These embarrassing celebrity moments are insanely cringeworthy. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most painfully awkward and uncomfortable moments involving high-profile individuals that were immortalized on tape.
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00:00 "I'm in love. I've never seen you like that!"
00:03 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most painfully awkward
00:09 and uncomfortable moments involving high-profile individuals that were immortalized on tape.
00:14 "Thank you so much for giving me a chance to win a VMA award."
00:17 Number 20. Elon Musk's Cybertruck Fail.
00:23 Even having all the money in the world apparently doesn't shield you from public embarrassment.
00:28 In November 2019, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the Cybertruck, an electric pickup vehicle boasting
00:36 futuristic design and reportedly impact-resistant armored windows. However, things took a mortifying
00:44 turn when Musk instructed a staff member to put the windows to the test by hurling a small metallic
00:50 ball at them. Surprisingly, all it took was one hit for the supposedly indestructible glass to
00:56 be almost completely destroyed. "Sure? Yeah. Oh my god. Well, maybe that was a little too hard."
01:06 Granted, the windows weren't punctured, but the ball left them, alongside any iota of Musk's
01:14 confidence, shattered on the stage. The tech boss tries to save face with some witty remarks,
01:20 but what's done is done. "Room for improvement."
01:24 Number 19. Zac Efron's Red Carpet Mishap.
01:28 Celebrities take note. Always check your pockets before hitting the red carpet. Back when he was
01:34 still a teen heartthrob, Zac Efron attended the premiere of his 2012 animated movie, The Lorax.
01:41 While posing for the paps, Efron reached into his pocket and accidentally dropped a gold
01:46 protection packet on the floor. "You dropped something on the red carpet." "I did, I did.
01:53 And I never really had a pocket-checking policy prior to going onto the red carpet before,
01:59 but now we've fully instated one." Despite his swift attempt to retrieve and conceal it,
02:05 the damage was done. The flashing lights and recording cameras had already captured the
02:10 moment for the whole world to see. Realizing his mistake, an utterly embarrassed Efron stood
02:16 frozen, desperately wishing the ground would swallow him up. It appears nothing shatters
02:21 the Disney image faster than an unexpected encounter with a wandering rubber. "Better
02:26 to be safe than sorry, right?" "That's a great message." Number 18. Whoopi Goldberg
02:32 lets one loose on The View. She's a multi-talented entertainer and a member of the esteemed EGOT
02:38 Club, but if you needed a reminder that Whoopi Goldberg was human like the rest of us, look no
02:43 further. In 2011, Homeland actress Claire Danes was a guest on The View when an unexpected incident
02:50 occurred. In the midst of their conversation, co-host Whoopi Goldberg accidentally let out a
02:56 fart, momentarily halting the discussion and sending the audience into a fit of laughter.
03:02 Rather than let the awkwardness linger, Goldberg skillfully defused the situation with a hilarious
03:12 remark and continued with the interview. While it may have been embarrassing, it's not entirely
03:17 surprising. The woman is named Whoopi, after all. "I mean, that just blew a little frog out of there."
03:23 Number 17. Lil Mama crashes Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' performance. The 2009 VMAs are infamous
03:32 for a particularly uncomfortable interruption, which we'll get to shortly. However, that wasn't
03:37 the only headline-making incident of the night. While performing their chart-topping hit,
03:42 "Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were joined by a surprise guest.
03:47 As the performance concluded, New York rapper Lil Mama left her seat,
03:56 walked onto the stage, and awkwardly vibed to the beat. Then, in perhaps the most cringeworthy
04:02 moment, she struck a pose beside the two as if she had just delivered an amazing performance.
04:08 Soon after the incident, Lil Mama apologized, explaining that she was, quote, "caught up in
04:13 the moment" and was simply, quote, "feeling it." Maybe next time she should stick to feeling it
04:19 from her seat. "I was young before. I made mistakes. I've been through this, I've been
04:23 through that. That was petty, that was light. It's over. Like, leave it alone."
