- 8/5/2025
Talk shows are full of surprises — but some moments go way beyond entertainment. In this video, we dive into the Top 30 most shocking talk show scandals, featuring explosive confrontations, behind‑the‑scenes drama, and controversies that shook the industry.
These unforgettable moments changed talk show history forever!
These unforgettable moments changed talk show history forever!
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TVTranscript
00:00This is a sad morning here at Today and at NBC News.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the biggest controversies
00:07to sully the reputation of famous talk shows or their hosts.
00:11Our next book is A Million Little Pieces!
00:17Number 30. Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross' Cruel Joke
00:21In 2008, BBC talk show host Ross joined Brand's radio show as his guest co-host.
00:27Andrew Sachs, best known for his work in the sitcom Fawlty Towers, was meant to be a phone-in guest.
00:32Fawlty Towers, how are you? Nice day.
00:34However, when the hosts couldn't reach him, Ross and Brand left several voicemails on air.
00:40The BBC is fighting a desperate battle to contain the crisis.
00:43It quickly went off the rails when they joked about Brand's intimate relationship with Sachs'
00:47granddaughter Georgina Bailey.
00:49You said that at the beginning you were too embarrassed to call your grandfather.
00:52Yeah, of course.
00:53The anger over pranking a beloved UK actor was massive, especially as Sachs did not consent
00:59to the messages being played on air.
01:01Ross was suspended while Brand resigned from the BBC, and the corporation was fined £150,000.
01:08In 2010, Ross left the BBC and soon joined ITV to create The Jonathan Ross Show.
01:15Number 29. Sharon Osbourne defends Piers Morgan
01:18From the talk's debut in 2010, Osbourne was one of its most famous and controversial hosts.
01:24While she survived several scandals, it all came to a head in 2021.
01:28In the wake of her friend Piers Morgan's vendetta against Meghan Markle and walking away from Good
01:32Morning Britain, Osbourne stuck up for him on the talk.
01:35Did I like everything he said? Did I agree with what he said? No. Because it's his opinion,
01:43it's not my opinion.
01:44She clashed with co-host Cheryl Underwood, drawing the ire of the audience with her behavior in
01:49defending racism.
01:51I have friends in my life, I stick up for my friends.
01:55With the resurfacing of clips of Osbourne claiming Markle wasn't black, and allegations from former
02:00hosts of racist comments and getting them fired, the talk initiated an investigation. In the end,
02:06Osbourne was let go.
02:08We need to process the events of that day and what happened since so we can get to the healing.
02:13Number 28. Jimmy Kimmel apologizes for using blackface
02:17Before he was one of the biggest talk show hosts around, Kimmel was a co-host on The Man
02:21Show, which featured sketches, often parodying celebrities. In 2020, now fronting Jimmy Kimmel
02:27Live. He released an apology for his work on The Man Show and in other projects.
02:32Jimmy Kimmel is apologizing today for wearing blackface back in the 90s,
02:37a decision he now says was a mistake.
02:40At the time, he had taken part in sketches where he parodied celebrities by wearing blackface.
02:45Kimmel portrayed such famous figures as NBA icon Karl Malone and talk show legend Oprah Winfrey.
02:50He also developed a comedy Christmas album in 1996, where he pretended to be Snoop Dogg as he uttered
02:56racial slurs. Kimmel followed up his apology with a couple of months away from his show with a
03:01vacation before returning.
03:02There's nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely
03:08hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke, said Kimmel.
03:13Number 27. James Corden's ban
03:15In 2022, the host of The Late Late Show with James Corden found himself in a unique scandal.
03:22James Corden opened his show last night with a lengthy apology to the staff at a famous New York
03:28restaurant.
03:29Reports soon came out that Corden had been banned from New York restaurant Balthazar by owner Keith
03:34McNally. He claimed the Brit had been abusive to his staff on two occasions. The first had to do
03:39with Corden finding hair in his dish and demanding his drinks be comped. The second time, the host
03:44screamed at staff over his wife's omelet order.
03:47His wife had ordered an all-egg yolk omelet. When it was served, it had some egg whites in it.
