10 Most Inappropriate Moments Caught on Live TV
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
WRITTEN BY: Don Ekama
Live TV can capture incredible moments, or completely inappropriate ones. For this list, we'll be looking at the most memorable live moments that were out of place and not well-suited to the context in which they occurred, whether intentional or accidental. Our countdown of inappropriate moments caught on Live TV includes Mike Tyson Bites Evander Holyfield, Tucker Carlson Falls Asleep On Air, the 2004 Super Bowl Wardrobe Malfunction, and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Inappropriate Moments Caught on Live TV. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most memorable live moments that were out of place and not well-suited to the context in which they occurred, whether intentional or accidental. What’s the most inappropriate thing you’ve ever seen on live TV? Let us know in the comments below.
Many of us have found ourselves in this position before. You’re so exhausted at work that you take a quick nap when no one’s looking. Unfortunately for this guy, this moment was seen by many. During a live broadcast of “Fox & Friends” in 2013, host Tucker Carlson slept while the cameras were still rolling. Apparently, Carson had been up late the previous night covering for Sean Hannity and thought to snooze off a bit during the commercial break. He, however, couldn’t tell when they were back on air. You know, seeing as he was already in dreamland. Co-hosts Clayton Morris and Alisyn Camerota poke fun at him, but Carlson is able to play it off professionally.
The 2017 World Series ended with the Houston Astros clinching their first-ever win, against the LA Dodgers. But the match was not without controversy. In the second inning of Game 3, Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel scored a home run off Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish. After returning to the bench, Gurriel was caught on camera making a slanted-eye gesture, in an apparent mockery of Darvish, who is Japanese. He also appeared to mouth an offensive word, which means “little Chinese boy” in Spanish. The scandal resulted in Gurriel receiving a five-game suspension for the 2018 season. The Astros baseman tendered an apology to Darvish and later tipped his helmet to him, presumably as a show of remorse.
“Survivor: China” runner-up Courtney Yates received quite a lot of media attention during her time on the show, much of it revolving around her weight. Both media houses and her fellow contestants on the show speculated about the true cause of her petite stature. These comments continued to dog Yates until the reunion, resulting in one of the most inappropriate lines of inquiry in TV history. Out of nowhere, host Jeff Probst openly questioned Yates about the nature of her weight, in the most embarrassing way imaginable. He then topped that off by congratulating her for putting on a few pounds. Probst managed to outdo himself later on, when he asked Erik Huffman if he was still a virgin.
In 2014, Alaska’s KTVA reporter Charlo Greene went viral after a clip of her dramatic resignation made it to social media. Greene was doing a report on the Alaska Cannabis Club, an organization that had launched a campaign to help legalize statewide recreational use of the herb. Halfway into the program, she reveals that she is actually the owner of the club, and then proceeds to quit her job live on air. Greene reportedly left the news to focus on becoming a full-time cannabis advocate. However, her club was later raided by the authorities and she was charged with multiple criminal offenses, carrying a possible 54-year prison sentence. Greene later pleaded guilty to one felony count.
Calling off an engagement can be awkward for all parties involved. But doing so in front of millions of people is what we imagine peak embarrassment to be. For the 13th season of “The Bachelor,” Jason Mesnick first proposed to Melissa Rycroft, but later realized that he had stronger feelings for Molly Malaney, the runner-up. Weeks later, during the “After the Final Rose” special, Mesnick called off the engagement with Rycroft and chose Malaney instead. It was a painfully uncomfortable moment to watch, so we can only imagine how Rycroft was feeling. The choice seems to have paid off though, as Mesnick and Malaney are still together, and Rycroft is happily married to someone else.
Ah, the Oscars! A night of glitz and glamor, where the biggest names in movies walk the red carpet in the most expensive garments. At the 46th edition, however, the most memorable individual was a relatively unknown man who crossed the stage in nothing but his birthday suit. While co-host David Niven was about to introduce Elizabeth Taylor, a naked man named Robert Opel ran across the stage and waved the peace sign. Opel’s sudden appearance sent the auditorium into an uproar, with loud cheers and applause heard from the audience. Thankfully, Niven was able to get the show back on track with a hilarious rejoinder.
