'There Shouldn't Be A Different Standard': Elon Musk Scuffles With William Shatner Over Twitter Verification Twitter will be removing legacy blue checkmarks on April 1.
By Emily Rella
Elon Musk riffed on Twitter over the weekend with another unlikely foe — William Shatner.
Shatner was less than pleased to learn that Musk would begin ordering the removal of legacy blue checkmarks for verified users and public figures on April 1, leaving those who wish to keep their blue checkmarks intact with a monthly fee of $7.99.
Related: Elon Musk Had a Few (Surprisingly Gracious) Words for William Shatner Ahead of Space Flight
The "Star Trek" star Tweeted directly at Musk on Saturday about the debacle, stating that he's been using the platform for 15 years and asking the billionaire to clarify whether or not this is true.
Hey @elonmusk what's this about blue checks going away unless we pay Twitter? I've been here for 15 years giving my & witty thoughts all for bupkis. Now you're telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free? What is this-the Colombia Records & Tape Club?
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 26, 2023
"Now you're telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free? What is this-the Colombia Records & Tape Club," Shatner joked.
Musk, never missing a beat, replied to Shatner publicly (and rather bluntly), telling the actor that there "shouldn't be a different standard for celebrities" on Twitter.
It's more about treating everyone equally. There shouldn't be a different standard for celebrities imo. https://t.co/rWi99sGPdq
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 27, 2023
Shatner did not respond further.
The discussion between the two comes just days after Twitter announced that it would be sunsetting its legacy checks next month, to the dismay of many.
Related: William Shatner Moved to Tears After Trip to Space: 'I Hope I Never Recover From This'
Musk clarified from his account last week that individual Twitter users whose accounts were affiliated with a verified organization would automatically receive verifications when the new system goes into place but has not elaborated further on how this would work. Some organizations have reportedly received emails saying a handful of employees could keep or receive checks -- fact check me felt like we needed this add-on?
Shatner's gripe with Musk only seems to play on the ongoing rivalry between Musk and fellow billionaire Bezos, with whom Shatner is good friends, and accompanied him on a trip to space via Bezos' space exploration company Blue Origin in October 2021.
Musk even took to Twitter to congratulate Shatner on being the oldest person (at the time) to ever travel into space by responding to NASA's tweet about the exploration with a simple "Godspeed Captain" in an homage to Shatner's "Star Trek" character Admiral James T. Kirk.
Godspeed Captain
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2021
Musk is the founder of rival space exploration company SpaceX, which plans to complete a crewed landing on Mars by 2029.
