Top 10 Talk Show Appearances That Got Celebs Blacklisted

“Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (1993-2009)
Beloved comedian Dax Shepard has often discussed his struggles with substance use disorder. And a 2004 appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" marked an important turning point. Shepard entered in an over the top way, falling over his chair and accidentally damaging a table. It seemed like harmless horseplay, until Shepard spent the interview randomly going off-topic. Seemingly recognizing the problem, Conan O'Brien banned the actor from his show for a time. While this didn't greatly affect Shepard's career, it soured his reputation. He now looks back at the incident as a moment that reflected the danger to more than just his professional life. Shepard has spoken candidly about his recovery journey in the years since, and has been welcomed back by O'Brien.

“Extra” (1994-)
"The Bachelor" has faced much controversy through the years. Host Chris Harrison essentially stood by the show at every turn, but came under fire in 2021. He appeared on "Extra" to address contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's attendance at a college ball that has historically romanticized the Antebellum South. Harrison's lengthy response crudely defended Kirkconnell, excusing her actions while basically brushing off the racism embedded in the event. While Kirkconnell went on to win "The Bachelor 25", Harrison and the show parted ways amid backlash and online hostility against interviewer (and previous “Bachelorette”) Rachel Lindsay. "The Bachelor" has since taken steps to become more progressive. Some may be ready to see Harrison return, but others feel he still has a long way to go.

“Access Hollywood” (1996-)
Billy Bush lost the gig as a “Today” host just a few months after getting it. With the 2016 U.S. Presidential election heating up, the public discovered tape from Bush’s 2005 interview with Donald Trump for “Access Hollywood”. On it, Trump discussed women in a sexually graphic and disturbing manner. Bush, for his part, chuckled and went along with it, which, needless to say, did not fly. The comments soon became a blight on his character. While the tape didn’t prevent Trump from winning the election, it did cost Bush his position at “Today”. He has since expressed remorse and become the host for “Extra”. Still, it’s an example of how the past can catch up to TV personalities not running for office.

“The View” (1997-)
Most people know Kathy Griffin can get harsh. The same edgy and confrontational comedy that made her famous has gotten her banned from multiple shows through the years. We can’t even get into all the different cases here, but she’s notably been barred from appearing on “The View” – several times. On one occasion, she and Elisabeth Hasselbeck became involved in a tense on-air discussion after the latter began criticizing the comedian’s methods. Griffin fought back, which didn’t sit well with Hasselbeck. Now, many people sided with Griffin on this one, but nevertheless, this reportedly ignited something of a feud between the pair. More importantly, Griffin claimed the incident got her ‘banned’ from the show.

“Megyn Kelly Today” (2017-18)
After being praised for helping to expose a culture of harassment at Fox News, Megyn Kelly faced controversy in NBC’s daytime lineup. “Megyn Kelly Today” was criticized for its host’s awkward personality and commentary. After roughly one year on the air, Kelly went way too far. Participating in an all-white discussion panel on appropriate Halloween costumes, she brushed off blackface as a modern controversy. She even equated it with whiteface. Though she apologized for disregarding the historical harm of this racist practice, the backlash was swift, and got the show the wrong kind of attention. “Megyn Kelly Today” was promptly canceled before Halloween, with NBC later firing Kelly in January 2019. While she now notably has a podcast, we’ve been seeing much less of her lately.

“Good Morning Britain” (2014-)
Piers Morgan has been at the center of many scandals due to his controversial journalism and hosting style. But he couldn't entirely bounce back from his take on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s “Oprah” interview on "Good Morning Britain". His allegations that the Duchess was exaggerating her traumatic experiences with racism and mistreatment within the Royal Family sparked an uproar. Morgan soon resigned from the show, purportedly in defense of free speech. The scandal was so great that Sharon Osbourne and "The Talk" parted ways after she aggressively defended her friend (xref). Morgan has since largely been pigeonholed in conservative media, with fewer filters and viewers for his divisive opinions. Despite a still-loyal following, his behavior has made him less of a voice for the masses.

“Today” (1952-)
Tom Cruise made headlines during a promotional tour for 2005's "War of the Worlds". Now, his euphoric interview with Oprah Winfrey was probably his most memorable stop. But “The Today Show” was the most disastrous. As a Scientologist, the actor strongly opposes psychiatry and its treatments. So Matt Lauer bringing up Cruise's public criticism of antidepressants — and of Brooke Shields’ use of them — led to a heated argument that derailed the interview. In turn, the incident damaged the charismatic public persona people had come to associate with the actor. Needless to say, this “Today” appearance marked a shift in public perception of Tom Cruise and his convictions.

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (2003-22)
Ellen DeGeneres was known as one of the most lovable personalities on daytime television. But a disconnect between her and her audience became apparent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During lockdown, “Ellen” broadcast from DeGeneres’ lavish home, which she at one point jokingly compared to a prison. Now, people can relate to feeling trapped in quarantine. Still, many felt that DeGeneres’s comments were offensive given the links she drew, combined with the fact that she didn’t acknowledge how comfortable her so-called prison is. This made it easier for audiences to believe a string of show employees’ allegations that DeGeneres created a toxic work environment. “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” ended its 19-season run in 2022, with the blemishes on the host’s character still haunting her post-daytime career.

“The Alex Jones Show” (2000-)
There was a time when Charlie Sheen was TV's highest-paid actor as the star of "Two and a Half Men". And he was generally able to separate his professional life from his many controversial views and personal struggles. That all changed with a scandal involving far-right provocateur Alex Jones' radio talk show. During an interview in 2011, Sheen went after "Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre. The offensive rant went viral for all the wrong reasons. This contributed to the network’s decision to fire Sheen from the hit show, and led to a collapse in his professional reputation. The brief run of his sitcom "Anger Management" aside, Sheen has rarely been seen acting on-screen since.

“Today” (1952-)
In 2013, a discrimination lawsuit led to the revelations that Paula Deen had used anti-Black language and recounted wanting to plan an Antebellum plantation-themed wedding. The scandal itself was bad enough, but Deen’s responses made it worse. More specifically, her appearance on “Today” arguably finished off her reputation. After postponing the interview, she ended up using the appearance to deflect. People felt like she was trying to play the sad victim, and many weren’t buying it. “Today” was just the most high-profile in a series of disastrous missteps that cooked the chef’s brand, while several companies distanced themselves from her in the aftermath. Deen remains a prominent personality in southern cooking, but her lowered profile shows that she’s not to everyone’s tastes.