“Narcissistic Moron”: 56 People Reveal The Celebs They’ve Lost Respect For
by Robyn Smith, Mindaugas Balčiauskas · Bored PandaADVERTISEMENT
Some celebrities achieve fame overnight. For others, it’s a slow rise to stardom. Regardless of how they get there, a massive fall from grace makes it very tough to get back up again. Getting embroiled in a scandal can mean the end of your career, and reputation.
We’ve seen our fair share of celebrities taken down by their own bad behavior this year. In September, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ billion-dollar empire came tumbling down as he found himself accused of serious allegations of abuse, trafficking, and physical violence. Claims against him continue to climb, while his reputation goes down the drain. Several other celebs are going down with him. Either by implication. Or purely by association. Then there are those who have nothing to do with Diddy, but have done a fine job of losing masses of fans due to their own actions.
Someone recently asked, “What celebrity have you lost respect for?” and the internet went wild. The post clocked up over 8,000 comments, as people shared their opinions on why they think certain A-listers deserve to be canceled. Bored Panda chatted to the person who asked the billion-dollar question, to find out what inspired it. We also put together a list of the most popular answers. Upvote the ones that make you tick, and let us know in the comments who else you think should be added. Don't miss the chat we had with Roz Sheldon, the managing director of the global online reputation management company, Igniyte.
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When EvilOdysseus asked, "What celebrity have you lost respect for?" they'd been pondering the question themselves for a while. For them, it's Jack Black. "He barely acts anymore. Just plays himself in every film. He even keeps his own mannerisms in films now," they told Bored Panda. They said they were surprised that "a few people said Mark Hamill, but I haven't seen them state a reason."
We asked what prompted them to ask the question online. "I realized how many celebrities recently are in the news for all the wrong reasons," they told Bored Panda during our short chat. "It's scandal after scandal with no repercussions."
And they aren't wrong. The world of the rich and famous has been rocked by a string of scandalous stories over the past few months. As it was last year, and the years before. Whenever we think we've seen it all, it just gets even worse. We were curious to know what EvilOdysseus would say to celebrities behaving badly. "There's no point in giving a message to any celebrity. They don't care about us," was the curt reply.
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Roz Sheldon is an expert when it comes to online reputation management. She's the managing director of Igniyte, a global company working with individuals and corporates to keep their reps intact. Sheldon kindly agreed to share some of her knowledge with us during a very enlightening interview.
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"Celebrities typically have huge followings, particularly on social media, and rely on this in many cases. Handling a scandal can be very difficult due to the number of people who may comment or have an opinion," said Sheldon. "While some celebrities thrive on scandal and can turn it to their advantage, others may want to remove themselves from the limelight."
Sheldon added that being authentic and commanding respect requires a genuine and thoughtful public response to followers and audiences, and then taking time to work through the scandal or issues.
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Previously, bad publicity took a while to spread. Articles needed to be written and edited. Newspapers and magazines needed to be printed. And people needed to actually go out and buy them. Or have them delivered. But in the age of social media, it now takes a few short seconds for someone’s reputation to be ripped to shreds. And for millions to hear about it.
"Reputation—whether personal or professional—is one of your most valuable assets. The internet serves as the first point of contact for anyone looking to learn about your brand, your business, or even you personally," says Sheldon. "First Impressions count. Negative information, outdated news articles, misleading information or even oversharing online can unfairly skew opinions. Proactive management ensures that what people find reflects your values, strengths, and integrity."
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Will and Jada Smith.
ChaoticMutant
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"A celebrity scandal is usually triggered by an exposure of a negative or controversial behavior, action, or information that violates the expectations, norms, or values of the public or a specific audience. This can include, but is not limited to, criminal acts, moral transgressions, personal conflicts, professional misconduct, or political opinions," notes FasterCapital, a global venture builder and online incubator. The scandal then blows up as it's amplified by media coverage, social media posts, hashtags, and public attention. From there, it spreads like a rapid wildfire.
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Kanye.
Well_Spoken_Mute
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It takes just one photo, or one person to speak out, to bring down the proverbial house of cards. It’s often a rapid decline from there, as people start digging and further allegations emerge. Think Tiger Woods and his several extramarital affairs in 2009. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his intern Monica Lewinsky in 1998. Harvey Weinstein and the dozens of women who've spoken out against him. R. Kelly. Sean "Diddy" Combs. The list is endless. And there'll likely be a few more names added before the end of this year.
Sheldon says the best course of action for celebrities who find themselves in hot water is to "release one short, considered statement or message, which genuinely reflects the state of play for the individual in question." The expert adds that the statement "may include a rebuttal or apology, depending on the scandal, as long as it is a genuine reflection." Sheldon cautions that less is more. "It may be appropriate to suspend public channels in some cases, following the message," she said.
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Grimes. When I first got into her in 2011 she was an oddball sci fi fanatic with cool music and style that reflected that. Fast forward to copulating with Musk of all people, getting into Nazism and white supremacy and falling full force into it. Like homegirl is literally a Nazi. Can’t have that. Sucks because I love her first 3 albums but she is forever just a Big Dumb Idiot to me.
puukottaa666
Any of them that think they have a right to tell regular people to make sacrifices in their lives, for whatever cause, when they themselves continue to live of absurd opulence.
Rok-SFG
Sheldon says in some cases, it may be worth a celebrity telling their side of the story. And if they choose to go this route, they should keep it genuine, and share it across their channels and profiles. "This doesn't necessarily mean an interview on national TV," explained the expert. "We all make mistakes and we are all human, so an acknowledgment of this is often the best course of action."
