- 14 hours ago
From controversial politicians to polarizing celebrities, these Americans have sparked outrage far beyond US borders. Join us as we examine public figures whose actions and statements have generated widespread global disapproval. From shocking scandals to offensive outbursts, these individuals have become infamous worldwide.
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00:00Fallen rapper Kanye West has had his visa torn up, effectively banning him from entering
00:05Australia.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're spotlighting influential figures from the United States
00:11whose actions, words, or public personas have ignited global disapproval, making them polarizing
00:16figures far beyond their home country.
00:18In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats.
00:25Woody Allen
00:26In some cases, no doubt, the allegations are true. In others, a weapon of revenge. It's
00:31a story we've done before on 60 Minutes, but this one is different, because everyone knows
00:35the parents, at least from the movies.
00:38The father is Woody Allen, writer, director, actor. The mother is Mia Farrow, his frequent
00:43co-star, and the mother of his three children, two of them adopted.
00:47Few figures embody the complex, uncomfortable intersection of art and personal scandal, quite
00:51like this iconic filmmaker. For decades, Woody Allen charmed audiences worldwide with his
00:55witty, neurotic comedies and poignant dramas, earning critical acclaim and a devoted international
01:00following. However, the persistent allegations of abuse made by his adopted daughter, Dylan
01:04Farrow, have irrevocably tarnished his legacy and reputation.
01:08This Woody Allen memoir was supposed to be published in April, and it has just been dropped by its
01:14publishing group, Hatchet Publishing Group, following a staff walkout that took place yesterday.
01:20The controversy surrounding his marriage in 1997 as Sun Yi Previn, Mia Farrow's adopted daughter,
01:26further solidified an image of a man whose personal life casts an undeniable dark shadow over his artistic
01:32achievements, causing his films to struggle for distribution and acceptance in many international markets.
01:36A rainy day in New York wasn't released in the US. Your actors aren't here to promote the movie.
01:43How do you feel about that?
01:45To me, it doesn't matter. I think if the movie, the movie's been being released all over the world,
01:51if people enjoy the movie, I think it will eventually be released in the United States.
01:58Joe Biden.
01:59Mr. President, there had not been a US service member killed in combat in Afghanistan since February of 2020.
02:06You set a deadline, you pulled troops out, you sent troops back in, and now 12 marines are dead.
02:13You said the buck stops with you. Do you bear any responsibility for the way that things have unfolded in the last two weeks?
02:21Donald Trump's successor and predecessor finds himself the subject of considerable global scrutiny and in many quarters outright animosity.
02:27While supported by allies, his administration's foreign policy decisions, particularly the chaotic withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021,
02:37drew sharp condemnation from international observers, who viewed it as a significant strategic blunder and a betrayal of allies.
02:43Imagine where we'd be if I had indicated on May the 1st, I was not going to renegotiate an evacuation date.
02:59We were going to stay there. I'd have only one alternative, pour thousands of more troops back into Afghanistan.
03:07Furthermore, concerns about his age and perceived gaffes on the world stage, such as instances where his comments
03:13have been perceived as less than diplomatic or coherent, have fueled a narrative, especially amongst geopolitical
03:18rivals and critics, of a weakening America under his leadership, thereby impacting its international standing.
03:23Child care, elder care, making sure that we continue to strengthen our health care system,
03:28making sure that we're able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I've been able to do
03:35with dealing with everything we have to do with. Hillary Clinton.
03:44I made a mistake using a private email. That's for sure.
03:48And if I had to do it over again, I would obviously do it differently. But I'm not going to make any excuses.
03:55It was a mistake. And I take responsibility for that.
03:58A political titan who's been at the forefront of American public life for decades, Hillary Clinton has
04:02long been a lightning rod for both adoration and intense scorn, extending far beyond U.S. borders.
04:07The email server scandal, which came to light around 2015 to 2016 during her presidential campaign,
04:13drew criticism at home and prompted broader questions among security experts about data handling and
04:18transparency. While they haven't been independently verified by ABC News, critics say the documents show
04:23Clinton's tough talk about Wall Street in public is a lot less tough in private when paid a $225,000
04:34speaking fee. Furthermore, her hawkish foreign policy stances, particularly her role in advocating for
04:40the 2011 intervention in Libya, drew skepticism from several governments in the Middle East and Africa,
04:45including objections from the African Union. Critics argued that the intervention contributed to the
04:49country's destabilization and the rise of extremist groups. I think we did a great deal to help the
04:56Libyan people after Gaddafi's demise. And here's what we did. We helped them hold two successful
05:04elections, something that is not easy, which they did very well because they had a pent-up desire to try
05:11to chart their own future after 42 years of dictatorship. Alex Jones. I mean, give me a break.
