Entertainment
The 13 Most Offensive Statements Uttered By Celebrities in 2013
In the biggest story of summer 2013, Food Network's Southern sweetheart Paula Deen admitted in a lawsuit deposition to using the n-word in the past. What's more, the deposition also revealed that Deen had discussed plans for her son to have a Southern plantation-themed wedding, complete with African-American male servers dressed in dinner jackets and bow ties. Deen also admitted she did not think using the n-word in a joke was wrong, because most jokes "usually target, though, a group."
After all this, Deen still did not think she was racist. She released not one, but two apology videos, but it seemed to be too little, too late. She lost her show on the Food Network, along with several endorsement deals, and when the lawsuit was finally dismissed, no one seemed to care — the damage had already been done.
But Deen wasn't the only celebrity to put her foot in her mouth this year. Plenty of other stars let some pretty offensive words slip and lived to regret it. Here are some of the most offensive things uttered by celebrities in 2013, from sexist statements to racist statements to fat-shaming. Click through if you dare — cringing may ensue. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Seth McFarlane
Seth McFarlane's Oscar hosting gig was truly impressive, if only for his ability to travel back to the '80s to get all his jokes. McFarlane left no tired subject untouched: There were eating disorder jokes, Chris Brown and Rihanna jokes. jokes about those crazy, nagging womenfolk, and of course, who could forget the boob jokes (mostly because he made a whole damn song about it)? It was less like the Oscars and more like having dinner with your racist, sexist uncle who thinks he's so funny.
Tyrese Gibson
When model and actor Tyrese was asked by a journalist earlier this year if he felt the need to "inspire people to healthier lifestyles," he responded by calling fat people "nasty," saying that "you are big as hell because you have earned that shit." After the backlash, Gibson took to Twitter with a non-apology, saying that his words got "twisted." Dude, someone asked you a question about healthier lifestyles and you responded with "fat people are nasty. That's about as un-twisted as it gets.
Alec Baldwin
The king angry, offensive rants, Alec Baldwin, pulled of yet another one this year. This time, it was against a journalist who reported that his wife Hilaria was tweeting during James Gandolfini's funeral. Baldwin responded by calling the reporter a "toxic little queen" and a "fucking little bitch" over Twitter and subsequently deleting his account. Baldwin, of course, apologized for his homophobic rant. But he followed this incident up with yet another, calling a photographer a gay slur. The punishment for his language came in the form of suspension for his MSNBC show, but, come on, Alec. Just get some anger management therapy already, man.
Rex Reed
With great fame comes an even greater amount of haters (that's how the saying goes, right?), and Melissa McCarthy experienced her biggest one this year: Rex Reed. The film critic called the actress "a female hippo" and a "screeching, humongous creep" in his review of her movie Identity Thief. Although Reed has refused to apologize multiple times and continues to stand by his statements, McCarthy was forgiving, saying, "I felt really bad for someone who is swimming in so much hate." Ladies and gentlemen: a class act.
'Big Brother'
When it comes to having multiple offensive statements this year, nobody beat Big Brother. Now in its 15th season, six different cast members spewed offensive statements that went across the spectrum, from homophobia to prejudice against a number of different races and ethnicities. The contestants paid the price for it — two contestants were fired and CBS aired a disclaimer before the show for the first time in Big Brother history. We'll never be able to look at Big Brother the same way again.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is going through her wild teen queen phase, and we all know what that means — being "edgy" (aka offensive). First, Cyrus started off by asking for something that "feels Black" for her new single. Then she continued to perpetuate the stereotype that Jewish people run the media. She even called Sinead O'Connor "Amanda Bynes" (aka crazy) over Twitter when O'Connor wrote her an open letter. Because she can't stop. And she won't stop.
Rick Ross
Misogyny in rap is pretty commonplace, even these days. But Rick Ross took it too far when he insinuated rape in his song "U.O.E.N.O," rapping "Put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it / I took her home and I enjoyed that / She ain't even know it." Ross lost his sponsorship deal with Reebok over the controversy, and offered two non-apologies before he (or rather, his PR person) finally wrote a real apology. By this point, there were already several remixes of the song without Ross' verse.
Robin Thicke
Miley Cyrus caused some pretty big controversy at the VMAs, but ultimately, it was Robin Thicke who was truly offensive. When he chatted with Oprah about this year's Moment that Will Go Down in Pop Culture History (God help us all), he refused to take any responsibility for the event, saying "that's all on her." C'mon Robin, it takes two to twerk...
Drake and J. Cole
In Drake's song "Jodeci Freestyle," rapper J. Cole contributed the lyric "I’m artistic, you niggas is autistic, retarded." Once the rappers received backlash from the Anti-Bullying alliance, they both apologized for the insensitive lyric.
Dr. Oz
This year, Dr. Oz both condescended to women by dressing in drag in an ill-advised attempt to get women to buy sensible shoes. Really, Dr. Oz? All you had to do was ask.
Tina Brown
Brown was one of many news commentators who gushed over the fact that Kate Middleton gave birth to a boy instead of a girl. Because you know, girls aren't reminded enough about how they're not worth as much as boys.
Amanda Bynes
As if Amanda Bynes wasn't having a controversial enough year already, she decided to tweet "Not having hair makes me feel like a cancer patient," once she shaved her head. Of course, once the backlash came around, Bynes gave the weirdest apology ever — something to do with grammar and astrology? We're still not sure what she was trying to say.
