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Published 15:47 12 Jan 2023 GMT
Whitney Houston's estate has responded to an "offensive" joke about the late singer that was made during this year's Golden Globe ceremony.
The joke had been part of 35-year-old comedian Jerrod Carmichael's monologue while hosting the 80th annual ceremony, where he'd referenced racism, Scientology, Will Smith's Oscar's slap, and even how much money he was getting paid for the gig.
One of the jokes in particular, however, left a sour taste in many viewers' mouths, and even Houston's estate.
During part of his speech, the Primetime Emmy winner said: "They wanted me to shout out the venue that we're in," Carmichael stated, "so we are here live from the hotel that killed Whitney Houston, the Beverly Hilton."
The late American singer and six-time Grammy winner sadly passed away in 2012 at the age of 48 after being found unconscious in the bath in a suite at the Beverly Hilton, where many awards shows and industry events are held.
A coroner later detailed that she had died from accidental drowning as well as the effects of habitual cocaine use, per CNN. The 'I Have Nothing' singer had struggled with drug addiction for several years, with her former husband Bobby Brown revealing that she was high on cocaine during their 1992 nuptials, via PEOPLE.
Following Carmichael's joke, many people ran to social media to defend his words. "His whole career is basically dark comedy and making something real uncomfortable.. if y'all don't know jerrod then go watch his tv show Or special. The golden globes knew exactly who they were getting [sic]," one person tweeted.
"Comedy is subjective HOWEVER facts are factual!!! These host aren't there to make you feel comfortable they are there to pass time between rich ppl celebrating and getting awards from rich people for making people richer GET OVER IT! [sic]" another added.
Though, there were many netizens who disapproved of the "offensive" joke, with one person saying: "Jerrod Carmichael Should Be Ashamed Of Himself. That Joke Was Very Offensive And Totally Unacceptable.!!!"
"Worst hosting job ever. Terrible," a further user chimed in.
Houston's sister-in-law and longtime manager - who is the sole executor of the singer's estate - reportedly didn't find the joke funny at all. "The Whitney Houston Estate is disappointed in the joke, and felt it was in poor taste," she said, via TMZ.
Sources also claimed that nobody in Houston's camp was given a heads-up that the joke was going to be made prior to Tuesday's broadcast, with insiders claiming it may well have been made off the cuff.
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Published 15:04 11 Jan 2023 GMT
The Golden Globes host Jerrod Carmichael stunned the crowd after making a Scientology joke about Tom Cruise.
On Tuesday night (January 10), the 35-year-old comedian took a sharp aim at the 60-year-old Top Gun: Maverick actor - who has been a prominent member of the Church of Scientology for 30 years.
Before introducing the actor's co-stars Glenn Powell and Jay Ellis, Carmichael mentioned that last year, Cruise returned the gold trophies he won in the past amid a boycott of the awards' organizers - the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).
Back in 2021, the controversy followed a scandal about the lack of Black voters in the organization and a separate ethics exposé, according to the Independent.
Watch the moment below:Halfway through the award ceremony, Carmichael returned on stage and said: "Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned."
The comic then continued his speech and brutally added: "I'm just the host… but I have a pitch. I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige."
For those unaware, Shelly, 61, is a member of the Church of Scientology and is the wife of the leader David Miscavige. She has become a subject on social media after she was not seen publicly since 2007.
According to the New York Post, ex-Scientologist and actress Leah Remini claimed that Miscavige is missing and even filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department back in 2013.
Despite all the speculation, the Church of Scientology maintained that Miscavige is living a private life and even the LAPD closed the case after receiving the 52-year-old detractor's complaint.
On Tuesday, Remini was quick to share the video of Carmichael's lethal joke on her social media page and wrote: "Thank you, Jerrod Carmichael! Where is Shelly??"
Many other users also shared their responses to the host's remarks, with one writing: "Jerrod Carmichael brought out three golden globes 'returned by Tom Cruise' and said, 'how about we exchange these for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige?' ...just before two Top Gun actors took the stage to talk about how much they love Tom."
Another user praised the comedian and said: "Jerrod Charmichael is the GOAT for that Tom Cruise/Shelly Miscavage joke. That. Was. A. Perfect. Joke."
A third person noted: "Jerrod Carmichael Cruise/Scientology gag right before that Tom Cruise/Maverick tribute from his cast mates is my brand of petty."
Lastly, a fourth commented: "Jerrod Carmichael bringing up the disappearance of Shelly Miscavige in the same sentence as tom cruise & a room full of Scientologists is INSANE. They never inviting him back. I'm obsessed with him for that."
Meanwhile, the Top Gun stars walked on stage after Carmichael's joke and remained positive by reading out their pre-written speech about acting with the Mission Impossible star.
They also proceeded to present the award for best supporting actress in a television series as if the stand-up comedian didn't savagely quip about their famed co-star on live TV.
Published 10:25 09 Sep 2025 GMT
Catherine Zeta-Jones is facing backlash after recalling a fan encounter on Late Night with Seth Meyers that many viewers branded “really inappropriate” and “creepy”.
