Celebrity Outbursts

Outrageous Outbursts: Good or Bad? Rate them.

Akon Throws Fan Off Stage - During a June 2007 concert in Fishkill, N.Y., a kid threw something at Akon during his performance. The singer got mad and sent his bodyguards into the crowd to bring the 15-year-old kid on stage just so he could humiliate him by picking him up and throwing him back into the crowd.  Another concertgoer said she suffered a concussion when the teen landed on her.

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Akon Throws Fan Off Stage - During a June 2007 concert in Fishkill, N.Y., a kid threw something at Akon during his performance. The singer got mad and sent his bodyguards into the crowd to bring the 15-year-old kid on stage just so he could humiliate him by picking him up and throwing him back into the crowd. Another concertgoer said she suffered a concussion when the teen landed on her.

Clinton Fires Back - In 2006, Fox News' Chris Wallace thought he could pull a fast one on Bill Clinton during an interview that was supposed to be about Clinton's Global Initiative. Two questions into the interview, Wallace asked Clinton about his not having caught Osama bin Laden during his presidency. Wallace got creamed. "At least I tried," Clinton went on to say. "That's the difference [between] me and some. [The Bush administration] had eight months to try...and didn't.”

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Clinton Fires Back - In 2006, Fox News' Chris Wallace thought he could pull a fast one on Bill Clinton during an interview that was supposed to be about Clinton's Global Initiative. Two questions into the interview, Wallace asked Clinton about his not having caught Osama bin Laden during his presidency. Wallace got creamed. "At least I tried," Clinton went on to say. "That's the difference [between] me and some. [The Bush administration] had eight months to try...and didn't.”

Shoe Attack - In December 2008, an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush during a news conference in Baghdad, where Bush was making a farewell visit.  Bush ducked, and the shoes, flung one at a time, sailed past his head.  The shoe thrower could be heard yelling in Arabic,  "This is a farewell...you dog!"

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Shoe Attack - In December 2008, an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush during a news conference in Baghdad, where Bush was making a farewell visit. Bush ducked, and the shoes, flung one at a time, sailed past his head. The shoe thrower could be heard yelling in Arabic, "This is a farewell...you dog!"

McKinney Strikes - Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) once complained she was the victim of racial profiling that led to a run-in with a Capitol police officer in March 2006.  Police say McKinney struck a Capitol Police officer when the officer didn't recognize her as a member of Congress and tried to stop her from entering a House office building when she did not present ID.  McKinney accused the officer of "inappropriate touching" and racial profiling in the incident.

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McKinney Strikes - Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) once complained she was the victim of racial profiling that led to a run-in with a Capitol police officer in March 2006. Police say McKinney struck a Capitol Police officer when the officer didn't recognize her as a member of Congress and tried to stop her from entering a House office building when she did not present ID. McKinney accused the officer of "inappropriate touching" and racial profiling in the incident.

'Nappy-Headed Hos' - On the April 4, 2007 edition of MSNBC's “Imus in the Morning,” host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team, which is comprised of eight African American and two White players, as "nappy-headed hos," immediately after the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hard-core hos." Imus was later fired from his CBS radio program.

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'Nappy-Headed Hos' - On the April 4, 2007 edition of MSNBC's “Imus in the Morning,” host Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team, which is comprised of eight African American and two White players, as "nappy-headed hos," immediately after the show's executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hard-core hos." Imus was later fired from his CBS radio program.

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Clinton Snaps - During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 11-day tour in Africa this year, she snapped on a Congolese student after a translation mistake. On her visit to Kinshasa, the African student asked her what Bill Clinton thought of a foreign police issue.  "My husband is not Secretary of State," she snapped. "I am."  The student later apologized to Clinton and said he had meant to ask her what President Obama thought, not former President Bill Clinton.

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Clinton Snaps - During Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 11-day tour in Africa this year, she snapped on a Congolese student after a translation mistake. On her visit to Kinshasa, the African student asked her what Bill Clinton thought of a foreign police issue. "My husband is not Secretary of State," she snapped. "I am." The student later apologized to Clinton and said he had meant to ask her what President Obama thought, not former President Bill Clinton.

