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When a celebrity tries to say sorry, the damage can sometimes get even worse. Join us as we look at the most infamous apologies that only added fuel to the fire, from awkward videos and tone-deaf statements to bizarre public responses that left fans, critics, and the internet stunned. These are the moments that turned damage control into a full-blown disaster.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at celebrity apologies that somehow made already messy situations even worse.
00:08And I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry.
00:13Ed Sheeran.
00:14This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight, I hope it's
00:20okay if I say a few words.
00:22It's never a good sign when your apology becomes another thing you have to apologize for.
00:27In September 2026, Macklemore was removed as an opener on Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks during
00:36a New Jersey performance.
00:38Macklemore said venues had pressured the tour to drop him, while Sheeran maintained he had tried to mediate the situation.
00:46I would never let down the fans who'd made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other
00:51support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.
00:55All three remaining opening acts and Sheeran's backing band subsequently withdrew.
01:01So, at his Philadelphia concert, Sheeran opened with an emotional address, saying he had made mistakes.
01:08But the remarks, which appeared to be read from a teleprompter, became a major part of the show.
01:14What happened in Israel and at the Northern Music Festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish
01:21pain.
01:22What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.
01:29My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives.
01:34Later that night, Sheeran apologized again, this time for opening the concert the way he did.
01:40The one thing that I would like to apologize for is the first bit of the show.
01:47Shia LaBeouf
01:48When Shia LaBeouf released a short film called HowardCantor.com in 2013,
01:54the Transformers actor was quickly called out for plagiarism by artist Daniel Klaus.
02:00L.A. But LaBeouf's new short film went live online Monday and now the actor is facing allegations of plagiarism.
02:06The fallout and media attention over the scandal was swift, leading LaBeouf to respond with an apology online.
02:13The actor first said that he, quote, got lost in the creative process and that was his reason for not
02:19crediting this author for inspiring his film.
02:22However, it turned out that part of his widely circulated apology had been lifted from a Yahoo Answers post.
02:29Yep, LaBeouf, who was accused of plagiarism, had plagiarized his apology.
02:33In the days that followed, Shia continued posting sarcastic and cryptic apologies,
02:39even turning to the skies with a skywriting stunt,
02:42thus making the entire incident something of a surreal performance art piece.
02:46He put this over Hollywood.
02:47Mr. Klaus, he lives up in the San Francisco Bay Area.
02:50So that did not get seen by him.
02:53None of it, however, helped his cause.
02:55Drew Barrymore
02:56I've been through so many ups and downs in my life, and this is one of them.
03:02Without question, Drew Barrymore had a rough end to the year 2023.
03:07The backlash stemmed from a controversial decision Drew made to bring her talk show,
03:12The Drew Barrymore Show, back to production weeks before the official close of the WGA writer's strike.
03:18I think we should roll a certain clip.
03:21Get off the furniture.
03:22I mean, what?
03:23The decision to continue filming while her writers were still on picket lines
03:27brought a fierce condemnation from industry colleagues and fans alike.
03:31Barrymore was within SAG-AFTRA strike guidelines to keep production running on her talk show,
03:36but anyone writing for the show would be crossing the Writers Guild picket line.
03:40You're f***ing scabs.
03:42Barrymore posted a tearful video apologizing to writers and unions,
03:46but she also defended her decision to bring the show back.
03:49I know there's just nothing I can do that will make this okay for those it is not okay with.
04:00The video itself was criticized and subsequently deleted.
04:04Days later, Drew reversed course,
04:06announcing that the show's premiere would be paused until the strike ended and apologized yet again.
04:12Barrymore put the brakes on her show
04:14after pressure and criticism, even from friends.
04:18Mario Batali.
04:19Celebrity chef Mario Batali pleading not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery.
04:24A woman accused him of forcibly kissing and groping her at a restaurant back in 2017.
04:29He denies the accusation.
04:31This will forever be dubbed the cinnamon roll apology.