03:53The controversy got so big that Corden apologized on his show.
03:56I also hate, as I said to the owner that day, that I've ever upset anybody ever. It was never my
04:04intention.
04:05In response, McNally unbanned him. However, after Corden denied his behavior in an interview with
04:10The Times shortly after, he was seemingly banned once more by McNally.
04:14Number 26. Bill Maher Uses a Racial Slur
04:17In 2017, Real Time with Bill Maher had then-Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse on as a guest to promote his
04:24book, The Vanishing American Adult. However, when Sasse offered Maher to work in the fields if he
04:29visited Nebraska, the host responded with a racial slur. After Sasse grimaced and groans rang out from
04:35the audience, Maher stated it was a joke before moving on.
04:38It's a joke.
04:40The outrage caused demands for HBO to fire Maher, who issued an apology.
04:44Very quickly the next day, he apologized. HBO said they won't re-air that show without
04:50bleeping that word out.
04:51Sasse also apologized for not speaking out at the time. In a follow-up episode, Ice Cube,
04:57Simone Sanders, and Michael Eric Dyson confronted Maher on what he said, and why it was damaging to the
05:02Black community.
05:03It's a word that has been used against us. It's like a knife, man.
05:08Number 25. Series of Wendy Williams controversies
05:12Oh boy.
05:13Just one of these scandals is enough to cancel a talk show, let alone several in the space of 18 months.
05:18In January 2020, Williams drew ire on The Wendy Williams Show when she seemingly mocked rumors
05:23of Joaquin Phoenix having a cleft palate treated.
05:26He's got this. He's got this. No, I find it to be very attractive.
05:32A month later, she ranted against gay men who opt to wear women's clothing.
05:36I get offended by the idea that we go through something you will never go through.
05:43And stop wearing our skirts and our heels.
05:46Days later, Williams mocked Amy Harwick, who was murdered and pushed from a balcony,
05:51by using ex-fiancee Drew Carey's Price is Right catchphrase, come on down.
05:55In July 2021, Williams belittled TikTok rapper Swavy by asking if her audience knew who Swavy was,
06:02then announcing that he had passed away.
06:04He's 19, and he was murdered Monday morning.
06:10In 2022, The Wendy Williams Show was canceled, citing health issues by the host.
06:16Number 24. The Affair of Amy Robach and TJ Holmes
06:19When running a TV show, the chemistry between the hosts is a vital component.
06:24You hit it, it wakes you up.
06:25Alarm clock.
06:26There you go.
06:27However, Robach and Holmes took that too far.
06:30In 2022, the co-hosts of GMA3, What You Need to Know, were photographed getting cozy with each other
06:37off-camera, igniting rumors of an affair between them. They were married to other people.
06:42Shortly after, ABC took them off-air to investigate this,
06:45as well as accusations that Holmes had other affairs with additional staff.
06:49Reports say that marathon negotiating sessions took place this week between the anchors,
06:55their lawyers, and ABC.
06:57This led to Robach and Holmes being fired by the channel, and they went public with their relationship.
07:02And so, to be clear, we were outed as being in a relationship,
07:07but everyone else thought we were being outed as adulterers.
07:10Reportedly, the exes of Robach and Holmes, Andrew Hsu and Marley Feebig,
07:15started seeing each other in the aftermath.
07:17Number 23.
07:18The Cancellation of Donohue
07:20In 1996, after 29 years, the Phil Donohue show ended as the legendary host retired to be with his
07:27family.
07:27Well, thank you. I am flattered. You may be seated.
07:31But in 2002, he returned with his self-titled program Donohue on MSNBC.
07:36But I have to tell you, when you're called unpatriotic, it does stop you.
07:41Yet in early 2003, the show was canceled, with the network citing low ratings.
07:46Shortly after, the real reason came out. An internal MSNBC memo was leaked that claimed
07:51Donohue should be fired due to his anti-war beliefs and his views against the U.S. invasion
07:56of Iraq.
07:56A consulting firm, which I believe was a Republican, conservative consulting firm,
08:01reported that Donohue's anti-war stance is just not going to
08:05be very good for us against the flag-waving on the other station.
