Top 5 Most Readable Celebrity Twitterers

Twitter is one of those web fads that has taken on a life of its own. Not only can you find out what – say – Shaquille O’Neal is doing at any given moment – but you can now actively converse with them. At least on the level of 140 characters or less.

5. Karl Rove

Bear with me: I know a lot of people hate Karl Rove, and I know a fair amount of readers are still in the George Bush-ian mindset and respect him for whatever he did. He’s a polarizing figure to say the least, but Karl Rove’s Twitter feed is like reading what happens to a guy “after the wave has broken” – because that’s exactly what it is. Imagine you orchestrated the worst presidency in American history. Now imagine what happened afterwards. Its an epic read, because Karl Rove is essentially a real life character from a skewed Horatio Alger novel. He sold his soul for all the money and power in the world and this is his life story. It’s strange to think the guy that orchestrated a Presidential P.R machine is sitting there typing in random thoughts into his Blackberry like a 14 year old girl texting her friend about a hot dude in class or something.

4. John Mayer / Pete Wentz

I’m not one to defend celebrities: say what you will about John Mayer and Pete Wentz and I’d probably agree either way. One of them plays lite-blues and the other plays pop-emo. I’d imagine that the majority of our readers aren’t exactly what you would call “fans”. But their Twitter feeds take away the glossy sheen of the image machines that the major labels give them: a human side. If you were to believe just what their press packets said they’d be Rich & Famous Dudes Who Date Hot Celebrity Babes. But at least their Twitter feeds make them affable. John Mayer’s Twitter, for example, waxes and wanes philosophically about paparazzi on the same level as any random guy you’d find in a bar. Pete Wentz’s takes away the People Magazine-iness faux celebrity sheen he has over him and strips it down to what he really is: a pretty cool dude who still really likes Minor Threat.

3. MC Hammer

The best part about this particular Twitter feed is that this guy has seen the peak of celebrity and fame and is now just riding the wave, which makes for a great read. MC Hammer famously “lost it all” in the mid 90′s after going bankrupt but now makes a perfectly good living as a pastor and motivational speaker and his Twitter reflects that while still maintaining the occasional Gatsby-esque “I had it all, I used to be somebody” twitter.

2. Dave Matthews

Full disclosure: I can’t stand Dave Matthews’ music. Fuller disclosure: when I first moved to LA he came into the shitty retail store I worked at and I ended up having a twenty minute discussion with him about music and I came away from that thinking “huh, I wish more people knew that he a pretty cool dude”. His Twitter feed comes off a lot the way he talks despite being mostly replies to other people. Give him a chance, America. His music may not be your favorite thing but the way he is using Twitter is exactly the way it was intended: a way to talk to people.

1. Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille is not only a heavy Twitter user but he’s also not afraid to have his readers come up and say hi… according to the numerous reports of his encounters with fans after he twitters his location. One story told of how he posted that he “could feel Twitterers around him” – and there were, too afraid to talk – but he encouraged them to come up and say hi. And they did. And in one of the stories he bought them lunch and tipped the waiter $40 to refill his Coke. It’s a lot of fun to read and is certainly one of the most interactive.