It’s understandable why we admire celebrities. Many use their fame to support important causes, raise awareness, and donate to charity. On the surface, they seem like real-life heroes.
But behind every wholesome image is a team of publicists working hard to keep scandals under wraps and good deeds in the spotlight. So, while some stars appear squeaky clean, the reality is often more complicated.
And strangely enough, nothing seems to clear a celebrity’s reputation quite like their passing. That’s the theme of this viral Reddit thread, where people are naming famous figures whose shady histories were conveniently forgotten once they were no longer around.
Check out the most surprising examples below.
#1
John Lennon. Musical talent aside, the way he treated his ex wife and Julian is appalling. And people let him off far too lightly for the break up of the band, blaming it all on Yoko Ono. He was a grown a*s man who could think for himself.
Not that Yoko is any better. She couldn't be bothered to lift a finger or contribute a single cent towards Julian after John's passing. She inherited John's entire estate worth an estimated $800M at the time of his death. A million would've meant nothing to her, so she obviously was being needlessly petty and spiteful.
On the other hand, Paul looked out for both Julian and his mother. When Cynthia put John's old love letters up for auction because they needed money, Paul bought them and gifted them back to her. He's a class act who deserves his celebrity recognition.
Not that Yoko is any better. She couldn't be bothered to lift a finger or contribute a single cent towards Julian after John's passing. She inherited John's entire estate worth an estimated $800M at the time of his death. A million would've meant nothing to her, so she obviously was being needlessly petty and spiteful.
On the other hand, Paul looked out for both Julian and his mother. When Cynthia put John's old love letters up for auction because they needed money, Paul bought them and gifted them back to her. He's a class act who deserves his celebrity recognition.
206points
#2
Ronald Reagan
He was a piece of s**t human being, but got away with a lot of it due to his personal celebrity appeal.
He obviously knew about Iran-Contra and lied about it, disparaged Nelson Mandela and supported South Africa's apartheid government, ignored the AIDS crisis, was instrumental in the current wealth inequality that we have today by bringing about "Trickle Down Economics", defunded mental health care and education, gave weapons to the Taliban, busted unions, threw out the Fairness Doctrine, and my personal favorite: sabotaged the Iran Hostage Negotiations behind the scenes so that he could use it against Carter in the 1980 election.
He shouldn't be on Mount Rushmore, he should be under it.
He was a piece of s**t human being, but got away with a lot of it due to his personal celebrity appeal.
He obviously knew about Iran-Contra and lied about it, disparaged Nelson Mandela and supported South Africa's apartheid government, ignored the AIDS crisis, was instrumental in the current wealth inequality that we have today by bringing about "Trickle Down Economics", defunded mental health care and education, gave weapons to the Taliban, busted unions, threw out the Fairness Doctrine, and my personal favorite: sabotaged the Iran Hostage Negotiations behind the scenes so that he could use it against Carter in the 1980 election.
He shouldn't be on Mount Rushmore, he should be under it.
191points
#3
Mother Teresa was a horrible person to those she supposedly cared for.
172points
#4
Steve Jobs. Everyone only remembers him as the guy who created and then saved Apple and “invented” the iPhone. People don’t remember how he f****d over his best friend, knocked up his girlfriend and left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant, refused to give the mother of his first child any money, refused to show any outward affection to his daughter, and (although this one is a bit milder in scale) refused to take showers and would put his bare feet up on the conference table.
Oh, also, he refused cancer treatment in favor of new-age healing until it was too late, and then he spent a buttload of money to leapfrog his name on the organ donor list.
Oh, also, he refused cancer treatment in favor of new-age healing until it was too late, and then he spent a buttload of money to leapfrog his name on the organ donor list.
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153points
#5
Not dead, but Oprah’s legacy will definitely be more complicated. She contributed to the hysteria surrounding the Satanic Panic. She’s the reason Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil became famous.
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146points
#6
Not dead yet but it baffles me how nobody seemingly knows that conor McGregor was convicted for r*ping a Woman so brutally, the tampon had to be surgically removed.
Christiano Ronaldo was accused of r**e but the case didnt go through because the transctipt of him admitting it to his lawyers, detailing the brutality of it, was acquired illegally.
Both still have a significant following.
Christiano Ronaldo was accused of r**e but the case didnt go through because the transctipt of him admitting it to his lawyers, detailing the brutality of it, was acquired illegally.
Both still have a significant following.
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133points
#7
L Ron Hubbard. He still has a billion dollar cult.
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131points
#8
I believe it depends on who you talk to, but I'd say Charles Lindbergh.