05:18You think I'm shocked by it so I'm up here bashing it because I don't like gay people? I don't like
05:24them putting chemicals in the water that turn the friggin frogs gay. Do you understand that?
05:31Serious crap. I'm sick of being social engineered. It's not funny. This American radio host and
05:37conspiracy theorist has cultivated a global following by peddling outlandish and often dangerous
05:42falsehoods, earning him widespread backlash and legal woes. Jones's most infamous act of ignominy was
05:47his repeated assertion that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy on December 14, 2012,
05:53which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults was a hoax, a fabricated event designed
05:58to push a gun control agenda. Then we see footage of one of the reported fathers of the victims,
06:09Robbie Parker, doing classic acting training where he's laughing and joking and they say,
06:15hey, we're lying. He goes, oh, and maybe that's real. I'm sure it is. The resulting defamation lawsuits,
06:23notably by Neil Hesslin and Scarlett Lewis in Texas, and by a group of families, plus an FBI agent in
06:28Connecticut saw him ordered to pay over a billion dollars in damages. His brand of inflammatory
06:34anti-establishment rhetoric makes him a pariah to those who value truth and compassion. He has already
06:39lost attempts in state court to appeal the judgment. He is also seeking bankruptcy protections. In Thursday's
06:46filings, he asks the Supreme Court to put the judgment on hold while the court considers his appeal.
06:53Kim Kardashian
07:00Hi, you're late. Oh, shit. What did I forget?
07:04From reality TV star to beauty mogul, Kardashian has become a global icon, yet one who frequently attracts
07:10intense criticism and often outright disdain across the world. Her carefully curated image driven by an
07:15extravagant lifestyle documented for millions on keeping up with the Kardashians and social media
07:21is often perceived as emblematic of superficiality and consumerism run rampant.
07:25Now, just breathe. Everything's going to be fine.
07:28What's wrong with you guys? My diamond earring came off in the ocean and it's gone.
07:33Kim, there's people that are dying. I just told you that.
07:36Anyone would be annoyed. I work really hard and I bought these and that's why you bought insurance.
07:42Her highly publicized relationships and lavish displays of wealth contribute to a narrative of
07:46celebrity culture that many find vacuous and damaging, particularly in an era of increasing
07:51global inequality and environmental concerns. For many, she represents a brand of celebrity that's
07:56out of touch, self-serving, and devoid of substantive contribution.
07:59Aren't you glad I have a healthy ego? If not, I take this personally.
08:04Elon Musk
08:04The charismatic and often erratic CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, once widely admired as an
08:31innovator, has increasingly become a figure of global contention. His acquisition of Twitter
08:35for $44 billion in October 2022, rebranding it as X the following July, unleashed a torrent of
08:41criticism. Andrew Anglin, the founder of one of the most influential neo-Nazi websites,
08:46just one of hundreds of formerly banned users, now back on the platform after Musk's Thanksgiving
08:51tweet that amnesty begins next week. Meanwhile, the billionaire cutting the company staff,
08:56including those dedicated to monitoring abuse and hate speech.
09:00Beyond social media, his public statements, often delivered with a flippant disregard for nuance,
09:05have drawn international ire. Examples include his contentious remarks on COVID-19 policies,
09:10geopolitical issues, and his infamous beef with a cave rescuer in 2018. Many perceive him as an
09:15ego-driven billionaire whose immense power is wielded recklessly, affecting global discourse,
09:19labor practices at his companies, and even the future of technology with questionable judgment.
09:24In just the last hour, we are learning that the person who is already one of the world's richest
09:27people, if not the richest, Elon Musk, could become now, like, the richest by a mile. Maybe
09:33the world's first trillionaire, trillionaire, after three-quarters of Tesla shareholders just
09:39late today voted yes on a new pay package for Musk. That's a meeting that just wrapped up.
09:44Logan Paul.
09:45That ABC News exclusive with Logan Paul, the YouTube superstar who has millions of young
09:50followers and has made millions of dollars with his zany videos online, recently, as you know,
09:55came under fire for posting an alarming video showing the body of a person who took their own
10:01life. Initially rising to prominence as a Vine star and then a YouTube sensation, Logan Paul's journey
10:06into global notoriety has been punctuated by a series of shocking controversies that cemented his
10:11status as a widely reviled figure. The most egregious incident occurred on December 31st, 2017,
10:16when he filmed and uploaded a video from Japan's Okigahara Forest depicting a deceased person.
10:21Millions of people literally telling me they hate me to go die in a fire. It's like the most horrible,
10:27horrific things. So you don't feel like the criticism has been fair? That's the thing.
10:35I do.