Ever heard the saying “if you can’t beat ‘em, bite ‘em”? No? Well, that’s probably because you aren’t Mike Tyson. The highly controversial heavyweight boxer reached a new height of infamy when he faced Evander Holyfield for a second time on June 28th 1997. In the third round of the match, Tyson bit Holyfied’s ear, not once but twice, with one bite so strong it took off a chunk of the organ. Tyson was disqualified from the bout and faced severe consequences including a hefty fine and having his boxing license revoked. This was, however, reinstated later. It remains one of the most bizarre moments in boxing history, put on display for millions of live viewers.
On May 30th 2012, Hollywood actor Martin Short appeared on the “Today” show to promote the then-newly released “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”. In the course of their discussion, host Kathie Lee Gifford casually asked Short about his wife Nancy Dolman and how they’ve sustained their love over the years. It all seemed like a pretty nice gesture. The only problem was that Dolman had passed away nearly two years earlier. Judging by Short’s response, though, you’d never know it. The veteran comedian handles the questions with grace and breezes on to talk about his new film. Gifford was later made aware of her mistake and gave an on-air apology to Short.
For less than one second, Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed on live TV and her entire world came crashing down. Jackson was one of the artists billed to headline the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in February of 2004. While performing alongside Justin Timberlake, he pulled off a part of Jackson’s costume and inadvertently revealed her breast live on TV. It only lasted a split second, but that was all it took to spark a nationwide outrage. The Super Bowl halftime show, traditionally a showcase of musical talent and entertainment, became the stage for a sensationalized controversy. The incident led to tighter regulations for live broadcasts and Jackson suffered severe consequences, from which Timberlake was largely spared.
Over the years, controversial music figure Kanye West has proven just how unpredictable he can be when live cameras are rolling in front of him. West infamously called out former President George W. Bush in a 2005 charity telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims. But nothing comes close to when he walked onstage and interrupted Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs. Swift had just won Best Female Video when West grabbed the microphone from her to declare that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. The shocking interruption not only stole the spotlight from Swift but also undermined her accomplishment and embarrassed her in front of millions. Although West later apologized, the incident kicked off a lasting feud between both artists.
#10: Tucker Carlson Falls Asleep On Air
Many of us have found ourselves in this position before. You’re so exhausted at work that you take a quick nap when no one’s looking. Unfortunately for this guy, this moment was seen by many. During a live broadcast of “Fox & Friends” in 2013, host Tucker Carlson slept while the cameras were still rolling. Apparently, Carson had been up late the previous night covering for Sean Hannity and thought to snooze off a bit during the commercial break. He, however, couldn’t tell when they were back on air. You know, seeing as he was already in dreamland. Co-hosts Clayton Morris and Alisyn Camerota poke fun at him, but Carlson is able to play it off professionally.
#9: Yuli Gurriel’s Offensive Gesture
The 2017 World Series ended with the Houston Astros clinching their first-ever win, against the LA Dodgers. But the match was not without controversy. In the second inning of Game 3, Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel scored a home run off Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish. After returning to the bench, Gurriel was caught on camera making a slanted-eye gesture, in an apparent mockery of Darvish, who is Japanese. He also appeared to mouth an offensive word, which means “little Chinese boy” in Spanish. The scandal resulted in Gurriel receiving a five-game suspension for the 2018 season. The Astros baseman tendered an apology to Darvish and later tipped his helmet to him, presumably as a show of remorse.
#8: Jeff Probst Grills Courtney Yates
“Survivor: China” runner-up Courtney Yates received quite a lot of media attention during her time on the show, much of it revolving around her weight. Both media houses and her fellow contestants on the show speculated about the true cause of her petite stature. These comments continued to dog Yates until the reunion, resulting in one of the most inappropriate lines of inquiry in TV history. Out of nowhere, host Jeff Probst openly questioned Yates about the nature of her weight, in the most embarrassing way imaginable. He then topped that off by congratulating her for putting on a few pounds. Probst managed to outdo himself later on, when he asked Erik Huffman if he was still a virgin.
