- 7 weeks ago
Some controversies fade — but these celebrities refuse to. Join us as we count down the most disgraced stars who somehow remain active in their careers! From scandal-plagued musicians and Hollywood outcasts to internet provocateurs and convicted felons, these figures have survived public outrage in ways few could have predicted. Which cancelled celeb surprises you the most? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00If I'm the problem, you might be the reason
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at celebrities who may have lost respect in
00:11the court of public opinion yet remain active in their careers.
00:21Russell Brand
00:22For years, most consider his antics harmless, with some even seeing him as an unconventional,
00:27enlightened voice of reason. However, his image has plummeted sharply in his later career.
00:33Alongside increasingly wild conspiracy claims, Brand has faced serious allegations from multiple
00:38women, ranging from harassment to emotional abuse, all of which he has denied.
00:42Russell Brand, the comedian and actor, was charged with five counts in relation to four
00:49alleged victims. Police investigations, criminal charges, and being removed from traditional
00:53media platforms, haven't deterred this provocateur, though. He's pivoted to the rumble platform with
00:58his show Stay Free with Russell Brand, and continues to tour as a stand-up comic.
01:03Hello there, you awakening wonders. We've never been able to trust the pharmaceutical industry,
01:07and now we have more information than ever.
01:09Brand's appearance at the 2025 AmericaFest also stirred significant controversy,
01:14taking shots at ex-wife Katie Perry's relationship with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
01:19But when I came here to America, I really support everyone seems really, really cool and lovely.
01:23Jake and Logan Paul.
01:25The gist of it is, I got these glasses and they cured my color blindness. Well,
01:29that was the title and that's what I made it look like.
01:32Their collective track record is so long, it needs a whole list of its own. From the infamous
01:37Japan Force video to offensive online content, allegations of racism, scams, and sexual misconduct,
01:43Jake and Logan Paul are rarely in the news for positive reasons. And yet, the outrage has
01:49hardly slowed them down. The pair has converted their heel personas into lucrative sponsorships,
01:54brand deals, and film and TV appearances.
02:03Even if audiences tune in hoping to see them humbled in boxing or pro wrestling,
02:07the brothers walk away richer and more visible. Will controversies ultimately catch up to them?
02:13That's hard to say. But for now, expect to see a whole lot more of them whether you want to
02:18or not.
02:18I've made a severe and continuous lapse in my judgment, and I don't expect to be forgiven.
02:25I'm simply here to apologize.
02:27Will Smith. Rather than his Oscar speech, the slap heard around the world reached a lot more ears.
02:34Will Smith.
02:35The feed goes silent, and so does the audience after Will Smith takes a swing at Chris Rock on stage
02:42at the Oscars.
02:44In a single moment, Will Smith's decades-long image crumbled. For many, though, it was an incident that had long
02:50been in the making.
02:52Overexposure, growing perception of smugness, and the endlessly memed entanglement controversy had already damaged the once bulletproof Smith name.
02:59An entanglement?
03:00Yes.
03:02Although his star power hasn't exactly rebounded, Smith has so far defied cancel culture.
03:08Based on a true story marked his return to music after a 20-year hiatus,
03:12on the acting front, Bad Boy's Ride or Die's $400 million gross suggests that his built-in audience hasn't moved
03:19on.
03:30There may still be life left in his brand, so long as certain names stay out of everyone's mouths.
03:38Morgan Wallen.
03:39Turn around, say that I'm the worst thing. I guess I'm the problem.
03:45One of the most common sayings claims that talent is nothing without discipline.
03:49Whoever said that clearly never heard of Morgan Wallen.
03:52Despite a history of questionable behavior, Wallen's career continues to soar.
03:57The voice alarm is easily the hottest name in modern country music, with each album topping the previous one.
04:03His streak of success has extended worldwide by now, with the appropriate name I'm the Problem hitting number one in
04:09countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK.
04:12DUI charges, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, throwing chairs off roofs, and racial slurs have all faded into background noise.
04:20Your mess never do no wrong if I'm so awful.
04:25Wallen's controversial past may just be uncancellable, and only time will tell if he can keep it this way.
04:31If I'm the problem, you might be the reason.
04:37Elon Musk.
04:56If overexposure had a face, and you're looking at it, early in the decade, Musk had a largely positive image,
05:03making appearances in movies and TV shows and even hosting SNL.
05:06But, by the mid-2020s, Musk seems to be just about everywhere.
05:11This one really matters.
05:13And I just want to say thank you for making it happen.
05:19From feuding with Donald Trump, inflammatory salutes at political events, romances spread across tabloids, allegations of misinformation, and turning Twitter
05:28into a pet project, this billionaire doesn't know when to quit.
05:32None of it appears to be slowing him down either, with Musk weighing in on nearly every topic, even when
05:38nobody asks.
05:38With unlimited resources at his disposal, the only barrier is self-control, something he seems to have little interest in
05:45imposing.
05:46Is that clear?
05:47I hope it is.
05:50Louis C.K.
05:51Five women all sharing similar stories not verified by NBC News, describing for The Times...
05:58Louis C.K.'s pattern of behavior as abusive, and fearing retribution if they spoke out earlier.
06:06Once framed as a voice of reason in an increasingly political-correct world, some fans even hailed C.K. as
06:12a modern-day philosopher.
06:13With several high-profile projects lined up, C.K. nearly hit the stratosphere, only for it all to collapse.
06:20In 2017, multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct.