04:35Yep, in 2017,
04:36celeb chef Mario Batali issued a statement in his newsletter
04:40after four women accused him of sexual misconduct.
04:44Batali apologized,
04:45said his behavior was wrong,
04:47and took responsibility,
04:49but then tacked a holiday recipe for pizza dough cinnamon rolls onto the end of it.
04:53The bizarre juxtaposition immediately became the story,
04:56with critics calling the edition tone-deaf,
04:59given the seriousness of the allegations.
05:01His apology was intended to show remorse,
05:04but somehow ended up looking like a food promotion.
05:06Batali would step away from the day-to-day operations of his restaurants
05:10as the fallout continued.
05:12The criminal complaint says,
05:13quote,
05:14The victim realized Batali was intoxicated by the smell and half-closed eyes.
05:17The victim stated she was uncomfortable,
05:19and it was shocking to her that this was happening.
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05:31for even more celebrity-fueled entertainment.
05:34This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome,
05:37and everyone here can stand beside people that have opposing views.
05:41Leah Michelle.
05:42This is exhibit A for why the wording of an apology matters.
05:46In 2020, the Glee star publicly voiced support for Black Lives Matter,
05:51prompting former co-star Samantha Ware to accuse Michelle
05:54of making her time on the show a nightmare,
05:57and engaging in what Ware described as,
05:59quote, traumatic microaggressions.
06:02It all started when Leah tweeted her support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
06:06Co-star Samantha Marie Ware's response?
06:08Accusing Leah of making her first television gig a living hell.
06:12Michelle responded on Instagram,
06:14saying she did not remember making those specific statements or actions,
06:19and apologized for how her behavior had been perceived.
06:22Leah referenced Samantha's claims on Instagram,
06:25writing that the responses she received have made her reflect on her own actions.
06:30However, her choice of words, calling it perceived behavior, became a problem.
06:35Critics argued that describing the issue as such sounded like she was questioning the experiences
06:40being described, rather than taking true responsibility for them.
06:44You get great grades. You're a fantastic singer.
06:46Everybody hates me.
06:48Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.
06:50The actors were criticized for calling their former co-star a role model, among other things.
06:55And the consensus in is that that video didn't help.
06:59This didn't help anyone's cause.
07:01After actor Danny Masterson was convicted of serious assault charges and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison,
07:09character letters that friends Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis had written on his behalf became public.
07:14With the former That 70s Show stars facing public backlash,
07:19they posted a video apologizing for any pain their letters had caused.
07:23We are aware of the pain.
07:26Fierce backlash today for Ashton Kutcher and wife Mila Kunis.
07:29They apologized for the character letter, calling That 70s Show star Danny Masterson
07:35an outstanding role model and exceptional older brother figure with a caring nature.
07:40Unfortunately, the response generated another wave of criticism.
07:43With many questioning the seemingly performative way they addressed the controversy.
07:48The fallout had professional consequences too.
07:51Kutcher resigned as chairman of Thorne, the child protection organization he co-founded.
07:56While Kunis stepped down from her role as an observer on its board.
08:01The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system
08:05or the validity of the jury's ruling.
08:08Michael Richards.
08:08After a shocking racist tirade during a 2006 stand-up set at the Laugh Factory was recorded
08:15by an audience member and distributed online, Michael Richards, best known as Kramer on Seinfeld,
08:22faced immediate public scrutiny.
08:24You guys have been talking and talking and talking!
08:29I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!
08:31Just days later, Richards agreed to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman,
08:35at the urging of his friend and former co-star Jerry Seinfeld.
08:39I asked him if he would come on the show tonight, so that he could explain what happened.
08:45And so, during the interview segment with Jerry, Michael was brought in via satellite.
08:49I lost my temper on stage.
08:53I was at a comedy club trying to do my act, and I got heckled, and I took it badly
09:00and went into a rage.
09:03However, the appearance felt awkward and out of place.