08:10Years later, MSNBC higher-ups changed tack and tried to blame the cancellation on high
08:15production costs instead. Donohue spent the rest of his days as a guest on various shows before he
08:20passed away in 2024.
08:22Number 22. Megyn Kelly's Blackface Comments
08:26In 2018, in the wake of reality star Luanne Deliseps using blackface to dress up as Diana
08:31Ross for Halloween, the Megyn Kelly show decided to tackle the scandal, only for the host to cause
08:37her own.
08:37I mean, truly, political correctness has gone amok.
08:40Kelly defended Deliseps, claiming that when she was a child, it was okay to Don Blackface
08:45to play a character, so it should be fine today. Understandably, the audience was livid.
08:50On top of apologizing to staff, Kelly also said sorry on her show.
08:54And I want to begin with two words. I'm sorry.
08:58However, within days, NBC canceled Megyn Kelly today, barely a year after its debut.
09:03Several months later, in early 2019, Kelly's contract was terminated.
09:08The host received the remainder of her multi-million dollar contract.
09:12After months of negotiations with the TV host, NBC released this statement Friday.
09:16The parties have resolved their differences, and Megyn Kelly is no longer an employee of NBC.
09:22Number 21. The Jeremy Kyle Show Cancellation
09:25Presenting his self-titled show since 2005, Kyle was a leading figure in UK daytime TV.
09:31Maureen, you're 58 and you're scum. What you've done is shocking.
09:35With a similar format to The Jerry Springer Show and Maury, this regularly drew accusations that Kyle was
09:40quote, human bear baiting. In 2019, his talk show empire came crashing down.
09:46After guest Steve Diamond failed the show's signature lie detector test,
09:50which has disputed accuracy, he sadly took his own life.
09:53Today, ITV issued a statement saying,
09:56Everyone at ITV and The Jeremy Kyle Show is shocked and saddened at the news of the death of a participant in the show.
10:02Within days, The Jeremy Kyle Show was canceled by ITV, and repeats were scrubbed everywhere.
10:08Kyle's confrontational and misleading style was heavily criticized following reports of other guests passing away.
10:14After the coroner's report stated Kyle was possibly responsible, an inquest in 2024 cleared the host.
10:21Listen, I've been canceled.
10:22Yeah.
10:23In this world, it seems now that unless you follow a certain path, you're labeled.
10:27Yes.
10:28Number 20. Whoopi Goldberg defends Bill Cosby.
10:31As one of the co-hosts of the long-running talk show The View,
10:34Whoopi Goldberg's controversial statements have landed her in hot water on more than one occasion.
10:39In 2015, after the assault allegations against Bill Cosby came to light,
10:43Goldberg's first instinct was seemingly to come to his defense.
10:47When somebody ruins your reputation, it's the same thing. It's the same thing.
10:52Despite the fact that Cosby had admitted to drugging women in the past,
10:55the EGOT-winning multi-hyphenate still backed him on the talk show panel,
10:59stating that he was innocent until proven guilty.
11:02I know it's a shock, but you actually were innocent until proven guilty.
11:07Needless to say, her comments were not received well by the public.
11:11In light of the apparent evidence against Cosby, Goldberg eventually flipped her stance,
11:16acknowledging that it all pointed towards guilt.
11:18Gotta say, all of the information that's out there kind of points to guilt.
11:23Number 19. Morton Downey Jr.'s $40 million lawsuit
11:28Before Jerry Springer popularized the trash TV format, there was The Morton Downey Jr. Show.
11:33But, unlike Springer, who typically tried to quell fights on his set, Downey was the instigator.
11:39In one of his most famous episodes, the host brought on an adult entertainer named Kelly Everts,
11:44who claimed to be a performer for God.
11:46Kelly, let me tell you something, pal. If there's ever a milk strike, I'll know where to go.
11:50Throughout the segment, Downey called her several demeaning names and, at different points,
11:55pushed her with his pelvis.
11:56These were all met with loud cheers from his audience.
12:03Everts later sued Downey for $40 million, alleging that he had humiliated and physically assaulted her.
