The 20 top Twitter stars of 2022

Those of a certain age remember Thomas as the co-star of 1980s Lee Major's hit The Fall Guy. Meanwhile, boys and men from that era might have had her bikini poster hanging on the walls of their bedroom, basement, or garage. Though Thomas is not working regularly in Hollywood these days, she's become a Twitter hit, with more than 59,000 followers. Whether delving into politics, sports, entertainment, or current events, Thomas is a consistent Twitter presence, but not over the top. And replies to and ReTweets just about anybody.

Yes, the legendary KISS frontman is an active Twitter participant, with more than 685,000 followers to boot. Especially in 2022, when he chronicled the day-to-day happenings of a rock star. While Stanley has been known to be quite rigid within the workings of the KISS corporation, his Twitter persona is rather laid back. Fans of the band will appreciate his nods and content regarding KISS, while others may be surprised to learn that he's a budding master chef especially when it comes to making homemade pizza.

Yes, the original Luke Skywalker himself is a rather popular force on Twitter. Hamill has more than 5 million followers and managed to maintain a sizable amount of relevancy because of the social platform. His feed is a hodge-podge of content, with plenty of odes and ReTweets to his Star Wars experience while also providing insight and opinion on current events. Notably politics, an area that Hamill has seriously engaged in for quite some time. 

Those college football fans trying to keep up with the comings and going of the transfer portal (the sport's version of free agency) need to follow along here. As of Dec. 19, the College FB Transfer Portal Twitter page, which apparently was created in September of this year, had just under 5,9000 followers, but it's truly a one-stop shop for those wondering where college football players (like former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei), of all calibers, will play next year. It's also a place where players can go to announce they are entering the portal or update the public or potential suitors with their status and situation. 

Fans could not get enough of The White Lotus in 2022. A big reason for that is the work of Jennifer Coolidge. A Hollywood veteran, who, even though she won an Emmy in 2022, remains severely underrated when it comes to star quality, Coolidge seems to stand out, while not taking over, in just about anything she does. The same goes for her Twitter feed, which draws nearly 200,000 followers. If you haven't so, fans of The White Lotus should flock to her feed for an inside look and insight content about the show. Plus, Coolidge is not afraid to poke fun at herself -- on and off the set.

There are plenty of college basketball writers, experts, analysts, and pundits on Twitter, but if we have to pick just one to follow based on their 2022 work, we'll go with Davis. Employed by CBS Sports and The Athletic, Davis usually kicks off every day with a "Please be kind" Tweet. His weekly in-season Top 25 is a must-see Twitter for any college hoops fans, and the comments from his followers are usually quite entertaining. When a game has finished, college basketball or just about any other big sporting event, Davis delivers a simple nod to the winner: "Argentina. Sharpie." He's highly knowledgeable and insightful regarding just about every aspect of basketball and sheepishly witty. College basketball fans should give Davis a follow.

The 2022 calendar year was quite busy when it came to soccer coverage. The Women's European Championships and World Cup dominated the international stage, while in the United States, MLS was a focus. Former MLS standout, USMNT member, and current ESPN soccer analyst Twellman was at the forefront of it all. A strong presence on Twitter, Twellman kept his more than 390,000 followers engaged with expert and insightful coverage and plenty of opinion regarding every major soccer match or moment. He isn't afraid to call out the likes of FIFA, UEFA or various players and coaches around the globe. Twellman is also willing to tastefully engage with his followers and branch out to commenting on other sports. 

As an actor, musician and Tweeter, Lewis is criminally underrated. The free-spirited, former child acting star, turned frontwoman of indie favs, Rilo Kiley, then on to a stellar solo career, Lewis is known for her laid-back approach to life. That certainly comes off on Twitter, where she pubs her music -- and collaborations but also chimes in with fun one-liners on just about any topic -- or whatever seems to pop into her creative head. One of her better moments in 2022 came in November when it seemed Twitter would shut down under new boss Elon Musk (more on him later), as she compared the situation to signing a high-school yearbook. 

Or better known as Joel "Troel" Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers star has long been considered one of the best Twitter follows among NBA players. No offense to Damian Lillard, but Embiid tops our NBA list this year. While Embiid has usually let his play on the court do the talking, his Twitter feed, with 2.1 million followers, offers a unique look into his witty and quirky personality. He has a lot of fun on his page, which it seems he's constantly on, whether talking basketball or anything else -- through a bevy of one-liners and quick hits. 

Speaking of the early days of Elon Musk's Twitter purchase. A bevy of parody accounts popped up, notably to mock the new boss. One of the longer-running such accounts was that of Jesus Christ, which got even funnier and more timely in November of 2022. Commenting on all things current, the account had nearly 864,000 followers but appeared to have halted posting anything on Nov. 17. Around the time, Musk said he would suspend any parody accounts of famous or prominent figures. However, the site page is still on Twitter for all to enjoy.

