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From explosive feuds and toxic workplaces to career-ending controversies and real-life tragedies, talk show TV has had its fair share of jaw-dropping moments. Join us as we count down the most shocking scandals to rock famous talk shows and the hosts behind them! Which meltdown left you speechless? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS.
00:04I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most jaw-dropping
00:12and headline-grabbing scandals to shake famous talk shows and the hosts behind them.
00:17Jimmy Fallon apologized to his Tonight Show staff
00:20in the wake of toxic workplace allegations in a Rolling Stone report.
00:25Number 50. Jimmy Kimmel temporarily pulled off air.
00:28Late Night took an unprecedented turn in 2025 when Jimmy Kimmel Live abruptly vanished from ABC's
00:34schedule. The decision came after Kimmel delivered a monologue addressing the killing of conservative
00:39activist Charlie Kirk, during which he criticized the, quote,
00:42MAGA gang and mocked President Trump's public reaction.
00:45ABC taking Jimmy Kimmel off the air indefinitely after making these comments about the aftermath
00:50of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's murder.
00:53The MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything
00:59other than one of them.
01:00The remarks sparked backlash from conservative media and ABC affiliates,
01:04including Nexstar and Sinclair-owned stations.
01:07FCC Commissioner Brandon Carr then publicly suggested that Aaron Kimmel might violate,
01:11quote, public interest standards.
01:13The head of the FCC, Brendan Carr, then going on a press tour of sorts, urging local stations
01:17who control what's broadcast in markets where ABC doesn't own stations outright.
01:22ABC paused the show as the controversy swelled into a national debate over censorship.
01:27What followed was a very public debate over free speech in this country.
01:31Critics suggesting the move was caving to political pressure.
01:35Kimmel eventually made his return to the air after several days of media frenzy.
01:39Number 49.
01:41Carrie Katona's on-air struggle
01:42Yesterday she showed off her brand new body in the tabloids.
01:46Today, Carrie joins us for an exclusive interview.
01:48The burden of fame on this former Atomic Kitten singer was unquestionably distilled in her
01:53notorious 2008 interview for This Morning.
01:56She was promoting the controversial reality show Carrie Katona whole again,
01:59which documented her undergoing extensive plastic surgery at age 28.
02:04You know, really have spared all there.
02:06Yeah, I mean, that look at that is, it makes me feel like, wow, to how I am now, it's
02:14such a relief.
02:15I mean, they were so big.
02:16I mean, you could see by how long they were.
02:20So now it's just unbelievable.
02:22And not once if I complain about my back, not once.
02:25The interview's Sokka Tona struggled to form coherent sentences.
02:28Her slurring state and admission to continuing to smoke despite post-op risks
02:34affirmed to many that she had a problem.
02:47Katona achieved sobriety the following year and has since made promoting mental health and celebrity pressure
02:52key to her public image.
02:54However, her heartbreaking exploitation on This Morning was certainly its own cautionary tale.
02:59We wish you well.
03:00I hope it's a big success for you.
03:08Late Night TV has seen its share of odd guests, but few have matched Crispin Glover's level of unpredictability.
03:25You see, when the Back to the Future star appeared on Late Night with David Letterman in July 1987,
03:31he behaved erratically while donning an odd outfit complete with towering platform shoes.
03:36Things escalated when Glover performed a sudden high kick that came dangerously close to Letterman's face,
03:41prompting the host to immediately walk off stage.
03:44No, I've taken part.
03:45These aren't mine.
03:46I can, I can, I can kick.
03:50Okay, I'm gonna go check on the top ten.
03:52Glover later claimed he was, quote,
03:54in character, but viewers were left wondering whether they had witnessed performance art or a near assault.
03:59The bizarre exchange cemented itself as one of Letterman's strangest interviews.
04:04I think that's the first time that we've been doing this show that a guest actually tried to kick me.
04:08Number 47.
04:09Bobcat Goldthwait sets fire on The Tonight Show.
04:12Pack shows thrive on spontaneity, but this moment crossed into sheer mayhem.
04:17In May 1994, comedian Bobcat Goldthwait appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
04:22and proceeded to shock everyone by setting the guest chair on fire.
04:26Anyone else?
04:27I think it, well, it is sweet, and I love Jay very much, and I thought,
04:30well, what if I, I don't know, what if I set his furniture on fire?
04:34No, don't set them on fire.
04:39Now you have to sit in this.
04:42Yes, he had secretly brought with him some lighter fluid and ignited the seat,
04:46leaving Leno to douse the flames with a cup of water.
04:48For his actions, NBC fined him over $3,000 and banned him temporarily from the network.
04:55Audiences, however, were stunned not just by the fiery stunt itself,
04:58but by how casually Goldthwait executed it.
05:01Now where is he going now?
05:05Number 46.
05:06Aziz Ansari calls out CBS on CBS.
05:10Some guests come on talk shows to promote their work.
05:13Others take the moment to make a point.
05:14And in November 2015, Aziz Ansari appeared on CBS's The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to do the latter.
05:21Stephen's the first late-night host from South Carolina.
05:25Right, right.
05:26And the bajillionth white guy.
05:28In fact, he addressed CBS's history of limited diversity,
05:32joking that he and Colbert represented, quote,
05:3450% diverse, which he quipped was, quote,
05:37an all-time high for CBS.
05:39This is like an all-time high for CBS.
05:41Yeah.
05:43By highlighting the network's ongoing lack of South Asian representation,
05:47he sparked wider conversation about inclusion in mainstream television.
05:51The exchange struck a balance between humor and critique,
05:54reminding audiences that even late-night comedy can serve as a stage for meaningful cultural commentary.
05:59You've written the best-selling book, Modern Love.
06:02Modern Romance.
06:03Sorry, modern...
06:04Really?
06:05What's it called, Modern Romance?
06:05Really?
06:06My card says Modern Romance.
06:07Oh, somebody's gonna get fired.
06:09Wow.
06:10God, my God, I hope it's a white guy.
06:16In September 2018, Julie Chen Moonves made the shocking decision to leave the talk.
