- 3 months ago
From beloved household names to industry pariahs - join us as we look at once-beloved television personalities whose public images imploded. Our countdown includes stars from "Sex and the City," "Seinfeld," "Glee," "That '70s Show" and more! Which fallen star's downfall shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:00I just want you to do the best you can. That's all.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at once-prominent TV stars whose reputations came crashing down.
00:10What are you yelling at me for?
00:12Because I'm angry and I need to yell, and you're standing in front of me and she's not!
00:16Chris Noth. He charmed his way into millions of hearts as Mr. Big on Sex and the City.
00:21Well, get in for Christ's sakes.
00:23And with major roles on Law & Order and The Good Wife, Chris Noth remained a staple on television for over 20 years.
00:31But soon after the premiere event just like that, Noth found himself in hot water, accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
00:39John!
00:40John, oh God, oh God, John, oh, John, honey, John!
00:48It didn't help when his SATC co-stars released a statement supporting Noth's accusers, shifting public opinion against him.
00:56The fallout was swift and severe, as Noth was erased from both And Just Like That and CBS's The Equalizer.
01:03I'd call that a success.
01:09While Noth denies the allegations, he was absent from the screen for years, until returning with the horror film The Block.
01:16Michael Richards.
01:18Cosmo Kramer may be one of the funniest characters to have ever existed, but there was nothing funny about Michael Richards' meltdown at the Laugh Factory.
01:25FLAZE!
01:28I take it all back!
01:30Everything! I take it all back! Every word!
01:33I love you!
01:34Unable to handle hecklers in the audience, Richards unleashed a shockingly racist tirade.
01:39The actress' career practically collapsed overnight, facing backlash from the public and the press.
01:45I'm not a racist, that's what's so insane about this. I don't, and yet, it's said, it comes through, it fires out of me.
01:54A poorly received apology on David Letterman came across more awkwardly humorous than sincere, becoming endlessly replayed and ridiculed.
02:02While Richards was able to salvage some of his reputation, thanks to support from longtime friend Jerry Seinfeld, his career has never fully recovered.
02:08I should have just said, yeah, you're absolutely right, I'm not funny.
02:12I think I'll go home and work on my material, and I'll see you tomorrow night.
02:16Today, fans tend to have fond memories of Kramer, but many would rather forget Richards himself.
02:22Leah Michelle.
02:23Considering the accusations against her, Leah Michelle seems almost indistinguishable from Rachel Berry.
02:28Class, in Mr. Schuster's absence, I'd like to go around and ask everyone what solos they'd like to hear me perform at sectionals.
02:36Hey, you know what, let me go home!
02:37Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:38Go home!
02:39Like her glee role, Michelle was described by some as having a mean girl prima donna attitude.
02:44In 2020, co-star Samantha Marie Ware alleged that Michelle caused traumatic microaggressions on set, opening up the floodgates for other former castmates to make similar claims.
02:54I would like to say some words about my good friend Rachel Berry.
02:56Rachel Berry is the most horrible human being on the planet.
03:04What?
03:04Despite acknowledging her attitude problem, and apologizing for her immaturity and unnecessarily difficult behavior, the damage was done.
03:11The internet was quick to turn on the actress, making her the subject of some truly bizarre conspiracy theories that continue to overshadow her career.
03:18I'm sorry, Kurt. Santana has me doing all these photo ops and interviews, and my reputation is at stake here.
03:24Seriously, you know, I could lose jobs if I don't clean this up.
03:28Much like Rachel Berry, Michelle has cemented her place in pop culture, at the expense of reportedly strained relationships with castmates and a tarnished image.
03:36Jesse Smollett.
03:37But I got some information that I think you and your family need to know.
03:40Yeah, well you can save it.
03:43I'm not here to give you absolution.
03:44With an acclaimed role on Empire and a promising music career, the sky was the limit for Jesse Smollett.
03:50In January 2019, Smollett made headlines as the victim of a hate crime, sending shockwaves through the industry.
03:56And then we started tussling, you know, it was very icy, and we ended up tussling by the stairs, fighting, fighting, fighting.
04:06There was a second person involved.
04:07Soon after, though, investigations allege that Smollett had staged the entire incident himself.
04:14In 2021, a Chicago jury found him guilty of felony disorderly conduct, though Smollett appealed the verdict.
