Welcome to the Digital Age, @irvingazoff.
Live Nation Entertainment’s influential, yet controversial, Chairman Irving Azoff recently opened a Twitter account, and as of today, August 5, he had amassed more than 6,100 followers. And already, the often combative music mogul has begun using the account to take on his critics.
Chief among them seem to be journalists. Azoff called Billboard reporter Glenn Peoples a “jerk” for a recent story by the journo that Azoff didn’t like, and when the Wall Street Journal reporter Ethan Smith tried to defend Peoples, Azoff called him out, too.
Azoff also scolded some fans in a tweet for stealing digital music, and chastised celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton for being a “fair weather” fan. He also tweeted that AEG Live CEO Randy Philips is essentially a liar.
The summer has been a tough one for Azoff and Live Nation, with concert ticket sales down and the company’s stock dropping like a stone following a disastrous conference call last month. In addition, Azoff is currently defending a breach of contract lawsuit filed by Gun N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
Live Nation is scheduled to announce second quarter earnings later today.
But, all is far from lost. Critics aside, Azoff’s Twitter account also received a nice boost from reality television star Kim Kardashian, Azoff’s niece. She gave him a shout out by telling her hundreds of thousands of followers to begin following @irvingazoff. Last fall, Azoff hosted the nuptials of Kardashian’s sister, Khloe, to Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom.
(The image accompanying this story is from New York Magazine and Getty Images)