The 55-year-old Wednesday star was promoting the second season of the hit Netflix series when she told Meyers that she’s been gaining a “new generation of fans.”
She then shared an anecdote that left some in the audience uncomfortable.
“I was hitting golf balls with Michael (Douglas) the other day at the driving range. I was practising, and this really cute 12-year-old boy came up and asking for my autograph, and it was like really cute, and then I went ‘Haha. When I’m 70 this cute little boy will be like 33,’” she told Meyers.
The host replied: “Now can Michael tell when you’re doing math in your head like that?”
Catherine continued: “Yeah, he usually thinks I’m wondering what club to pick, and I’m not. I’m going, ‘at that time I’m sure it’ll be fine.’”
Meyers then quipped: “That’s good. As long as you know not to give them your number when they’re 12.”
Clips of the interview quickly circulated online, sparking heated debate across social media.
Some argued the comment was a harmless joke, but others called it “creepy” and “unacceptable”.
On TikTok, one user wrote: “Ew. Why would she say that?!”
Another added: “That was highly inappropriate damn.”
A third said: “I just know she regretted saying that the second it left her mouth.”
One more comment read: “Creepy.”
Others expressed disbelief: “That twelve y/o boy comment was frickin wild.”
Another posted: “That twelve yr old what nowwww.”
“It's creepy. Who has these thoughts when they have an interaction with a 12 year old,” one viewer asked.
“I’m more perplexed by why Seth Meyers went along with it - someone should’ve said this isn’t okay,” another argued.
One critic wrote: “Listen, I know she is married to a much older man, but she was one whole adult when she made that decision. Thinking and speaking about a literal child in this manner is unacceptable and I am absolutely appalled that she thought this would be a cute story to share with the world. Girl, just stop.”
Other reactions included: “Well that was awkward,” and: “What an odd thing to say.”
The controversy comes just weeks after Zeta-Jones marked her 25th wedding anniversary with Michael Douglas, 80.
“We’ve been married 25 years, it’s something to celebrate,” she said. “And they said it would never last! It’s a journey of learning and loving and fun, and the prospect of reaching a 25-year anniversary is really quite thrilling. I remember my mum and dad celebrating theirs.”
The Welsh actress and the Hollywood icon tied the knot in 2000 at New York’s Plaza Hotel, a pairing that raised eyebrows due to their 25-year age gap. Today, the couple share two children, Dylan, 25, and Carys, 22.
She recently admitted that work commitments filming Wednesday meant they couldn’t celebrate on the exact date.
“I’ve been working a lot this year and he’s been so supportive. I think we’re going to be doing a party around the holidays because I’ll be shooting season three. It’s such a short period of time I have off.”
Zeta-Jones has also spoken candidly about the “ups-and-downs” in their marriage.
The pair briefly separated in 2013 during Douglas’s cancer battle and her bipolar disorder diagnosis, but reconciled in 2014. “It's impossible for there not to be ups and downs if you live with the same person and wake up with them every day,” she told The Telegraph in 2023.
Published 17:08 08 Jan 2024 GMT
Jo Koy has responded to the backlash over his Taylor Swift NFL joke at the 2024 Golden Globes.
The 52-year-old comedian, whose full name is Joseph Glenn Herbert Sr., hosted the 81st annual award ceremony and didn’t hold back in his opening monologue.
Despite acquiring the job just two weeks ago, Koy had lots of material prepared as he made jokes ranging from Oppenheimer's running time to Barbie being about a "plastic doll with big boobs" to the former royal couple Harry and Meghan.
At one point, the host attempted to joke about the 'I Knew You Were Trouble' artist's displays of support for her NFL player beau, Travis Kelce.
Watch the moment below:"The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift... there’s just more to go to here," Koy joked on stage. The camera then panned to the 34-year-old pop star, who could be seen with an icy expression before taking a sip from her drink.
Of course, the Swifties came out in full defense as they took to social media to slam Koy, with one user writing: "Omg, Taylor Swift’s death stare before sipping champagne at the #GoldenGlobes perfectly embodies Jo Koy’s cringey hosting job."
Another chimed remarked: "That death glare Taylor Swift gave Jo Koy after his little camera angle comment… GIRL, that man better say some prayers or something because if looks could bring misfortune, it’s that one."
A third user referenced the controversial Will Smith Oscars slap of 2022, noting: "The one funny thing Jo Koy has done so far is mention Taylor Swift by name because it led to this cutaway shot where she’s extremely 'keep my name out of your mouth'."
Even TV host Piers Morgan shared his thoughts as he penned: "If Taylor Swift death stares could actually kill, Jo Koy would now be deceased."
After the ceremony, the comic spoke with Entertainment Tonight at Billboard's Golden Globes after-party where an interviewer brought up the moment which exploded on the internet.
Speaking about the backlash, Koy said: "Aww, man, it was cute. I was just saying it was cute. I was just saying it's less cutaways, that's all."
The interviewer quipped that maybe the 'Karma' songstress was "thirsty" which is why she drank her champagne when the camera panned to her after the host's joke.
"Aww, man," Koy added, smiling.