04:20On Thursday, a Chicago jury declared Jesse Smollett really bad at acting.
04:25Smollett was found guilty of charges related to staging a hate crime.
04:29In 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the convictions on constitutional grounds, with Smollett reaching a settlement the following year.
04:37Despite these developments, public backlash has yet to recover.
04:40You know, the way that it works is, what liars do is, they take a big pile of lies and they sprinkle it with the truth.
04:45So as I'm sitting here and I'm fighting the things, the very things that are untrue about me, some truths did come into play.
04:51Ever since the scandal, Smollett has only appeared in self-produced projects, with mainstream relevance so far still out of reach.
04:58Ellen DeGeneres
04:59And I've said it before, but I'll say it again.
05:02If I've done anything in the past 19 years, I hope I've inspired you to be yourself.
05:06Your true, authentic self.
05:08But late 2010s, Ellen was arguably the most untouchable figure in Hollywood.
05:13Her be-kind mantra was seen as the ultimate mark of goodness, making her one of the most popular celebrities worldwide.
05:19I didn't even know you liked me.
05:22Of course I like you. You knew I liked you.
05:24You? You've been on the show many times, and don't I show like?
05:30But allegations of a toxic workplace on her talk show derailed her image.
05:34Once praised as the embodiment of kindness, DeGeneres is now mainly branded by critics as mean.
05:40This is me, and my intention is to always be the best person I can be.
05:45And if I've ever let someone down, if I've ever hurt their feelings, I am so sorry for that.
05:49Amid dwindling public support and declining ratings, she decided to end her talk show in 2022.
05:55A subsequent return to stand-up drew a mixed response, with some critics blasting her for making excuses instead of accepting responsibility.
06:03You know, I used to say that I didn't care what other people thought of me, and I realize now looking back I said that at the height of my popularity.
06:10The comedian has since stepped away from the spotlight, and only time will tell if the public is ever willing to welcome her back.
06:15Dean Cain. With a series of controversial raids that sparked nationwide protests, public opinion of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been divisive in recent times.
06:26He made a recruitment video for the agency which is sparking outcry over immigration raids, and Cain claims he's working with them.
06:34And when former Superman star Dean Cain openly threw his support behind ICE, it unleashed a largely negative response.
06:41Cain went further by accepting an honorary role in the agency. His decision has ignited a hostile outcry, with celebrities like Margaret Cho and John Leguizamo blasting Cain for his tone-deaf stance.
06:52Others on the left joined the pylon. Last week, tonight's John Oliver took a swipe, saying Cain doesn't need to mask up because there's zero chance he'll be recognized.
07:01Comedian Margaret Cho, Democratic Congressman Mark Pocan, and Jared Moskowitz also mocked him.
07:05However, Cain has refused to back down, supporting ICE on social media and national television.
07:11Amid widespread outrage, Cain's detractors have accused him of betraying the ideals of compassion and justice that Superman is supposed to embody.
07:20Lois, what's going on?
07:21I said our marriage isn't working.
07:24I have no idea what you're talking about.
07:26But you're not walking out that door without telling me.
07:28Roseanne Barr.
07:29Why does everybody else think I'm dead?
07:33You looked happy. I thought maybe you moved on.
07:37Lauded for its authentic portrayal of a working-class family, the Roseanne revival was initially a success.
07:43However, Barr soon caused the downfall of her own show.
07:46Well, looky here, written by Roseanne Connor.
07:50Oh, trash that.
07:52This would have sold like hotcakes if only you hadn't killed off the most interesting character.
07:56In May 2018, Barr tweeted offensive remarks against former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, widely condemned as racist and Islamophobic.
08:05Any chance of regaining her reputation faded with her subsequent apology, which many interpreted as Barr doubling down on her comments.
08:12I thought the bitch was white!
08:16Roseanne was fired from her hit ABC show after comparing Jarrett to a character from Planet of the Apes.
08:21ABC was quick to cancel Roseanne soon after, reviving the show as the spinoff, The Conners, which killed off her character.
08:29Barr has mainly stayed outside of mainstream media since then, and with her unapologetic stance and controversial image, it's unlikely to change anytime soon.
08:37You know, nobody understood my tweet because they don't, they lack the geopolitical background to even understand it.
08:45They're like, oh, she said too much, you know, they're just idiots.
