Celebrities and scandals go hand and hand. But what about these older ones from generations before? Did you know? After someone asked for the best examples of older scandals that younger generations probably don’t even know about, here is what they had to say.
1. Lisa Left Eye Lopes Burning Down the House
On June 9, 1994, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes burned her then-Atlanta Falcons boyfriend Andre Rison’s $1.3 million home. They were involved in a toxic relationship where he abused and cheated on her.
Someone suggests, “he went on a shopping spree and bought loads of sneakers, and when she discovered there weren’t any in her size, she put them in the bathtub and set them on fire (I think there were other relationship issues, but this was like the straw that broke the camels back.”
2. Elizabeth Taylor’s Love Triangle
Another forum member explains her favorite scandalous moment was the Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, and Eddie Fisher love triangle. “Elizabeth Taylor’s husband died in a plane crash, and her best friends, Debbie and Eddie, are there for her in her grief. Except, whoops, it comes out that Elizabeth and Eddie had an affair and fell in love.
So Eddie leaves Debbie for her best friend. Then he gets what he deserves when Elizabeth has an affair with Richard Burton on Cleopatra (a movie Eddie produced). Truly the scandal of their generation.”
3. Jessica Alba Was Kidnapped
Do you remember when Jessica Alba was kidnapped and missing for fourteen hours before being found gagged and tied up in the back of a trunk? Me either! When she was working on the set of Flipper in 1996 as a 15-year-old teenage girl, she was suddenly gone.
Thankfully, she was found, but the perpetrator remains anonymous. I don’t know if I would call this a scandal, but it’s a terrifying story with a happy ending.
4. Robin Givens Spoke Up
When Robin Givens spoke out against the domestic abuse and violence she suffered at the hands of Mike Tyson, it was quite the scandal. One notes, “She was named one of the most hated women for speaking out about it. How Tyson was excused for that is beyond me. He’s one of the most renowned fighters of all time, and people blamed Robin for being beaten by him?”
5. Hugh Grant Cheated on Elizabeth Hurley
In 1995, Hugh Grant cheated on his eight-year relationship partner Elizabeth Hurley with a sex worker named Divine Brown. Of course, numerous people in the comments can’t believe anyone would cheat on her because she’s so gorgeous.
But come on. Looks have nothing to do with it. Lots of beautiful people are cheated on every day. Apparently, he had just watched his film Nine Months and was displeased with his performance before “one thing led to another.”
6. Lana Turner and Cheryl Crane
Lana Turner was a well-known actress, pin-up model, and all-around beautiful star of the silver screen. However, she had terrible taste in men. One explains, “She dated some really fantastic piles of rubbish. Specifically, Johnny Stompanato. He supposedly had ties to the mob and had been rather abusive towards Lana and her daughter, Cheryl Crane.
Like any loving daughter, Cheryl was tired of seeing her mother used as a punching bag. So one night, Johnny is a craptacular specimen of humanity towards Lana, and Cheryl grabs the kitchen knife. She ensured Johnny never again hurt her mother (or anyone else).”
Unfortunately, this destroyed Lana’s career; she auctioned off much of her property to make ends meet. Furthermore, there were rumors that Lana killed him, but her daughter took the blame because she was more likely to get away with it. “It was just a tragic story all around.” Cheryl was convicted of justifiable homicide and went to juvenile detention.
7. Robert Downey Jr.’s Joyride
Did you know that in June 1996, Robert Downey Jr. was stopped by the police after driving naked on Sunset Boulevard with the possession of cocaine, heroin, and a firearm? Fortunately, he’s turned his life around and is now a superhero to millions.
8. Julia Robert’s as a Real Runaway Bride
On June 14, 1991, Julia Roberts was supposed to marry Flatliners co-star Kiefer Southerland. However, right before their wedding, she ran off with his best friend, Jason Patrick. Someone confesses, “I recently stumbled across Kiefer and Jason’s podcast and was genuinely shocked they were able to reconcile. I doubt I could in that situation.”
9. Monica Punched Brandy
Did you know that Monica punched Brandy in the face at the 1998 VMA Awards? According to one, “It was right before they got on stage to perform ‘The Boy is Mine,’ and that’s why they never promoted the song.”
10. Eddie Murphy Stopped With Transgender Sex Worker in Car
On May 2, 1997, police pulled over Eddie Murphy over on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood with Shalimar Seiuli, a known transgender sex worker. Police did nothing about it, and Murphy insists he was being a “good samaritan” and just offering a woman at 4:45 am home. Needless to say, it was quite a scandal.
11. Princess Diana Harassed Oliver Hoare
One user reminds the forum that “Princess Diana stalked married men and harassed the family of at least one of them with repeated hang-up phone calls, investigated by the police.” After married, art dealer Oliver Hoare broke up with Lady Di; she reportedly placed numerous malicious calls to his home in the middle of the night.
A source told Mirror, “Diana was very naughty. She would drive to his house and park up outside and then call his house phone from her mobile. She’d do it in the middle of the night, so she could watch the lights in the house go on as he scrambled to the phone. She would be there for hours, watching and calling.”
12. Lucille Ball and The Red Scare
Lucille Ball was nearly blacklisted in Hollywood. Someone says, “Back when Joseph McCarthy was allowed to conduct absolute witch hunts on people, who supposedly had the potential of being communists, he targeted the pop-culture icon Lucille Ball (along with other well-known names like Charlie Chaplin and Arthur Miller).
One reason he targeted Lucille Ball was her marriage to Desi Arnaz, as he had left Cuba for America when the revolution came, and that put a target on her back. It didn’t help that some years back Lucy had registered herself as part of the Socialist Party, and McCarthy clung to this, despite Lucille Ball stating that she only ever did it to appease a family member.”
13. Natalie Wood
Lana Wood reveals in chapter three of Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood that her starlet sister caught Robert Wagner in the arms of another man in June of 1961.
But that’s not the scandal the forum reminds us that “Natalie Woods ‘mysteriously’ died after falling off a yacht with only Christopher Walken and Robert Wagner on board. It was quite the scandal when her death was ruled accidental.
14. Madonna’s Book
Madonna is no stranger to controversy and scandal. Her song “Justify My Love,” from her Erotica album, was banned from MTV. They eventually played it at night. Someone also mentions, “Madonna’s Sex book had people lining up at midnight at stores to get a copy of it.” It had images of her and other people doing, well, you know.
15. Robe Lowe’s Scandalous Tape With a Minor
On July 17th, 1988, a home adult film with Rob Lowe was leaked to the press. In the videotape, Lowe engages in a steamy encounter with a 16-year-old Atlanta girl, Lena Jan Parsons, and her 23-year-old friend, Tara Seburt. A final user mentions, “It pretty much stopped his career for a few years.”
Source: Reddit.
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Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.