These celebrity scandals were frontpage news once upon a time. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining the biggest, most shocking, and most viral controversies involving famous faces from each year of the 21st century so far.
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00:00I am on a drug. It's called charlatine. It's not available because if you try it once you will die.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're examining the biggest, most shocking,
00:11and most viral controversies involving famous faces from each year of the 21st century so far.
00:18He was a deeply creepy bloke who was up to no good.
00:22And it was very, very difficult to get your head round.
00:262000. Gloria Trevi's abuse arrest.
00:38After going solo in 1989, Trevi became one of Mexico's biggest pop stars,
00:43with a string of number ones and roles in films, earning her the nickname of Mexico's Madonna.
00:49But in 2000, her image took a massive hit when she was arrested in Brazil
00:54alongside her then manager, Sergio Andrade.
00:58After a police manhunt, Trevi was arrested with two accomplices.
01:04The police had been looking for them for months after allegations they had kidnapped and abused
01:09girls after several backing singers and musicians came forward. In 2004, after four years and eight
01:16months in jail in Brazil and Mexico, Trevi was released due to a lack of evidence. In 2023,
01:23after the singer was included in a lawsuit from alleged victims,
01:26Trevi issued a countersuit against them and another suit against Andrade.
01:392001. Winona Ryder is caught shoplifting. In between her Oscar nominations and her starring
01:45role in the Netflix juggernaut Stranger Things, Winona Ryder made headlines for all the wrong
01:50reasons. The actress was caught trying to shoplift items worth over $5,000 in 2001,
01:57and spent the next several years in a high-profile court case.
02:01He said the actress walked past three cash registers with a pile of clothes and handbags
02:06before leaving the store.
02:07The charges ran the gamut, from burglary to grand theft to drug possession,
02:12although the latter was eventually dropped. This incident completely shattered Ryder's image as
02:17Hollywood's squeaky clean it-girl, and even forced her into a four-year hiatus from acting.
02:23The actress is facing four shoplifting charges
02:26that carry a maximum three-year jail term.
02:28Ryder herself admits it was a dark time in her life,
02:31but thankfully she's managed to bounce back both personally and professionally.
02:36They set up security cameras because of me?
02:38No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
02:40Wait, then why did they set them up this week?
02:42Because I can't think of a lie right now.
02:462002. Martha Stewart's insider trading.
02:49Given Martha Stewart's reputation for giving Americans happy homemaker tips,
02:53she was probably the last person anyone would suspect of being a white-collar criminal.
02:58Martha Stewart decided to spend her last night of freedom away from the glare of the spotlight.
03:04Tomorrow she trades that glare for surveillance of a different kind.
03:07However, that changed in 2002 when it was alleged that Stewart had sold off more than
03:123,900 shares of ImClone Systems before its stock dropped 16% in value the next day.
03:19In 2003, Stewart was indicted on nine felony counts related to insider trading,
03:25and in 2004 she was convicted on all counts and served five months in a federal prison.
03:31What was a small personal matter became over the last two years
03:35an almost fatal circus event of unprecedented proportions.
03:40Because of the scandal, Stewart had to step down from the board of directors of
03:43Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Incorporated, and she couldn't join again until 2011.
03:502003. Kobe Bryant's assault case.
03:53Sometimes you may have, I don't know the extent of the discovery that the Bryant team has yet,
03:58but it's often used to find out specifically how a witness is going to testify,
04:03or you may have a written statement or a summarily written report.
04:08In 2003, the Los Angeles Lakers star was in the midst of his legendary career with
04:13a massive trophy haul and records set to be broken. However, that year would also
04:18leave the biggest smudge on his legacy. The NBA star was accused of assault against a
04:23teenage hotel employee, resulting in sponsors cutting ties. After he was charged, Bryant
04:29claimed it was consensual. As one of the many terms of probation, Bryant would undergo a
04:34polygraph test and have to admit his guilt or suffer the consequences.
04:39During the court case, the defense team deployed dubious methods by attacking the woman's
04:44character. The case was then dismissed after she refused to testify. In 2005,
04:50after the woman issued a civil suit against Bryant, the case was settled out of court.