"Lucky Lindy" was adored for his solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris in 1927. And the nation mourned the kidnapping and m****r of his infant son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., in 1932. (Kidnapping was designated a federal crime because of this case.)
However, Lindbergh was a N**i sympathizer and headed the America First Committee, which was dedicated to keeping the United States out of WWII. He socialized with Nazis during one of his many trips to Germany and received a medal from Hermann Göring, who headed the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force.
Lindbergh also had a secret family in Germany while he was married to Anne Morrow Lindbergh. He had children with two women in Bavaria: Brigitte and Marietta Hesshaimer, and with his European secretary, Valeska. He kept these relationships secret from his wife and his children in America. .
"Lucky Lindy" was adored for his solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris in 1927. And the nation mourned the kidnapping and m****r of his infant son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., in 1932. (Kidnapping was designated a federal crime because of this case.)
However, Lindbergh was a N**i sympathizer and headed the America First Committee, which was dedicated to keeping the United States out of WWII. He socialized with Nazis during one of his many trips to Germany and received a medal from Hermann Göring, who headed the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force.
Lindbergh also had a secret family in Germany while he was married to Anne Morrow Lindbergh. He had children with two women in Bavaria: Brigitte and Marietta Hesshaimer, and with his European secretary, Valeska. He kept these relationships secret from his wife and his children in America. .
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125points
#9
Gandhi was a woman beater and made teenage girls sleep in his bed to “help him learn to resist temptation” or some s**t like that.
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122points
#10
Not dead yet but the director Roman Polanski was convicted of r**e and/or sodomy of a 13 year old drugged up girl. He fled before sentencing and has been treated as a genius since. He's even won several awards. Several female actresses who were part of the "me too" movement were called out (barely) for signing a petition to have his conviction overturned so he could come back to America. Should be dead.
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120points
#13
Walt Disney. Built a global empire but also had a history of racism, sexism, and antisemitism that people conveniently forget the moment they walk into Disneyland.
115points
#14
Hes not dead yet, but chris brown. Its like everyone has forgotten what he did to rihanna.
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114points
#15
Thomas Edison, y'know for not really inventing what he's most famous for.
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111points
#16
Steve Jobs
He had a daughter with his h**h school girlfriend. Repeatedly denied paternity despite DNA tests showing otherwise. Claimed that he was sterile which was a lie. That girl lived in poverty while he went on to become incredibly wealthy. He later finally allowed her into his life and (according to her) was a*****e and distant and she said that he frequently would be manipulative and insult her appearance or hygeine
He was also really temperamental towards his employees. Publicly humiliated staff. Close friends even called him self-centered and difficult to work with.
Apple worked with Foxconn, which was a Chinese manufacturing partner that is accused of Harsh Working Conditions, Long Hours, Poor Wages etc. That obviously isn't something unique to Apple. But Jobs was dismissive of these concerns
Apple was also part of a wage-fixing scandal. Conspiring with other Silicon Valley Companies to not poach employees which suppressed salaries across the industry.
He really wasn't a good dude. Apple in general is not a good company. Yet there is very little negative press towards him or the company. A lot more praise than criticism.
He had a daughter with his h**h school girlfriend. Repeatedly denied paternity despite DNA tests showing otherwise. Claimed that he was sterile which was a lie. That girl lived in poverty while he went on to become incredibly wealthy. He later finally allowed her into his life and (according to her) was a*****e and distant and she said that he frequently would be manipulative and insult her appearance or hygeine
He was also really temperamental towards his employees. Publicly humiliated staff. Close friends even called him self-centered and difficult to work with.
Apple worked with Foxconn, which was a Chinese manufacturing partner that is accused of Harsh Working Conditions, Long Hours, Poor Wages etc. That obviously isn't something unique to Apple. But Jobs was dismissive of these concerns
Apple was also part of a wage-fixing scandal. Conspiring with other Silicon Valley Companies to not poach employees which suppressed salaries across the industry.
He really wasn't a good dude. Apple in general is not a good company. Yet there is very little negative press towards him or the company. A lot more praise than criticism.
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105points
#17
Hugh Hefner. Hefner's former male and female employees and partners made claims of systematic sexual misconduct and manipulation, recreational and manipulative d**g use.
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100points
#18
Pope John Paul II. He oversaw one if not the most disturbing cover-ups in human history and he was made an actual saint.
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100points
#20
John Wayne. Way after civil rights movement win, he advocated back the other way and was a massive racist. He wanted full Jim Crow stuff back in force.
Now people only ever remember him fondly for his bang average cowboy films.
Now people only ever remember him fondly for his bang average cowboy films.
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92points