08:48Charlie Sheen.
08:49Charlie?
08:49You okay?
08:53Sure.
08:57Why do you ask?
08:58Back in 2011, watching a Charlie Sheen rant was its own form of entertainment.
09:03After being fired from Two and a Half Men, Sheen went on an extended meltdown that turned into a media circus.
09:09Your anger and your hate, I think, is coming off as erratic to people.
09:12Passion. My passion. It's all passion.
09:14Your passion is coming off as erratic to people.
09:17Happily feeding tabloids with over-the-top tirades, Sheen made outrageous claims, like believing he had Adonis DNA and tiger blood.
09:25Winning became his signature catchphrase, using it to justify his wild behavior to portray himself as uniquely different.
09:32I'm bi-winning. I win here and I win there. Now what? If I'm bipolar, aren't there moments where a guy like crashes and is like in the corner and like, oh my god, it's all my mom's fault? Shut up.
09:43Highly publicized liaisons with adult film stars, fused with co-stars, and remarks criticized as glamorizing substance abuse disorder further cemented his downfall.
09:52It took years and an HIV diagnosis before Sheen mellowed down, but his outlandish antics remained etched into the darkest chapters of pop culture history.
10:01You know there are a lot of rumors out there right now, and you would like to address them head-on, so I'll give it to you.
10:08I have to. I have to, yeah. I'm here to admit that I am, in fact, HIV positive.
10:12Danny Masterson.
10:14Springboarding to fame as Hyde on that 70s show, Danny Masterson is now remembered less for his career and more for the convictions that destroyed it.
10:21What the hell's the matter with you?
10:25Stealing my cable.
10:26Fred, before you blow your stack, why don't you take a look at that car wash girl?
10:31In 2017, multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, which Masterson denied.
10:37However, he was swiftly fired from Netflix's The Ranch before being let go from his talent agency.
10:43I'll just say it again.
10:46Take the bag and disappear, or you disappear.
10:51By 2020, Masterson faced criminal charges and was ultimately convicted to 30 years to life in 2023.
10:58Once the most popular character in that 70s show, Hyde is now viewed through a far different lens.
11:03Man, the last day of the 70s.
11:06You know, thinking back, it's like one big blur.
11:10You're welcome.
11:10Even Masterson's co-stars Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher didn't walk away unscathed, with the pair slammed for writing letters of support on Masterson's behalf during his trial.
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11:35Bill Cosby
11:38For more than four decades, Bill Cosby was celebrated as America's dad.
11:43The Cosby show was a timeless sensation, breaking barriers in representation and highlighting positive family dynamics.
11:49Hey, I know.
11:52You know what?
11:53What you gonna say?
11:54And it's under control.
11:56So, no problem.
11:58All that came crashing down in 2014, when comedian Hannibal Buress called Cosby out for past allegations.
12:05Once media scrutiny caught on, over 60 women came forward accusing Cosby of sexual misconduct.
12:10What do you want to see happen to the man you claim violated you?
12:15To tell the truth, give us back what you took.
12:19His personal brand collapsed under years of investigations, leaving decades of goodwill in ruins.
12:25Speaking to the NNPA, Cosby maintained his innocence, claiming his entire trial was a setup, and describing the jurors as imposters.
12:32Bill Cosby came back home.
12:34Wyatt says they stayed up until 2 in the morning.
12:37The 83-year-old telling him he didn't want to go to bed.
12:40He was afraid all of this was just a bad dream.
12:43Although his 2018 conviction was overturned on a procedural technicality in 2021, Cosby's name is permanently damaged, now often mentioned alongside other similarly disgraced Hollywood figures.
12:54Is there a fallen TV star you can think of?
12:56Let us know in the comments.
12:58Let me just catch my breath first.
13:03I'm a peaceful man with bad intentions.
13:06I'm a.
13:10I'm a picture.
13:13I'm a father.
13:13Here we are.
13:18If you have aBook Operator.
13:19If you have a cab, that's bad.
13:20I come back to life.
13:21Maybe I come back to life.
13:21I come back to life.
13:21I come back to life.
13:22Look, how may I be destroyed?
13:22I come back to life.
13:23If you have a Subo
13:29,
13:29you can't control…
13:30A story about time can be revealed,
13:32comes back.
13:32How may I talk to you?
13:33If you have a decent choice,
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