12:09It's not quite clear how the lawsuit ended, but Downey's show was canceled just two years after its premiere.
12:15Next, we'll find out. Next time, we'll find out that she's carrying Jesus.
12:19Number 18. Ellen DeGeneres' toxic workplace allegations
12:23Like many things these days, it all started with a viral Twitter thread.
12:28In March 2020, comedian Kevin T. Porter's thread opened the floor to claims that talk show host
12:33Ellen DeGeneres was a pretty mean person. A few months later, BuzzFeed News published reports from
12:39former employees who detailed years of harassment, intimidation, and racist microaggressions
12:45by senior producers of the show.
12:47Ellen is now facing a major PR problem following a BuzzFeed article that portrays the queen of nice
12:53as the queen of mean.
12:55According to them, this toxic environment was fostered by DeGeneres.
12:59Turns out the be-kind lady may not have been keeping to her own words.
13:03An investigation by the production company led to the dismissal of three executive producers.
13:07Three of the show's senior producers fired.
13:10After accusations, the show created a toxic work culture.
13:13After 19 seasons on the air, The Ellen DeGeneres Show came to an end in 2022.
13:19The truth is, I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things.
13:25The next year, late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon would also be hit with similar accusations
13:29that The Tonight Show was a toxic workplace environment.
13:33Number 17. Rosie Perez and Kelly Osbourne on The View
13:36In 2015, Kelly Osbourne appeared as a guest co-host on The View.
13:41While trying to counter then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's controversial remarks about
13:46Mexican immigrants, Osbourne essentially put her foot in her mouth.
13:49And if you kick every Latino out of this country, then who is going to be cleaning your toilet,
13:56Donald Trump?
13:56Her fellow co-host Rosie Perez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, chimed in quickly and set her straight.
14:02No, I didn't mean it like that. Come on.
14:04Perez, who had already announced her departure from The View at the end of that season,
14:08was reportedly forced by ABC executives to apologize to Osbourne during the live broadcast
14:13and on Twitter. Although these claims have been refuted by some insiders,
14:18it's believed that Perez canceled her final live appearances on the show as a result of the incident.
14:23My apologies, Kelly Osbourne. I took your point wrong. Trump, Latinos,
14:27my bad. Your heart is so pure and righteous. I adore you.
14:31Number 16. Star Jones' Sudden Departure
14:34The original lineup of The View consisted of creator Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira,
14:39Debbie Matanopoulos, Joy Behar, and Star Jones. Jones remained on the show until 2006,
14:45when, seemingly out of nowhere, she announced that she would not be returning for the next season.
14:49The show's moving in another direction for its 10th season,
14:52and I will not be returning as co-host next year.
14:55This came as a shock to Walters, not because of what she said, but rather when it was said.
15:01Jones' departure was slated to be announced on June 29, 2006. But the co-host decided to take
15:06matters into her own hands by breaking the news two days early.
15:09This is a surprise that this would come about this way. We did not expect it.
15:14This kicked off a tense feud between the two women. However,
15:17they appeared to have patched things up by Jones' next appearance on the show in 2012.
15:22It was a bad emotional time. Nasty things were being said.
15:26Number 15. Sharon Osbourne's view of The View
15:29Nothing brings out the best and sometimes worst in us like competition.
15:34The Talk premiered in 2010 with a very similar format as that of The View,
15:39kicking off a ratings battle between both shows. When the ladies of The Talk appeared on the
15:44Arsenio Hall show in 2013, he wanted to know how the two programs differed from each other.
15:49Just as Julie Chen attempted a diplomatic answer, Sharon Osbourne interrupted her with a rather
15:54blunt opinion.
15:55I love Barbara Walters. The rest can go f***ing.
15:59The incident certainly didn't do Osbourne or The Talk any favors. A few days later,
16:04she took a moment on the show to apologize for her remarks,
16:07shocking them up to her being a, quote, loose cannon.
16:10Number 14. Anne Curry's controversial dismissal
16:14Anne Curry had served as a news anchor on The Today Show for years before she was finally
16:18promoted to co-host in 2011. Curry's short time in the chair was reportedly troubled.
