Unfollowed: Celebs who have lost the most Twitter followers
In the modern age, a popularity contest can be quantified by the number of followers someone acquires on social media. Celebrities, with their more public personas, tend to attract more followers and encourage engagement on social media.
However, much like schoolyard politics, celebrities can do or say something that angers their core supporters. In Twitter-speak, they can then be “unfollowed” en masse.
The choice to “unfollow” someone on social media is the equivalent of choosing to ignore them and their pictures of what they had for lunch (a huge social blow). These negative trends can be devastating for a celebrity. This is humorously reflected on in a recent episode of E!’s “Hashtaggers,” where the public relations team frantically reacts to Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” losing millions of followers. The team solved the crisis by spreading a fake rumor and subsequently denying it, which brought back her followers. By using social media as a gauge of social relevance, it is easy to see the unlucky celebrities who fell the furthest from public grace.
The experts at PrettyFamous used their database of celebrities and Twitter information to determine which celebrities have recently slipped in popularity. The database query compiled a list of 41 celebrities who have more than 500,000 followers and lost the most followers in the period from Aug. 24, 2015, to Feb. 11, 2016.
A few notes on the results: Quite a few of the Twitter accounts experienced dramatic declines in follower counts on Sept. 26, 2015. While there was no public acknowledgement of a Twitter bot purge, it seems likely that such an event occurred and affected the follower counts for many of the celebrities on our list.
Additionally, some celebrities who made the list are deceased. Surprisingly, death is not necessarily the end to a star’s social media reign. For example, David Bowie’s death led to him attracting more followers rather than losing them. Some celebrity accounts, including Bowie’s, continue to be maintained after the account holder’s death.
#41. Kris Humphries
@KrisHumphries
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 892,605
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 882,098
Difference in Followers: -10,507
Kris Humphries is a professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns who was married to Kim Kardashian.
#40. Naya Rivera
@NayaRivera
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,749,571
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,739,018
Difference in Followers: -10,553
Naya Rivera is known for her role as Santana Lopez on “Glee” and has also pursued a career as a singer-songwriter.
#39. Greyson Michael Chance
@greysonchance
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,513,935
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,503,335
Difference in Followers: -10,600
Greyson Michael Chance is a musician whose stardom began when his performance of a Lady Gaga song went viral and he was subsequently invited as a guest to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
#38. Mike Posner
@MikePosner
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 633,497
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 622,675
Difference in Followers: -10,822
Mike Posner, known for his hit song “Cooler than Me,” is a singer and songwriter who has worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg and Avicii.
#37. Danny Masterson
@dannymasterson
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,644,119
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,632,776
Difference in Followers: -11,343
Danny Masterson achieved celebrity status for his role as Steven Hyde in “That ‘70s Show.”
#36. Mandy Moore
@TheMandyMoore
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,532,042
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,520,121
Difference in Followers: -11,921
Mandy Moore started her career as a singer-songwriter, touring with both NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. She later moved into acting and fashion.
#35. Jeremy Piven
@jeremypiven
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,589,842
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,577,758
Difference in Followers: -12,084
Jeremy Piven is well-known for his role as Ari Gold in the HBO series “Entourage.” He reprised the role for the 2015 movie of the same name.
#34. Samantha Ronson
@samantharonson
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,524,883
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,512,767
Difference in Followers: -12,116
Samantha Ronson, a London native, started her career as a DJ and has since become a singer-songwriter. She was in a relationship with actress Lindsay Lohan.
#33. Joan Rivers
@Joan_Rivers
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,185,074
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,172,393
Difference in Followers: -12,681
Although Joan Rivers died on Sept. 4, 2014, her Twitter account continues to be maintained by her daughter Melissa Rivers.
#32. David Archuleta
@DavidArchie
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,358,482
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,345,701
Difference in Followers: -12,781
David Archuleta broke into the music industry on the seventh season of “American Idol” and has released six albums as of Feb. 2016.