06:22The decision came after her husband, CBS CEO Les Moonves,
06:26resigned amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
06:29The number of women now publicly accusing Moonves of sexual misconduct has doubled to 12,
06:35according to a new report by The New Yorker magazine,
06:37detailing six previously unreported incidents,
06:40which allegedly took place between the 1980s and early 2000s.
06:44She acknowledged that she was stepping away to focus on her family.
06:47However, her exit shocked audiences because she had been part of the show since its inception
06:52and had long been one of CBS's most recognizable personalities.
06:55The situation showed how a spouse's public crisis can dramatically and unexpectedly reshape someone else's career.
07:02From outside the Big Brother house with Brent, I'm Julie Chen Moonves.
07:06Good night.
07:07Number 44.
07:08Steve Harvey's leaked memos.
07:10Sometimes, talk show scandals erupt without a camera even rolling.
07:14In 2017, internal memos written by Steve Harvey leaked to the press,
07:19revealing unusually strict instructions he had given to his staff for The Steve Harvey Show.
07:23Kind of opens up the curtain and shows you what may be going on behind the scenes with his staff.
07:27The rules demanded that employees not approach him in hallways, dressing rooms, or during downtime.
07:32They included blunt lines such as, quote,
07:35Do not ambush me.
07:36Do not wait in any hallway to speak to me.
07:39If you're reading this, yes, I mean you.
07:42Critics were quick to accuse Harvey of arrogance, and the internet quickly turned the memos into memes.
07:48The host defended the policy as necessary for boundaries, but the harsh tone generated significant backlash.
07:54I didn't know I was in trouble till I woke up one morning and it was on CNN.
07:58Number 43.
07:59Jimmy Kimmel upsets China.
08:01A comedic bit spiraling into an international dispute is not something late-night hosts expect,
08:06but it definitely happened here.
08:07In 2013, Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired a segment where children discussed U.S. debt.
08:13And, well, one child joked that America should, quote,
08:16kill everyone in China.
08:17America owes China a lot of money, $1.3 trillion.
08:22How should we pay them back?
08:24Ukraine is all the way over and kill everyone in China.
08:27Kill everyone in China?
08:28Yeah.
08:28Okay, that's an interesting idea.
08:31Naturally, the moment sparked outrage from Asian American organizations,
08:35triggering some protests at ABC Studios.
08:37China's government also condemned the broadcast.
08:40ABC removed the segment and apologized, but the damage was done.
08:43The controversy demonstrated just how quickly an unscripted moment can escalate beyond comedy
08:48and into a serious diplomatic headache.
08:50Should this country be forced to pay our own debts?
08:54Yes!
08:55Yeah, but you just said kill everyone in China a little while ago.
08:59What happened to that?
09:00Number 42.
09:01Rosie O'Donnell and Tom Selleck's Verbal Sparring.
09:04Columbine had just happened.
09:05Right.
09:05It was 1999, and he had an ad in the magazines that said,
09:09I am the NRA.
09:11When Tom Selleck visited the Rosie O'Donnell show in 1999 to promote his film The Love Letter,
09:16no one expected the interview to derail the way it did.
09:19You see, after O'Donnell confronted Selleck about his involvement with the National Rifle Association,
09:24tensions rose sharply.
09:25The two began debating gun control in an uncomfortable back and forth.
09:29The people you hang out with in the NRA have a one-sided view as well.
09:32I don't hang out with people in the NRA.
09:33Okay, well, you're saying I hang out with people with my views.
09:35I'm just saying.
09:36I said people tend to.
09:37We all tend to.
09:38The NRA does, and the un-NRA does.
09:40You know, this is a nice one-sided conversation, but you keep interrupting me.
09:44Remember how civil you said we were going to be?
09:46The verbal fighting took place in the wake of the Columbine High School shooting,
09:49and the abrupt shift from friendly talk show banter to heated political debate left viewers stunned.
09:55Do you really think the Second Amendment is in the Constitution to guarantee hunting and target shooting?
09:59There is no wonder it remains one of daytime TV's most confrontational moments.
10:04I walked off stage and said to my staff,
10:06Do you think that'll get any press?
10:07Number 41. Mariah Carey's Awkward Pregnancy Reveal
10:10After Ellen, the former queen of daytime TV, was called out for fostering a toxic work environment in 2020,
10:17viewers began scrutinizing moments on the Ellen DeGeneres show that now seem toxic.
10:22One such segment occurred in a 2008 chat with Mariah Carey, which can be seen as particularly cruel.
10:40In it, DeGeneres addressed rumors that Carey was expecting her first child with Nick Cannon.
10:46Mariah made it clear she did not want to go there.
10:48However, Ellen proceeded to interrogate the singer with champagne until she somewhat confirmed her pregnancy.
10:54You're pregnant! No, I didn't say that. No, no, no.
10:58My mother would be at home, like, on the computer, like, what are you talking about?
11:01No, we won't let you know when we're gonna have a family.
11:03No, you won't.
11:04Yes, I would.
11:05No. They always say that when they're sitting on the show, and then I read about it the next day.
11:09It wasn't until later that she revealed she had tragically suffered a miscarriage shortly after the appearance.
11:14Number 40. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Cancelled
11:18Once Skydance gets CBS, the new owner's desire to please Trump could put pressure on late-night host and frequent
11:25Trump critic Stephen Colbert.
11:27In July 2025, CBS shockingly announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would be cancelled at the end of
11:34its 2026 season, a decision that shocked fans.
11:37It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not
11:42being replaced. This is all just going away.
11:45The announcement came just days after Colbert used his monologue to harshly criticize CBS's parent company, Paramount,
11:52calling the network's $16 million settlement with President Trump a, quote,
11:55big fat bribe in connection with a lawsuit over a 60-minute segment and a pending merger approval.
12:01CBS insisted the cancellation was a, quote, purely financial decision,
12:05but the timing fueled accusations that political pressure and the Trump settlement played a central role.
12:11$40 million is a big number. I could see us losing $24 million, but where would Paramount have possibly spent
12:17the other $16 million?
12:18Oh, yeah.
12:20Number 39. Jim Everett erupts at Jim Rome.
12:23Some interviews simmer with tension. This one exploded.
