10 Famous People Fired for Saying Offensive Things

Roseanne Barr is not the first celebrity to be fired for saying offensive things. Even before social media, celebrities’ comments got them in trouble.

Barr was fired by ABC on Tuesday after she tweeted a racist remark about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide for President Barack Obama. Although the revived Roseanne was the top-rated sitcom of the 2017-2018 TV season, ABC chose to fire Barr and cancel the show.

Barr apologized, claiming her remark was a joke gone bad. In recent messages, she said she wants to talk to Jarrett personally, and said she was turning to God.

“I’m not a racist, I never was & I never will be,” Barr tweeted Wednesday. “One stupid joke in a lifetime of fighting 4 civil rights 4 all minorities, against networks, studios, at the expense of my nervous system/family/wealth will NEVER [be] taken from me.”

Scroll on for a look at 10 other celebrities who lost their jobs because of offensive comments.

Paula Deen

In 2013, Paula Deen’s media empire was left in shambles after a former employee sued her for sexual harassment and racial discrimination. When she admitted to using racial slurs in the past during a deposition with the employee’s lawyers, the Food Network dropped her. But in August 2013, the lawsuit that led to her downfall was dismissed two days after a judge threw out the racial discrimination part of the suit.

In the years since, Deen has attempted a comeback but still attracts controversy. In May 2018, there was a report that 50 employees were fired at Deen’s Family Kitchen in Pigeon Forge, but Deen spokesperson Jaret Keller said that wasn’t true.

“The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested additional documentation from several employees at the restaurant. No employees were permanently terminated. As employees submit recertification papers, they will resume schedules,” Keller wrote to The Tennessean.

Charlie Sheen

In 2011, Charlie Sheen made derogatory comments about Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre and antisemitic comments. CBS and Warner Bros. TV fired him. The show lived on until 2015, with Ashton Kutcher coming in.

In late 2011, Sheen had a public “meltdown,” coining the phrases #tigerblood and #winning in the process. In 2015, he made headlines for admitting he is HIV positive.

Megan Fox

In a 2009 interview Megan Fox compared Transformers director Michael Bay to “Hitler.” She left the franchise to pursue other movies, but Bay told GQ in June 2011 that executive producer Steven Spielberg fired her because of that comment.

Oddly enough, Bay and Fox worked together again, since Bay was a producer on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies.

Alec Baldwin

In 2013, Alec Baldwin had his own MSNBC series Up Late With Alec Baldwin. The network fired him after he went on a homophobic rant about a New York Post photographer.

However, this incident has not kept Baldwin from working with NBC, since he now plays President Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live. He is also hosting an ABC show.

 

Phil Robertson

Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson was temporarily fired by A&E after his anti-gay comments in a GQ interview went viral.

After fan backlash, the network brought him back. His suspension lasted just nine days. He remained part of Duck Dynasty until the series ended in March 2017.

Don Imus

Radio host Don Imus has lost more than one job because of controversial comments. In 2007, he made headlines for calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hoes” and CBS dropped it.

After 50 years on the radio, Imus retired in March. In a CBS News interview, Imus said he regretted the “Rutgers thing” because “I knew better.”

Gilbert Gottfried

In 2011, Gilbert Gottfriend lost his job as the voice of the Aflac duck because of controversial tweets about Japan after the devastating tsunami there left 2,400 people dead.

“I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by my attempt at humor regarding the tragedy in Japan,” the comedian told The Hollywood Reporter. “I meant no disrespect, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families.”

Rick Sanchez

In 2010, CNN fired Rick Sanchez for his comments about then-Daily Show host Jon Stewart. He called the comedian a “bigot” and “prejudicial.”

Sanchez later apologized and was hired by Fox News Latino in 2012. In 2015, he made headlines again for blasting CNN’s coverage of the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. 

John Galliano

British fashion designer John Galliano was head of Christian Dior in March 2011. He lost the job after video of a drunken, antisemitic tirade surfaced online.

However, his career has since recovered and was even praised by the Anti-Defamation League for the steps he took after the incident.

Bill Maher

Before Bill Maher was on HBO, he had a long-running series called Politically Incorrect. The series first aired on Comedy Central, then moved to ABC. It was cancelled in 2002 after his controversial comments about the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists.

Real Time with Bill Maher debuted in 2003 on HBO and Maher continues to make controversial comments.