16:24I'm Matt Lauer.
16:24And I'm Anne Curry in for, I guess, nobody this morning.
16:28According to some industry insiders, she was only given the job because the show's producers
16:32were unsure if longtime host Matt Lauer would renew his contract.
16:36I've worked here for 14 years. If you've been able to put up with me for that long and you're clapping,
16:40that's a good sign. Once it became clear that Lauer was staying, they apparently decided that
16:45Curry had to go. Just about a year after she got the job, Curry announced in a very emotional
16:50appearance that she would be leaving. Many viewers who were incensed at the controversial
16:55departure turned their backs on the show, resulting in their competitor Good Morning America taking the
17:00number one spot. And so to all of you who watch, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting
17:04me touch yours. And thank you for your tweets and your emails.
17:08Number 13. The infamous Geraldo Brawl.
17:11There's a reason why tabloid talk shows quickly became known as trash TV, and it's because of
17:16moments like this. In November 1988, Geraldo Rivera invited a panel to discuss a provocative topic.
17:23I really recommend that you don't push me too hard.
17:26Oh, come on.
17:27Among the lineup were some white supremacists, members of the skinheads against racial prejudice,
17:32as well as the African-American activist Roy Innes. Things began to escalate when one of
17:38the white supremacists referred to Innes with a derogatory term.
17:41You're gonna be kidding. You're gonna be kidding.
17:43Innes walked over and grabbed him by the neck, setting off a full-fledged brawl that left Rivera
17:48with a fractured nose. As expected, the incident gave the show a ratings bump, proving that when it
17:54comes to trash TV, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
17:58Only slightly the worst for the wear. We're back. The skinheads have been, well, the racist skinheads
18:07have been cleared out of the building.
18:09Number 12. Bryant Gumbel's scathing memo
18:12About seven years into his role as the Today Show anchor, Bryant Gumbel was asked to write an
18:17assessment of the program by executive producer Marty Ryan. Gumbel did not hold back. His critiques
18:23were notably harsh and were directed at several of his colleagues, most notably the jovial weatherman
18:28Willard Scott. In the memo, Gumbel stated that Scott was, quote, holding the show hostage to
18:33his assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays, and bad taste. He also had equally blunt words for some
18:39other staffers on the show. Unsurprisingly, Gumbel's memo eventually found its way into the hands of the
18:45press. The resulting fallout between him and Scott partly contributed to Today dropping to number two in
18:51the ratings.
18:53I did what I was asked to do. I did it in what I thought was a professional fashion.
18:56Number 11. Pat O'Brien's lewd voicemails
18:59When it came to sportscasting, Pat O'Brien was one of the best in the business. Through the 80s
19:04and 90s, O'Brien made a name for himself in sports news, and then became a host for the entertainment
19:09programs Access Hollywood and The Insider. He found himself embroiled in controversy in 2005 when a
19:15series of explicit voicemails he sent to an unidentified woman leaked on the internet.
19:19O'Brien had just checked into rehab for alcohol use disorder when the messages,
19:24which he sent in a drunken state, became public.
19:26And I don't remember it. I apparently made it on a Sunday, and I woke up with
19:31every boss I have at the edge of my bed in L.A.
19:34Following the incident, O'Brien was miraculously able to retain his job on The Insider.
19:40He was, however, fired three years later after sending out an ill-conceived email blasting his
19:45co-worker Lara Spencer.
19:46And I said, you know, that's the guy I do not want to be.
19:49Number 10. Dr. Phil Drug Scandal
19:51In 2017, this long-running television program came under fire after former Survivor contestant
19:57Todd Herzog accused the producers of exploiting his substance use disorder to generate views.
20:02During his infamous appearance on the show, Herzog was so intoxicated he could not stand
20:07up on his own, indicating to viewers the seriousness of his condition. However, according to Herzog,
20:13he was coerced by staff into drinking two bottles of vodka and given Xanax to, quote,
20:18calm his nerves before filming.
20:21Uh, you're not okay?
20:23No.