12:27You see, in 1994, quarterback Jim Everett appeared on Jim Rome's ESPN2 show, Talk 2.
12:33Jim, good to have you on the show.
12:34Good to be here, Jim. Thank you.
12:35Check that. Chris Everett. Good to have you on the show.
12:37Rome repeatedly taunted Everett by calling him Chris.
12:40Rome did this as a way of mocking his toughness by comparing him to tennis champion Chris Everett.
12:45After sending clear warnings to stop, Everett finally snapped, standing up, tipping the table, and shoving Rome to the ground.
12:53I think that you probably won't say it again.
12:55I bet I do.
12:56Okay.
12:57Chris?
12:58Did we mention this was all on live TV?
13:01The clash became one of sports talk's most infamous confrontations,
13:04and demonstrated how a host's relentless needling can cross the line.
13:09Looking back on it, would you do anything differently?
13:11No, I wouldn't. I think that all I would say, looking back on it,
13:15that if there's any other professional athlete that wants to do an interview with Mr. Rome,
13:22I would say that to be cautious.
13:24Number 38. Jimmy Fallon's toxic workplace apology.
13:27Jimmy Fallon apologized to his Tonight Show staff in the wake of toxic workplace allegations in a Rolling Stone report.
13:36In September 2023, a Rolling Stone investigation into The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon left everyone stunned.
13:43It revealed claims of a toxic work environment and cited erratic behavior, staff beratement, and inconsistent leadership.
13:49Gaining traction online, it said Fallon addressed employees during a Zoom meeting,
13:54apologizing and saying he never intended to foster an unhealthy atmosphere.
13:58Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends.
14:02I feel so bad, I can't even tell you.
14:05While NBC didn't comment extensively, the report triggered widespread debate about accountability in late night.
14:11Viewers, however, were surprised because the allegations contrasted sharply with Fallon's friendly public persona.
14:16Of course, this isn't the only time a beloved host came under fire for displaying such contradictory behavior.
14:23Number 37. The Fall of Philip Schofield.
14:26Few British talk show scandals have unraveled as quickly or publicly as this one.
14:31In May 2023, long-time This Morning host Philip Schofield resigned after admitting to a, quote,
14:37unwise but not illegal relationship with a much younger colleague.
14:40How old was this young man when you first had any kind of sexual contact with him?
14:4720.
14:48The revelation triggered intense scrutiny of ITV, which aired this morning,
14:52with critics questioning whether the network ignored rumors for years.
14:56And then, in my dressing room one day, something happened.
15:03As for Schofield, his previously polished image collapsed almost overnight,
15:08leading to investigations and public apologies.
15:10The fallout deeply shook UK daytime television,
15:14making it one of the most consequential broadcasting scandals the country had faced in decades.
15:18I've got a bit of a shock, right?
15:22I'm afraid you've been let go from this morning.
15:25Number 36. Hulk Hogan chokes out Richard Belzer.
15:28Who knew talk show demonstrations could turn so dangerous?
15:31In 1985, comedian Richard Belzer invited Hulk Hogan and Mr. T onto his talk show Hot Properties
15:38to promote their main event bout at the first-ever Wrestlemania.
15:41The first thing you need to know about amateur wrestling or professional wrestling are submission holds.
15:45You just tell me, brother, when you want him to quit squealing, okay?
15:47But when Belzer asked Hogan to demonstrate a wrestling hold,
15:51Hogan, with encouragement from T, applied a front shin lock that knocked the host unconscious.
15:56Belzer fell to the studio floor and hit his head.
15:58When he regained consciousness and sprung to his feet, he promptly threw to a commercial.
16:03And now, we'll be right back after this word from you-know-who.
16:07Belzer would later sue over the incident, reaching a hefty settlement.
16:11Number 35. Andy Dick gets escorted off the set.
16:15By 2007, comedian Andy Dick's reputation as a troublemaker had lost its charm in the throes of substance use disorder.
16:22And, well, he was clearly under the influence during this now-infamous appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
16:27The host humored Dick's antics until Ivanka Trump's interview,
16:30which Andy kept disrupting by touching her hair and leg.
16:33I have no idea what he's doing behind me.
16:36He's perfectly still.
16:37I'm, like, trying to be very, very innocent.
16:40He even asked for a kiss.
16:42Kimmel eventually had to call security to forcibly escort Dick out of the studio.
16:46Andy, don't, please.
16:48Don't touch Ivanka.
16:50Oh, wait. Did I say I was single?
16:52I meant I had a voice.
16:53Andy, please. Donald Trump will kill both of us.
16:57Andy has since worked towards sobriety with many ups and downs in his journey.
17:01But he has never been able to completely live down his past.
17:05Number 34. Michael Strahan's Exit Drama.
17:16Daytime Harmony took a serious hit in 2016 when ABC announced Michael Strahan's upcoming move from Live to Good Morning
17:23America.
17:23The problem?
17:24The major career shift was reportedly made without informing his on-air partner Kelly Ripa.
17:29Ripa's sudden absence from the show in the wake of the decision drew massive media attention.
17:33When she returned, she addressed the situation directly, calling for better communication and respect.
17:39It started a much greater conversation about communication and consideration, and most importantly, respect in the workplace.
17:50The drama exposed the nature of high-profile co-host relationships and forced ABC into major damage control mode.
17:56The entire saga has since become one of television's defining talk show upheavals.
18:01Joining me today, and permanently, until one of us dies, is Mark Consuelo.
18:07Number 33. Don Imus' Racist and Misogynistic Comments.
18:11From syndicated radio to MSNBC, Don Imus' talk show was an institution for half a century.
18:17But the shock jock naturally accumulated many controversies in that time.
18:21I didn't offer any, I didn't think it was necessary to offer any excuse.
18:26No, I don't think there is now.
18:27He finally went too far in April of 2007, when he made racist and misogynistic comments about a women's basketball
18:34team.
18:34The backlash went as high up as then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.
18:38Despite making two formal apologies, Imus lost his national broadcasting contracts with MSNBC and CBS Radio.
18:45I mean, at this point, as we sit here today, is there anything he can do?
18:50Yeah, he could resign.
18:51Imus in the morning was able to secure a successful run in New York City, but spent its last decade
18:57in obscurity relative to its earlier status.
