Top 10 Celebrities Who Destroyed Their Careers on Reality TV
Top 10 Celebrities Who Ruined Their Careers On Reality TV
Top 20 TV Hosts Who Destroyed Their Careers on Air
Talk about a reality check! Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Celebrities Who Ruined Their Careers On Reality TV! For this list, we’ll be looking at notable stars who joined in on the reality TV craze, only to see their careers suffer because of it. Our emphasis will be on pre-existing celebrities versus those who only became famous because of reality television.
#10: Lindsay Lohan
Remember when Lindsay Lohan totally repaired her personal and professional life by appearing on that Oprah Winfrey-produced reality show? Okay, so it didn’t quite go down like that. The 8-episode series was meant to document the troubled starlet’s recovery from rehab following a period of, let’s just say, “struggles.” This was to be Linds’ big comeback, putting her once more in the industry’s good graces. Unfortunately, even more of Lohan’s dirty laundry got aired, and the show itself became a major cringe viewing experience. Poor Lindsay - if Oprah can’t help fix your career, then perhaps no one can!
#9: Chad Johnson
If only Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson had left his temper on the football field. Problems started for Johnson, then a star player in the National Football League, when he struck up a relationship with Evelyn Lozada, cast member of the drama-filled reality series “Basketball Wives.” The two quickly tied the knot, but people were shocked when Chad was accused of head-butting Evelyn during an argument. Unsurprisingly, this spelled the end of the marriage, not to mention Ochocino’s career in the NFL. It’s also probably safe to say he won’t be making any reality TV appearances in the foreseeable future.
#8: Roxanne Pallett
When competing on a reality program where everything is recorded by upwards of 80 cameras, fabricating a scandal is a fairly difficult task. Unless, of course, you’re English actress Roxanne Pallett. Appearing on the 22nd edition of UK’s “Celebrity Big Brother,” Pallett would go on to falsely accuse fellow houseguest Ryan Thomas of punching her with force, labeling him a “liar” and “woman beater” when he refuted the claims. The actress would later apologize for what she called a "horrible mistake,” but the damage had already been done. “Punch-gate,” as the press dubbed it, had given Roxanne’s career a TKO!
#7: Kris Humphries
In the Spring of 2011, Kris Humphries was on top of the world. Not only was he a breakout player on the New Jersey Nets, but he was also engaged to perhaps the most famous celebrity around: Kim Kardashian. How things can change. Sure, Kris and Kim’s wedding was an extravagant two-part special on E!, causing a media frenzy in the process, BUT the holy union only lasted a measly 72 days – making it one of the shortest in Hollywood history. Mocked relentlessly by late-night hosts and anyone with a Twitter account, Humphries was now no longer a "basketball star," but simply "that guy who married Kim Kardashian on TV that one time."
#6: Paris Hilton
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Thanks in part to a certain video leak, hotel heiress Paris Hilton became quite the popular fixture in the early 2000s. Along with her best friend Nicole Richie, the two socialites would go on to launch “The Simple Life,” a reality show that saw them try their hands at manual blue-collar jobs. Despite the show’s commercial success, the Hilton family patriarch, Barron Hilton, was none too pleased. Extremely embarrassed by how the Hilton name had been tarnished through the program, not to mention his granddaughter’s other escapades, he decided to cut Paris and her family off from the billions they were set to inherit. Yikes – now that’s NOT hot!
#5: Jessica Simpson
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Okay, so Jessica Simpson isn’t the only pop star to get a bad rap on reality TV. But while others, like Britney Spears, were able to overcome their toxic TV experiences, Simpson wasn’t so lucky. It didn’t help that the show, “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” really put Simpson's naive personality on display, playing up her "dumb blonde" persona. Perhaps the most famous example of this comes when Jessica, snacking from a Chicken of the Sea tuna can, questions what it is she’s actually eating. And to be fair, Simpson’s then-husband, Nick Lachey, didn’t fare much better when the show, and their relationship, ended. But hey, at least they got to kick off that MTV relationship curse!
#4: Hulk Hogan
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He’s body-slammed a giant, battled an Ultimate Warrior, and led a New World Order – but the one thing Hulk Hogan was unable to conquer? Reality TV. The VH1 series, “Hogan Knows Best,” put the spotlight on the Hulkster’s family life, including his relationship with then-wife Linda. The couple’s problems became obvious throughout the show, however, leading to a nasty divorce shortly after its cancellation. Making matters worse, Hogan’s son Nick got in a car accident, seriously injuring his friend and landing him jail time. According to Hulk himself, the show exasperated the family’s troubles. Apparently Hogan didn’t quite know best when agreeing to a reality show.
#3. Kanye West
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Did anyone really expect Kanye West to NOT appear on “Keeping up with The Kardashians?” It’s no secret that West loves the spotlight! Whether it’s giving an impromptu performance on the “SNL” stage or crashing an award show acceptance speech, Kanye is all about, well, Kanye. And so, popping up on his wife’s mega-hit reality show was inevitable. Unfortunately, many say his appearances on the program have led to overexposure, taking his status down a notch. Numerous fans and critics have wished the rapper would lay off the show altogether. Well - as long as there are working cameras involved, we don’t expect Kanye to shy away any time soon.
#2: Caitlyn Jenner
Upon her public arrival, and subsequent exit from “Keeping up with the Kardashians,” Caitlyn Jenner became a strong voice for the often voiceless, championing the transgender community on her own reality show, “I Am Cait.” Caitlyn was a renowned inspiration! That all changed, however, when Jenner revealed she was a Ted Cruz and President Trump supporter. Caitlyn’s fans found her opinions to be hypocritical - especially considering Cruz was a vocal supporter of the controversial anti-trans "bathroom bills." Angry and disappointed, viewers stopped watching in droves, and “I Am Cait” got canceled after only two short seasons. Did no one tell Caitlyn that with great power comes great responsibility?
#1: Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom was a well-respected player for the Los Angeles Lakers when he started dating Khloe Kardashian and appearing regularly on her family’s popular reality series. It wasn’t long before the couple spun off their own show, launching themselves into celebrity power couple territory. Things quickly fell apart, however, when Khloe filed for divorce amid infidelity rumors and Lamar went down a dark rabbit hole of substance abuse that nearly cost him his life. No longer with the NBA, Odom has been fighting an uphill battle to get his life back on track ever since. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that perhaps dating a Kardashian can be hazardous to one’s health!
