10 People Who Went Viral for All the Wrong Reasons

10 People Who Went Viral for All the Wrong Reasons

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at notorious times people were turned them into internet celebrities, but not for the pure reasons they likely dreamed of. We’ll explore the incident that sparked their infamy and the aftermath.

Nicole Arbour

An actor and comedian, Arbour also had an active YouTube channel. But in 2015, she moved into confrontational sketches that used comedy as a smokescreen to insult groups. She took it too far with one called “Dear Fat People,” dismissing obesity as a disease and going on a fat-shaming rant. Many people criticized the video and Arbour’s views, but she justified it all as satire. Reportedly, the controversial video even cost her a film job. Later on, Arbour admitted she did the video as a marketing ploy, which apparently earned her thousands. She made a series of similar videos, all using reactionary comedy to target different groups for attention.

Charles “Charlie” Withers

If there’s one thing the internet collectively loves, it’s a juicy mystery. In 2024, Ashley McGuire went viral with her Facebook post looking for her estranged English husband and TV chef, Withers. While she was pregnant with their second child the year before, he apparently ghosted her and disappeared. McGuire was looking for him to issue divorce papers and stressed not to harass him. Going by Charlie now instead of Charles, the internet – in less than 16 hours – found he had moved from Massachusetts to Texas and discovered his Bumble profile. On the radio station JAM'N 94.5, McGuire confirmed Withers had been in touch but seemed more concerned with his new employer being publicly stated than his 2 kids.

Dan Bilzerian

Known as the “King of Instagram,” professional poker player and businessman Bilzerian loves to post about his extravagant lifestyle. While often showcasing tropical locations, expensive cars, and designer clothing, these posts have also gotten him into trouble. Bilzerian likes beautiful women around him, leading to accusations that he uses them as props for his content. In 2017, Bilzerian was criticized for posting an insensitive video of him running from the shooting tragedy at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. Reportedly, he tried to borrow a firearm from a police officer but was rejected. This as well as various other legal issues and scandals caused Bilzerian’s stock to fall rapidly.

Oli London

Nowadays, London is a political commentator who supports the anti-gender movement. But long before that, he came to infamy for subjecting himself to a series of surgeries to look Korean, even though he is of White British descent. Using BTS member Jimin as an inspiration, London appeared on several TV shows to highlight his “transracial” identity and released K-Pop-influenced songs. This immediately drew the ire of many, especially from the South Korean community. London received further criticism for stating his intention to have “little London” reduced to fit in with an insulting stereotype. In 2022, shortly after coming out as a transwoman and wanting to emulate Blackpink member Rosé, London announced he was detransitioning back to a man and radically changed his views.

Courtney Stodden

In 2011, the US was shocked by the announcement that Stodden, who later came out as non-binary, had married actor Doug Hutchison. The issue was that Stodden was only 16 at the time and Hutchison was more than 30 years older! Stodden had met Hutchinson after signing up to attend his acting class. According to “The Green Mile” performer, his agent dropped him, and his family ostracized him after the scandalous announcement. Stodden soon appeared on several reality shows, often connected to their controversial nuptials. In 2020, after breaking up and reconciling, Stodden announced their divorce from Hutchinson on Instagram. In the same post, Stodden accused the actor of grooming them and later stated he was abusive.

Kim Davis

In 2014, Davis was elected County Clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky. By the following year, she would gain notoriety for all the wrong reasons. The Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage throughout the 50 state - but not on Davis's watch! She turned down any such requests, using her religious beliefs as an excuse. One gay couple recorded Davis rejecting them, and the footage went viral. Her actions forced her to be jailed for 5 days for contempt of court, allowing her deputies to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses with Davis’s name removed from the document. On top of losing her clerk role in 2019, in 2024, Davis was ordered to pay over $360,000 after being successfully sued by a couple she’d rejected.

Marvel Women

In 2017, to celebrate the memory of legendary comic publisher Flo Steinberg, who had recently passed, a group of women working for Marvel Comics had a selfie taken as they enjoyed milkshakes. From this innocent picture, Comicsgate stuck its grim head up. As an alt-right movement within the industry, this vocal minority believes storytelling that doesn’t revolve all about them all the time is a bad thing. Instead, they argue that "diversity hires," mostly those who aren’t white, right-wing, cis/het men, are ruining comics. Heather Antos, who posted the photo, was viciously targeted by trolls. They sent her messages filled with misogynistic language, insults, and threats. They even doxxed her. But while Antos is celebrated in the industry, Comicsgate can't say the same.

Hawk Tuah Girl

In 2024, the YouTube channel "Tim & Dee TV" released a video where they interviewed people on the street and asked intimate questions. At one point, they asked participants what actions they did to drive men wild in the bedroom. With that, Hailey Welch stepped up to the plate, albeit slightly inebriated, and told about her unique technique, gaining the title of “Hawk Tuah Girl” from the internet. With her newfound fame, Welch quit her job at a bedspring factory and cashed in by signing a merchandise deal, getting representation, and creating her own company. She’s also rubbed shoulders with famous faces, such as Zach Bryan and Shaquille O'Neal.

Danielle Bregoli (aka Bhad Bhabie)

In 2016, the catchphrase “Cash Me Outside” swept over the internet and everyday life. And it all originated from Danielle Bregoli appearing in an episode of “Dr. Phil.” Her mother brought the teen on the show, recounting her she struggle to raise Bregoli after getting into various legal escapades. When the audience laughed at her attitude, the future Bhad Bhabie challenged them to a fight by issuing the infamous phrase, drawing bewilderment and turning her into a meme icon. Later, Bregoli was sent to the Turn-About Ranch, which is intended for troubled teens. However, in 2021, she publicly spoke about the abuse she sustained and witnessed at the facility. Bregoli has since used her viral fame to carve out a career as a rapper.

Logan Paul

Before becoming a wrestler, Paul was a popular YouTuber who gained enough internet fame to get roles in mainstream TV and films. But in 2017, he tanked his reputation in a thoughtless instant. While in Japan, he uploaded an insensitive video that contained footage of a man who had taken his life in a forest. Immediately, the internet, politicians, and celebrities were outraged at Paul. Many demanded YouTube close his channel. Due to the backlash, Paul deleted the clip and uploaded an apology. However, this didn’t stop numerous acting roles and business opportunities from distancing themselves. His brother, Jake, can relate. While acting in Disney’s “Bizaardvark,” he was fired by the show after many complaints from neighbors over his YouTube stunts.


What other cases did we miss? AP Dhillon smashing his guitar at Coachella? The Kylie Kakes chaos? Trevor Jacob’s plane stunt? Or something else? Let us know below!