18:59In his final sign-off in 2018, Imus acknowledged those disgraceful remarks as his greatest regret.
19:05Number 32. Jimmy Fallon Gets Cozy with Donald Trump.
19:09Late-night appearances by presidential candidates carry enormous weight, putting pressure on hosts to navigate the moment carefully.
19:16That's what made Jimmy Fallon's September 2016 interview with then-candidate Donald Trump must-watch TV.
19:22But rather than press Trump on the controversies dominating his campaign,
19:26Fallon opted for a light, entertainment-focused segment that culminated in him playfully tousling Trump's hair.
19:32Could I mess your hair up?
19:36The moment instantly went viral, and drew intense criticism from many who felt the show had, quote,
19:42normalized Trump during a deeply divisive election cycle.
19:45The answer is yes, but the people in New Hampshire, where I'm going to be in about an hour from
19:49now,
19:49I hope they're going to understand.
19:51You say yes?
19:52Go ahead. With my hairspray.
20:04Fallon later acknowledged the backlash and said he regretted upsetting people.
20:08The interview, meanwhile, remains one of the most hotly debated chapters in modern late-night television.
20:13Number 31. A Jerry Springer guest is killed.
20:17I want them to say, after watching the show, that they learned something about life that they didn't know before,
20:24and Jerry didn't get in the way of the telling of that story.
20:28Some scandals extend far beyond the studio, and this one turned tragically real.
20:32From wild drama and screaming matches to outright brawls, a lot of wild stuff happened on The Jerry Springer Show.
20:39Yet we never expected it to be linked to a real-life murder.
20:42What's going on?
20:44Ralph and I are trying to restore our marriage, and this, uh...
20:50And this trailer trash won't leave us alone.
20:52In one episode, Nancy Campbell Pennitz appeared in hopes of reuniting with her ex-husband Ralph,
20:57only to be cornered into a heated confrontation on live TV.
21:01Unthinkably, on the day the episode aired, several weeks later, Nancy's life was taken away by Ralph.
21:06Also shocking was the fact Springer and his team were let off the hook without any real repercussions.
21:12Jerry Springer, he just kind of blew it off, like, what do I know about it?
21:16How disrespectful can you be?
21:18It's just awful.
21:19Number 30. Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross' Cruel Joke.
21:23In 2008, BBC talk show host Ross joined Brand's radio show as his guest co-host.
21:29Andrew Sachs, best known for his work in the sitcom Fawlty Towers, was meant to be a phone-in guest.
21:34Fawlty Towers, how are you? Nice day.
21:36However, when the hosts couldn't reach him, Ross and Brand left several voicemails on air.
21:41The BBC is fighting a desperate battle to contain the crisis.
21:45It quickly went off the rails when they joked about Brand's intimate relationship with Sachs' granddaughter Georgina Bailey.
21:50You said that at the beginning you were too embarrassed to call your grandfather.
21:54Yeah, of course.
21:55The anger over pranking a beloved UK actor was massive, especially as Sachs did not consent to the messages being
22:02played on air.
22:03Ross was suspended while Brand resigned from the BBC, and the corporation was fined £150,000.
22:10In 2010, Ross left the BBC and soon joined ITV to create The Jonathan Ross Show.
22:16Number 29. Sharon Osbourne defends Piers Morgan.
22:20From the talk's debut in 2010, Osbourne was one of its most famous and controversial hosts.
22:26While she survived several scandals, it all came to a head in 2021.
22:29In the wake of her friend Piers Morgan's vendetta against Meghan Markle and walking away from Good Morning Britain,
22:35Osbourne stuck up for him on the talk.
22:37Did I like everything he said? Did I agree with what he said?
22:42No.
22:43Because it's his opinion, it's not my opinion.
22:46She clashed with co-host Sheryl Underwood, drawing the ire of the audience with her behavior in defending racism.
22:52I have friends in my life. I stick out for my friends.
22:57With the resurfacing of clips of Osbourne claiming Markle wasn't black,
23:01and allegations from former hosts of racist comments and getting them fired,
23:05the talk initiated an investigation.
23:07In the end, Osbourne was let go.
23:09We need to process the events of that day and what happened since, so we can get to the healing.
23:15Number 28. Jimmy Kimmel apologizes for using blackface.
23:19Before he was one of the biggest talk show hosts around,
23:21Kimmel was a co-host on The Man Show, which featured sketches, often parodying celebrities.
23:26In 2020, now fronting Jimmy Kimmel live,
23:29he released an apology for his work on The Man Show and in other projects.
23:33Jimmy Kimmel is apologizing today for wearing blackface back in the 90s,
23:39a decision he now says was a mistake.
23:41At the time, he had taken part in sketches where he parodied celebrities by wearing blackface.
23:46Kimmel portrayed such famous figures as NBA icon Karl Malone and talk show legend Oprah Winfrey.
23:52He also developed a comedy Christmas album in 1996,
23:55where he pretended to be Snoop Dogg as he uttered racial slurs.
23:59Kimmel followed up his apology with a couple of months away from his show with a vacation,
24:03before returning.
24:04There's nothing more important to me than your respect,
24:07and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore
24:12or the words I spoke, said Kimmel.
24:15Number 27. James Corden's ban.
24:18In 2022, the host of The Late Late Show with James Corden found himself in a unique scandal.
24:24James Corden opened his show last night with a lengthy apology to the staff
24:28at a famous New York restaurant.
24:31Reports soon came out that Corden had been banned from New York restaurant Balthazar
24:35by owner Keith McNally.
24:36He claimed the Brit had been abusive to his staff on two occasions.
24:40The first had to do with Corden finding hair in his dish and demanding his drinks be comped.
24:45The second time, the host screamed at staff over his wife's omelet order.
24:49His wife had ordered an all egg yolk omelet.
24:52When it was served, it had some egg whites in it.
24:54The controversy got so big that Corden apologized on his show.
24:58I also hate, as I said to the owner that day, that I've ever upset anybody ever.
25:04It was never my intention.
25:07In response, McNally unbanned him.
25:09However, after Corden denied his behavior in an interview with The Time shortly after,
25:14he was seemingly banned once more by McNally.
