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Home · Celebrity

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year

What would a year be without its fair share of celebrity scandals and squabbles? We'd have way less to talk about at the watercooler — that's for sure. This year, Hollywood provided us plenty of fodder to chat about. From the Jackson family's bizarre "kidnapping" (and release) of matriach Katherine Jackson, to negative online chatter about Gabby Douglas's hair at the Olympics (really y'all?), and Wendy Williams saying Beyonce sounds like she has a fifth grade education, see the infamous moments that had us shaking our collective heads.
By Yolanda Sangweni · Updated October 28, 2020
01
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry’s Custody Battle Ends with a Brawl
Olivier Martinez, Halle Berry, Gabriel Aubry (Inset)
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty Images
02
The Uppercut That Went Viral

A video of Cleveland bus driver Artis Hughes delivering a vicious uppercut to passenger Shi’dea Lane (pictured) quickly went viral earlier this fall. Hughes told police Lane grabbed him by the throat and spit in his face, hence his reaction. No matter where you stand on the matter, it seems we can all agree, both Hughes and Lane were out of order.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Fox 8
03
Bobbi Kristina’s Erratic Behavior and Non-Engagement

Bobbi Kristina has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons since her mother’s death in February. There’s the underaged drinking documented on her family’s reality show, her “engagement” to her adopted brother (much to the dismay of her aunt Pat), and two car accidents in two months.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
04
Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj Feud on ‘Idol’
Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty Images
05
Gabby Douglas’s Hair Takes Center Stage?

Were we really busy discussing the texture of Gabby Douglas’s hair while this little girl was busy becoming the first African-American to win Olympic gold in the women’s individual all-around finals? As ESSENCE.com columnist Demetria Lucas put it, “Anyone who looks camera-ready after a workout equivalent to one-tenth of Gabby’s just isn’t working hard enough.” Now let’s put it to rest.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
06
Lauryn Hill’s Tax Troubles
Lauryn Hill
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
07
Kevin Clash’s Sex Scandal
Elmo and puppeteer Kevin Clash
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Andy Kropa/ Getty
08
Evelyn and Chad’s Quickie Marriage

Chad and Ev’s reality love show didn’t last more than a few months in real life when the former NFL star reportedly head-butted the Basketball Wives star. She filed for divorce in early August, two months after saying “I Do.”

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
09
The Jackson Family Debacle

The Jacksons took the cake for SMH family drama this past summer. First Michael Jackson’s siblings fire off a letter accusing his estate of fraud. Then Katherine Jackson goes “missing,” according to MJ’s daughter, Paris. After she reemerges, Katherine temporarily loses custody of MJ’s kids in July, and quickly regains it. In mid-August, a California judge grants her and grandson TJ Jackson’s co-guardianship. Pass the popcorn.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
10
Creflo Dollar’s Altercation with Teen Daughter
Megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar, 50, found himself on the wrong side of the law after an argument with his 15-year-old daughter became physical. The two were arguing over whether or not she could attend a party. Dollar told authorities he was trying to restrain her when she “became very disrespectful.” He confessed to spanking and “wrestling” her to the floor.
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
11
Usher, Tameka Raymond Battle for Custody
Tameka Raymond, Usher
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty Images
12
Deion and Pilar Sanders’s Messy Divorce
From Pilar (and a friend) being arrested for assaulting Deion while he slept in his bed, to Deion tweeting a picture of his children filling out police reports against their own mother, it seemed like there was no end to Deion and Pilar’s very public divorce. If only they could have kept their business off Twitter.
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
13
Rihanna and Chris Brown — Back Together Again

