Technophobia: A History of Celebrities Hating On Technology

From A-list actors to legendary singers, here's a history of famous people who have no love for modern-day tech. Namely, the Internet.

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Image via Complex Original
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While some celebrities have embraced technology to broaden their popularity (Ashton Kutcher, Kim Kardashian), many others have failed or refused to adapt with the times. Most blame the Internet for dehumanizing and dumbing down our generation, while some say new communication standards like text messaging leaves us cold. It's not just the old-timers, either. Newly minted stars like Vanessa Hudgens and Drake, who recently expressed his hate for Tumblr, see no value in all the bits and bytes we consumer on the daily.  From Oscar winners to renowned writers. here's a History of Celebrities Who Hate Modern Technology.

Andy Rooney

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Andy Rooney

Most hated technology: Everything
Date: Entire journalist career

The late 60 Minutes reporter hated all technology. He was once quoted as saying, "I don't even like the word 'gadget'." He practically blamed Bill Gates for his computer illiteracy  ("Someone screwed up the way computers work, and I blame it on him") and refused to adapt to modern technology, which he made clear during his e-Books segment last March: "I'm not interested in having my books on an electronic device, I want them in books. I want my words in books, I like having these books behind me." Hopefully he requested his eulogy be written on paper instead of typed. 

Lars Ulrich

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Lars Ulrich

Most hated technology: Napster
Date: April 2000
 
The musician most credited for the death of Napster did everything in his power to bring down the online music sharing service. Dude even sold out his own fans after delivering a list of 60,000 Napster users sharing Metallica music to court during the group's 2000 lawsuit. "Napster hijacked our music without asking. They never sought our permission. Our catalog of music simply became available as free downloads on the Napster system," said Ulrich. From there, a chain reaction of lawsuits would follow and Napster would become no more.

Harrison Ford

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Harrison Ford 

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: March 30, 2006
 
You would figure an actor that's made a career starring in some of biggest sci-fi films of all time would have some admiration for the tech world. Then again, Harrison Ford has shown he isn't the most flattering celebrity figure. During a press junket for his computer-security thriller, Firewall, he shared his disdain for the Internet saying, "The worst thing about the internet is that anything and everything is up for grabs...Any kind of rubbish goes on the internet and it can have a f***ing life of its own." Damn, those Star Wars forums really got him on edge.

Busta Rhymes

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Busta Rhymes

Most hated technology: Text Messaging
Date: April 8, 2009

Before Bus-a-Bus transformed into a social media addict, the rapper had a beef with the Short Message Service protocol, better known as text messaging. His words: "Now, if I'm calling you to say 'what's up?' but you ain't (sic) picking up the phone, because it's more convenient for you to text me back, I don't understand that. What happened to the human interaction? It's dehumanizing people. They don't have to talk to each other anymore." So how does he explain Twitter mentions and shout-outs? He's on that NY paradox shit.

Keira Knightley

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Keira Knightley

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: April 13, 2009
 
“I hate the Internet. I find it dehumanizing to constantly check emails or social sites which have become so fashionable." Those were the exact sentiments expressed by Pirates of the Carribean hottie as quoted by Bristish news stie, The Register. It's also been said that Knightley refuses to Google herself because she's prone to becoming upset by criticism. We assume she's talking about the Pirates reviews. 

Nikki Sixx

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Nikki Sixx 

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: June 19, 2009
 
The Mötley Crüe bassist supposedly blamed the Web for overexposing rockstars and taking away their "mystique" value. During an interview with the WSJ, Sixx was quoted saying, "I’m so over the Internet, Twitter is ridiculous and there’s too much info out there. Celebrities, movie stars and rock stars are losing their mystique...The first thing I did when I walked into the arena to work on the set I said, ‘It’s 2009 and there’s a million iPhones with a million opportunities to take a picture of our show and ruin Christmas.” Even though Sixx claimed he was misquoted, we don't see how Apple would be condemned for spoiling Christmas. 

Ray Bradbury

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Ray Bradbury

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: June 19, 2009
 
Acclaimed fantasy author Ray Bradbury remains the Internet's biggest hater. In one interview with news website Salon, he calls the world wide web a "scam" carried out by computer companies, while labeling it a diversion and telling Yahoo! where to stick with the NY Times: "The internet is a big distraction. It's meaningless; it's not real. It's in the air somewhere...Yahoo! called me eight weeks ago, they wanted to put a book of mine on Yahoo! You know what I told them? 'To hell with you. To hell with you and to hell with the internet.'" Got it: to hell with us. 

Jack White

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Jack White

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: July 4, 2009

All signs point to a musician detesting modern technology when they prefer recording music on analogue tape instead of digitally. But that comes as no surprise to White Stripes fans, as lead singer Jack White has for years bemoaned everything from the Web to the use of smartphones: "I want to be part of the resurgence of things that are tangible, beautiful, and soulful, rather than just give in to the digital age...But when I talk to people about that, they just go, 'Yeah I know what you mean' and stare at their mobiles. The general vibe I get is, 'Quit being a drag. We're progressing here.'"  