25:16Number 26. Bill Maher uses a racial slur.
25:19In 2017, Real Time with Bill Maher had then-Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse on as a guest to promote
25:26his book, The Vanishing American Adult.
25:28However, when Sasse offered Maher to work in the fields if he visited Nebraska,
25:32the host responded with a racial slur.
25:35After Sasse grimaced and groans rang out from the audience,
25:38Maher stated it was a joke before moving on.
25:40It's a joke.
25:42The outrage caused demands for HBO to fire Maher, who issued an apology.
25:46Very quickly the next day, he apologized. HBO said they won't re-air that show without
25:52bleeping that word out.
25:53Sasse also apologized for not speaking out at The Time.
25:56In a follow-up episode, Ice Cube, Simone Sanders, and Michael Eric Dyson confronted Maher on what
26:01he said, and why it was damaging to the Black community.
26:05It's a word that has been used against us. It's like a knife, man.
26:10Number 25. Series of Wendy Williams controversies.
26:14Oh boy.
26:14Just one of these scandals is enough to cancel a talk show, let alone several in the space
26:19of 18 months.
26:20In January 2020, Williams drew ire on The Wendy Williams Show when she seemingly mocked rumors
26:25of Joaquin Phoenix having a cleft palate treated.
26:28He's got this. He's got this. No, I find it to be very attractive.
26:33A month later, she ranted against gay men who opt to wear women's clothing.
26:38I get offended by the idea that we go through something you will never go through.
26:44And stop wearing our skirts and our heels.
26:48Days later, Williams mocked Amy Harwick, who was murdered and pushed from a balcony by using
26:53ex-fiancé Drew Carey's Price is Right catchphrase, come on down.
26:57In July 2021, Williams belittled TikTok rapper Swavy by asking if her audience knew who Swavy
27:03was, then announcing that he had passed away.
27:06He's 19, and he was murdered Monday morning.
27:12In 2022, The Wendy Williams Show was canceled, citing health issues by the host.
27:18Number 24. The Affair of Amy Robach and TJ Holmes.
27:21When running a TV show, the chemistry between the hosts is a vital component.
27:26You hit it, it wakes you up.
27:28Alarm clock.
27:28There you go.
27:29However, Robach and Holmes took that too far. In 2022, the co-hosts of GMA3, What You Need
27:36to Know, were photographed getting cozy with each other off camera, igniting rumors of an
27:40affair between them. They were married to other people. Shortly after, ABC took them off air
27:46to investigate this, as well as accusations that Holmes had other affairs with additional staff.
27:51Reports say that marathon negotiating sessions took place this week between the anchors,
27:57their lawyers, and ABC.
27:59This led to Robach and Holmes being fired by the channel, and they went public with their
28:03relationship. And so, to be clear, we were outed as being in a relationship, but everyone else
28:09thought we were being outed as adulterers.
28:12Reportedly, the exes of Robach and Holmes, Andrew Hsu and Marley Feebig, started seeing
28:17each other in the aftermath.
28:19Number 23. The Cancellation of Donohue
28:22In 1996, after 29 years, the Phil Donohue show ended as the legendary host retired to
28:28be with his family.
28:29Well, thank you. I am flattered. You may be seated.
28:32But, in 2002, he returned with his self-titled program Donohue on MSNBC.
28:38But I have to tell you, when you're called unpatriotic, it does stop you.
28:43Yet, in early 2003, the show was canceled, with the network citing low ratings.
28:48Shortly after, the real reason came out. An internal MSNBC memo was leaked that claimed
28:53Donohue should be fired due to his anti-war beliefs and his views against the U.S. invasion
28:57of Iraq.
28:58A consulting firm, which I believe was a Republican, conservative consulting firm,
29:04reported that Donohue's anti-war stance is just not going to be very good for us
29:09against the flag-waving on the other station.
29:12Years later, MSNBC higher-ups changed tack and tried to blame the cancellation on high
29:17production costs instead. Donohue spent the rest of his days as a guest on various shows
29:22before he passed away in 2024.
29:24Number 22. Megyn Kelly's Blackface Comments
29:28In 2018, in the wake of reality star Luanne Deliseps using blackface to dress up as Diana
29:33Ross for Halloween, the Megyn Kelly show decided to tackle the scandal, only for the host to
29:38cause her own.
29:39I mean, truly, political correctness has gone amok.
29:42Kelly defended Deliseps, claiming that when she was a child, it was okay to Don Blackface
29:47to play a character, so it should be fine today. Understandably, the audience was livid.
29:52On top of apologizing to staff, Kelly also said sorry on her show.
29:56And I want to begin with two words. I'm sorry.
29:59However, within days, NBC canceled Megyn Kelly today, barely a year after its debut.
30:05Several months later, in early 2019, Kelly's contract was terminated.
30:10The host received the remainder of her multi-million dollar contract.
30:13After months of negotiations with the TV host, NBC released this statement Friday.
30:18The parties have resolved their differences, and Megyn Kelly is no longer an employee of NBC.
30:24Number 21. The Jeremy Kyle Show Cancellation
30:27Presenting his self-titled show since 2005, Kyle was a leading figure in UK daytime TV.
30:33Maureen, you're 58 and you're scum. What you've done is shocking.
30:36With a similar format to The Jerry Springer Show and Maury, this regularly drew accusations
30:41that Kyle was, quote, human bear baiting. In 2019, his talk show empire came crashing down.
30:48After guest Steve Diamond failed the show's signature lie detector test,
30:52which has disputed accuracy, he sadly took his own life.
30:55Today, ITV issued a statement saying,
30:58Everyone at ITV and The Jeremy Kyle Show is shocked and saddened at the news of the death
31:03of a participant in the show.
31:04Within days, The Jeremy Kyle Show was canceled by ITV, and repeats were scrubbed everywhere.
31:10Kyle's confrontational and misleading style was heavily criticized following reports of other
31:15guests passing away. After the coroner's report stated Kyle was possibly responsible,
31:20an inquest in 2024 cleared the host.
31:23Listen, I've been canceled.
31:24Yeah.
31:25In this world, it seems now that unless you follow a certain path, you're labeled.