Rihanna and Chris Brown’s friendship/dating saga has taken lots of interesting turns in the past few months. And we’re ashamed to say we know way too much about these kids. Earlier this year, Rihanna confirmed she and Brown would be reuniting on a song from her new album. She later seemed to confirm months of speculation when she Instagrammed a shot of a shirtless Brown lying face down on her bed sleeping, clearly to show the world they’re an item again.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty
14
Katt Williams’s Bizarre Behavior
Comedian Katt Williams takes the cake for bizarre behavior of the year. The funnyman has been detained at least three times by cops in the last few weeks, including an incident where he challenged audience members to a fight, and another where he led police on a chase while riding a three-wheeled motorbike. Williams has had to cancel his 100-city tour.
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
15
Will Smith’s Reporter-Gate

Ukranian reporter Vitalii Sediuk got more than he bargained for when he tried to kiss Will Smith during the Moscow premiere of Men in Black 3 — and it was all caught on tape. Well, we know better than to try to plant a wet one on Mr. Smith. SMH

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
16
Sherri Shepherd’s Twitter Stalker

Yikes! Earlier this year, Sherri Shepherd filed a police report against a Twitter follower who threatened to rape her. “Somebody should drag u in a back alley and rape you,” tweeted @DaCloneKiller. The actress also used the moment to advocate against bullying. “This type of bullying is one of the reasons children are killing themselves b/c there’s no consequences for the bully(s),” she wrote. 

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Andrew H. Walker/ Getty
17
Juanita Bynum’s Confessions

Juanita Bynum shocked the gospel community this summer when she told an Atlanta radio station she had experimented with drugs and slept with women. “I’m not embarrassed about my conversions,” she said. “A life of transparency causes people to see Christ in you and through you!”

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
18
Jada Defends Willow’s Hair
Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow Smith
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Mike Coppola/ Getty
19
Sherman Hemsley Buried 4 Months After Death
Sherman Hemsley
25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty
20
Cee-Lo Accused of Sexual Assault

A woman filed a police report accusing The Voice judge of slipping a drug into her drink and sexually assaulting her. TMZ later reported that the woman and Cee-Lo had a long history together. His lawyers say the woman went to police after hiring a civil lawyer and getting shot down in her request for money.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Ray Tamarra/ Getty Images
21
Drake and Chris Brown’s Nightclub Brawl

It was the bar brawl heard around the world. Drake and Chris Brown got into a bottle-throwing altercation at a New York nightclub, which reportedly stemmed from their mutual love for Rihanna (sigh!). Drake and Brown are being sued by the club for $16 million. There’s got to be a cheaper way to resolve your issues, fellas.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
22
Bobby Brown’s Run-Ins with the Law

We know it’s his prerogative, but we do wish Bobby Brown would stop getting arrested on charges of suspicion of driving while intoxicated, especially since he voluntarily entered rehab for alcohol addiction this past summer. The “Every Little Step” singer has been charged with DUI’s twice in the past six months. It’s time to do better, Bobby B!

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Slaven Vlasic/ Getty
23
Tia Mowry Stands Up for Baby Cree

Tia Mowry took offense (rightfully so) to online commenters who called her adorable 1-year-old son, Cree, ugly. “It’s disgusting that some focus on looks,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “I brought a beautiful child into this world.” And that’s all that should matter.

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
24
Rihanna’s ‘777’ Plane Disaster

You can’t blame Rihanna for trying to pull off one of the biggest PR stunts in music history. The pop princess brought 270 journalists and fans on a Boeing 777 plane for a seven-day, seven country whirlwind tour around the world to promote her seventh album Unapologetic. It all sounded so fun, except the part where journalists complained of being sleep deprived, not eating well (apparently there was lots of liquor) and having no access to Riri. She stayed in first class and rested. As one fan put it,  “It was like fun torture.”

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Kevin Mazur/WireImage
25
Wendy Williams: Beyonce Sounds Like Fifth Grader

We’ve come to love Wendy Williams for speaking her mind, but the talk show queen may have gone too far with her latest comments about Beyonce. “You know Beyonce can’t talk. She sounds like she has a fifth grade education,” declared Williams on her show. When her audience met the comments with a chorus of boos, Williams replied, “Excuse me, I just said I was a fan. But we have to call a spade a spade.”

25 Scandals and SMH Moments of the Year
Getty Images
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