Careers Rocked by Scandal and Controversy

Columbus, OJ, Michael and more stars who never recovered.

Columbus Short - The former Scandal star has spent more time in court this year than the district attorney. Short was arrested a handful of times: in March for assault and battery, when he sucker punched a man at a Los Angeles bar, two months later in Dallas for harrassing a security guard, and again in August for skipping town for Barbados instead of attending his family court hearings. Since he doesn't have Olivia Pope on speed-dial anymore, we don't know how he's going to clean up his record.(Photo: David Buchan/Getty Images)

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Columbus Short - Controversy is usually not a bad thing for a celebrity's profile — any publicity is good publicity, right? — except in these rare cases where scandal nearly destroyed the stars' career. Columbus Short was the envy of every struggling actor in Hollywood, with a plum role on the hottest show on television, Scandal. But he blew it all with a real-life scandal, or three, of his own. Short's temper got so bad (he was arrested for knocking a man unconscious and reportedly threatened to kill his wife), even Olivia Pope couldn't save him. He was fired from the hit series this past spring.(Photo: David Buchan/Getty Images)

Isaiah Washington - Columbus Short isn't the only actor to get fired for stepping out of line. In 2007, after a fallout with his Grey's Anatomy co-star T.R. Knight, whom he reportedly called a homophobic slur, Washington was let go from the series. After initially resisting the firing, calling it a racially-based decision, Washington finally rode off into the sunset and spent the next few years doing charity work in Sierra Leone. The time off seemed to have done him good — Washington is in the midst of a mini-comeback this year. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

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Isaiah Washington - Columbus Short isn't the only actor to get fired for stepping out of line. In 2007, after a fallout with his Grey's Anatomy co-star T.R. Knight, whom he reportedly called a homophobic slur, Washington was let go from the series. After initially resisting the firing, calling it a racially-based decision, Washington finally rode off into the sunset and spent the next few years doing charity work in Sierra Leone. The time off seemed to have done him good — Washington is in the midst of a mini-comeback this year. (Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

Marion Jones - Jones was the star of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, becoming the first woman to claim five medals (three of them gold). However, her world quickly fell apart after it was revealed that Jones and her husband, shot-putter CJ Hunter, were part of a doping ring. After years of denying the allegations, she finally copped to steroid abuse and lying to investigators in 2007. Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison and was stripped of her five medals. (Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images) 

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Marion Jones - Jones was the star of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, becoming the first woman to claim five medals (three of them gold). However, her world quickly fell apart after it was revealed that Jones and her husband, shot-putter CJ Hunter, were part of a doping ring. After years of denying the allegations, she finally copped to steroid abuse and lying to investigators in 2007. Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison and was stripped of her five medals. (Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images) 

Lance Armstrong - The downfall of Lance Armstrong, once known as being among the best athletes in the world, will stand out in the history of professional sports. After winning countless titles and heroicly winning a battle against testicular cancer, seemingly coming back stronger than ever, it was revealed that Armstrong had been using illegal performance enhancing drugs throughout his career. In 2012, Armstrong was banned from professional cycling for good, losing all of his medals and his sponsors. Worst of all, the one-time all-American hero lost the respect of his fans.  (Photo: Lucas Jackson /Landov/REUTERS)

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Lance Armstrong - The downfall of Lance Armstrong, once known as being among the best athletes in the world, will stand out in the history of professional sports. After winning countless titles and heroicly winning a battle against testicular cancer, seemingly coming back stronger than ever, it was revealed that Armstrong had been using illegal performance enhancing drugs throughout his career. In 2012, Armstrong was banned from professional cycling for good, losing all of his medals and his sponsors. Worst of all, the one-time all-American hero lost the respect of his fans.  (Photo: Lucas Jackson /Landov/REUTERS)

OJ Simpson - When this Hall of Fame football player stood trial for murdering his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, America had a new pastime: the spectator trial. People watched riveted day after day as the evidence grew more gruesome, the conspiracy deepened and the defense emerged victorious. Though Simpson was acquitted of the double homicide in 1995, his life spiraled downward after the trial. Now, he is serving a life sentence for armed robbery and assault. How's that for poetic justice. (Photo: REUTERS/Myung J. Chun/Pool)

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OJ Simpson - When this Hall of Fame football player stood trial for murdering his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, America had a new pastime: the spectator trial. People watched riveted day after day as the evidence grew more gruesome, the conspiracy deepened and the defense emerged victorious. Though Simpson was acquitted of the double homicide in 1995, his life spiraled downward after the trial. Now, he is serving a life sentence for armed robbery and assault. How's that for poetic justice. (Photo: REUTERS/Myung J. Chun/Pool)

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Tim Hardaway - The retired NBA player was the league's LeBron James before there was a LeBron James. The point guard retired in 2003, but ruined his legacy years later when he made blatantly homophobic comments on a Miami sports radio show. When asked about his fellow NBA player John Amaechi coming out, Hardaway said "I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States." He later retracted his comments, saying "I didn't realize how many people I hurt." (Photo: Harry How /Allsport via Getty Images)

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Tim Hardaway - The retired NBA player was the league's LeBron James before there was a LeBron James. The point guard retired in 2003, but ruined his legacy years later when he made blatantly homophobic comments on a Miami sports radio show. When asked about his fellow NBA player John Amaechi coming out, Hardaway said "I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States." He later retracted his comments, saying "I didn't realize how many people I hurt." (Photo: Harry How /Allsport via Getty Images)