31:29Yes.
31:29Number 20. Whoopi Goldberg Defends Bill Cosby
31:33As one of the co-hosts of the long-running talk show The View,
31:36Whoopi Goldberg's controversial statements have landed her in hot water on more than one
31:40occasion. In 2015, after the assault allegations against Bill Cosby came to light,
31:45Goldberg's first instinct was seemingly to come to his defense.
31:49When somebody ruins your reputation, it's the same thing. It's the same thing.
31:54Despite the fact that Cosby had admitted to drugging women in the past,
31:57the EGOT-winning multi-hyphenate still backed him on the talk show panel,
32:01stating that he was innocent until proven guilty.
32:03I know it's a shock, but you actually were innocent until proven guilty.
32:09Needless to say, her comments were not received well by the public.
32:12In light of the apparent evidence against Cosby, Goldberg eventually flipped her stance,
32:17acknowledging that it all pointed towards guilt.
32:20Gotta say, all of the information that's out there kind of points to guilt.
32:25Number 19. Morton Downey Jr.'s $40 million lawsuit
32:29Before Jerry Springer popularized the trash TV format, there was the Morton Downey Jr. show.
32:35But unlike Springer, who typically tried to quell fights on his set, Downey was the instigator.
32:41In one of his most famous episodes, the host brought on an adult entertainer named Kelly Everts,
32:46who claimed to be a performer for God.
32:48Kelly, let me tell you something, pal. If there's ever a milk strike, I'll know where to go.
32:51Throughout the segment, Downey called her several demeaning names,
32:55and at different points, pushed her with his pelvis.
33:01These were all met with loud cheers from his audience.
33:05Everts later sued Downey for $40 million,
33:08alleging that he had humiliated and physically assaulted her.
33:11It's not quite clear how the lawsuit ended,
33:14but Downey's show was canceled just two years after its premiere.
33:17Next we'll find out. Next time we'll find out that she's carrying Jesus.
33:21Number 18. Ellen DeGeneres' Toxic Workplace Allegations
33:25Like many things these days, it all started with a viral Twitter thread.
33:29In March 2020, comedian Kevin T. Porter's thread opened the floor to claims that talk show host
33:35Ellen DeGeneres was a pretty mean person. A few months later, BuzzFeed News published reports
33:40from former employees who detailed years of harassment, intimidation, and racist microaggressions
33:46by senior producers of the show.
33:48Ellen is now facing a major PR problem following a BuzzFeed article that portrays the queen of nice
33:54as the queen of mean.
33:56According to them, this toxic environment was fostered by DeGeneres.
34:00Turns out the be-kind lady may not have been keeping to her own words.
34:04An investigation by the production company led to the dismissal of three executive producers.
34:09Three of the show's senior producers fired. After accusations, the show created a toxic work culture.
34:15After 19 seasons on the air, the Ellen DeGeneres show came to an end in 2022.
34:20The truth is, I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things.
34:26Number 17. Rosie Perez and Kelly Osbourne On The View
34:30In 2015, Kelly Osbourne appeared as a guest co-host on The View.
34:34While trying to counter then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial remarks
34:39about Mexican immigrants, Osbourne essentially put her foot in her mouth.
34:43And if you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet,
34:49Donald Trump?
34:50Her fellow co-host Rosie Perez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, chimed in quickly and set her straight.
34:55No, I didn't mean it like that. Come on.
34:57Perez, who had already announced her departure from The View at the end of that season,
35:01was reportedly forced by ABC executives to apologize to Osbourne during the live broadcast
35:06and on Twitter. Although these claims have been refuted by some insiders,
35:11it's believed that Perez canceled her final live appearances on the show as a result of the incident.
35:16My apologies, Kelly Osbourne. I took your point wrong. Trump, Latinos, my bad. Your heart is so
35:22pure and righteous. I adore you.
35:24Number 16. Star Jones' Sudden Departure
35:27The original lineup of The View consisted of creator Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira,
35:32Debbie Matanopoulos, Joy Behar, and Star Jones. Jones remained on the show until 2006,
35:38when, seemingly out of nowhere, she announced that she would not be returning for the next season.
35:42The show's moving in another direction for its 10th season,
35:46and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
35:49This came as a shock to Walters, not because of what she said, but rather when it was said.
35:54Jones' departure was slated to be announced on June 29, 2006. But the co-host decided to take
36:00matters into her own hands by breaking the news two days early.
36:03This is a surprise that this would come about this way. We did not expect it.
36:07This kicked off a tense feud between the two women. However, they appeared to have patched things up by
36:13Jones' next appearance on the show in 2012.
36:16It was a bad emotional time. Nasty things were being said.
36:19Number 15. Sharon Osbourne's View of The View
36:23Nothing brings out the best and sometimes worst in us like competition.
36:27The Talk premiered in 2010 with a very similar format as that of The View,
36:32kicking off a ratings battle between both shows. When the ladies of The Talk appeared on the
36:37Arsenio Hall show in 2013, he wanted to know how the two programs differed from each other.
36:42Just as Julie Chen attempted a diplomatic answer, Sharon Osbourne interrupted her with a rather blunt
36:47opinion.
36:48I love Barbara Walters. The rest can go f***ing.
36:52The incident certainly didn't do Osbourne or The Talk any favors. A few days later,
36:57she took a moment on the show to apologize for her remarks, shocking them up to her being a,
37:02quote, loose cannon. Number 14. Anne Curry's Controversial Dismissal
37:07Anne Curry had served as a news anchor on the Today Show for years before she was finally
37:11promoted to co-host in 2011. Curry's short time in the chair was reportedly troubled.
37:17I'm Matt Lauer.
37:18And I'm Anne Curry in for, I guess, nobody this morning.
37:21According to some industry insiders, she was only given the job because the show's producers were
37:26unsure if longtime host Matt Lauer would renew his contract.
37:29I've worked here for 14 years. If you've been able to put up with me for that long and you're
37:33clapping, that's a good sign.
37:34Once it became clear that Lauer was staying, they apparently decided that Curry had to go.
