Best of the Decade: Celebrity Scandals
The 2010s have been fraught with celebrity scandals, and because of the rapid increase in technology and connectedness through social media, anyone can know what Kanye West is doing in a matter of seconds. Some might say it’s a curse, others a blessing, but we’re not here to give an opinion. Here are the top 10 celeb scandals of the 2010s.
Julianne Hough Wears Blackface (2013)
In 2013, Julianne Hough dressed up in an orange jumpsuit and painted her face brown in order to, as she said, pay homage to the character “Crazy Eyes” from the TV show Orange Is The New Black. The blackface, one of the first scandals of its kind, caused such a social media backlash that the actress publicly apologized. “It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way. I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize,” she tweeted.
Bill Cosby Accused of Sexual Harassment and Assault (2014)
In 2014, 60 women came forward to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual harassment and assault. He was later sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison after being found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Temple University employee Andrea Constand.
Ariana Grande Licks a Donut (2015)
In 2015, Ariana Grande was caught on surveillance camera licking a pan of donuts she hadn’t paid for while saying “I hate America” at California’s Wolfee Donuts in Lake Elsinore. This scandal caused such a backlash that she had to publicly apologize twice. The bakery did not press charges.
Academy Awards Mixup (2017)
At the 2017 Academy Awards, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty announced La La Land as the best picture winner. However, while the crew of La La Land were making their acceptance speeches, producer Jordan Horowitz interrupted them, saying, “There’s a mistake. Moonlight, you guys won best picture. This is not a joke.” The moment inspired many memes and a public apology from the Academy.
Harvey Weinstein Accused of Sexual Assault and Rape (2017)
Harvey Weinstein was initially accused of sexual assault and rape by more than a dozen women who worked in the film industry with him. He was fired from his production company, suspended from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, resigned from the Directors Guild of America, left by his wife Georgina Chapman, and denounced by leading figures in politics. The current total of accusers who have come forward is 80.
Kanye Supports President Trump (2018)
In 2018, Kanye tweeted a photo of himself wearing a MAGA hat signed by the president himself. Trump tweeted back, “Thank you Kanye, very cool!” Memes about Kanye and this interaction began popping up all over Twitter, and many Kanye fans were outraged and denounced him.
Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson Engaged (2018)
After just three weeks of dating, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson announced their engagement. Less than five months later, they announced they had called it quits.
Khloe Kardashian vs. Jordyn Woods (2019)
In 2019, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson’s breakup was caused by rumors of a cheating scandal between him and Kylie’s best friend, Jordyn Woods. Later, in an interview with Jada Smith, Woods admitted to kissing Thompson, but claimed that she wasn’t the reason the two split up. Later, Kardashian fans, along with the Kardashians themselves, took to Twitter to blast Jordyn for “breaking up a family.”
Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin (2019)
Actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were both involved in a nationwide college admissions scandal earlier this year. The scandal involved some of the country’s most prestigious colleges and universities, and more than 25 celebrity parents were involved. Huffman pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to have her daughter’s SAT score improved and was sentenced to 14 days in jail. Loughlin, a former Full House star, has pleaded not guilty to paying $500,000 to get her daughters into the University of South Carolina.