04:55This is not a basketball game where I have, you know, a lot of control on the outcome.
05:01You really just got to let it go. And I think to do that, you instantly have to mature.
05:082004. Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction.
05:11Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's halftime performance at Super Bowl 38 in 2004
05:17is undoubtedly one of the most infamous television events of all time.
05:21At the end of Rock Your Body, Justin removed part of Janet's costume,
05:34exposing her breast for about half a second. The backlash was massive, with shocked and
05:40outraged commentators lamenting the country's moral collapse. Over half a million letters
05:45poured into the FCC, who fined CBS $550,000, although it was later voided.
05:52The controversy is now remembered for having unfairly tarnished
05:56Jackson's career while not affecting Timberlake's at all.
05:59All the emphasis was put on me, not on Justin. And, uh,
06:08Justin, we were friends.
06:112005. Trial of Michael Jackson.
06:15Since 1993, allegations about the king of pop and inappropriate conduct with children have
06:29haunted his career. In 2003, the documentary Living with Michael Jackson shone a light back
06:35on it, showcasing a lot of questionable behavior from Jackson toward child Gavin Arvizo at his
06:41Neverland ranch.
06:55This led to the police gathering evidence to arrest and charge Jackson on several counts.
07:01In February 2005, one of the biggest celebrity trials got underway, garnering a media circus
07:07of attention as several celebrities testified for the pop star's defense. In June 2005,
07:13after a week of deliberation, the jury found Jackson not guilty of all charges.
07:19The judge doesn't want to hear it, doesn't want to talk to the doctor and says,
07:22I am issuing a warrant for Michael Jackson's arrest. I'm forfeiting bail,
07:26but I'm going to hold it for an hour and then the clock starts ticking.
07:302006. Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic rant.
07:34No one comes out of a DUI arrest looking good, but this drunken road trip ended up being the
07:39least of Mel Gibson's problems. It seemed like he was definitely, uh, had drank a little too
07:44many that night. When the arresting officer refused to let him drive home, Gibson unleashed
07:49a hate-filled tirade full of jaw-dropping anti-Semitic remarks. After TMZ leaked the
07:55arrest report, it hit mainstream news outlets, and that was that for Gibson's image.
08:00The devout Catholic wrote, I am not a bigot. Hatred of any kind goes against my faith.
08:05The ensuing backlash threatened to capsize his entire career. Actually it did for a while.
08:11In the years following this 2006 scandal, Gibson struggled to make new friends in Hollywood.
08:16He's since apologized and regained his footing in the industry,
08:20but there's no way Gibson will ever fully leave his words behind him.
08:24You had some rough patches over the last 10 years.
08:27Rough patch.
08:28And, and, and how was that?
08:32Not my proudest moment.
08:332007. Phil Spector's murder trial.
08:36The inventor of the so-called Wall of Sound. Now he's in jail facing a minimum of 18 years in prison.
08:44As the creator of the Wall of Sound music production style,
08:47Spector was one of the biggest producers in the industry. However, his life was turned upside
08:52down when actor Lana Clarkson was found fatally shot at his residence in Alhambra, California.
08:58Spector claimed it was self-inflicted, but the police didn't agree after gathering evidence
09:03and testimonies from staff of his involvement. So they arrested the producer for murder.
09:08In 2007, it was announced Spector's trial would be televised,
09:13drawing the world's media towards the event.
09:16D'Souza's testimony seems to be the nail in Spector's coffin,
09:20but defense attorney Brad Brunnion wastes no time trying to tear it apart.
09:26However, a mistrial was declared after a hung jury. In 2009, after the retrial,
09:32Spector was found guilty and sentenced to 19 years to life. In 2021, he passed away in prison.
09:39I met a lot of crazy people in my life. I met very few sane ones that I could talk to.
09:492008. O.J. Simpson's Robbery.
09:52Count one. Conspiracy to commit a crime. One year in the county jail.
