10 Shocking Myths About Infamous Scandals Debunked

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Not everything you heard is true. Welcome to WatchMojo.world, where we’re uncovering 10 things everyone gets wrong about infamous scandals, from misunderstood motives to sensationalized media myths that twisted the truth.  Which of these misconceptions surprised you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Transcript

00:00I mean, she's moved on. I've moved on. It's part of history that will always be with us.

00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most common misconceptions

00:10and preconceived beliefs people have about notable celebrity scandals.

00:14Did you help Kim release her sex tape?

00:18It's okay. No.

00:22Number 10. Lance Armstrong Doping Scandal. Not the Only One.

00:26Lance Armstrong's fall from grace after being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles

00:30not only rocked the cycling world, but shocked his massive fan base.

00:34Yes or no, in all seven of your Tour de France victories, did you ever take banned substances or blood dope?

00:43Yes.

00:43The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency even described it as the most sophisticated doping program in sports history.

00:50However, despite what many believe, Armstrong's doping was far from an isolated case.

00:54There was cortisone, and then the EPO generation began.

01:02In fact, at the height of his career, the sport was deeply entrenched in performance-enhancing drug use,

01:08with many other top cyclists also involved.

01:10We've come too far in the fight against doping to return to our past.

01:15Cycling has a future, and something like this must never happen again.

01:20But despite the widespread issue within professional cycling at the time, Armstrong is largely remembered as the sole villain.

01:27Number 9. Winona Ryder's Shoplifting Arrest. Not Blatant Theft.

01:31Actress Winona Ryder's 2001 shoplifting arrest became instant tabloid fodder,

01:36with many outlets portraying it as nothing more than a reckless act of stealing.

01:39He said the actress walked past three cash registers with a pile of clothes and handbags before leaving the store.

01:46However, the truth is far more complex.

01:49You see, at the time, Ryder was reportedly struggling with mental health issues,

01:53and was said to be on heavy painkillers for a broken arm.

01:55In a 2024 Esquire interview, Winona opened up about the incident, saying,

02:00I think I just checked out. There was a period when I was not in season.

02:03She added,

02:04It wasn't what people think.

02:06Despite the scandal damaging her career, Ryder has since made a comeback,

02:09putting the unfortunate and largely misunderstood occurrence behind her.

02:12Number 8. Matt Lauer's Alleged Misconduct

02:16No Door-Locking Button

02:17Just moments ago, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack sent the following note to our organization.

02:22Dear colleagues, on Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague

02:26about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer.

02:31It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards.

02:35When the serious allegations against Matt Lauer surfaced in November 2017,

02:39one of the most shocking details to emerge was a claim that he had a secret button under his desk

02:44to trap women in his office.

02:46And they say he had a button under his desk to lock his office door without getting up.

02:51However, it has since been revealed that, while Lauer did have a button to close his office door,

02:56it was a standard feature used by many executives for convenience.

02:59Notably, the mechanism did not lock the door from the inside, nor prevent anyone from leaving.

03:04Lauer himself would go on to make the clarification in an official statement regarding his alleged misconduct.

03:10Number 7. College Admissions Scandal

03:12William H. Macy's Involvement

03:13I've created this kind of side door in, because with the back door, there's no guarantee.

03:19They're just going to give you a second look.

03:22My families want a guarantee.

03:24When Felicity Huffman was sentenced for her part in the college admissions scandal,

03:28a scheme where parents illegally paid to secure their children's college enrollment,

03:31many people assumed that her husband, actor William H. Macy, had no part in the crime.

03:36While Huffman did take full responsibility, court documents revealed that Macy was not so innocent.

03:41In fact, it's shown that the shameless actor was part of the conversations with the consultant behind the scheme.

03:47But, since Macy was never charged with anything, his appearances were viewed merely as support for his wife,

03:53despite a certain awareness of the crime.

03:55Number 6. Depp vs. Heard

03:57Didn't completely exonerate Johnny.

03:59The Depp-Heard defamation trial was, without question, one of the most publicized court cases in recent memory.

04:05Johnny Depp, he said, she said, $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex, Amber Heard.

04:12However, following the verdict on June 1, 2022, many people mistakenly believed Johnny Depp was fully absolved of any wrongdoing.

04:19As against Amber Heard, we the jury award compensatory damages in the amount of $10 million.

04:25In reality, the court found that both Depp and Heard had defamed each other in different ways.

04:31While yes, the jury ruled largely in Johnny's favor, they also found that Depp had defamed Heard in one instance.

04:37As against John C. Depp II, we the jury award compensatory damages in the amount of $2 million.