Beenie Man - Although many dancehall stars like Elephant Man and Buju Banton are known for their homophobic lyrics, no one got more bad press than Beenie Man. The artist sometimes called for the murder of gays in his music. Beenie was banned in several European and his music pulled from the radio. But in 2012, Beenie apologized to the LGBT community and told The Advocate, "If you want people to love your music, all you have to do is respect people for who they are." In later interviews, Beenie said he never apologized and his career never fully recovered. (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET) 

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Beenie Man - Although many dancehall stars like Elephant Man and Buju Banton are known for their homophobic lyrics, no one got more bad press than Beenie Man. The artist sometimes called for the murder of gays in his music. Beenie was banned in several European and his music pulled from the radio. But in 2012, Beenie apologized to the LGBT community and told The Advocate, "If you want people to love your music, all you have to do is respect people for who they are." In later interviews, Beenie said he never apologized and his career never fully recovered. (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET) 

Tiger Woods - Tiger Woods' dad, Army Lt. Col. Earl Woods, nicknamed his son "Tiger," the same name he gave a deputy province chief he advised in Vietnam.(Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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Tiger Woods - Tiger Woods was a name synonymous with drive, excellence and the possibilities of the American Dream...until 2009, when the golf pro's world fell apart amid several dozen allegations of infidelity. The cheating scandal wasn't just about an extramarital roll in the hay — Woods emerged as a full-on sex addict who had been hiding his habit from his wife, children and fans for years. The athlete checked himself into rehab, layed low for a couple of years and then picked up his clubs again. Still, it hasn't been the same for Tiger ever since. (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Michael Vick - The Atlanta Falcons quarterback was sentenced to two years in prison at the peak of his career in 2007 for running a dogfighting operation which killed a number of pitbulls. Dogs that did not perform up to expectations were killed by electrocution, hanging, drowning and other violent means, court documents revealed. Needless to say, Vick's football career never recovered, nor did his reputation. (Photo: Steve Helber-Pool/Getty Images)

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Michael Vick - The Atlanta Falcons quarterback was sentenced to two years in prison at the peak of his career in 2007 for running a dogfighting operation which killed a number of pitbulls. Dogs that did not perform up to expectations were killed by electrocution, hanging, drowning and other violent means, court documents revealed. Needless to say, Vick's football career never recovered, nor did his reputation. (Photo: Steve Helber-Pool/Getty Images)

Chris Brown - Breezy was R&B's golden boy in 2009, before that fateful night when he unleashed his rage on then-girlfriend Rihanna. The pictures that followed, of a battered and bruised Rih Rih, spoke a thousand words. While Brown was able to continue making music and selling records after the gruesome incident, his career and personal life have never quite been the same. Fans do keep pulling for Brown, who was 19 at the time of the assault, to get it together. (Photo: Lucy Nicholson-Pool\Getty Images)

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Chris Brown - Breezy was R&B's golden boy in 2009, before that fateful night when he unleashed his rage on then-girlfriend Rihanna. The pictures that followed, of a battered and bruised Rih Rih, spoke a thousand words. While Brown was able to continue making music and selling records after the gruesome incident, his career and personal life have never quite been the same. Fans do keep pulling for Brown, who was 19 at the time of the assault, to get it together. (Photo: Lucy Nicholson-Pool\Getty Images)

Photo By Lucy Nicholson-PoolGetty Images

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Paula Deen - They say the truth will set you free, but it didn't quite go down like that for Paula Deen. TV's beloved Butter Queen saw her empire melt faster than a tub of Crisco after she admitted in a deposition that she had used the N-word more than once in her past. Her awkward apology tour didn't exactly help matters, either. (Photo: WENN)

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Paula Deen - They say the truth will set you free, but it didn't quite go down like that for Paula Deen. TV's beloved Butter Queen saw her empire melt faster than a tub of Crisco after she admitted in a deposition that she had used the N-word more than once in her past. Her awkward apology tour didn't exactly help matters, either. (Photo: WENN)

A-Rod Allegedly Tested Positive for Illegal Substances - Mike Tyson's message for Chris Brown, plus Justin Blackmon suspended indefinitely, and more sports news. —Dominique ZonyééIn a shocking front-page report the New York Times revealed that two sources are claiming Alex Rodriguez tested positive for “a banned stimulant” in 2006. The New York Yankee’s star is currently on trial challenging Major League Baseball for a 211-game suspension for violating the MLB’s drug policy.(Photo: AP Photo/David Karp, File)

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Alex Rodriguez - Rodriguez was one of baseball's greatest sluggers before a doping controversy destroyed his career. A-Rod was one of 13 players suspended for over 200 games in 2013 for using performance-enhancing drugs. "I'm fighting for my life. I have to defend myself. If I don't defend myself, no one else will," he told reporters after the league announced its decision. (Photo: AP Photo/David Karp, File)

Michael Jackson - As famous and iconic as he was, Jackson's life was as defined by controversy as it was by music. Through Elephant Man bones and pet chimps, most of his quirks were passed off as harmless oddities, until the allegations of child molestation started to surface in the mid-1990s. Though Jackson was cleared of nearly all charges, his career and legacy was thereafter tainted. The allegations continue to dog him even after his death. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images)

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Michael Jackson - As famous and iconic as he was, Jackson's life was as defined by controversy as it was by music. Through Elephant Man bones and pet chimps, most of his quirks were passed off as harmless oddities, until the allegations of child molestation started to surface in the mid-1990s. Though Jackson was cleared of nearly all charges, his career and legacy was thereafter tainted. The allegations continue to dog him even after his death. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images)