Top 10 Celebrity Outbursts That Left Us SPEECHLESS

By the time Russell Crowe was arrested in June of 2005, he had already had multiple public instances of bad behavior. But the notoriety of this incident led to the actor’s first known criminal charge. Crowe was staying at the Mercer Hotel in Manhattan when he threw a telephone at a concierge, leaving him with significant facial injuries. The aggressive act was reportedly triggered by the employee’s inability to help Crowe connect an international call to his wife. Crowe was arrested on charges of second-degree assault and fourth-degree weapons possession, and made to do the infamous perp walk. He eventually pleaded guilty and paid a reported six-figure settlement to the aggrieved employee.

In 2022, James Corden was publicly called out by restaurateur Keith McNally for behavior that was quite unlike his typically cheerful and affable demeanor. The incident occurred at McNally’s New York restaurant Balthazar when Corden erupted in an angry outburst and was “yelling like crazy” following a mix-up in his wife’s order. As a result, McNally made the decision to ban the comedian from his establishment. Corden initially dismissed the uproar as silly, but he later addressed the matter on his “Late Late Show,” where he admitted that his behavior was “ungracious”. He also extended a private apology to McNally, a gesture that eventually persuaded the owner to rescind the ban.

Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon found herself in handcuffs in 2013 for a drunken confrontation with a state trooper at a traffic stop. Witherspoon and her then-husband Jim Toth had been pulled over in Atlanta on suspicion of driving under the influence. While Toth was undergoing a sobriety test, Witherspoon reportedly failed to comply with the trooper’s orders to remain in the car and was placed in handcuffs. What followed was a tumultuous rant from Witherspoon, complete with the notorious declaration: “do you know who I am?” The dashcam video of the incident stunned many, including Witherspoon herself, who apologized on “Good Morning America,” admitting she had “no idea what [she] was thinking that night”.

Music power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z maintained a squeaky clean reputation for years following their marriage. So when this infamous elevator video made its way into the public, it left many tongues wagging. The clip, recorded at a 2014 Met Gala after party, appears to show Beyoncé’s sister Solange physically attacking her brother-in-law before being restrained by a bodyguard. It was a complete deviation from the picture-perfect image the family had carefully crafted over the years. As such, it triggered a lot of speculation as to what could’ve led to it. While the exact cause of this incident remains unknown, we’ll advise anyone to heed Beyoncé’s suggestion on the song “Cozy” and not mess with her sis.

The 2009 film “Terminator Salvation” starred Christian Bale as the adult John Connor, a Resistance fighter in the film’s universe. A few months before the film’s release, an audio tape surfaced which captured a shocking on-set outburst by Bale. The actor was reportedly filming an intense scene when cinematographer Shane Hurlbut walked directly in his line of sight, distracting him. This triggered a four-minute rant, riddled with expletives, in which Bale lectured Hurlbut in a condescending manner and threatened to quit if it happened again. The clip went viral and even spawned a popular dance remix titled “Bale Out”. Bale would later apologize for his behavior, explaining that he had already reconciled with Hurlbut.

Miranda Lambert clearly doesn’t take kindly to fans taking selfies during her performances. The country singer voiced her displeasure during a July 2023 show at her Las Vegas residency. Lambert was delivering a live rendition of her hit song “Tin Man” when she stopped abruptly to scold a group of fans who were taking selfies. She then gestured for the women to sit down. The response from the audience was mixed - while some enthusiastically cheered on the singer, a handful of attendees opted to leave the show following the outburst. Many users online also criticized the singer, with one commenter noting that her behavior was “completely uncalled for, and disrespectful to her fan base.”

Throughout its near 100-year history, there have been numerous controversial occurrences at the Academy Awards. But perhaps none was as deafening as that which took place at the 94th edition in 2022. Actor and comedian Chris Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, prompting her husband Will Smith to approach the stage and slap him. This was then followed by a profanity-laden rant that left the entire audience - those in the auditorium and at home - at an utter loss for words. Amid the palpable tension, Smith would pick up the Best Actor award, delivering a tearful apology for his actions. Dubbed ‘The Slap Heard Around the World’, the incident resulted in a decade-long ban for Smith from all Academy events.

Mel Gibson has never been the most well-behaved celebrity. The actor and filmmaker has faced criticism in the past for multiple offensive remarks. However, those all seemed to pale in comparison to his now-infamous rant following an arrest in July 2006. Gibson was taken into custody in Los Angeles for driving under the influence. His reaction to the arrest was to hurl anti-Semitic comments at the officer, which eventually made their way to the public. The backlash was swift and severe, and contributed to him being blacklisted by the industry for almost ten years. In 2010, Gibson found himself embroiled in yet another controversy, when a leaked phone call exposed him berating his then-girlfriend and using racial slurs.

For nine years, Michael Richards played the lovable but eccentric Cosmo Kramer on the NBC sitcom “Seinfeld”. While the show gained him a lot of fans, his behavior years later during a stand-up routine at the Laugh Factory drew intense criticism. Richards infamously launched into a racist tirade after a group of audience members heckled him. The comedian repeatedly used racial slurs and alluded to the despicable practices of the Jim Crow era. Needless to say, this was shocking for anyone who had grown to love Richards on “Seinfeld”. Despite a public apology on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” the incident had a significant impact on Richards’ career, ultimately leading to his decision to retire from stand-up.

If you’re the highest-paid actor on television, it’s perhaps not advisable to berate your employer on a public platform. You could end up losing your lucrative job, just like Charlie Sheen. In 2011, Sheen sought treatment for substance use disorder, leading to a halt in production for “Two and a Half Men”. Soon after, the show was temporarily canceled after the actor insulted creator Chuck Lorre on a popular radio program. Even after his dismissal, Sheen never hit the brakes on his public downward spiral. He appeared in TV interviews where he claimed to have “tiger blood” and declared that he was “winning”. This marked one of the darkest points in Sheen’s career and raised significant concerns about his well-being.


Which of these outbursts stunned you the most? Let us know in the comments below.