04:44The court proceedings also revealed that both parties took part in troubling behavior.

04:48Judging by the court of public opinion, though, Johnny's character was given a blanket vindication.

04:54Number 5. Kim Kardashian and Ray J's tape, not leaked by Kim.

04:58There's just one little catch.

04:59What?

05:00You'd have to talk about the tape.

05:02Kim Kardashian's rise to fame began when a certain explicit tape involving her and then-lover Ray J was leaked to the public.

05:09It's been long rumored that the X-rated video was deliberately disclosed by Kim and her mother Kris Jenner for publicity.

05:15Why did you make a sex tape?

05:19Because I was horny and I felt like it.

05:21However, despite the widespread speculation, both have repeatedly denied any involvement,

05:26and there's no concrete evidence proving they orchestrated its release.

05:30In fact, it's public record that Kim tried hard to prevent the release of the tape by suing the company that distributed it, Vivid Entertainment.

05:36The matter was settled in February 2007, and the tape has since been viewed more than 150 million times.

05:42Number 4. Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn's Relationship, Not His Adopted Daughter

05:47The now decades-long relationship between Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn has sparked extensive debate,

05:53this due in part to the couple's 35-year age difference.

05:56Did you have any reservations about it?

05:58Reservations about what?

05:59About getting involved with Soon-Yi.

06:01Did I have reserv- I didn't have reservations because I had- it was a totally separate thing.

06:08Many also believed Soon-Yi was Allen's adopted daughter when their romance began.

06:12This, however, is false, as Soon-Yi was adopted by Allen's ex-partner, Mia Farrow, and her former husband, Andre Previn.

06:19And while Woody was a father figure to Mia's children during their relationship, Soon-Yi has stated that she never saw him in that way.

06:25Was he the ideal father? You know, probably no, because he worked so much and all of that.

06:31But he was their father figure. He took the little ones shopping and bought them, as I said,

06:36bought them airplanes and magic tricks and started bringing all of them to basketball games.

06:42The controversial couple married in 1997 and share two adopted children.

06:46Mia Farrow, meanwhile, continues to assert that Allen indecently assaulted her other daughter, Dylan, when she was a child.

06:53Number 3. Attack on Nancy Kerrigan, not planned by Tonya Harding.

06:58I mean, what kind of friggin' person bashes in their friend's knee? Who would do that to a friend?

07:05The targeted attack on professional figure skater Nancy Kerrigan captured the nation's- scratch that- the world's attention.

07:15And while it's often assumed that Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding, masterminded the plot with detailed planning,

07:20the true facts behind the events reveal a more complex situation.

07:24It has been revealed that Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Galluli, was the one most involved in the scheme,

07:30pulling the strings and coordinating the events with associates.

07:33Harding has since said she knew something was up, but was nowhere near the puppet master many believed.

07:38Regardless, Tonya's legacy has suffered dearly, and the shocking incident has defined both her and Nancy's careers.

07:44I mean, she's moved on. I've moved on. It's part of history that will always be with us.

07:50But I'm also noted as the one and only American woman that did the first triple axel.

07:55Number 2. The Beatles' breakup, not Yoko Ono's fault.

08:03For decades, Yoko Ono has been blamed for breaking up the beloved English rock band, The Beatles.

08:08And sure, while her presence was said to have created some tension among the members,

08:12the band was already unraveling due to personal, creative, and financial conflicts.

08:25In fact, by the late 1960s, the group's dynamic had mostly deteriorated,

08:29with members evolving artistically and personally in their own ways.

08:32Simply blaming Yoko Ono, John Lennon's wife and fellow musical artist,

08:37distorts a much more complex situation, ignoring the many other internal struggles

08:41that ultimately led to one of music's most famous breakups.

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08:58Number 1. Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Halftime Flashing

09:04Not a Publicity Stunt

09:05During the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show, viewers were left shocked after Janet Jackson was exposed on stage,

09:20the result of Justin Timberlake tearing a piece of her outfit.

09:23Many continued to believe that this was all a planned stunt to grab attention.

09:27After all, it happened with the lyrics

09:29Better have you naked by the end of this song

09:32However, the now infamous wardrobe malfunction excuse rings true.

09:36It's been said that the costume tug was supposed to reveal a red bus tier, but something went wrong.

09:41The fallout of the accident not only negatively impacted Janet's career,

09:45Timberlake not so much, but also led to stricter regulations for live performances.

09:49What major celebrity scandal do you remember following?

09:52Share the controversies in the comments below.

09:54And what was Mia's reaction when she found out about Sunni?

09:57What happened was crazy behavior that became, you know, terrible rage, death threats.

10:05Did you enjoy this video?

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