20:23The Dr. Phil Show has vehemently denied these claims. However, an exposé published in 2017
20:29by the Stat and the Boston Globe exhibited multiple victims making similar claims against
20:34the production.
20:34Um, it wasn't until about 30 days into treatment that I realized exactly how bad I was.
20:40Number 9. Rosie O'Donnell vs. Elizabeth Hasselbeck
20:43The view can sometimes feel like a daytime soap opera.
20:47Of all the scandals this talk show has endured over the years, the feud between co-hosts Rosie
20:52O'Donnell and Elizabeth Hasselbeck was perhaps the most notorious.
20:56The tension between the two reached its boiling point in 2007, when Hasselbeck referred to Iraq
21:02as, quote, America's enemy, prompting O'Donnell to argue that the Bush administration was truly
21:08at fault.
21:08You just said our enemies in Iraq.
21:10Did Iraq attack us?
21:12The liberal O'Donnell additionally criticized the media for their unflattering portrayal of
21:16her, claiming that they favored the conservative Hasselbeck.
21:20Here's how it gets spun in the media.
21:22Rosie, big, fat, lesbian, loud Rosie, attacks innocent, pure Christian Elizabeth.
21:28And I'm not doing it.
21:29Following their heated argument, O'Donnell left the show, while Hasselbeck exited five
21:34years later.
21:36Number 8. Alec Baldwin's offensive remarks
21:38Although Alec Baldwin is one of the most outspoken liberals in showbiz, his behavior hasn't always
21:44lived up to his professed ideals.
21:46In 2013, the Oscar-nominated actor landed in hot water when he allegedly directed a gay slur
21:52at a paparazzo.
21:54In due course, Baldwin was suspended from his late-night talk show for two weeks, while
21:59Baldwin initially claimed he was misquoted.
22:01He ultimately described his outburst in an apology as, quote, offensive and unacceptable.
22:07However, the damage was done, as Up Late with Alec Baldwin was canceled after only five episodes.
22:14It probably didn't help that Baldwin also made homophobic remarks towards reporter George
22:18Stark on Twitter.
22:20Number 7. Maury Povich's harassment lawsuit
22:23Maury Povich is no stranger to controversy, as many critics have accused his tabloid talk
22:28show of exploiting serious issues.
22:30Speaking of exploitation, a $100 million sex harassment lawsuit was filed against Povich and
22:36other members of his staff in 2006.
22:39The allegation stemmed from Bianca Nardi, a former producer of The Maury Povich Show, who
22:44claimed she had been forced to watch adult material and make advances at married men in
22:48bars while being filmed.
22:50She additionally accused executive producer Paul Fallhaber of making her wear revealing
22:55outfits, and implied that Povich was having an affair with producer Donna Ingber.
23:00Despite this scandal, Povich remained on television for years, and is still married to Connie Chung.
23:05Number 6. Billy Bush fired from today
23:08Just when it seemed like the 2016 U.S. presidential election couldn't get any crazier, a 2005 hot
23:15mic recording surfaced, in which Republican candidate Donald Trump shared an offensive and
23:20potentially incriminating conversation with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush.
23:25On a bus ride, Trump not only admitted that he tried and failed to seduce Nancy O'Dell, but
23:30also made some vulgar statements while discussing actress Arianne Zucker.
23:34The scandal took a drastic toll on Bush's public image, resulting in his termination from the
23:40Today Show.
23:41Meanwhile, Trump continued his campaign, and was elected president almost a month later.
23:46You don't get to say that, because I was there in the last 14 months of my life.
23:51I've been dealing with it.
23:52You dealt with it for 14 minutes and went on to be the president.
23:56Number 5.
23:57Blackmail Attempt Against David Letterman
23:59After a long, hard day, audiences would typically tune in to Late Show with David Letterman for
24:04a lighthearted laugh.
24:06The talk show took an uncomfortable turn in 2009, though, when Letterman confessed to having
24:10several sexual relationships with his female staffers.
24:14An extortionist had targeted Letterman, threatening to write a screenplay about the television host's
24:19affairs, unless he coughed up $2 million.
