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Cape Town - Celebrity status is a fickle thing. One day you’re on top of the world and the next you’re public enemy number one – and often all it takes is one comment, action or really bad interview.
These eight celebs all dealt their career a – sometimes crippling – blow by saying or doing the unforgivable.
Robin Thicke
The 40-year-old singer watched his career burn after fans began pointing out misogyny in his hit song Blurred Lines.
This hailed the start of a period of misfortune for the star, including losing his wife of nearly nine years after she filed for divorce, E! News reported.
The album sales for his third studio album were dismal and since then his career seems to be in limbo.
Nonhle Thema
The former face of Channel O is the perfect example of how important it is that celebrities mind their manners on social media.
The 35-year-old was once a star in the South African entertainment industry but after a Twitter rant about how rich she is and how her “haters” should “eat dust” her career took a disastrous turn.
She lost endorsement deals and eventually was removed as a presenter on V Entertainment on VUZU, reported Channel24.
Hulk Hogan
The 64-year-old veteran WWE wrestler was one of the most popular performers in the industry.
But he lost his fans’ affection and WWE’s endorsement when a sex tape of him and his best friend’s wife came out. Not only that, but in the video he made racist remarks that didn’t sit well with his fans, reported The Daily Mail.
WWE terminated his contract and removed him from its Hall of Fame.
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee lived in the shadow of her sister, mega star Jessica Simpson, for years, but in 2004 she had her breakthrough and became a rising star on the tween music charts.
But it didn’t last. Her downfall came when she slipped up in a performance on TV show Saturday Night Live. She lip-synced during a performance and was caught out when the track she’d just performed started playing again – complete with vocals. She tried to save the performance by doing an awkward little dance, but it fell flat and ended with her walking off stage mid-song.
She told MTV News that she was really embarrassed by what had happened, explaining that she’d had severe acid reflux at the time which meant that she couldn’t sing. But her fans weren’t very forgiving and her career just never quite recovered.
Mark Salling
The 35-year-old Glee actor was on his way to becoming an industry giant when news broke that he’d been caught with child pornography in his possession.
Since then accusations and rumours have surrounded the singer-songwriter and he’s currently facing criminal charges relating to child pornography, reported E! News.
His career as an actor immediately came to a halt as no one wanted to associate with him anymore.
Jub Jub
Jub Jub was undoubtedly one of the biggest names in South African hip hop. But all that disappeared in a cloud of controversy when he was convicted for culpable homicide after hitting and killing four schoolchildren with his car in December 2012.
It emerged in court that he and a friend, Themba Tshabalala, had been under the influence of hard drugs when they raced their car – resulting in the tragedy, reported IOL.
Although it’s now been a few months since his release from prison, his career might never recover.
Brickz
The kwaito singer’s song Sweety My Baby propelled him into the consciousness of South Africans from all walks of life – but a rape charge put paid to a once promising career when once adoring fans shunned him.
He was recently found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl in his home in Ruimsig, Roodepoort, as reported by the Citizen.
He’s yet to be sentenced.
Chris Brown
Chris Brown’s middle name appears to be “trouble” and he’s constantly finding himself in the middle of one controversy or another.
In 2009, the 28-year-old physically assaulted his then girlfriend, Rihanna, and although the public forgave him, his career never reverted to its former glory.
Sources: The Citizen, IOL, E! News, MTV News, The Daily Mail, Channel 24, E!