Despite the seemingly poor response to his first-ever Golden Globes hosting gig, Koy seemed pleased with the impressive sweep of AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) wins.
"It's not just one, it's for all of us," he added.
Published 18:19 11 Apr 2024 GMT
Following the news that O.J. Simpson had passed away at the age of 76, a viral video of the former NFL star has surfaced once again on social media showing an "inappropriate" joke he played on an interviewer.
On Thursday (April 11), it was announced that the former football star who previously faced accusations about the murders of his ex-wife and her friend, had lost his battle with prostate cancer.
He was 76 at the time.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, his family announced the news via a heartfelt statement.
"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren," it read. "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
In the wake of the news, an old video of the athlete has seemingly started trending online after fans deemed it as "wild". The video comes from a 1998 episode of the TV documentary Ruby Wax Meets... where the titular host spends time with various celebrities.
Check out the outrageous moment below:
During the show, Wax asked questions regarding the high-profile murder case against Simpson regarding the killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
The clip shows the star telling Wax: "If you promise that you will not ask me another question about the case, we won't have to talk about it anymore."
Wax responds to Simpson with: "I will never ask you again... Just, did you do it?"
Simpson looks directly into the camera and says: "No, I didn't. Nope. Did not do it."
The camera then cuts to Wax alone in the studio after the interview had concluded, where she reveals that the former football player then played a bizarre "joke" on her.
"After we finished filming, OJ said to me that he had a surprise for me and I genuinely was surprised," she tells viewers, before adding: "I think it was his idea of a joke."
The next part of the video showed Wax opening a door to reveal Simpson pretending to stab her with a fake knife repeatedly - which is horrifying considering Simpson was accused of stabbing both his ex-wife and Goldman outside of her Los Angeles home on June 12, 1994.
Social media users were not impressed, with many raising suspicions of the star's alleged involvement in the case.
"I always remember seeing that interview on TV and couldn't believe the gall of the man," one person commented on an Instagram post. With another adding: "Oh my god! He thought that was a joke."
A third was left surprised upon seeing the clip, writing: "What the F***" alongside a shocked expression emoji.
Reuters reports that Simpson became a chief suspect in the case. He was ordered to surrender to police, but five days after the killings, he fled in his white Ford Bronco with a former teammate - carrying his passport and a disguise. A slow-speed chase through the Los Angeles area ended at Simpson's mansion and he was later charged in the murders.
However, on October 3, 1995, he was acquitted of both murders after what was described as one of the "most notorious trials in 20th century America."
Thirteen years after his acquittal in 2008, he was convicted on charges including kidnapping and armed robbery.
Published 13:01 21 Mar 2019 GMT
Macaulay Culkin has reportedly joked about the allegations of abuse levelled at his friend Michael Jackson in a comedy gig.
Over the last few weeks, Michael Jackson - who died in 2009 at the age of 50 - has been put back under the media spotlight in the aftermath of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which follows the stories of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two former friends of Jackson who say the pop star sexually abused them.
Culkin, now 38 years old, became friends with Jackson when the Home Alone actor was nine years old, and had so far refrained from commenting on the abuse allegations beyond his 2005 testimony. But in a comedy gig at the Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles last week, Macaulay allegedly had a sense of humour about the allegations against his close friend.
Culkin was there as part of a live recording of his Bunny Ears comedy podcast, which was watched by Jackson's 20-year-old daughter Paris Jackson - who also happens to be Culkin's goddaughter. He was on the mic with the musical comedy legend Weird Al Yankovic.
During the show, Culkin apparently turned to Yankovic, 59, and said to him: "I’m going to ask you a very serious question. What was your relationship like with Michael Jackson?" Then, both Culkin and Yankovic burst out laughing, before Yankovic replied: "Um, mostly platonic."
"I met him two or three times, he was pretty sweet to me," explained Weird Al Yankovic, who parodied two of his songs in Eat It and Fat (based on Michael Jackson's songs Beat It and Bad, respectively). This exchange drew raucous laughter and applause from the audience present at the show.
"Sounds amazing, he sounds really cool, yeah," joked Macaulay Culkin, before revealing that Weird Al Yankovic's parodies were especially popular with the King of Pop at the Neverland Ranch. "I will say he was a huge, huge fan of yours Yes, he always had your videos kind of playing constantly," Culkin apparently said.
"There you go, validation. Praise. Hail, Caesar!" added Culkin, before the conversation moved swiftly on.
Paris Jackson was in attendance with her boyfriend Gabriel Glenn, but an eyewitness said she did not talk to Culkin or Yankovic, smoking and staying silent at the back. Instead, she headed backstage with Culkin's partner Brenda Song.
"She didn’t talk to anybody and just kept her head down scrolling through her phone while smoking at a little table in the corner. Paris barely spoke to Gabriel and looked pretty downcast before sneaking backstage with Macaulay’s girlfriend Brenda Song".
It's unclear what Paris thought of the reported jokes made by Macaulay Culkin, but what is clear is that the actor, unlike others, is refusing to wade into the debate surrounding his Michael Jackson.
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