It can take years, even decades, to build a successful career in entertainment. Most (if not all) of your favorite celebrities, for example, started at the bottom and put in a ton of hard work, sacrifices, and dedication to become wealthy, powerful household names.
However, it only takes a single controversy for that empire to come crashing down in one fell swoop. And for some renowned figures in the industry, the downfall is self-inflicted.
Here are the celebrities who supposedly tanked their own careers, according to a discussion in a Reddit thread from a while back.
#21
Sinead O'Conner ripped up a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live.
Completely ruined her career, but in all honesty, she probably would have k****d her career in another way if it never happened as she's had several controversial moments in her lifetime.
She still makes music and is incredibly talented.
But unfortunately her career has never been the same as a result of her controversial views/actions. I say unfortunately by meaning the world misses out on the music produced by incredibly talented and passionate musicians. Some of the things she's said is pretty messed up though.
Completely ruined her career, but in all honesty, she probably would have k****d her career in another way if it never happened as she's had several controversial moments in her lifetime.
She still makes music and is incredibly talented.
But unfortunately her career has never been the same as a result of her controversial views/actions. I say unfortunately by meaning the world misses out on the music produced by incredibly talented and passionate musicians. Some of the things she's said is pretty messed up though.
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9points
#22
Stacey Dash from Clueless. For saying that transgenders should just "pee in the bushes" instead of using public restrooms.
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8points
#23
Megan Fox when she talked negatively about Michael Bay.
Also, Elon Musk, if it counts. Dude has completely lost it. His whole facade of "cool memer dude" is slipping and everyone is seeing him for the union-busting child labour laws violating unethical billionaire he is.
Also, Elon Musk, if it counts. Dude has completely lost it. His whole facade of "cool memer dude" is slipping and everyone is seeing him for the union-busting child labour laws violating unethical billionaire he is.
8points
#25
Mara Wilson, although, to be fair, she didn't tank her own career. She was a cute kid and a very successful child actress, but she grew up looking like an average person, instead of someone who could be cast as a s*x symbol... and just stopped getting work.
So she got a college degree at NYU and I think she does smaller stuff - voice overs, podcasts like Nightvale. Had a small part on "Broad City." She writes, basically. And she wrote a great piece about child stardom and what chaos it is. Not just on her behalf, but looking at people like Amanda Bynes.
She tweets, she's written great pieces about child stardom, and she's just an awesome person
She wrote an autobiography I have yet to read but it's amazing to hear a child star write so candidly about having to give up on film, not because of "bad choices" or self-indulgence, but because they got tired of being cast as the "fat ugly friend". It's sobering stuff.
So she got a college degree at NYU and I think she does smaller stuff - voice overs, podcasts like Nightvale. Had a small part on "Broad City." She writes, basically. And she wrote a great piece about child stardom and what chaos it is. Not just on her behalf, but looking at people like Amanda Bynes.
She tweets, she's written great pieces about child stardom, and she's just an awesome person
She wrote an autobiography I have yet to read but it's amazing to hear a child star write so candidly about having to give up on film, not because of "bad choices" or self-indulgence, but because they got tired of being cast as the "fat ugly friend". It's sobering stuff.
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8points
#26
Steve Rannazzisi. Lied about being in the world trade center on 9/11.
Also, Jan-Michael Vincent. Was a super good looking actor in the 80s that got a little too into d***s.
Also, Jan-Michael Vincent. Was a super good looking actor in the 80s that got a little too into d***s.
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8points
#27
Amanda Bynes. She had an early success in her acting career and retired at age 24 because she had a downward spiral. Entirely fell off the entertainment industry.
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7points
#28
Elizabeth Berkley k****d her career with Showgirls. No one could take her seriously after that.
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7points
#29
T.I. when he decided to take to the news and say that he has his daughter's gynecologist perform a virginity test, or assure him of her virginity, each time he takes her there. This was when his daughter was 18.
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7points
#30
David Icke in 1991. He was a household name, ex-Coventry goalkeeper, BBC sports commentator. An the Terry Wogan show, in full view of the nation, believes he is the son of God and that the world will soon be obliterated by earthquakes and tsunami. Taken in by a Russian forgery, "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" (itself no more than a criticism of Napoleon III with the names clumsily altered to refer to "The Jews" instead of "Napoleon III"), he believed that a secret group of alien reptilian humanoids called the Babylonian Brotherhood created and controls humanity, and that many prominent figures are reptilian, including George W. Bush, Queen Elizabeth II, Kris Kristofferson, and Boxcar Willie.