04:26 Number 16. Lock D. Gate. A highly decorated swimmer, Ryan Lock D. managed to transform
04:33 an embarrassing drunk night out into an international scandal. During the 2016
04:38 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Lock D. and three fellow U.S. swimmers claimed they
04:44 were robbed at gunpoint at a gas station. However, investigation by Brazilian authorities uncovered
04:50 security footage showing that Lock D.'s group had vandalized the gas station bathroom and were made
04:56 to pay for the damage by armed security guards. "Now taking responsibility for what he says was
05:02 immature behavior in Rio." The clip contradicted Lock D.'s initial account,
05:06 proving that he had fabricated the incident and publicized it all by himself. In the end,
05:12 a situation that probably would have flown under the radar resulted in his suspension by USA
05:17 Swimming and the loss of his major sponsorships. "Why would he lie about something like this?"
05:23 Number 15. Miguel Legdrop. If you found yourself wondering if this was a music performance or a
05:29 WWE Raw audition tape, you're certainly not alone. While performing at the 2013 Billboard Music
05:35 Awards, R&B star Miguel decided to take things up a notch. He leapt from the stage across the
05:42 teeming crowd, but fell short, landing directly on a fan's head while hitting another with his leg.
05:47 To add to the awkwardness, he proceeded to hug the wrong person and continued with his performance.
05:54 Miguel later appeared in a backstage interview with one of the injured fans
05:58 in an apparent attempt at damage control. However, he was eventually sued by another
06:03 lady who claimed to have also been hurt by his humiliating jump.
06:07 "When you're performing and you're just kind of into it, you never really know how it's gonna go
06:10 and where you're gonna go with it and how that might turn out. So this is kind of one of the
06:15 less favorable moments." Number 14. Kathy Lee Giffords' on-air blunder. Things took an awkward
06:22 and, quite frankly, heartbreaking turn when actor Martin Short appeared on the Today show in 2012
06:28 to promote the Madagascar 3 movie. Just two years earlier, Short had lost his wife, Nancy Dolman,
06:36 to ovarian cancer. But it seems Today co-host Kathy Lee Gifford was unaware of this fact.
06:42 "How many years now for you guys?"
06:44 "We, uh, married 36 years."
06:46 During the interview, Gifford unintentionally touched on sensitive ground by asking Short
06:51 about his marriage and why he was still in love with his wife. Despite the emotional
06:56 impact of the question, Short maintained his composure and played along, choosing not to
07:01 correct the mistake live on air. "Can you make each other laugh?"
07:04 "Yes." "Right?"
07:05 After she was informed of her blunder, Gifford took to Twitter to apologize to the actor.
07:10 Number 13. Sacha Baron Cohen spills ashes on Ryan Seacrest. They say anything can happen
07:18 in show business, and this incident on the 2012 Oscars red carpet certainly proved that.
07:23 British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen made a memorable appearance dressed as the character
07:28 Admiral General Al-Adeen from his movie The Dictator.
07:32 "Those gongsters at the UN want me to address them? Fine! I will address them like they have
07:39 never been addressed before!" Cohen carried an urn containing what he claimed to be the ashes of
07:44 late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il and, unsurprisingly, decided to cause a stir.
07:50 While being interviewed by E! News host Ryan Seacrest, Cohen toppled the urn,
07:55 spilling the ashes onto what must have been a very expensive suit. The moment is clearly
08:01 upsetting for Seacrest, but he does his best to play it cool while Cohen is dragged away by security.
08:06 "You've got Kim Jong-il on! Wait a minute, we need to bring this up."
08:10 Number 12. Bieber pukes on stage.
08:13 We mean, good for him for soldiering on. While performing the first show of his world tour in
08:18 Arizona, Bieber stopped and turned midway through Out of Town Girl. Before audiences could wonder if
08:23 he was mooning them, Bieber puked and ran off stage, leaving his dancers to awkwardly frolic
08:28 around a puddle of vomit. Now that's what we call professional. Not wanting to disappoint his fans,
08:34 Bieber gamely returned and blamed his sickness on having too much milk before the concert.
08:38 "Um, in Canada we like to, we like to have spaghetti in milk. I don't know if it was
08:43 such a good idea before my show." Throwing up in public is embarrassing enough.
08:46 Throwing up in front of 20,000 people who are avidly watching is probably wanting to die
08:51 uncomfortable. Number 11. 50 Cent's awful first pitch.
08:56 There have been some doozy first pitches throughout the years, but none are as bad as 50 Cent's.
09:02 On the fateful day of May 27th, 2014, the rapper threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Mets
09:08 game, only he unleashed a ball that was about 50 feet off the plate and nearly hit the cameraman.