George Clooney

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George Clooney

Most hated technology: Facebook
Date: Sept. 13, 2009
 
It's no secret Hollywood's most pompous actor has always frowned upon social media outlets, but his comments during a People interview only cemented his doucheness. "I would rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page," said Clooney. Yes, we're talking about the same guy who took credit for the Civil Rights Movement during his Oscar-winning speech.

Oliver Stone

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Oliver Stone

Most hated technology: Online Media
Date: Oct. 14, 2009

Director Oliver Stone has built a reputation for being a complete nut job that deliberately goes off on tirades. When he was paid $75,000 to appear at a conference about the future of the Internet, dude came out of his shell, targeting the Net and amateur filmmakers: "You cannot have your neighbor come over and jump in the pool and have a party and call that a movie. Some kids come over and one of them strangles the other and they call that a f***ing movie. It's a joke. It's jerking off in front of the camera and that's what most people are doing and I'm sick of it." Is this guy watching YouTube or YouPorn?

Ron Jeremy

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Ron Jeremy

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: Jan. 12, 2010

BBC caught up with the porn legend after he made his way from the Adult Entertainment Expo to CES, where he gave his POV on the latest industry tech upgrades. Jeremy touched on the Internet and claimed it was turning viewers into imbeciles: "People can download stuff for free these days, so why the heck are they going to buy it? I just hate the internet in general...If there is anything you need to know, you just press a few buttons. We could be giving rise to a generation of idiots." Can someone remind this guy these "imbeciles" are the same people that have kept his career alive the past decade.

Prince

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Prince 

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: May 7, 2010
 
In what was his first sit-down interview with a British newspaper in over a decade, Prince chopped it up with Daily Mirror writer Peter Willis to discuss a variety of subjects. But none seemed more intriguing than his comparison between the Web and MTV, which he identified as passé. "The Internet is completely over...The Internet's like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated. Anyway, all these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you," said the singer. We couldn't agree more, at least on the MTV tip.

Kristen Stewart

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Kristen Stewart

Most hated technology: Twitter
Date: May 28, 2010
 
The girl every tween loves to hate feels the social media site has sodomized her existence ever since her celebrity status surged. In her cover story for Flaunt, Stewart spews away about how her fans constantly harrass her and tweet their encounters saying, "Twitter f**ks me over every day of my life. Because people go, 'I'm sitting next to Kristen Stewart right now' and then they show up. I see people on their phones and I just want to take these cookies and throw them. It's like 'Get off your f**king phone and get a life!'" Looks like boyfriend Robert Pattinson's overexposure has gotten to her head.

Drew Barrymore

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Drew Barrymore

Most hated technology: Social Media
Date: Aug. 5, 2010

Aaron Sorkin

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Aaron Sorkin

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: Sept. 17, 2010

Zadie Smith

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Zadie Smith

Most hated technology: Facebook
Date: Nov. 25, 2010

Johnny Depp

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Johnny Depp

Most hated technology: Tech in general
Date: Jan. 10, 2011

One of the most under-the-radar A-listers feels advancements in the tech field have made him think differently about living in this world. The always odd, yet charismatic Deep says, "Sometimes I’d like to run away screaming from our technology-obsessed world, the invasive media, the madness of reality TV...We’ve lost touch with the simple things of life. We’re losing our individuality." 

Winona Ryder

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Winona Ryder

Most hated technology: Google
Date: Jan. 11, 2011

Jon Bon Jovi

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Jon Bon Jovi

Most hated technology: iTunes
Date: March 14, 2011

Vanessa Hudgens

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Vanessa Hudgens

Most hated technology: The Internet
Date: April 10, 2011

Daniel Craig

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Daniel Craig

Most hated technology: Social Media
Date: Aug. 1, 2011

Noel Gallagher

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Noel Gallagher

Most hated technology: Social Media
Date: Sept. 23, 2011
If he isn't getting into fist fights with his brother, the Oasis lead guitarist is venting his aggression through controversial statements. "I'm not a tweeter ... Stuff like, 'Oh I'm going for a shower,' great. 'I slept in again, bugger.' Life's too short for that kind of thing but I think those things like Facebook and twitter and stuff were started with the best of intentions to connect ordinary people around the world...But as with everything celebrities get involved and bastardise [SIC] it, trying to sell you their s**t," says Gallagher. Keep in mind he has accounts set up on both sites. Hyprocite.

Ralph Fiennes

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Ralph Fiennes 

Louis C.K.

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Louis C.K.

Most hated technology: Twitter
Date: Nov. 6, 2011

talking about his Twitter experience and what avid tweeters would do if Jesus decended from heaven. His response was, “Well, I kind of hate it. I think it’s awful….People get mad at me because I don’t follow anybody. Nobody takes in life unless it comes through [a smartphone]…I think if Jesus came back and starts telling everyone everything, everyone’s just gonna be Twittering.” 

Drake

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Drake

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