Anti-Gay Slurs - In October 2006, Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington called his co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot" on the set during an argument with Patrick Dempsey. According to Knight, the incident led to him publicly coming out of the closet. Washington made another outburst using the epithet, this time backstage at the Golden Globe Awards. In January 2007, Washington issued a public apology for using the word "faggot" and went into rehab to help him with what the show's creator Shonda Rimes referred to as "h

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Anti-Gay Slurs - In October 2006, Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington called his co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot" on the set during an argument with Patrick Dempsey. According to Knight, the incident led to him publicly coming out of the closet. Washington made another outburst using the epithet, this time backstage at the Golden Globe Awards. In January 2007, Washington issued a public apology for using the word "faggot" and went into rehab to help him with what the show's creator Shonda Rimes referred to as "h

'You Lie!' - During President Obama's health care speech to Congress last week, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson shouted, "you lie," after the president denied that his health care plan would cover illegal immigrants. Wilson later issued a statement of apology and called the White House to apologize.

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'You Lie!' - During President Obama's health care speech to Congress last week, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson shouted, "you lie," after the president denied that his health care plan would cover illegal immigrants. Wilson later issued a statement of apology and called the White House to apologize.

I Was 'Robbed' - In 2004, Kanye West allegedly walked out of the American Music Awards claiming he was "robbed" when country singer Gretchen Wilson won Best New Artist instead of him. "I was the best artist of the year," he told reporters, claiming a conspiracy was at work.

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I Was 'Robbed' - In 2004, Kanye West allegedly walked out of the American Music Awards claiming he was "robbed" when country singer Gretchen Wilson won Best New Artist instead of him. "I was the best artist of the year," he told reporters, claiming a conspiracy was at work.

'Bush Doesn't Care' - In 2005, West goes off-script live on NBC during a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert to tell America "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." Mike Myers' astounded expression says it all.

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'Bush Doesn't Care' - In 2005, West goes off-script live on NBC during a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert to tell America "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." Mike Myers' astounded expression says it all.

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Bey Was Best - In 2009, the rapper elicits a chorus of boos when he bounds onstage during country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video and declares "Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!"

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Bey Was Best - In 2009, the rapper elicits a chorus of boos when he bounds onstage during country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video and declares "Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!"

Crashing Jay-Z's Performance - Kanye West wasn't the only celeb to crash the VMAs stage.  Toward the end of a rousing show-closing performance of “Empire State of Mind,”  Lil Mama decided that she needed to jump up on the stage when Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were performing Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind". Even going so far as to strike a pose at the end of the song with the pair as if she were one of the performers. Jay-Z turned his back on her and embraced Alicia Keys during the ovation at the end of the song.

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Crashing Jay-Z's Performance - Kanye West wasn't the only celeb to crash the VMAs stage. Toward the end of a rousing show-closing performance of “Empire State of Mind,” Lil Mama decided that she needed to jump up on the stage when Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were performing Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind". Even going so far as to strike a pose at the end of the song with the pair as if she were one of the performers. Jay-Z turned his back on her and embraced Alicia Keys during the ovation at the end of the song.

Rock and Roll Feud - "I did what any man would do; any man across the country, across the world would do." That was Kid Rock’s explanation after he punched fellow rocker Tommy Lee in the face during the 2007 MTV VMAs. Both men had been married and divorced from model/actress Pamela Anderson, and Rock said the beef was five years in the making.

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Rock and Roll Feud - "I did what any man would do; any man across the country, across the world would do." That was Kid Rock’s explanation after he punched fellow rocker Tommy Lee in the face during the 2007 MTV VMAs. Both men had been married and divorced from model/actress Pamela Anderson, and Rock said the beef was five years in the making.

'I Don't Want to Hear It' - It's a coach's job to know his personnel.  P.J. Carlesimo didn't abide by this rule when he pushed Latrell Sprewell over the edge by hounding him to make crisp passes.  'Spree' warned him, stating, "I don't want to hear it today."  That was the last verbal warning the coach would receive, as Sprewell choked Carlesimo to the ground in the middle of practice.  The NBA suspended him for the rest of the season.