In recent years he has degenerated into little more than an anti-semitic neo-N**i.
In recent years he has degenerated into little more than an anti-semitic neo-N**i.
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7points
#31
Paula Deen.....Her deposition said enough.
EDIT: Didn't asnwer the second question the first time.
EDIT: Didn't asnwer the second question the first time.
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6points
#32
Ari Shaffer made fun of Kobe Bryant after he died and now people like Joe Rogan and Tom Segura are keeping distance.
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5points
#33
Alexander Hamilton. He was a d**n genius and a respected and honest lawyer and politician, until he had an affair with another woman who was not his wife and made it public in a pamphlet called 'The Reynolds Pamphlet', ruining his political career forever.
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5points
#34
Mo'nique. She refused to participate in "campaigning" for an Oscar after she was nominated for her role in *Precious*. It started a feud of sorts with the director, Lee Daniels, which led to her being blackballed, or so she claims. She hasn't really worked again since winning an Oscar, which is pretty odd.
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4points
#35
Lena Dunham.
And she dragged quite a bit of Girls cast down with her (d***s, hard time getting other gigs, etc). Girl basically had a career funded and served to her on a silver platter, and couldn't keep her mouth shut, be self-aware for two seconds at a time, or stay away from d***s.
She's Hannah Horvac in real life. She literally wrote and played herself - I don't think she anticipated people thinking it was parody or cringe-humor. I think she just went along with it and slowly it ate away at her.
And she dragged quite a bit of Girls cast down with her (d***s, hard time getting other gigs, etc). Girl basically had a career funded and served to her on a silver platter, and couldn't keep her mouth shut, be self-aware for two seconds at a time, or stay away from d***s.
She's Hannah Horvac in real life. She literally wrote and played herself - I don't think she anticipated people thinking it was parody or cringe-humor. I think she just went along with it and slowly it ate away at her.
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4points
#36
Kid who played Anakin drove into a cop car at 100MPH, obviously he got arrested.
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4points
#37
I dont know if he thanked his career or not but Fankie Muniz kinda disappeared after Malcom in the middle.
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4points
#38
Justin Lee Collins.
For those who don't know he was a comedian in the UK, he was known for doing The Friday Night Project with Alan Carr, and presented an Americas home videos type show, Oops TV.
In 2011 his wife came out about him ab**ing her. She also had some audio of him accusing her of looking at other men. He pleaded guilty and hasn't done any big things since. Last I heard he's doing video shout outs for £25.
For those who don't know he was a comedian in the UK, he was known for doing The Friday Night Project with Alan Carr, and presented an Americas home videos type show, Oops TV.
In 2011 his wife came out about him ab**ing her. She also had some audio of him accusing her of looking at other men. He pleaded guilty and hasn't done any big things since. Last I heard he's doing video shout outs for £25.
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4points
#39
Dave Chappelle comes to mind.
Dude was a comedy god in 2005. Literally every where you went you could hear people quoting lines from his show, and comedy central was throwing him 100 million dollar contracts iirc. But He got fed up with the celebrity life and the constant need to perform and produce, so he left for Africa for a while.
He's made a nice come back through Netflix the last few years.
Dude was a comedy god in 2005. Literally every where you went you could hear people quoting lines from his show, and comedy central was throwing him 100 million dollar contracts iirc. But He got fed up with the celebrity life and the constant need to perform and produce, so he left for Africa for a while.
He's made a nice come back through Netflix the last few years.
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4points
#40
DMX
For those too young to remember he was huge in the 90s and early 2000s with multiple top albums and songs on the billboard rap charts.
He had trouble with the law (g*ns, d***s, animal cruelty) his whole life.
In 2004 though, he had multi-platinum success and was still relevant and touring regularly. He was supposed to catch a flight from JFK to a concert where he was performing. He never made it to the plane. Instead, he got super high on cr*ck, pulled a random guy out of his car in the parking lot, claimed to be a federal agent, and stole the guys car. He left behind his own (far more expensive) vehicle.
For those too young to remember he was huge in the 90s and early 2000s with multiple top albums and songs on the billboard rap charts.
He had trouble with the law (g*ns, d***s, animal cruelty) his whole life.
In 2004 though, he had multi-platinum success and was still relevant and touring regularly. He was supposed to catch a flight from JFK to a concert where he was performing. He never made it to the plane. Instead, he got super high on cr*ck, pulled a random guy out of his car in the parking lot, claimed to be a federal agent, and stole the guys car. He left behind his own (far more expensive) vehicle.
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3points