37:39Just about a year after she got the job, Curry announced in a very emotional appearance that
37:44she would be leaving. Many viewers who were incensed at the controversial departure turned their
37:49backs on the show, resulting in their competitor, Good Morning America, taking the number one spot.
37:54And so to all of you who watched, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me touch
37:58yours. And thank you for your tweets and your emails.
38:01Number 13. The infamous Geraldo Brawl.
38:04There's a reason why tabloid talk shows quickly became known as trash TV, and it's because of
38:09moments like this. In November 1988, Geraldo Rivera invited a panel to discuss a provocative topic.
38:16I really recommend that you don't push me too hard.
38:19Oh, come on.
38:20Among the lineup were some white supremacists, members of the skinheads against racial prejudice,
38:26as well as the African-American activist Roy Innes. Things began to escalate when one of
38:31the white supremacists referred to Innes with a derogatory term.
38:36Innes walked over and grabbed him by the neck, setting off a full-fledged brawl that left Rivera
38:42with a fractured nose. As expected, the incident gave the show a ratings bump, proving that when
38:47it comes to trash TV, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
38:51Only slightly the worst for the wear. We're back. The skinheads have been, well, the racist skinheads
39:00have been cleared out of the building.
39:02Number 12. Bryant Gumbel's Scathing Memo.
39:05About seven years into his role as the Today Show anchor, Bryant Gumbel was asked to write an
39:10assessment of the program by executive producer Marty Ryan. Gumbel did not hold back. His critiques were
39:16notably harsh and were directed at several of his colleagues, most notably the jovial weatherman
39:22Willard Scott. In the memo, Gumbel stated that Scott was, quote, holding the show hostage to his
39:27assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays, and bad taste. He also had equally blunt words for some other
39:33staffers on the show. Unsurprisingly, Gumbel's memo eventually found its way into the hands of the
39:38press. The resulting fallout between him and Scott partly contributed to Today dropping to number two
39:44in the ratings. I did what I was asked to do. I did it in what I thought was a
39:48professional fashion.
39:50Number 11. Pat O'Brien's Lewd Voicemails.
39:53When it came to sportscasting, Pat O'Brien was one of the best in the business.
39:57Through the 80s and 90s, O'Brien made a name for himself in sports news,
40:00and then became a host for the entertainment programs Access Hollywood and The Insider.
40:05He found himself embroiled in controversy in 2005 when a series of explicit voicemails he sent
40:10to an unidentified woman leaked on the internet. O'Brien had just checked into rehab for alcohol
40:16use disorder when the messages, which he sent in a drunken state, became public.
40:19And I don't remember it. I apparently made it on a Sunday and I woke up with
40:25every boss I have at the edge of my bed in LA.
40:28Following the incident, O'Brien was miraculously able to retain his job on The Insider.
40:33He was, however, fired three years later after sending out an ill-conceived email
40:37blasting his co-worker Lara Spencer. And I said, you know, that's the guy I do not want to be.
40:42Number 10. Dr. Phil Drug Scandal. In 2017, this long-running television program came under fire
40:49after former Survivor contestant Todd Herzog accused the producers of exploiting his
40:53substance use disorder to generate views. During his infamous appearance on the show,
40:58Herzog was so intoxicated he could not stand up on his own,
41:01indicating to viewers the seriousness of his condition. However, according to Herzog,
41:06he was coerced by staff into drinking two bottles of vodka and given Xanax to, quote,
41:12calm his nerves before filming.
41:14Uh, you're not okay?
41:16No.
41:17The Dr. Phil Show has vehemently denied these claims. However, an expose published in 2017
41:22by the Stat and the Boston Globe exhibited multiple victims making similar claims against
41:27the production.
41:28Um, it wasn't until about 30 days into treatment that I realized exactly how bad I was.
41:33Number 9. Rosie O'Donnell vs. Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
41:36The view can sometimes feel like a daytime soap opera.
41:40Of all the scandals this talk show has endured over the years,
41:43the feud between co-hosts Rosie O'Donnell and Elizabeth Hasselbeck was perhaps the most notorious.
41:49The tension between the two reached its boiling point in 2007,
41:53when Hasselbeck referred to Iraq as, quote,
41:57America's enemy, prompting O'Donnell to argue that the Bush administration was truly at fault.
42:02You just said our enemies in Iraq. Did Iraq attack us?
42:05The liberal O'Donnell additionally criticized the media for their unflattering portrayal of her,
42:10claiming that they favored the conservative Hasselbeck.
42:13Because here's how it gets spun in the media.
42:15Rosie, big, fat, lesbian, loud Rosie, attacks innocent, pure Christian Elizabeth.
42:21And I'm not doing it!
42:22Following their heated argument, O'Donnell left the show,
42:26while Hasselbeck exited five years later.
42:29Number 8. Alec Baldwin's offensive remarks.
42:32Although Alec Baldwin is one of the most outspoken liberals in showbiz,
42:36his behavior hasn't always lived up to his professed ideals.
42:39In 2013, the Oscar-nominated actor landed in hot water,
42:43when he allegedly directed a gay slur at a paparazzo.
42:47In due course, Baldwin was suspended from his late-night talk show for two weeks.
42:52While Baldwin initially claimed he was misquoted,
42:54he ultimately described his outburst in an apology as, quote,
42:58offensive and unacceptable.
43:00However, the damage was done,
43:02as Up Late with Alec Baldwin was canceled after only five episodes.
43:07It probably didn't help that Baldwin also made homophobic remarks
43:11towards reporter George Stark on Twitter.
43:14Number 7. Maury Povich's harassment lawsuit.
43:17Maury Povich is no stranger to controversy,
43:19as many critics have accused his tabloid talk show of exploiting serious issues.
43:23Speaking of exploitation,
43:25a $100 million sex harassment lawsuit was filed against Povich
43:29and other members of his staff in 2006.
43:32The allegation stemmed from Bianca Nardi,
43:35a former producer of The Maury Povich Show,
43:37who claimed she had been forced to watch adult material
43:40and make advances at married men in bars while being filmed.
43:43She additionally accused executive producer Paul Falhaber
43:47of making her wear revealing outfits,
43:49and implied that Povich was having an affair with producer Donna Ingber.