09:07Heck, many in the studio audience initially laughed, thinking it was all part of a bit.
09:11A lot of trash talk, and uh...
09:15Stop laughing, it's not funny.
09:17Richards acknowledged that the platform may not have been ideal for his apology.
09:21We agree.
09:22I know, I hear you in your audience laugh, you know, and it's, it's, uh,
09:26I'm not even sure that this is, uh, where I should be, uh, addressing, uh, the situation.
09:34Ellen.
09:35So, uh, consider me your professor, this is like kindness 101, so pay attention.
09:39After years of being known as TV's Queen of Nice,
09:42Ellen DeGeneres faced a storm of reports in 2020, alleging a toxic workplace at The Ellen DeGeneres Show,
09:49including claims of intimidation, racism, and misconduct involving senior producers.
09:55So when Ellen says she's not aware of this, uh, environment, you don't think that rings true?
10:00It's a lie.
10:01Warner Media launched an investigation, and three top producers ultimately left the show.
10:07When season 18 began, all eyes were on Ellen as she addressed the scandal in her opening monologue,
10:14apologizing to those affected.
10:15I take that very seriously, and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.
10:20But the monologue also included jokes about her horrible summer,
10:23and former staffers criticized her for turning their experiences into comedy.
10:28Being known as the Be Kind Lady is a tricky position to be in.
10:32So, let me give you some advice out there.
10:34If anybody's thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname,
10:37do not go with the Be Kind Lady.
10:40Don't do it.
10:41To make matters worse, Ellen revisited the controversy in her Netflix special For Your Approval,
10:46further joking about the situation.
10:49Had I ended my show by saying go f*** yourselves.
10:53Colleen Ballinger.
10:54My team has strongly advised me to not say what I want to say.
10:58I recently realized that they never said that I couldn't sing what I want to say.
11:03If you're going to make an apology video, maybe don't pick up a ukulele.
11:07Unfortunately, in 2023, YouTuber Colleen Ballinger did the opposite.
11:12Yep, faced with allegations from former young fans concerning inappropriate interactions and behavior,
11:18her response amounted to a roughly 10-minute song dubbed Toxic Gossip Train.
11:23The toxic gossip train, chugging down the tracks of misinformation.
11:30While Ballinger characterized some allegations as lies and rumors,
11:35and acknowledged that she had made mistakes,
11:37the musical response became an enormous internet story.
11:40I haven't done that for years, you see,
11:43because I changed my behavior and I took accountability.
11:47Critics and viewers alike argued that the playful format trivialized the serious allegations.
11:52The song was subsequently discussed as one of the most notorious apology videos in YouTube history.
11:58And that's saying something.
12:00Kevin Spacey.
12:01In 2017, Kevin Spacey's legacy began to crumble when a wave of disturbing allegations hit the media.
12:08The most high-profile accusation came from actor Anthony Rapp,
12:12who alleged that an adult Spacey acted inappropriately toward him when he was a teenager.
12:18Spacey made sexual advances toward him after a party when they were both on Broadway.
12:22Spacey was 26.
12:24In response, Spacey put out a statement claiming he didn't remember the incident,
12:29seemingly blaming it on drunkenness.
12:31He also chose that moment to come out as gay.
12:34The decision to combine those two announcements drew immediate criticism.
12:38That statement drawing fire, many saying addressing his sexuality was a tactic he was using
12:43to distance himself from the allegations of abuse of a minor.
12:46But Spacey wasn't finished making things weird.
12:49On Christmas Eve 2018, he released a video in character as Frank Underwood from House of Cards,
12:56seemingly addressing the controversy.
12:58I know what you want.
12:59The bizarre fourth wall breaking appearance left people wondering,
13:02was this an apology, a comeback attempt, or a fever dream?
13:06Like I ever played by anyone's rules before, I never did, and you loved it.
13:14Which celebrity apology backfired the hardest?
13:17Let's talk in the comments below.