10:35This act, displaying extreme insensitivity and a severe lack of judgment, led to a massive backlash
10:41from his own fan base, global media, and even YouTube, which penalized his channel by temporarily
10:46removing it from Google Preferred. Despite attempts at rehabilitation, his past actions and unapologetic
10:51streak continued to define him as a cautionary tale of internet celebrity gone terribly wrong.
10:55So he's a hundred yards away from the parking lot.
11:00It doesn't make any sense. And I believe it happened for a reason. And I think that reason is
11:08so I could take this experience, learn from it.
11:11He did not hate his opponents. He wanted
11:17the best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent.
11:23And I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry. I am sorry, Erica. But now Erica can talk to me
11:30and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent.
11:35Perhaps no American in recent memory has generated more intense global division than the 45th and 47th
11:41President of the United States, Donald Trump. His America First philosophy alienated many
11:45longstanding international partners. Beyond policy has perceived disregard for democratic norms and
11:50institutions, culminating in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot in Washington, D.C.
11:55since shockwaves across the world.
11:57We're going to walk down anyone you want, but I think right here we're going to walk down to the Capitol
12:06and we're going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.
12:13And we're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.
12:17In his second term, Trump moved to tighten presidential control over the federal government,
12:21elevating loyalists into key roles and testing long-standing limits on executive authority.
12:26For countless people outside the U.S., he became the face of a divisive,
12:30nationalist populism that threatened global cooperation and stability,
12:33making him a figure of intense scorn and a symbol of American political upheaval.
12:37Mr. President, what did Jeffrey Epstein mean in his emails when he said you knew about the girls?
12:43I know nothing about that. They would have announced that a long time ago.
12:47It's really what did he mean when he spent all the time with Bill Clinton,
12:51with the president of Harvard, who you know, that is Summers, Larry Summers, whatever his name is,
12:57and all of the other people that he spent time with.
13:01Harvey Weinstein.
13:01Harvey Weinstein's star is falling fast. Now more than 40 women,
13:06including some of the world's most famous stars, are accusing the disgraced Hollywood mogul
13:10of sexual misconduct or worse, the allegations stretching across international waters as the
13:15investigation grows, and now the president of France weighing in, saying he intends to strip
13:21Weinstein of the prestigious French Legion of Honor Award.
13:24The name Harvey Weinstein has become synonymous with the darkest abuses of power in Hollywood,
13:28igniting a global reckoning that profoundly reshaped discussions around harassment and assault.
13:33For decades, this once omnipotent film producer, co-founder of Miramax and the Weinstein Company,
13:38wielded immense influence, accumulating an empire of critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning movies.
13:44Now, Harvey Weinstein gave us a statement saying that all of these interactions were consensual,
13:50and that there was never any retribution. But the women in this tell a very different story.
13:56However, in October 2017, a cascade of accusations emerged, initially reported by the New York Times
14:01and The New Yorker, detailing a horrifying pattern of misconduct and assault spanning decades,
14:06using his position to prey on aspiring actresses and employees. The sheer volume and consistency of
14:11the testimonies from dozens of women catalyzed the MeToo movement, an international phenomenon that
14:16empowered victims globally to share their stories and demand accountability.
14:20On Friday, model Angie Everhart told TMZ, Weinstein touched himself inappropriately in front of her
14:26more than a decade ago during the Venice Film Festival.
14:29When I talked about it before, nobody listened. I'm glad that people are listening so that it doesn't
14:35happen anymore because it's not okay.
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14:51Kanye West
15:04Once lauded as a groundbreaking artist who redefined hip-hop and fashion with his albums and Yeezy
15:08brand, his descent into global infamy has been a dramatic spectacle of self-immolation. His
15:13increasingly erratic behavior, often broadcast across social media and various public appearances,
15:18has included controversial political stunts, such as wearing a White Lives Matter shirt at Paris
15:23Fashion Week in October 2022, and his short-lived presidential campaign.
15:26Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke dropped the visa bombshell late this afternoon,
15:31explaining that Kanye West was no longer welcome in Australia after releasing a song
15:37called Heil Hitler.
15:38You're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism? We don't need that in Australia.
15:45However, the true turning point into international hatred came with his repeated
15:49anti-Semitic remarks and conspiracy theories. These comments led to the termination of lucrative
15:54partnerships, resulting in widespread condemnation. These statements weren't mere gaffes. They were
15:58seen as promoting dangerous prejudice that resonated with extremist groups worldwide.
16:02You're not Hitler. You're not a Nazi. You don't deserve to be called that and demonized.
16:07Well, I see good things about Hitler also. I love everyone. I'm done with the classifications.
16:17Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.
16:23How do you feel about these polarizing Americans? Are there any you think we missed?
16:26Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
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