Likely under the radar for most of the Twitter community, but for anybody who spent their formative years -- or beyond -- in the 1970s, this is a wonderfully hilarious trip back in time. With roughly 694,000 followers, Super 70s Sports, under the apparent direction of Chicago-based Ricky Cobb, posts memorable images from this forgotten era when it comes to pop culture brilliance. Like classic sports cards, underappreciated TV moments, and memorable lines from some of our favorite movies. If those who never experienced -- or can't remember -- the 1970s will appreciate this journey.

Tay-Tay has long been a popular Twitter staple. She has more than 90 million followers. Mainly because fans -- of all ages -- can't get enough. And it's not just the music, which drops on the platform. Swift loves to engage with her followers, has a great sense of humor and her posts deliver plenty of insight into her life -- both professionally and personally. At least to a certain point, when it comes to the latter. Now, fans probably wished she would have done more venting about the ticket fiasco regarding her upcoming tour.

Williams said goodbye to the game of tennis in 2022, but not before making a mini and emotional run at the U.S. Open. While the legendary tennis star might be retired from the sport, she has not gone away from the spotlight. Williams is still busy with various ventures and being a mother. And fans can follow it all on her highly entertaining Twitter feed -- which boasts more than 10.5 million followers. Even non-tennis fans can appreciate Williams' insight, which is the right amount of funny, informative, and inspiring. 

It's no real surprise that Watt is on this list. He's been a social media favorite for years but seemed to step up his Twitter game in 2022. Watt's feed is the perfect blend of important news and needed awareness, an in-depth look into the life of an NFL player and plenty of funny comments on everyday occurrences and happenings that the Arizona Cardinals' star encounters. Twitter can be a dark and depressing place at times, especially these days, but the presence of people like Watt is what keeps us coming back.

For those not in the know, Jim Cantore is a rock star meteorologist. No hurricane, tornado, or winter storm is too nasty for The Weather Channel veteran, who has 1.2 million followers on Twitter. In 2022, Cantore braved the conditions while trying to stand up amid massive winds as Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida in September. It was the ultimate "man vs. nature" moment. When it comes to that type of dedication, not to mention the ridiculous knowledge of weather Cantore possesses, we're talking about the true G.O.A.T.

Another giant of the Twittersphere. Rihanna has more than 107 million followers, putting her up there with the likes of Barrack Obama and Justin Bieber. Her music, fashion, and overall attitude are on Twitter for the world to see. And, apparently, fans have not stopped wanting to see what she's doing. Like Taylor Swift, fans often get a look inside her life, more private moments. Some sans makeup. Pretty confident, huh? When it comes to marquee entertainers, Rihanna once again maintained a strong Twitter game in 2022.

Isbell is a multi-time Grammy-winning musician, yet his Twitter feed, with more than 427 million followers, is that of an everyman making his way through life. That said, there's plenty of Twitter content for Isbell's music fans, but he's also delved into the political commentary in recent years. Often hilariously bashing far right-wingers and the current owner of Twitter. Isbell had a good time with Herschel Walker's recent senate loss in Georgia. He apparently fancies The White Lotus and loves to highlight musical artists -- past and present.

It can be argued that the WNBA has never been more popular, and its collective voice is certainly being heard. Perhaps better than any other American professional sports league, the WNBA utilizes Twitter to the hilt. Not only promoting the action on the court, but it takes us into the lives of its players, from community involvement to fashion to activism. Twitter became a massively effective platform for the WNBA to bring consistent awareness to star Brittney Griner's Russian imprisonment and subsequent release in early December.

Robert Griffin is a Heisman Trophy winner, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and budding star college football and NFL analyst for ESPN. He's also a fantastic follow on Twitter. Whether talking football, the World Cup, or providing in-depth movie reviews, RGIII is still performing at a high level. Sure, he can be a little overzealous at times in his broadcasting. Still, when it comes to his Tweets, Griffin offers the proper combination of detail, knowledge, insight, and humor to entertain just about anybody -- regardless of their fancy for the world of sports.

Finally, we get Twitter's most prominent yet infamous account. Until recently, and perhaps yet again, the world's richest man bought Twitter for $44 billion. A deal that was finalized, following plenty of obstacles, mostly of his own doing, in late October. Since taking over, Musk has shown himself to be borderline unhinged (claiming he was "doxxed" and calling for the prosecution of Dr. Anthony Fauci) and pretty much incapable of running this type of real-time social media venture that is larger than life and become a wild west of opinions and comments under his reign. That said, conservatives seem to be happy he's in charge, while liberals are freaking out every time he Tweets. In his short time as CEO, which could end up being extremely brief, Musk has invited controversy and undeniably welcomed it through his own actions on the site.