#31. Drew Pinsky
@drdrew
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 3,196,045
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 3,183,242
Difference in Followers: -12,803
Drew Pinsky, also known as Dr. Drew, has hosted a variety of medically oriented TV and radio shows.
#30. Zach Galifianakis
@galifianakisz
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 4,062,527
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 4,049,677
Difference in Followers: -12,850
Zach Galifianakis is a comedian, writer and actor who achieved mainstream success after starring in “The Hangover” trilogy.
#29. Nicole Anderson
@HeyItsNicoleA
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 658,831
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 644,791
Difference in Followers: -14,040
Nicole Anderson is an actress who has starred in Disney Channel’s “Jonas,” ABC Family’s “Make It or Break It” and most recently CW’s “Beauty & the Beast.”
#28. Antonio Reid
@LA_Reid
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,308,913
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,294,531
Difference in Followers: -14,382
Antonio “L.A.” Reid’s career started as a funk-rock musician, and he went on to be a judge on “The X Factor” during the show’s first two seasons.
#27. Adam Irigoyen
@adamirigoyen
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 653,379
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 638,888
Difference in Followers: -14,491
Adam Irigoyen, an actor known for his role in Disney’s “Shake It Up,” has also pursued a music career.
#26. Billy Ray Cyrus
@billyraycyrus
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,680,766
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,665,928
Difference in Followers: -14,838
Billy Ray Cyrus, an accomplished musician known for his song “Achy Breaky Heart,” has acted in TV shows, notably in Disney’s “Hannah Montana” with his daughter, Miley Cyrus.
#25. Paula Abdul
@PaulaAbdul
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,324,979
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,309,945
Difference in Followers: -15,034
Paula Abdul has worked as a choreographer, musician and judge for “American Idol,” “The X Factor,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
#24. Jenni Farley
@JENNIWOWW
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 3,666,285
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 3,650,065
Difference in Followers: -16,220
Jenni Farley, also known as JWoww, was a star on MTV’s reality show “Jersey Shore,” which ended in 2012. Two of her fellow “Jersey Shore” co-stars also made this list.
#23. Chris Colfer
@chriscolfer
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,578,185
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,561,595
Difference in Followers: -16,590
Chris Colfer is known for his role as Kurt Hummel on “Glee.” He also successfully pursued work as an author.
#22. Ashlee Simpson
@ashleesimpson
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,828,642
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,811,379
Difference in Followers: -17,263
Ashlee Simpson is an actress and singer-songwriter known for her reality TV appearances and her older sister, Jessica Simpson.
#21. Ashley Greene
@AshleyMGreene
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,266,828
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,249,410
Difference in Followers: -17,418
Ashley Greene achieved celebrity status through her role as Alice Cullen in the “Twilight” films.
#20. Ashley Rickards
@AshleyRickards
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 555,260
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 536,612
Difference in Followers: -18,648
Ashley Rickards is known for her part as Jenna Hamilton in MTV’s “Awkward.” Before that, she played Samantha Walker on CW’s “One Tree Hill.”
#19. Rebecca Black
@MsRebeccaBlack
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,502,065
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,482,274
Difference in Followers: -19,791
Rebecca Black’s music video “Friday” went viral in 2011, and she continues to pursue her passion of singing.
#18. Mark Salling
@MarkSalling
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,331,642
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,310,209
Difference in Followers: -21,433
Mark Salling is known for his role as Noah “Puck” Puckerman on “Glee.” His decline in followers could be connected to his December 2015 arrest on suspicion of possessing child porn.
#17. Flo Rida
@official_flo
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 5,753,267
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 5,730,504
Difference in Followers: -22,763
Flo Rida is a hip-hop artist who achieved success with his single “Low” and has since gone on to create over a dozen hit singles.
#16. Ken Jeong
@kenjeong
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,053,267
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,029,781
Difference in Followers: -23,486
Although known for his roles in “Community” and “The Hangover,” Ken Jeong is currently the star of ABC’s “Dr. Ken.”
#15. Sterling Knight
@SterlingKnight
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,768,826
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,744,799
Difference in Followers: -24,027
Sterling Knight has consistently acted in Disney productions, including “Sonny with a Chance,” “So Random!” and “Starstruck.”