09:58Count two. Conspiracy to commit kidnapping. A minimum term of 12 months,
10:01max term of 48 months in the Nevada Department of Corrections.
10:03In 1994, the former NFL star was thrust into the spotlight as he was arrested for the murders of
10:09Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, of which he was acquitted at the trial. By 2007, Simpson was
10:15living a very different life. He was arrested for taking part in the armed robbery of the Palace
10:20Station Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, for stealing sports memorabilia, which he claimed was stolen
10:26from him. Two sports dealers, Al Beardsley and Bruce Fremont, say they were held in the room
10:31and robbed at gunpoint. Four out of the five co-defendants testified against Simpson for
10:36lighter sentences. With his conspirators making deals to testify against Simpson,
10:41his case went to trial in 2008. He was found guilty of all charges and was sentenced to 33
10:47years. In 2017, Simpson was released on parole. In 2021, he was granted early discharge for good
10:55behavior. However, three years later, Simpson passed away.
10:58And I didn't know I was doing anything illegal. I thought I was confronting friends,
11:02so I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of it.
11:052009. Kanye interrupts Taylor Swift's award speech.
11:09When Taylor Swift won Best Female Video at the 2009 VMAs, Kanye was so outraged that he
11:15crashed Swift's acceptance speech and let everybody know what he thought.
11:19Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you. I'm gonna let you finish.
11:24But Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
11:30The moment was embarrassing for everyone, even Beyonce, for whom West was advocating.
11:36Beyonce graciously invited Swift back to the stage to finish her speech when she won for Video
11:41of the Year. West faced enormous public backlash for ruining Swift's big moment and apologized.
11:47It was just, it was rude, period. And, you know, I'd like to be able to apologize to her in person.
11:53But in 2016, he also later took credit in an improbable lyric for making Taylor Swift famous.
12:002010. Jesse James cheating scandal.
12:03I never, in a million years, the last person I would ever want to hurt or harm is her.
12:11In March 2010, Sandra Bullock suddenly cut short her European promotional tour for The Blind Side
12:17to deal with personal issues. As it turned out, several days before, a number of women
12:22came forward claiming to have had affairs with Bullock's husband, James. Best known for creating
12:27West Coast Choppers and hosting Monster Garage, the two married in 2005. James soon made a public
12:34apology to Bullock and his family before checking into a treatment facility to try to save his
12:39nuptials. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work, as the Oscar winner filed for divorce a month
12:45later, which was finalized by June 2010. It was sad. You know, it's tough to
12:52tell somebody, someone that you love, it's tough to tell them something. When you know,
12:57when you tell them, you're never going to see them again. 2011. Charlie Sheen's fall from grace.
13:02Ambien, hello, Ambien, the devil's aspirin. Anyone? Ambien? I think that led to that thing
13:09in New York. I don't know. I know that's the one thing in the mix that was not part of my normal
13:13blend. Starring in Two and a Half Men, he was the reigning champion of TV acting,
13:18becoming its highest paid performer. Yet in 2011, Sheen had one of the most public downfalls
13:24in the industry's history. After entering a treatment facility for substance issues,
13:29the actor then criticized show creator Chuck Lorre multiple times in interviews,
13:34as he demanded a pay raise. It's nothing outside of deplorable at a certain time. Yeah,
13:40that's Chuck's real name. Mistook this rock star for his own selfish exit strategy, bro.
13:46So Sheen was fired, but he wasn't done. Sheen then did more interviews where his mental health
13:51was questioned after discussing tiger blood and declaring himself a warlock as he ranted.
13:57You're dealing with a Vatican assassin. Sorry. What does that mean, you're wondering?
14:02Whatever. It's just a joke. People take everything so literally.
14:05After Sheen spoke publicly about returning to Two and a Half Men,
14:08it was announced Ashton Kutcher was cast to replace his character.
14:132012. Jimmy Savile's Tarnished Legacy.