43:53Despite this scandal,
43:55Povich remained on television for years,
43:57and is still married to Connie Chung.
43:59Number 6. Billy Bush fired from today.
44:02Just when it seemed like the 2016 U.S. presidential election
44:06couldn't get any crazier,
44:07a 2005 hot mic recording surfaced,
44:10in which Republican candidate Donald Trump
44:12shared an offensive and potentially incriminating conversation
44:15with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush.
44:18On a bus ride,
44:19Trump not only admitted that he tried and failed to seduce Nancy O'Dell,
44:23but also made some vulgar statements while discussing actress Arianne Zucker.
44:27The scandal took a drastic toll on Bush's public image,
44:31resulting in his termination from the Today Show.
44:34Meanwhile, Trump continued his campaign,
44:36and was elected president almost a month later.
44:40You don't get to say that,
44:41because I was there in the last 14 months of my life.
44:44I've been dealing with it.
44:45You dealt with it for 14 minutes,
44:47and went on to be the president.
44:49Number 5. Blackmail Attempt Against David Letterman
44:52After a long, hard day,
44:54audiences would typically tune in to Late Show with David Letterman
44:57for a light-hearted laugh.
44:59The talk show took an uncomfortable turn in 2009, though,
45:02when Letterman confessed to having several sexual relationships
45:05with his female staffers.
45:07An extortionist had targeted Letterman,
45:09threatening to write a screenplay about the television host's affairs,
45:13unless he coughed up $2 million.
45:15And he seems to, in this packet,
45:18there seems to be quite a lot of terrible stuff he knows about.
45:21Cooperating with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office,
45:25Letterman wrote a fake check,
45:26and his blackmailer was arrested shortly after.
45:29While Letterman was met with some negative press
45:31following this shocking announcement,
45:33he eventually moved on from the scandal,
45:35and hosted Late Show for six more years,
45:38before retiring in 2015.
45:41Number 4. Oprah Winfrey vs. James Fry
45:43It's a radical departure,
45:45it's not a classic,
45:47and it is also not fiction.
45:49James Fry hit it big time when his memoir,
45:51A Million Little Pieces,
45:52was selected for Oprah's book club in 2005.
45:55Chronicling Fry's history with substance use disorder,
45:58the book became a New York Times bestseller
46:00and a cultural sensation.
46:02If I was going to write a book that was true,
46:04and I was going to write a book that was honest,
46:05then I was going to have to write about myself
46:08in a very, very negative way.
46:10Many readers felt cheated, however,
46:12when it was revealed that Fry had fabricated information
46:15in his supposed true account.
46:17This didn't reflect well on Oprah,
46:19who invited Fry onto her show
46:21to talk about the controversy.
46:22Oprah didn't let Fry off with a slap on the wrist,
46:25eventually getting him to confess
46:26that he had made up parts of the story.
46:29She also brought on publisher Nan Talese
46:31to set the record straight.
46:33Number 3. Conan O'Brien vs. Jay Leno
46:36The original war for Late Night can be traced back to 1992,
46:40when Jay Leno became Johnny Carson's successor
46:43over David Letterman.
46:44This influenced Letterman to move from NBC to CBS,
46:48while Conan O'Brien was hired
46:49to fill the NBC Late Night time slot.
46:52History essentially repeated itself
46:54almost two decades later,
46:55when Leno exited The Tonight Show
46:57so O'Brien could assume his hosting duties.
47:00Unfortunately, O'Brien's ratings struggled,
47:03and the decision to give Leno a primetime talk show
47:05turned out to be a huge miscalculation.
47:08Since pushing back the schedule wasn't an option,
47:11O'Brien was given a $45 million payout,
47:14while Leno returned to The Tonight Show in 2010.
47:18Number 2. Matt Lauer's misconduct allegations
47:21In rapid succession,
47:23from Bill O'Reilly to Charlie Rose,
47:25media personalities were publicly accused
47:27of sexual harassment in 2017.
47:30Have you done some soul-searching?
47:32Have you done some self-reflection?
47:35And have you looked at the way you treated women
47:38that you think now,
47:39or think about differently now
47:41than you did at the time?
47:42However, the sexual misconduct allegations
47:44directed at Matt Lauer
47:46shocked audiences perhaps the most.
47:48A staple of The Today Show for almost 20 years,
47:52Lauer was abruptly fired
47:53after a female NBC employee
47:55accused him of sexually harassing her
47:57three years earlier.
47:59You know, for the moment,
48:00all we can say is that we are heartbroken.
48:02It became clear that this was unlikely
48:04to be an isolated incident,
48:06as more women came forward.
48:08In one instance,
48:09Lauer was accused of summoning
48:11a former employee to his office
48:12and sexually assaulting her behind a locked door.
48:16The fact that Lauer was such a beloved host
48:18only made this more disturbing.
48:21Before we continue,
48:22be sure to subscribe to our channel
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48:31If you're on your phone,
48:32make sure you go into your settings
48:33and switch on notifications.
48:37Number 1.
48:38Jenny Jones Guest Loses His Life
48:40Okay, you think about it,
48:41you have fantasies about him?
48:42I've had a couple, yeah.
48:44The Jenny Jones Show aired for over a decade,
48:46but it's actually best remembered
48:48for an episode that never even aired.
48:51Entitled Same-Sex Secret Crushes,
48:53the episode centered on a guest
48:55named Scott Amador,
48:56who, on the show,
48:57revealed his crush to an acquaintance
48:59named Jonathan Schmitz.
49:01Three days after the episode was taped,
49:03Schmitz reportedly found a suggestive note
49:05from Amador.
49:06Schmitz subsequently purchased a shotgun,
49:09shot Amador two times in the chest,
49:11and alerted the authorities
49:12of the crime he had just committed.
49:14Having a history of mental health issues,
49:17Schmitz was convicted of second-degree murder.
49:19Meanwhile,
49:20The Jenny Jones Show
49:21faced a wrongful death lawsuit
49:23and was forced to pay Amador's family
49:25$25 million.
49:27Which talk show meltdown shocked you the most?
49:30Let us know in the comments.
49:36I'll see you later.
49:37I'll see you later.
49:37If it goes out.
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