On Monday, the new Twitter CEO, Elon Musk, revealed what Kathy Griffin must do in order to get her Twitter account back.
Griffin’s account was permanently suspended from Twitter for impersonating Musk in violation of Twitter’s rules.
However, in a response to Benny Johnson about the incident, Musk jokingly said that Griffin was suspended for “impersonating a comedian” and said that she could have her Twitter account back “For $8.”
Actually, she was suspended for impersonating a comedian
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022
But if she really wants her account back, she can have it
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022
For $8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 7, 2022
This was apparently a reference to Musks’s new policy that charges a monthly fee of $8 in order for someone to keep their verified status on the platform.
Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2022
Musk took over Twitter on Oct. 27 after he reached a deal with the previous owners to buy the company for $44 billion.
Since then, he has already taken steps to shake up the company, including a mass layoff of the company’s workforce. Yet he has shown that, unlike the previous Twitter administration, he also has a sense of humor.
It all started on day one when he posted a video of himself walking into Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters carrying a sink. The caption to the tweet simply read, “Entering Twitter HQ — let that sink in!”
Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in! pic.twitter.com/D68z4K2wq7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 26, 2022
Musk then changed his Twitter bio to simply read “Chief Twit.”
Elon Musk just changed his bio to “Chief Twit” pic.twitter.com/NedXCF1wlW
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) October 26, 2022
Musk then brilliantly responded to radical leftist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who complained about the $8 monthly verification fee, by saying simply, “Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8.”
Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2022
This latest incident with Kathy Griffin once again illustrates how Musk is radically different in style than his predecessors.
While the former Twitter executives responded to criticisms and opposing viewpoints by often banning those accounts, most infamously in the case of former President Donald Trump, Musk not only allows those views to be expressed on the platform but takes the time to acknowledge and responded to them in humorous ways.
Musk, unlike the previous Twitter administration, has thick skin. Thus, with the platform now under new leadership, perhaps we can truly begin to hope that not only freedom of speech, but fun, will return to online discourse.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