14:16From charitable to con man, there may never be anyone who faces as steep a fall from grace as
14:22Jimmy Savile. Did you make up your mind that you were going to be totally honest? What are
14:26the certain things you weren't going to say? The bits that I didn't say are only those which I
14:32forgot. The English celebrity made a name for himself through radio shows,
14:36eclectic interviews, and mountains of benevolent fundraisers. He was a good,
14:41honest man. Or at least, that's how it seemed until his death in 2011. While there had been
14:47allegations before then, Savile's passing opened the floodgates to hundreds of sexual misconduct
14:52claims. Please do not let him get away with this perversion. Don't let him continue to
14:57think he's untouchable, or that his secret is too well hidden.
15:01You heard that right. There were hundreds, many of whom were underage at the time.
15:06The overwhelming evidence shook the industry to its core,
15:09with many still wondering how such a rampant predator never faced justice in his lifetime.
15:15I don't think he would get away with that now. I think times have changed.
15:182013 – Miley Cyrus' Image Change
15:28At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, the internet was awash with shock. During
15:33Robin Thicke's performance of Blurred Lines, Cyrus used a foam finger suggestively and twerked
15:39against the performer. It was a far cry from the wholesome image she'd developed during her
15:43Hannah Montana days. And what has all this taught you?
15:48That parents should believe their kids when they tell them their cousins are evil.
15:51However, the seeds of the more risque change had been planted years before.
15:56On the same day as the VMA performance, Cyrus released the music video for Wrecking Ball,
16:01which drew further pearl clutching as she swung around in the buff and got intimate with a
16:05sledgehammer. When she was asked about the transformation on the fashion police show,
16:10Cyrus stated, quote, it's called puberty.
16:13You know now. You know what's happened. Madonna's done it. Britney's done it.
16:16Every VMA performance, anyone that performs, that's what you're looking for. You're wanting
16:20to make history. Me and Robin the whole time said, you know we're about to make history, right?
16:232014 – Bill Cosby Assault Accusations
16:27Before Hannibal Buress' rant at a stand-up show went viral in 2014,
16:31Bill Cosby was so loved and respected as a comedian that he was known as America's dad.
16:37But this squeaky clean image was quickly shattered,
16:40as the sexual assault allegations came pouring in.
16:44However, after the Buress video gained attention,
16:46several women felt encouraged to come forward and accuse Cosby of misconduct.
16:51In 2018, Cosby was indicted and convicted of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea
16:57Constant and received a prison sentence of three to ten years. However, in 2021,
17:02he was released early after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction,
17:07citing a violation of due process.
17:09Many do not see a legal path for another case, but some say they're not giving up.
17:14Other cases are still pending, however, and the scandal has forever tarnished his legacy.
17:192015 – Jared Fogle's Crimes
17:29After getting national attention for losing a load of weight by exercising and consuming
17:34a Subway diet, Fogle joined The Sandwich Company in 2000 as a spokesperson,
17:39regularly popping up in their commercials.
17:41Subway even claimed he played a major role in vastly increasing their revenue.
17:50However, after first coming to the police's attention in 2007,
17:56in 2015, Fogle's house was raided. After they found indecent media featuring children in his
18:02possession, the spokesperson was arrested. Not long after, Fogle pleaded guilty to his crimes
18:08as part of a deal and was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in jail, plus fines totaling $225,000
18:17and a combined restitution to the victims of $1.4 million.
18:21Just hours after that raid, Subway suspended their relationship with Jared,
18:26who in the past few years had become the public face of the sandwich empire.
18:302016 – Donald Trump's Access Hollywood tape
18:34In any other election, this scandal would have ended the candidate's career.
18:47Somehow, it didn't, as Trump went on to win the U.S. presidency.
18:51Amid his campaign in 2016, footage of him talking in 2005 to Billy Bush for Access
18:57Hollywood came to light. Unknowingly being recorded on a microphone as they were on a bus,
19:02Trump was heard speaking grossly about Days of Our Lives actor Ariane Zucker
19:06and Bush's co-host Nancy O'Dell.
19:09This is a time to set an example, to set example for our youth,
19:13men and women, and to teach our children how to be respectful of each other.