#14. Jane Lynch
@janemarielynch
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,950,915
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,926,285
Difference in Followers: -24,630
Jane Lynch has been active in the entertainment industry since 1988 and received awards for her role as Sue Sylvester in “Glee.”
#13. Pauly DelVecchio
@DJPaulyD
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 4,306,730
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 4,274,650
Difference in Followers: -32,080
Pauly DelVecchio, also known as DJ Pauly D, is another former star of MTV’s reality show “Jersey Shore,” which ended in 2012.
#12. Blake Michael
@BlakeMichael14
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 851,866
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 817,083
Difference in Followers: -34,783
Blake Michael achieved mainstream success after acting in Disney's “Lemonade Mouth” and “Dog with a Blog.”
#11. Jason Segel
@jasonsegel
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 2,471,996
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 2,436,396
Difference in Followers: -35,600
Jason Segel is known for his acting roles in “How I Met Your Mother,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Sex Tape.”
#10. Willow Smith
@OfficialWillow
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 3,741,789
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 3,703,130
Difference in Followers: -38,659
Willow Smith, the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is an actress and musician, with her debut album released on Dec. 11, 2015.
#9. Sean Kingston
@SeanKingston
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 3,594,934
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 3,554,271
Difference in Followers: -40,663
Sean Kingston, a musician and actor, got his start on MySpace and is known for his hit single “Beautiful Girls.”
#8. Nicole Polizzi
@snooki
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 6,968,151
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 6,927,379
Difference in Followers: -40,772
Nicole Polizzi, popularly known as Snooki, was part of the cast of MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
#7. Brooke Burke-Charvet
@brookeburke
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 3,434,672
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 3,392,903
Difference in Followers: -41,769
Brooke Burke-Charvet is known for hosting TV shows like “Rock Star” and “Miss America.” She also won “Dancing with the Stars” in 2008 and will appear on the next season of “Celebrity Apprentice.”
#6. Cory Monteith
@CoryMonteith
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,984,313
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,934,568
Difference in Followers: -49,745
Cory Monteith, known for his role as Finn Hudson in "Glee," is another deceased celebrity who made this list. He died on July 13, 2013, and his Twitter account has not been maintained.
#5. Bill Cosby
@BillCosby
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 4,144,999
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 4,093,301
Difference in Followers: -51,698
Bill Cosby, once remembered as the beloved patriarch of the Huxtable family on “The Cosby Show,” is now embroiled in a variety of sexual assault allegations. While some allegations against Cosby have been dismissed due to being past the statute of limitations, an arrest warrant for Cosby was issued in December 2015 for an alleged 2004 sexual assault.
#4. Michael Jai White
@MichaelJaiWhite
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,064,380
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,000,299
Difference in Followers: -64,081
Michael Jai White is a martial artist and actor who currently stars in the TV series “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse.”
#3. Simon Pegg
@simonpegg
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 6,809,619
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 6,733,842
Difference in Followers: -75,777
England-born Simon Pegg is known for starring in films such as “Shaun of the Dead,” “Hot Fuzz” and “The World’s End.”
#2. Katheryn Winnick
@KatherynWinnick
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,004,144
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 902,392
Difference in Followers: -101,752
Katheryn Winnick, a Toronto native, stars as Lagertha in the History Channel series “Vikings.”
#1. Courtney Love
@Courtney
Followers (Aug. 24, 2015): 1,919,779
Followers (Feb. 11, 2016): 1,567,696
Difference in Followers: -352,083
Courtney Love experienced by far the greatest loss of followers. While she hasn’t been the focus of any huge scandals, the Kurt Cobain documentary “Soaked in Bleach” (2015) portrayed her in an unfavorable light. Her lawyers even sent cease-and-desist letters to theaters due to the film depicting Love “in a false light” and promoting “defamatory content.” Perhaps fans of the film unfollowed Love after watching this controversial film.
This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Unfollowed: Celebs who have lost the most Twitter followers."