09:13 "And his first pitch was not great. Just a bit outside."
09:18 While Fittie had a smile on his face, he was surprised to learn just how mocked the infamous
09:23 pitch became, as it was aired on all the major sports networks and even made into a baseball
09:28 card. We know throwing a baseball over the plate is much harder than it looks,
09:31 but this is just hilariously awful. Number 10. Fergie P's herself on stage.
09:38 If there's one thing that this and the Bieber video teach us, it's that the show must go on.
09:43 While performing with the black-eyed peas, some eagle-eyed viewers noticed a wet spot near Fergie's
09:48 crotch. Naturally, photos were taken and published, and Fergie's face was probably beat red when she
09:53 saw the headlines. In a later interview with Hot 97, Fergie explained that the band was stuck in
09:58 traffic on the way to the gig, and she was unable to go to the bathroom before being rushed to the
10:02 stage. "You guys, yes, it was late for stage. I was driving down the freeway. It's Friday traffic,
10:08 San Diego. Get some stage. We have to start the show. I'm running on." According to her, it was,
10:12 and we imagine, easily one of the most embarrassing. "I get crazy, and I jump,
10:16 and I run across the stage, and my adrenaline was going, and gosh." Number 9. Bow Wow is caught
10:23 flying coach. In May 2017, Bow Wow posted a photo of a private plane to Instagram,
10:28 implying that he was traveling in luxury. Later that same day, a passenger Snapchatted Bow Wow on
10:34 a commercial flight, and Instagram users discovered that the private jet picture was a stock photo
10:39 that Bow Wow had thrown a filter on. "Lil Bow Wow was on my flight to NY, but on Instagram,
10:44 he posted a picture of a private jet. Sma-ha." "So he's like completely outed." This in turn
10:50 started the #BowWowChallenge, where people posted pictures online contrasting a glamorous photo with
10:56 a harsh reality. Being caught in a lie is embarrassing enough. Being caught lying about
11:00 your seemingly flashy lifestyle and becoming a meme is something else entirely. Number 8.
11:06 Seinfeld refuses to hug Kesha. Clearly, Seinfeld was not a fan of TikTok. While attending the David
11:12 Lynch Foundation's A Night of Laughter and Song, Kesha approached Seinfeld when he was in the
11:16 middle of an interview. That was her first mistake. She then told him that she was a huge fan and
11:21 asked for a hug, which Seinfeld denied not once, but thrice. "I love you so much." "Oh, thanks."
11:27 "Can I give you a hug?" "No, thanks." "Please?" "No, thanks." "A little one." "Yeah, no thanks."
11:31 The comedian even recoiled and stepped away, causing her to beat a hasty retreat.
11:38 His admission to reporters that he didn't know who she was inadvertently rubbed even
11:41 more salt into the wound. "I don't know who that was." "It was Kesha." "Okay." "Well, I wish you the
11:46 best." This is prime cringe material right here, and we can't help but feel bad for Kesha. "I
11:52 understand." "In my reality, I don't hug a total stranger. I have to meet someone, say hello."
12:01 Then again, who does hug complete strangers? "I'm like an excitable puppy, especially when I heard
12:06 his voice. But then I like went back and I was like, 'Oh.'" Number 7. David Hasselhoff under
12:13 the influence. In one of the earliest viral videos, the Hoff was filmed lying drunk on
12:17 the floor while chowing down on a cheeseburger. "I'm gonna get you promised you're not gonna get
12:21 alcohol and you're gonna stop drinking." The video was filmed by his own daughter,
12:25 who can be heard telling him that he'll be fired if alcohol is found in his system.
12:29 It definitely wasn't the Baywatch star's greatest moment, and he later stated that the video was
12:33 made so he could witness his own drunken behavior. Despite his obvious issues, the video was widely
12:38 parodied, and Hasselhoff's visitation rights with his daughters were briefly rebuked. "It didn't go
12:43 away. It got bigger and bigger and bigger. But I never played into it. And my daughters were the
12:49 ones who basically laughed about it. They said, 'Dad, let it go.'" Number 6. Mariah Carey's awful
12:56 New Year's Eve performance. Mistakes happen in live music all the time. For some, the show must
13:01 go on. But for Mariah Carey on New Year's Eve 2016, it was just the opposite. When there was
13:06 a problem with her in-ear monitors, Mariah gave up, talking through her song "We Belong Together"
13:11 while her dancers gamely carried on. The best part was when she spoke right through her pre-recorded
13:16 whistle notes, a moment that perfectly epitomizes this monumental disaster. "I want a holiday too.