06:24Initially denying the allegations, C.K. later admitted they were true, saying he believed it was okay because he always
06:31asked first.
06:32I have been remorseful of my actions, and I've tried to learn from them and run from them.
06:38Now I'm aware of the extent of the impact of my actions.
06:42The backlash reportedly cost him $35 million in lost earnings.
06:46By 2018, however, C.K. was back on the comedy circuit and was touring globally by 2023.
06:52In 2025, he released his debut novel and appeared on mainstream platforms like D.O. Vaughn's The Past Weekend podcast.
06:59Though forgiveness remains far from unanimous.
07:03Hey, thanks a lot for that back there.
07:04That was pretty scary.
07:06Never had anybody point a gun at me before.
07:09Yeah, well, it's a pretty regular thing around here.
07:14Roman Polanski.
07:16Before cancel culture took off, Polanski enjoyed a reputation as a filmmaking institution.
07:20A fugitive of the United States since 1978 following an infamous case involving then-teenager Samantha Gailey, many powerful Hollywood
07:28figures continue to praise and defend him.
07:31In fact, over 160 high-profile names signed a petition calling for his release after he was arrested in Zurich.
07:38With this in mind, it's hardly a surprise that Polanski maintained a prolific career well into his 80s.
07:44Not much to tell you, except that I'm innocent.
07:47The Me Too movement finally forced a broader reckoning.
07:51Many former supporters backed off their earlier statements or distanced themselves entirely.
07:55Still, his career has remained afloat even outside the Hollywood system.
07:59Realist in the palace as recently as 2023.
08:02Polanski has written an apology to Samantha.
08:06Now believes he should be left alone.
08:09Woody Allen.
08:10In some cases, no doubt, the allegations are true.
08:13In others, a weapon of revenge.
08:15It's a story we've done before on 60 Minutes, but this one is different because everyone knows the parents, at
08:21least from the movies.
08:22The father is Woody Allen, writer, director, actor.
08:26The mother is Mia Farrow, his frequent co-star, and the mother of his three children, two of them adopted.
08:32Echoing Roman Polanski in several ways, Woody Allen has found himself in hot water in recent years.
08:37A hyper-productive filmmaker who released the film almost every year, Allen is a four-time Oscar winner with 24
08:44nominations.
08:44And yet, his highly turbulent personal life has dominated headlines for decades.
08:49His relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, the daughter of former partner Mia Farrow, already drew controversy.
08:54But allegations from Allen and Farrow's adopted daughter, Dylan, cast a permanent shadow.
08:59Out of this has grown lawyers and psychologists and district attorneys and private investigators.
09:08And I mean, I'm saying it's a multi-million dollar industry that has sprouted up over a total non-event.
09:15His friendship with trafficker Jeffrey Epstein didn't exactly help matters either.
09:20The Me Too movement intensified scrutiny, prompting numerous celebrities to distance themselves, though some support remained.
09:27While Hollywood seems to have shut him out, Allen continues to find work in European productions, sustaining his career in
09:33a different market.
09:34The 57-year-old filmmaker and his longtime lover Mia Farrow broke up.
09:38And now, Allen confirms he is having an affair with Farrow's adopted daughter, who's 21 years old.
09:45Art Kelly.
09:46I did you wrong.
09:49I admit I did.
09:51Serving a 31-year prison sentence would be the death knell for any career.
09:56Yet, Art Kelly seems to have no intentions of quitting.
09:59After years of failed attempts to repair his image, he was ultimately convicted on multiple federal charges, setting his once
10:05-mighty career up in flames.
10:06His bodyguard handed me his phone number and said, Art Kelly, we'd like you to call him.
10:12However, an album credited to Kelly titled, I Amid It, was unexpectedly released in 2022.
10:18Although the album was taken down, Kelly appears to still be active from behind bars.
10:22In a seven-minute phone call on the In Métis with A&P podcast, he claimed to have written 25
10:28albums since his incarceration.
10:30Whether these see the light of day is uncertain, but living in disgrace clearly hasn't translated into silence.
10:35I didn't do this stuff.
10:37This is not me, y'all.
10:39I'm fighting for my f***ing life.
10:42Y'all killing me with this s***.
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11:01Kanye West.
11:02From admiration to widespread condemnation, the public relationship with Kanye West is uniquely volatile.
11:09By 2018, West's eccentricities morphed into irresponsible and hateful rhetoric, drawing ire across pop culture.
11:17It was crazy.
11:18It was like some Black Mirror episode.
11:21They wanted to do everything to prove to me that I didn't have a right to say anything out loud
11:28that went against people who own the media, people who own the music industry.
11:34Topping charts ever since his debut, his seemingly untouchable musical empire stumbled when Donda 2 fell commercially.
11:41Still, West's media presence hasn't diminished in the slightest.
11:44No matter what he's up to, he manages to make headlines each time.
11:48As long as I breathe, I'm here for all of my artists, all of my peers, and all the people.
11:55In 2026, West issued a public apology via the Wall Street Journal, attributing his past behavior to neurological damage from
12:03his 2002 car accident.
12:05How that affects his next album remains to be seen.
12:07But with Kanye West, expecting the unexpected is always the safest bet.
12:12Would you say there's been a normalization of anti-Semitism?
12:16Not only normalizing it, but also the fact that increasingly it's become socially acceptable.
12:23Which cancel celeb are you surprised still has a career?
12:26Let us know in the comments down below.
12:27And don't forget to like and subscribe for more WatchMojo videos.
12:30And don't forget to like and subscribe for more videos.
12:30.
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