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'I Don't Want to Hear It' - It's a coach's job to know his personnel. P.J. Carlesimo didn't abide by this rule when he pushed Latrell Sprewell over the edge by hounding him to make crisp passes. 'Spree' warned him, stating, "I don't want to hear it today." That was the last verbal warning the coach would receive, as Sprewell choked Carlesimo to the ground in the middle of practice. The NBA suspended him for the rest of the season.

'Kramer' Goes Crazy - On Nov. 17, 2006, during a performance at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, cell phone video captured Michael Richards shouting "Shut up" to a heckler in the audience. He followed with repeated shouts of "He's a nigger!" (using the word six times altogether), and also made reference to lynching in addressing the heckler, who was Black.  Richards made a public apology for his remarks during a satellite appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

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'Kramer' Goes Crazy - On Nov. 17, 2006, during a performance at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, cell phone video captured Michael Richards shouting "Shut up" to a heckler in the audience. He followed with repeated shouts of "He's a nigger!" (using the word six times altogether), and also made reference to lynching in addressing the heckler, who was Black. Richards made a public apology for his remarks during a satellite appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman.”

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Old Dirty’s Displeasure - At the 1998 Grammys, Wu-Tang’s outspoken ambassador, Old Dirty Bastard, bumrushed the stage just as Shawn Colvin was accepting her award for Song of the Year. Apparently upset that his group lost Best Rap Album to Diddy, ODB said, “Wu-Tang is for the children…Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all, peace."

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Old Dirty’s Displeasure - At the 1998 Grammys, Wu-Tang’s outspoken ambassador, Old Dirty Bastard, bumrushed the stage just as Shawn Colvin was accepting her award for Song of the Year. Apparently upset that his group lost Best Rap Album to Diddy, ODB said, “Wu-Tang is for the children…Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all, peace."

Ron Artest Fight - Players and fans exchanged punches in the stands near the end of a Pacers-Pistons NBA on Nov. 19, 2004, in one of the worst brawls in NBA history. With less than a minute before the game was over, the fighting began on the court and then extended into the stands after a plastic cup with beer was thrown at then-Pacer Ron Artest, who was suspended for the rest of the season.

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Ron Artest Fight - Players and fans exchanged punches in the stands near the end of a Pacers-Pistons NBA on Nov. 19, 2004, in one of the worst brawls in NBA history. With less than a minute before the game was over, the fighting began on the court and then extended into the stands after a plastic cup with beer was thrown at then-Pacer Ron Artest, who was suspended for the rest of the season.

Serena's Tantrum - Serena Williams completely lost her cool during a match at the 2009 U.S. Open semi-final  against Kim Clijsters. Long story short, Serena approached and verbally assaulted the line judge and also allegedly threatened to shove the tennis ball down the judge’s throat. Serena's outburst ultimately cost her the game, $10,000 for unsportsman-like conduct and $500 for racket abuse.

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Serena's Tantrum - Serena Williams completely lost her cool during a match at the 2009 U.S. Open semi-final against Kim Clijsters. Long story short, Serena approached and verbally assaulted the line judge and also allegedly threatened to shove the tennis ball down the judge’s throat. Serena's outburst ultimately cost her the game, $10,000 for unsportsman-like conduct and $500 for racket abuse.

Cruise Attacks Oprah's Couch - Tom Cruise has made several expressions of his feelings for his now-wife Katie Holmes to the media. Most notable was the "couch incident," which took place on the popular "Oprah Winfrey Show" on May 23, 2005. During the interview, Cruise jumped to his feet, then up onto Oprah’s couch to express his enthusiasm for Holmes.

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Cruise Attacks Oprah's Couch - Tom Cruise has made several expressions of his feelings for his now-wife Katie Holmes to the media. Most notable was the "couch incident," which took place on the popular "Oprah Winfrey Show" on May 23, 2005. During the interview, Cruise jumped to his feet, then up onto Oprah’s couch to express his enthusiasm for Holmes.