilde's Response To The Person Who Said She Looked Like A Pickle At The Golden Globes
A Twitter User Said That Michael B. Jordan Is A Short Guy Who Likes Anime And Lives With His Parents. Michael Tweeted This Back
Anderson Cooper Being Amazing
Someone Just Got Served
Chrissy Teigen Shared A Photo Of Herself Nursing Her Newborn, But One Twitter User Commented That They Didn't Want To See Celebrities Like Teigen Nursing. Teigen's Reply:
She lets ppl live... really??? this is the woman, who bullied a 15 year old Courtney Stodden and told her to kill herself. Shes vile
Lohn Legend's Response After Donald Trump Referring To Chrissy Teigen As John Legend's “Filthy-Mouthed [Sic] Wife”
That Time When J.K. Rowling Trolled Donald Trump
Khloé Kardashian's Haters Are Calling Her Out For Holding Her Daughter Too Much
Oprah Winfrey Snaps At Twitter User
... ok I have to say it... why only men?, why only 500? I stopped following her many yrs ago when I realized she was as fake as "phil" and "oz". And I am not rich because, I have not made a fortune off of gullible women ( I am a woman btw).
Taylor Swift Responds To A Joke Made About Her In Netflix Show "Ginny & Georgia"
She's been with the same guy since she was 25ish!! And even before then, she was a teenager!! And a young adult! Aren't people supposed to date around to find the right person - like, that's exactly what dating is, right?! We have a whole culture of people using Tinder specifically to have meaningless sex w strangers, so what's so crazy about her meeting and dating someone for a while and it doesn't work out?
Khloe Kardashian's Response To Someone Calling Her Baby "Not Cute"
I don't like the Kardashian/ Jenner clan but what she said was right nobody should comment on a child's appearance especially not a random stranger on the internet.
Be Grateful
Queen Of Clapbacks
Demi Lovato Fires Back After Halsey's Referenced Demi Lovato's "Cool For The Summer" As One Of The Songs That Depict Bisexuality As "Taboo"
Less Pillowtalk, More Fighting Words
I find this sad actually. To have gone from such good friends (I would imagine), to twitter insults.
Note: this post originally had 85 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
There were a few good ones here but as per usual I never heard of most of these people and haven't a clue what they're talking about. Ignorance is bliss.
There were a few good ones here but as per usual I never heard of most of these people and haven't a clue what they're talking about. Ignorance is bliss.