'Then Delete Your Account': James Woods Vs. Elon Musk Rapidly Heats Up After X Controversy
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
A proposed change to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has led to one beloved conservative icon publicly souring on Elon Musk — and the X boss has offered a rather curt solution in response.
To wit, this bubbling feud between Hollywood legend James Woods and Musk began when the latter posted on X that he planned on removing the “block” feature from the social media platform.
Block is going to be deleted as a “feature”, except for DMs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 18, 2023
“Block is going to be deleted as a ‘feature’, except for [direct messages],” Musk posted Aug. 18, in response to a general question about muting versus blocking X users.
That simple post triggered a wave of backlash, including a Community Note that claimed removing the block feature would delist the X app, at least in its current form, from major distribution platforms.
It remains to be seen if Musk has some sort of loophole planned to address that (perhaps the ability to block DM’s will satisfy that rule) or if his original claim was just him shooting from the hip.
Regardless, it engendered quite a bit of outrage and scorn on the social media platform for Musk — including from conservatives who had previously lauded his purchase of then-Twitter to help proliferate free speech.
Woods was one such conservative and initially expressed his dismay at Musk’s claim about removing the block feature.
In the midst of a libel suit I was targeted by thirty trolls the defendant enlisted to harass me. X will be untenable for people like me, who are willing to share their identities. If he does this, I will have no choice but to retire from this site. https://t.co/QJ9BgLNwFj
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 19, 2023
“In the midst of a libel suit I was targeted by thirty trolls the defendant enlisted to harass me,” Woods posted. “X will be untenable for people like me, who are willing to share their identities. If he does this, I will have no choice but to retire from this site.”
In response to one X user who lauded Woods’ voice in the conservative Twittersphere, the famed actor turned the heat up a bit.
Thank you. If @elonmusk removes the ability to block concerted harassment by trolls or organized political entities, how will “X” be any different from Jack Dorsey’s horrid Twitter?
Musk, whom I once championed, is only doing this to protect his advertisers anyway. Users of X… https://t.co/bR3oMU4f2P
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 19, 2023
“Thank you,” Woods responded. “If @elonmusk removes the ability to block concerted harassment by trolls or organized political entities, how will ‘X’ be any different from Jack Dorsey’s horrid Twitter?”
It’s at this point where you get a hint of Woods’ trademark venom — the same one that’s typically reserved for the far left.
“Musk, whom I once championed, is only doing this to protect his advertisers anyway,” Woods claimed. “Users of X are mere pawns to turn the site into an electronic shopping mall.
“The man I thought was a defender of free speech is just another greedy capitalist. Disappointing, but not surprising.”
Musk promptly responded to that biting assessment:
Then delete your account
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 20, 2023
“Then delete your account,” Musk said.
Look, this writer is neither relevant enough nor cares enough about X to have a real opinion on the block feature.
On the one hand, Woods’ concerns are hardly unique. Others on X have echoed similar worries that removing the block feature would make the site untenable due to bots, trolls and porn accounts.
By that same token, X is Musk’s company. He can do with it what he pleases — even make decisions that anger swathes of Americans across the entire ideological spectrum. (He later clarified that users would still be able to mute accounts and block others in direct messaging, according to The Hill.)
As of late September, Woods’ X account was still active.
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