Now, we all love our philanthropic and giving stars with a clean image. We respect them if they act nice, talk politically correct, and give out a next-door boy/girl persona that we can relate to. But why do most views, shares, and interest get their scandals? Let's be honest here; we would just die for a good old juicy story. America has seen many famous people climb up to the top before falling back into the mud. There's no such thing as bad publicity, or so they say. Therefore, here's our top ten list of celebrity scandals that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
10. Kathy Griffin and the Trump Severed Head Scandal
Kathy Griffin paid a high price for her nasty performance
Kathy has had many indiscretions throughout her career. Yet, the worst one came in 2017 when she posted a picture holding Donald Trump's bloody and severed head. The president shared his reaction, saying Griffin should be ashamed of herself. Not much was fun and games afterward. Kathy lost endorsement deals, and her comedy tour was canceled.
Let's not forget, CNN terminated her contract for their annual New Year's Eve that she co-hosted with Anderson Cooper. Thus, she was literally blacklisted by the industry. The repercussions didn't stop there as it hit the fan when she was under investigation for conspiracy to assassinate the United States president.
9. Solange Knowles Attacks Jay-Z in an Elevator
The incident between Solange and Jay Z was more comical than anything else
In a surveillance video posted by TMZ, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Solange were riding in a hotel elevator in New York when the incident happened, right after the Met Gala in 2014. In attendance was the couple's bodyguard restraining Beyonce's sister as she was kicking and hitting the rapper.
The video was taken from the security cameras, so we didn't have the chance to hear what actually happened. Luckily, they worked out things eventually, and we're glad for them. Yet, we'll never look again at Jay and Beyonce as a fairy tale couple with a perfect life. Unfortunately for Jay Z, this wasn't his only public feud.
8. Paula Deen "N-word" Controversy
Paula Deen made several unforgivable mistakes
It was a hell of a road for once-beloved TV personality and chef Paula Deen. A former manager of Paula's restaurants in Savannah, Georgia, sued her and her brother for racial and sexual harassment. Lisa T. Jackson claimed in the lawsuit that she suffered numerous acts of violence from Deen and her sibling. While being deposed during the case, Paula admitted using the n-word in the past.
Then, the footage of Paula sympathizing with slave-owners resurfaced as the final nail in the celebrity chef's career. Hence, the Food Network didn't renew Deen's contract. As other allegations of racism at her restaurants emerged, the TV personality closed them. She did appear eventually on our screens again, but honestly, no one was interested.
7. Chris Brown Assault on Rihanna
Chris Brown was violent toward Rihanna, but also to other people
We really don't want to remember this story. In January 2009, Rihanna and Chris Brown were returning home from the Grammy Awards. The pair were dating at the time. Allegedly, he got a text from a girl, Rihanna saw it, and the argument escalated into a full-on fight.
Chris was eventually charged and sentenced, and this violent act toward the pop star will continue to haunt him. As Rihanna grew more popular, Brown's career never fully recovered after the incident. We're not quite sure if this is the consequence of solely his behavior that night, as the singer continues to show no remorse.
6. Mel Gibson Anti-Semitic Scandal
It took years for Mel Gibson to become relevant again
The actor was arrested in July of 2006 after he was found driving his car while drunk. TMZ reported that Gibson tried to get away from the police at first and reportedly threatened the officer, claiming he "owned Malibu." What sealed his fate was the anti-semitic remarks he made that day.
The whole incident was worsened when it was discovered that the LA police department tried to cover up the actor's insulting and hostile words. This event changed the course of Mel Gibson's career, and it took years for him to get a job in the industry that once worshiped him.
5. Britney Spears Shaved Her Head
The 2008 head shaving incident was the moment when Britney Spears hit rock bottom
In 2007 Britney Spears shocked the world, shaving her head in front of the paparazzi watching. What we all know now is that the singer was experiencing a mental breakdown. She had issues falling asleep for years and was prescribed Prozac when she was 18.
She had marital and drug abuse problems and the paparazzi followed her every step. The final straw was her aunt's death, which turned into a revolt against everyone. Britney was sending a message - she just wanted to be left alone. Not everyone can handle fame.
4. R. Kelly Child Pornography Scandal
It took decades before R. Kelly was charged
R. Kelly is a famous R&B singer whose songs we all danced to. However, Since the early 1990s, he has faced allegations of sexual abuse. It was alleged that the singer has tendencies toward predatory behavior around teen girls. In 1994 Kelly married singer Aaliyah who was only 15 years old. The marriage was annulled a year later as the songstress lied about her age. Still, eyebrows were raised.
Then, his ex-girlfriend sued him for emotional distress, alleging they started their intimate relationship when she was 15. The case was settled, but accusations and court cases by multiple women followed. Eventually, the Chicago police charged him in 2020 with making child pornography, as a disturbing video surfaced. We waited six years for the case to come to trial, but he was found not guilty. The jury stated that they could not prove that the girl on the tape was underage. Still, he was arrested in 2019 in Chicago on numerous other charges, facing a possible lifetime in jail.
3. Harvey Weinstein Sexual Abuse Cases
Many Hollywood stars knew about Harvey Weinstein's practices, but they did nothing
We could easily say, Harvey Weinstein was one of the most influential people in La-La land, as the producer of some of our favorite films. In 2017 all hell broke loose when it was reported that dozens of women accused Harvey of sexual assault, abuse, and rape. In 2020 he was found guilty and received 23 years prison sentence.
The most shocking thing about this was that everyone in the industry knew about "Harvey's ways." Many famous actresses had at least an unpleasant situation with the renowned producer. To this day, we still didn't get our answers. Why did Hollywood protect him?
2. Michael Jackson Child Sexual Abuse Case
Michael Jackson wanted a trial, but his team decided to settle
In 1993, Evan Chandler accused the famous singer of sexually abusing his underaged son, Jordan Chandler. Michael Jackson's attorney offered the man $350,000 to reach a settlement, but it was rejected. A couple of months later, a lawsuit was filed against "The King of Pop." The news broke to the public as the third leg of Michael's "Dangerous World Tour" began. He canceled the tour claiming health issues led to it.
Jackson eventually reached a financial settlement with the Chandlers for $23 million. Thus, the criminal investigation was stopped as the family declined to cooperate with authorities. This incident has affected Michael Jackson's persona in public, as his image was never the same. All we can say is that we'll probably never learn the truth.
1. O.J. Simpson Arrested for the Murder of His Wife
It's hard to believe anything will top the case of O.J. Simpson
Did you catch "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story?" It was fascinating to watch as we locked ourselves to our TV screens. The former NFL player was accused of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. They were found stabbed outside of Nicole's house in LA in 1994.
After the police found a glove with blood behind his house, O.J. became the suspect and was officially charged with the murders. He didn't turn himself in at the agreed time, and that's how the infamous car chase happened. TV stations interrupted their regular program to broadcast the event as it was watched by over 90 million people. He was caught and eventually saved in court by the "reasonable doubt factor," as the jury concluded there wasn't enough evidence for a conviction. It was indeed one of the most mesmerizing incidents in American history, as it managed to divide the country racially.
So, have we come to a conclusion here? Can a scandal define and shape a celebrity's career, or can people forgive and forget? We've covered the most famous incidents that changed people's lives.
What do you think of our top ten list, and would you add any other scandal? Please, share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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