24:22And he seems to, in this packet, there seems to be quite a lot of terrible stuff he knows about.
24:28Cooperating with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Letterman wrote a fake check, and his
24:33blackmailer was arrested shortly after.
24:36While Letterman was met with some negative press following this shocking announcement, he eventually
24:40moved on from the scandal, and hosted Late Show for six more years, before retiring in 2015.
24:46Number 4.
24:48Oprah Winfrey vs. James Fry
24:50It's a radical departure, it's not a classic, and it is also not fiction.
24:55James Fry hit it big time when his memoir, A Million Little Pieces, was selected for Oprah's
25:00book club in 2005.
25:02Chronicling Fry's history with substance use disorder, the book became a New York Times bestseller
25:07and a cultural sensation.
25:08If I was gonna write a book that was true, and I was gonna write a book that was honest,
25:12then I was gonna have to write about myself in very, very negative ways.
25:16Many readers felt cheated, however, when it was revealed that Fry had fabricated information
25:21in his supposed true account.
25:24This didn't reflect well on Oprah, who invited Fry onto her show to talk about the controversy.
25:29Oprah didn't let Fry off with a slap on the wrist, eventually getting him to confess that
25:33he had made up parts of the story.
25:35She also brought on publisher Nan Talese to set the record straight.
25:39Number 3.
25:41Conan O'Brien vs. Jay Leno
25:42The original war for Late Night can be traced back to 1992, when Jay Leno became Johnny Carson's
25:49successor, over David Letterman.
25:50This influenced Letterman to move from NBC to CBS, while Conan O'Brien was hired to fill
25:56the NBC Late Night time slot.
25:59History essentially repeated itself almost two decades later, when Leno exited The Tonight
26:04Show so O'Brien could assume his hosting duties.
26:06Unfortunately, O'Brien's ratings struggled, and the decision to give Leno a primetime talk
26:12show turned out to be a huge miscalculation.
26:15Since pushing back the schedule wasn't an option, O'Brien was given a $45 million payout,
26:21while Leno returned to The Tonight Show in 2010.
26:25Number 2.
26:26Matt Lauer's Misconduct Allegations
26:27In rapid succession, from Bill O'Reilly to Charlie Rose, media personalities were publicly
26:34accused of sexual harassment in 2017.
26:37Have you done some soul-searching?
26:39Have you done some self-reflection?
26:42And have you looked at the way you treated women that you think now, or think about differently
26:47now than you did at the time?
26:49However, the sexual misconduct allegations directed at Matt Lauer shocked audiences perhaps
26:54the most.
26:55A staple of The Today Show for almost 20 years, Lauer was abruptly fired after a female NBC
27:01employee accused him of sexually harassing her three years earlier.
27:06You know, for the moment, all we can say is that we are heartbroken.
27:09It became clear that this was unlikely to be an isolated incident, as more women came
27:14forward.
27:15In one instance, Lauer was accused of summoning a former employee to his office and sexually
27:20assaulting her behind a locked door.
27:22The fact that Lauer was such a beloved host only made this more disturbing.
27:28Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
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27:43Number 1.
27:44Jenny Jones Guest Loses His Life
27:46Okay, you think about it, you have fantasies about him?
27:49I've had a couple, yeah.
27:50The Jenny Jones Show aired for over a decade, but it's actually best remembered for an episode
27:55that never even aired.
27:57Entitled Same-Sex Secret Crushes, the episode centered on a guest named Scott Amador, who,
28:03on the show, revealed his crush to an acquaintance named Jonathan Schmitz.
28:07Three days after the episode was taped, Schmitz reportedly found a suggestive note from Amador.
28:13Schmitz subsequently purchased a shotgun, shot Amador two times in the chest, and alerted the
28:18authorities of the crime he had just committed.
28:21Having a history of mental health issues, Schmitz was convicted of second-degree murder.
28:26Meanwhile, The Jenny Jones Show faced a wrongful death lawsuit, and was forced to pay Amador's
28:32family $25 million.
28:36Check out these other clips from WatchMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to
28:40be notified about our latest videos.
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