19:19Before talking about assaulting women, it was horrendous. Trump, who called it,
19:23quote, locker room talk, didn't get any serious repercussions. However,
19:28Bush, who weirdly laughed at the businessman's comments, was fired from Today.
19:382017 – Harvey Weinstein and Me Too
19:41An influential producer once considered a titan in Hollywood, Weinstein was accused of assault
19:46and harassment by numerous women, as detailed by the New York Times and The New Yorker.
19:51After these stories came out, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women around the world to
19:55share their stories on social media with the hashtag Me Too.
19:59It was started by actress Alyssa Milano. She tweeted out,
20:03if all women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote Me Too
20:07as a status, we might give people a sense of magnitude of the problem.
20:12This would spark a movement that changed the way many industries viewed misconduct in the workplace.
20:17In February 2020, Weinstein was found guilty on multiple counts of misconduct,
20:22and was later sentenced to 23 years in prison.
20:25Although that conviction has been overturned and he will be retried,
20:29he's still serving 16 years for a separate conviction as of 2024.
20:34This is seen as a severe sentence and perhaps a watershed moment for the Me Too movement.
20:38Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 23 years behind bars.
20:422018 – Alison Mack and NXIVM
20:45Best known for her role as Chloe Sullivan on Smallville, this actress was involved in NXIVM,
20:51a sex cult dressed up as a multi-level marketing organization.
20:55As part of NXIVM, which she joined in 2006,
20:58Mack recruited girls to become slaves for cult leader Keith Ranieri.
21:03In 2018, Mack was indicted on charges including sex trafficking and forced labor that potentially
21:08could have landed her between 14 and 17 years in prison. However, because of her cooperation
21:14with investigators in bringing down Ranieri, Mack was only sentenced to three years in prison,
21:191,000 hours of community service, and was fined $20,000.
21:23She was released in 2023 after serving just 21 months of her term.
21:29Prosecutors asked the judge to give Mack a reduced sentence because of the, quote,
21:33substantial assistance she provided with their investigation into the cult.
21:372019 – Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin's college admissions scandal
21:42In 2019, an FBI investigation named Operation Varsity Blues uncovered a criminal scheme in
21:49which parents were bribing their children's ways into top universities.
21:52The bust is called Operation Varsity Blues and the accusations range from paying thousands of
21:58dollars for higher SAT scores to presenting students as top athletes in sports they never
22:03even played. It is a little enraging.
22:06Among those involved were actresses Felicity Huffman, best known for her role in Desperate
22:10Housewives, and Lori Loughlin of Full House fame. Huffman paid $15,000 to have someone take her
22:17daughter's SAT test for her, and Loughlin paid $500,000 to have her daughter enrolled in the
22:22University of Southern California. Both actresses were arrested and did short stints in prison.
22:28The ruling? 14 days in prison, $30,000 fine,
22:33one year supervised release, and 250 hours of community service.
22:38The scandal shone a spotlight on how the rich are able to use money and
22:42influence to give their children an unfair advantage.
22:452020 Ellen DeGeneres' Treatment of Employees
22:49The comedian presented herself on her talk show as a friendly, down-to-earth personality. However,
22:55rumors of mean remarks and actions had circulated for a while, and in 2020, employees began to speak
23:02out. Remember, these were allegations of fear and intimidation at the workplace,
23:06of sexual harassment, of racism. Shocking allegations on their own, but this was at
23:12the Ellen show. In a report from BuzzFeed in July, employees alleged that Ellen presided
23:18over a toxic work environment where they were exposed to sexual harassment, racist comments,
23:24and other issues from the show's producers. Following these revelations, ratings dropped
23:29by more than a million viewers. The Emmy winner finished by
23:32acknowledging she's not just a TV personality, she's also the boss of 270 people on her show's
23:39staff. Ellen says she wants them all to be happy and proud to work there.
23:44In 2022, DeGeneres ended her show after 19 years on the air.
23:492021 R. Kelly Abuse Allegations
23:53The R&B artist has long been suspected of having inappropriate relationships with underage girls.