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She adds that prevention is better than cure. "Cultivating good online practices regularly, and managing and building a strong reputation online, will protect online searches in the long run and against negative coverage. In other words, be prepared," advised the expert.
Madonna and the older she gets it is getting worse.
Unlikely-Star-2696
For those embroiled in scandals, it doesn't end once the hype dies down. "As a celebrity, you have to be mindful of your actions going forward and what you post online. Keep on top of negative rumors and gossip – clear the air and handle it with grace," notes Reputation 911, another online reputation management agency. The firm adds that it also helps to "commit yourself to a good cause, such as a charity or foundation, that aligns with your values."
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My respect was already hanging by a thread, but recent developments mean I can no longer tolerate Sylvester Stallone.
Commonpleas
Taylor Swift took this route after her damaging public feud with Kanye West back in 2009. After taking a break from the limelight, Swift started rebuilding her image. "She supported causes and spoke up for her values. Swift became more vocal and active in social and political issues, such as women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and voting rights. She donated to various charities and organizations, such as the Tennessee Equality Project, GLAAD, and Feeding America," reads the FasterCapital site.
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The whole cast of the View.
jma7400
I’ll keep with the trend but Oprah is the worst. I had all respect for her when she had the talk show and thought she was a genuinely nice person that cared about the common people. Turns out she’s worse than most celebrities and politicians. Terrible person in real life to people, siphoned water at her Hawaii property that led to the Maui in the Lahaina fires that resulted in deaths. People talk about Ellen but Oprah is the real big bad.
Ihavesmokingproblems
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But Swift didn't stop there, as the site details. "She also encouraged her fans to register and vote, and endorsed candidates that aligned with her beliefs. She also advocated for the rights and fair treatment of artists in the music industry, and criticized the practices of streaming services and record labels. She also expressed her gratitude and appreciation for her fans, and interacted with them through social media and fan events."
Swift must have done something right. While she's not squeaky clean just yet, she's a lot better off than Kanye. The disgraced rapper continues to put his foot in his mouth and is struggling to stitch together the tatters of his ruined reputation.
Alex Baldwin and Whoopi and Oprah.
Bluesallah
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Elon Musk. I was very impressed with both Tesla and SpaceX, until he started going over to the dark side. He has taken every bit of goodwill he once had and set fire to it with one of his flame throwers. He's dead to me now.
weird-oh
Ariana Grande.
Accurate_Platypus118
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Almost every single one of them. Why do I (or anyone) care so much about a stranger who doesn’t give a f**k about me. Celebrity culture is so wild to me.
No_Calligrapher_1082
Jack Horner, the paleontologist.
Started out as a scientist working at the University of Montana with multiple groundbreaking finds and was the scientific consultant for the original Jurassic Park and an icon for nerdy 90s kids.
Began pushing fringe theories about well documented species. Claimed T-rex was incapable of hunting, despite a plethora of evidence. (He apparently had a personal vendetta against T-rex.) Started using his fame to further push these disproven claims to the public. Proposed genetically modifying chickens to "create dinosaurs." It was literally called the "Build a Dinosaur Project" with the goal of making what he himself described as "chickenosaurus." Was finally forced to retire from from the university after marrying a 19 y/o student at around 70.
He's gone from a childhood hero to a whack-job law-skirting pedo.
2Scarhand
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Joss Whedon really disappointed me. I will always love Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and the Avengers films, but finding out what a douche canoe he was to the actors kind of dulled some of the sparkle.
NatRunstheMultiverse
Ellen DeGeneres.
rangedMisfit
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JK Rowling.
CommunicationNo4256
Years ago; Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie for their affair.
ChileMonster505
Louis CK. Dude makes a living reading the room but couldn’t see how whipping out his d**k all the time could possibly traumatize women. Yeah right. He knew exactly what he was doing.
_buthole
James Franco needs to be mentioned. I guess he’s trying to make a comeback and I’m vehemently against this.
myguitarplaysit
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Neil Gaiman. His twattishness became apparent when he married Amanda Palmer although recent revelations show he must always have been a terrible bastard.
Milvusmilvus
There was a show called Gavin and Stacey. James cordon played a great character. Loved it when it first started. Now, one note of his voice, a pixel of a picture of him disgusts me beyond belief. America, forgive him his sins and take him back. He’s back home now and he’s stealing our oxygen.
ATerriblePurpose
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Jeffrey Tambor.
Zillioncookies
Melissa Etheridge. When she got divorced she fought to get out of paying alimony, even after her wife left her career to raise their kids.
trytryagainn
Most of them. They all want the same thing - enrich themselves on our dime. Then they get up on their soapbox, preach about being compassionate to others and then lock themselves behind fences in their mansions in gated enclaves.
Maurakutney
Just to provide one that hasn't been said yet, Garrison Keillor.
It's not only that he went from this purveyor of mild and inoffensive humor to alleged sexual harasser, it's the way he handled it. Instead of saying, I understand that my actions could be misconstrued and I will work to make sure that I maintain a more proper relationship with the young women in my employ, he just said sure I did a few things, but everybody does those things and that's not really harassment.
edgarpickle
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Zach Levi.
Scythe-Guy
Jamie Lee Curtis over her rants about not being a nepo baby. Oh please! Two well known movie stars for parents and she thinks it didn’t influence her career?
Griffie
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