#7: TV Reporter Quits Live on Air
In 2014, Alaska’s KTVA reporter Charlo Greene went viral after a clip of her dramatic resignation made it to social media. Greene was doing a report on the Alaska Cannabis Club, an organization that had launched a campaign to help legalize statewide recreational use of the herb. Halfway into the program, she reveals that she is actually the owner of the club, and then proceeds to quit her job live on air. Greene reportedly left the news to focus on becoming a full-time cannabis advocate. However, her club was later raided by the authorities and she was charged with multiple criminal offenses, carrying a possible 54-year prison sentence. Greene later pleaded guilty to one felony count.
#6: Jason Mesnick Picks Molly Malaney
Calling off an engagement can be awkward for all parties involved. But doing so in front of millions of people is what we imagine peak embarrassment to be. For the 13th season of “The Bachelor,” Jason Mesnick first proposed to Melissa Rycroft, but later realized that he had stronger feelings for Molly Malaney, the runner-up. Weeks later, during the “After the Final Rose” special, Mesnick called off the engagement with Rycroft and chose Malaney instead. It was a painfully uncomfortable moment to watch, so we can only imagine how Rycroft was feeling. The choice seems to have paid off though, as Mesnick and Malaney are still together, and Rycroft is happily married to someone else.
#5: 1974 Academy Awards Streaker
Ah, the Oscars! A night of glitz and glamor, where the biggest names in movies walk the red carpet in the most expensive garments. At the 46th edition, however, the most memorable individual was a relatively unknown man who crossed the stage in nothing but his birthday suit. While co-host David Niven was about to introduce Elizabeth Taylor, a naked man named Robert Opel ran across the stage and waved the peace sign. Opel’s sudden appearance sent the auditorium into an uproar, with loud cheers and applause heard from the audience. Thankfully, Niven was able to get the show back on track with a hilarious rejoinder.
#4: Mike Tyson Bites Evander Holyfield
Ever heard the saying “if you can’t beat ‘em, bite ‘em”? No? Well, that’s probably because you aren’t Mike Tyson. The highly controversial heavyweight boxer reached a new height of infamy when he faced Evander Holyfield for a second time on June 28th 1997. In the third round of the match, Tyson bit Holyfied’s ear, not once but twice, with one bite so strong it took off a chunk of the organ. Tyson was disqualified from the bout and faced severe consequences including a hefty fine and having his boxing license revoked. This was, however, reinstated later. It remains one of the most bizarre moments in boxing history, put on display for millions of live viewers.
#3: Kathie Lee Gifford’s Awkward Gaffe
On May 30th 2012, Hollywood actor Martin Short appeared on the “Today” show to promote the then-newly released “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”. In the course of their discussion, host Kathie Lee Gifford casually asked Short about his wife Nancy Dolman and how they’ve sustained their love over the years. It all seemed like a pretty nice gesture. The only problem was that Dolman had passed away nearly two years earlier. Judging by Short’s response, though, you’d never know it. The veteran comedian handles the questions with grace and breezes on to talk about his new film. Gifford was later made aware of her mistake and gave an on-air apology to Short.
#2: 2004 Super Bowl Wardrobe Malfunction
For less than one second, Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed on live TV and her entire world came crashing down. Jackson was one of the artists billed to headline the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in February of 2004. While performing alongside Justin Timberlake, he pulled off a part of Jackson’s costume and inadvertently revealed her breast live on TV. It only lasted a split second, but that was all it took to spark a nationwide outrage. The Super Bowl halftime show, traditionally a showcase of musical talent and entertainment, became the stage for a sensationalized controversy. The incident led to tighter regulations for live broadcasts and Jackson suffered severe consequences, from which Timberlake was largely spared.
#1: Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift
Over the years, controversial music figure Kanye West has proven just how unpredictable he can be when live cameras are rolling in front of him. West infamously called out former President George W. Bush in a 2005 charity telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims. But nothing comes close to when he walked onstage and interrupted Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs. Swift had just won Best Female Video when West grabbed the microphone from her to declare that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. The shocking interruption not only stole the spotlight from Swift but also undermined her accomplishment and embarrassed her in front of millions. Although West later apologized, the incident kicked off a lasting feud between both artists.
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