23:58In 2002, R. Kelly was indicted on multiple counts of possessing obscene material involving
24:04children. Though he was acquitted, and a year later, he was able to beat the rap again.
24:09Last month, Kelly was indicted again, this time charged with aggravated criminal sexual
24:15abuse of four women, including three, who the charges say, were minors at the time.
24:21However, in the late 2010s, more allegations of misconduct and abuse emerged,
24:25along with a series of high-profile documentaries, including Lifetime's
24:30Surviving R. Kelly. In July 2019, federal prosecutors charged Kelly with multiple
24:35felony counts, including racketeering, exploitation, kidnapping, and sex trafficking.
24:41Altogether, it added up to a 2022 sentence of 31 years behind bars.
24:46"...is breaking his silence about the sexual abuse charges that landed him in jail last month.
24:51The embattled R&B singer spoke with Gail for nearly..."
24:542022. The slap heard around the world.
24:57The morning after the 94th Academy Awards, everyone was talking about Will Smith,
25:03and not just because of his Oscar win. During the show,
25:06presenter Chris Rock made a tasteless joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's bald-headed appearance.
25:11"...that was a nice one, okay."
25:13In response, Will Smith climbed on stage and slapped the comedian, all on live TV.
25:19The burst of violence had more drama than all the Best Picture nominees combined,
25:24especially when Smith later won Best Actor for his work in King Richard.
25:28"...you gon' be the best it ever was.
25:32You gon' be the greatest of all time. You know how I know? Because I plan for it."
25:39Now regarded as the slap heard around the world, Smith's actions resulted in intense
25:45media controversy and a 10-year ban from future Oscar ceremonies.
25:50Will responded,
25:51"...I accept and respect the Academy's decision."
25:542023. The crimes of Danny Masterson.
25:57According to the Associated Press, Masterson watched the women without
26:01any visible reaction during their comments, one woman calling him
26:04"...pathetic, disturbed, and completely violent."
26:07In 2017, the former That 70s Show performer was enjoying life acting on the ranch.
26:12Unfortunately for the Scientologist,
26:14allegations of his abuse and assaults against women began to come out.
26:18Masterson was soon fired from the show, and his management team dropped him as a client.
26:23The Deputy District Attorney saying justice may have been delayed, but ultimately still served.
26:28"...somebody needs to be held accountable, despite the length of the time."
26:31Shortly after, more accusations came out, many of which were against other Scientologists
26:37at the time of the attacks. This led to Masterson being arrested and going to court.
26:42After the first case ended in a mistrial, the actor was retried in 2023.
26:47Masterson was found guilty of two of the three charges,
26:50the last resulting in a hung jury. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.
26:55I'm going to explain my feelings to you through a highly disciplined form of Japanese poetry.
27:00Haiku.
27:02My heart aches with pain. When I see you, I vomit.
27:07Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get
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27:232024 – The Sean Diddy Combs Investigation
27:27In September 2024, rapper and producer Sean Diddy Combs was indicted on charges of trafficking and
27:34racketeering after a slew of lawsuits and allegations were brought to federal court.
27:39Today, I'm announcing the unsealing of a three-count indictment.
27:42The indictment includes multiple accounts of abuse against women,
27:45illegal drug transportation, and larger schemes allegedly orchestrated by Combs,
27:51who was accused of coercing victims into sex acts that lasted for multiple days.
27:57The indictment alleges that Combs abused and exploited women and other people for years,
28:02and in a variety of ways.
28:03Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges, and if convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
28:11Given his high profile in the music industry, the investigation and subsequent trial generated
28:17significant media attention, breaking the silence on Combs' long history of alleged misconduct.
28:23This is what the feds do. They measure twice, they cut once.
28:26What was the biggest celebrity scandal the year you were born? The 1991 arrest of Paul
28:31Rubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, for indecent exposure? Charles Manson's 1971 conviction?
28:38Jennifer Grey and Matthew Broderick's fatal car crash in 1987? Or something else? Let us know below.
28:45Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
28:47and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.