These stars shouldn’t have agreed to give these interviews on air, but alas, they did, and it changed everything. From Megan Fox to Prince Andrew, here are the top 10 celebrities who ruined their reputation for years after a misstep in a single interview.
10. Liam Neeson
Irish actor Liam Neeson broke social media when he made some racially charged comments in an interview. Opening up about a time when a Black man sexually assaulted his good friend, he revealed that after the discovery, he did something unhinged. He wandered the streets, filled with aggression and wanting to kill a Black man. According to the actor, he did ultimately realize that it was wrong to generalize Black people this way and make a comment like this. But despite saying he felt ashamed, he was labeled a racist by many and considered a lot less likable.
9. Paula Deen
This queen of Southern cooking was perceived as a kind, sweet woman on her “Paula’s Best Dishes” cooking show, but after some racist allegations came forward, the public turned on her. In 2013, she was faced with a lawsuit after it was revealed that the chef often used racial slurs and was contemplating a plantation-themed wedding. When she appeared on the Today Show to discuss the situation, she somehow managed to portray herself as the victim, and she didn’t deserve the hate she was getting. She also never apologized besides a quick reference to an insincere apology video, and many companies cut ties with her as a result.
8. Michael Jackson
A 2003 interview with Martin Bashir for the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” brought the pop star’s world crashing down around him. At first, the singer revealed the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father when he was growing up. But he lost sympathy when he then revealed that he often let children sleep over in his bedroom. Although he was adamant about the fact that nothing inappropriate happened, he received immediate public backlash. This ultimately led to the People v. Jackson trial in 2005. Though Jackson was acquitted, the reputation damage was irreparable.
7. Billy Bush
Billy made the terrible mistake of forgetting he was wearing a mic during a hangout with Donald Trump, which is where that leaked Access Hollywood tape originated. In it, presenter Billy Bush and the ex-POTUS talk about sexual adventures and harassment, discussing how having power allows you to do anything you want, from groping people to grabbing them by certain body parts. They also make some inappropriate comments about Arianne Zucker, the “Days of Our Lives” actress they were preparing to meet. Bush was suspended from his role on the Today Show and ultimately resigned.
6. Paula Abdul
No one will blame you for getting a little tipsy once in a while, but maybe don’t do it on camera! In a 2007 interview where the singer and actress were promoting the newest season of “American Idol,” her giggly demeanor, delayed response, and overall weird energy had lots of people wondering if she got drunk before the interview or perhaps took a stimulant of some other sort. Paula denied it, but we have our suspicions…
5. Prince Andrew
No one will forget the infamous train wreck of an interview between Prince Andrew and Emily Maitlis of BBC. In fact, the result was so bad he stepped down from Royal Family public duties. When Maitlis asked about Andrew’s close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the answers left people scratching their heads. Initially, he denied meeting his accuser, although there is a photo of him with Virginia Roberts. He also added that he didn’t regret his friendship with Epstein, who provided “useful” opportunities for the royal.
4. Katherine Heigl
Haven’t seen Katherine Heigl in movies lately? That may be because of her notorious Hollywood reputation for being hard to work with. But a 2008 interview about “Knocked Up” was the nail in the coffin when she called the film “a little sexist” in how it showed women. Seeing as she accepted the role and later starred in “The Ugly Truth,” which was considered a misogynist movie, directors were hesitant to work with the hypocritical actress.
3. Megan Fox
It’s never good to burn bridges at work, and Megan Fox learned that the hard way when she compared a director she worked with to Hitler. When chatting with British magazine Wonderland, Fox described Michael Bay’s on-set behavior as being similar to the Nazi leader. Of course, her comments went viral, and she was ultimately fired from “Transformers” at the insistence of Steven Spielberg. Although the two have worked together since then, her notable roles have significantly decreased.
2. Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen’s career has been filled with controversy, but one conversation in particular that led to his downfall was a 2015 interview on “The TODAY Show,” which is where Sheen revealed that he was HIV positive. Although many people agreed that he was brave enough to come out with this info publicly, and it humanized him, others were critical of the fact that he didn’t share it either, putting the health of his sexual partners at risk and increasing his reckless reputation.
1. R. Kelly
Although R. Kelly has been convicted of crimes today, many people still defended the R&B star, regardless of sexual misconduct allegations. The singer was indicted in 2002 but acquitted years later in 2008. However, that same year, he participated in an interview where he gave some upsetting answers. When the interviewer Touré asked him if he liked teenage girls, he asked them to clarify “how old” the teenager was. Audiences and the journalist were equally shocked, and the interview was used to prove R. Kelly’s guilt, shaping his narrative in the tabloids for years to come.
