18 Photos Of First Tweets from Famous People
Social media wasn’t always the giant it is today. Back when Twitter launched in 2006, nobody knew it would become the place where presidents make announcements, celebrities share their thoughts, and regular people get their news.
The first tweets from famous people show us a glimpse into those early days when even the biggest stars were just figuring out what this whole tweeting thing was about. Let’s take a look at some of these historic first tweets and see how the rich and famous dipped their toes into the Twitter waters.
Jack Dorsey
The co-founder of Twitter sent out the very first tweet ever on March 21, 2006. His message was simple: ‘just setting up my twttr’.
That’s right, Twitter was originally called Twttr because they thought dropping vowels was cool back then. Dorsey had no idea his little experiment would change how people communicate forever.
The tweet now sits like a museum piece in the digital world, a reminder of humble beginnings.
Oprah Winfrey
When Oprah joined Twitter in 2009, she did it live on her show with help from co-founder Evan Williams. Her first tweet read: ‘HI TWITTERS. THANK YOU FOR A WARM WELCOME. FEELING REALLY 21st CENTURY’.
The all-caps energy was peak Oprah, bringing that same enthusiasm she had for her favorite things to the internet. Millions of people followed her almost instantly because, well, it’s Oprah.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen’s first tweet in 2009 was brief and to the point: ‘This is my first tweet’. She didn’t overthink it or try to be clever, just jumped right in.
Years later, she would go on to post one of the most retweeted photos in Twitter history during the Oscars. But back then, she was just another celebrity testing the waters of social media like everyone else.
Barack Obama
The future president joined Twitter in 2007 while campaigning for his first term. His first tweet announced: ‘Thinking we’re only one signature away from ending the war in Iraq’.
Right from the start, Obama used Twitter as a political tool rather than a personal diary. His account would later become one of the most followed in the world, proving that politicians could connect directly with voters without traditional media.
Britney Spears
Pop princess Britney Spears sent her first tweet in 2008, saying: ‘Getting ready to do Good Morning America and On Air with Ryan Seacrest! Today is going to be a good day’. Her tweet was friendly and gave fans a peek into her daily schedule.
Britney embraced social media early on, using it to rebuild her public image during a tough time in her life.
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton beat CNN in a race to one million followers in 2009, making Twitter history. His very first tweet from that year said: ‘ever think that your life would be directed by a compass’.
The actor became one of Twitter’s earliest celebrity champions, even appearing on various talk shows to explain what Twitter was to confused audiences. He saw the platform’s potential before most of Hollywood did.
Taylor Swift
Taylor joined Twitter in 2008 with a sweet first message: ‘Woo hoo! The Christmas song I wrote, ‘Christmases When You Were Mine’ is out on iTunes! My first single to be released on my own!’. She used her first tweet to promote her music, showing that even early on, she understood social media marketing.
Taylor’s Twitter presence has grown into one of the most powerful celebrity accounts online.
Kanye West
Kanye West’s first tweet in 2010 was pure Kanye: ‘YESSSS!!!!!!’ with six exclamation points. No context, no explanation, just raw excitement about joining the platform.
Over the years, his Twitter feed would become legendary for unpredictable rants, controversial statements, and stream-of-consciousness thoughts that kept the entire internet guessing.
Justin Bieber
The teen sensation joined Twitter in 2009 and wrote: ‘Check out my single “One Time” on myspace and spread the word for me. Thanks – www.myspace.com/justinbieber‘. The fact that he mentioned MySpace in his first tweet shows how quickly social media landscapes change.
Justin quickly became one of Twitter’s most followed users as his career exploded worldwide.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry’s first tweet in 2009 was simple: ‘exploring my inner cyber-naut’. She dove into Twitter during the rise of her pop career and would eventually become the most followed person on the platform for several years.
Her early adoption of Twitter helped her connect with fans in ways traditional celebrities never could.
Lady Gaga
Mother Monster joined Twitter in 2008 with an intriguing first message: ‘this is Lady Gaga. i’m on my way to my video shoot for my single JUST DANCE’. She capitalized her song title but nothing else, creating an interesting visual style.
Gaga used Twitter to build a massive fan community she called Little Monsters, turning social media into an art form.
Conan O’Brien
The late-night host sent his first tweet in 2010 after leaving The Tonight Show. He wrote: ‘Today I interviewed a squirrel in my yard and then threw it to a commercial. Somebody help me’.
His humor translated perfectly to the 140-character format that Twitter had back then. Conan’s witty tweets became a reason to follow him beyond just watching his show.
Dwayne Johnson
The Rock’s first tweet in 2011 said: ‘Thanks for the warm welcome everybody. I’m gonna have a lot of fun w/ this. And yes it is true, I do have that obscene amount of hair’. He acknowledged the warm reception from fans and made a joke about himself right away.
This set the tone for his incredibly positive social media presence that would make him one of the most beloved celebrities online.
Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy joined Twitter in 2009 and wrote: ‘the first tweet!!!’ with three exclamation points showing his excitement. As someone who later became known for incorporating social media into his show with segments like hashtag games, Jimmy was an early believer in Twitter’s entertainment value.
His simple first tweet belied the creative ways he would later use the platform.
Kim Kardashian
Kim’s first tweet in 2010 was promotional: ‘Hey everyone! I’m getting ready to do a live Ustream for you guys at 12:00noon PST today!’. She understood from day one that Twitter was about direct engagement with fans and building her brand.
Her social media savvy helped turn her into a business empire worth hundreds of millions.
Chrissy Teigen
Model and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen sent her first tweet in 2009: ‘can i make it ok? can i rock the boat?’. The cryptic message didn’t hint at how she would become one of Twitter’s most entertaining and unfiltered celebrities.
Chrissy’s willingness to be real and funny made her account required reading for millions of people.
Neil Patrick Harris
Back in 2009, he signed up for Twitter and opened with a light-hearted note: ‘So, I’m twitting. Or tweeting? Twittering? Whatever, it’s pretty cool. I’m kind of enjoying it’. That little stumble over words felt familiar – after all, nobody had quite nailed how to talk about this fresh online space yet.
Over time though, Neil got the hang of it, sharing sneak peeks and sharp takes that clicked with people scrolling through their feed.
Stephen Colbert
That first message Stephen sent on Twitter back in 2009? Classic – dry as ever. “Mrs. Butterworth isn’t even a real butterworth. She’s just syrup. How does she keep fooling everyone?”
Right from the start, he used the platform like another stage for his sharp, sideways jokes. Instead of saving punchlines for TV, he dropped them straight into tweets.
Politics showed up too, but twisted through nonsense that somehow made people laugh every single day.
The Early Days Shaped Everything
One day, just typing online changed everything. Those opening posts show how big things grow from tiny beginnings.
Famous faces signed up before anyone knew what would happen, betting on an idea with no guarantees. Today, their old messages sound like echoes from another time.
Back then, the web was shifting without warning. Short notes from well-known voices shaped what came next.
A few sentences, sent quietly, built something far larger than expected.
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