13:21 Can I not have one? I'm trying to be a good sport here." Things only got even worse when Mariah's
13:28 team claimed that the producers had intentionally sabotaged the performance to make her look bad.
13:33 At least own the failure. "That was amazing." Number 5. Tom Cruise goes bananas on Oprah.
13:42 Love can make you do crazy things. Don't believe us? Just ask Tom Cruise. Back in 2005,
13:50 the Hollywood star appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to promote the movie War of the Worlds.
13:55 However, the entire focus of the interview shifted when Winfrey mentioned his then-girlfriend,
14:00 Katie Holmes. Like a sugar-high toddler, Cruise enthusiastically leapt onto the couch,
14:06 proclaiming his affection for Holmes. "We've never seen you behave this way before." "I know."
14:10 "Have you ever felt this way before?"
14:13 Granted, love can sometimes be an intoxicating feeling, but Cruise's demonstration came across
14:20 as a little excessive and, consequently, insincere. The incident remains one of the
14:25 most bizarre public displays of affection, especially in light of the rumors that Cruise
14:30 and Holmes' relationship was orchestrated by the Church of Scientology. "I don't want to disappoint
14:35 her." Number 4. Steve Harvey calls the wrong winner. It's now the stuff of TV legend,
14:45 and every bit as cringey now as it was back in 2015. While hosting the Miss Universe 2015 pageant,
14:51 Steve Harvey made the blunder of a lifetime when he declared Miss Columbia the winner.
14:55 As contestant Ariadna Gutierrez wept tears of joy, relishing the moment, a shell-shocked Harvey
15:07 shambled back on stage to declare that he had misread the card and that Miss Philippines
15:11 was the actual winner. "Okay folks, uh, there's, I have to apologize.
15:34 The first runner up is Columbia." It was a humiliating mistake for Steve, who not only
15:43 embarrassed himself but also crushed the dreams of someone mid-celebration. This still hurts to
15:48 watch. "This is exactly what's on the card. I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake.
15:58 It was on the card." Number 3. The Janet Jackson Super Bowl fiasco. It's perhaps the most
16:04 infamous event in live television history. As Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake
16:09 at Super Bowl XXXVIII, Justin exposed her breast to a live audience of millions. Janet claimed the
16:15 stunt was supposed to reveal only her bra. The incident triggered a massive backlash,
16:20 with Janet's music blacklisted from radio stations. "All the emphasis was put on me,
16:26 not on Justin." She told USA Today that it was truly embarrassing for her to know that millions
16:31 saw her breast, both live and up close online. On the upside, it also inspired the creation of
16:36 YouTube. Number 2. Ashley Simpson crashes and burns. As embarrassing as Mariah Carey's performance
16:43 was, nothing will ever compare to the infamous Ashley Simpson fiasco. After performing "Pieces
16:48 of Me" on SNL, Simpson was set to perform "Autobiography," when the vocal track for "Pieces
16:53 of Me" played instead. Fully aware that she was caught lip-syncing, Simpson could do nothing but
17:05 awkwardly dance her way off stage. She later claimed she'd lost her voice due to acid reflux
17:10 disease. The media viciously attacked her, Lorne Michaels condemned the lip-syncing, and Simpson
17:15 became the butt of numerous jokes and parodies in the coming years. Those watching live witnessed
17:19 the destruction of a career right in front of their eyes. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe
17:48 to our channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to
17:53 be notified for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into
17:59 your settings and switch on notifications. Number 1. Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift.
18:05 "Yo, Taylor. I'm really happy for you. I'm gonna let you finish. But Beyonce had one of the best
18:12 videos of all time." Today, she's one of the biggest music artists in the world. But back in
18:17 2009, Taylor Swift was still a rising star with only two albums under her belt. At the MTV Video
18:24 Music Awards that year, Swift took home her first-ever Moon Man for Best Female Video,
18:29 a significant achievement for a country artist. However, Swift's moment of glory was marred when
18:35 Kanye West rudely interrupted her acceptance speech, asserting that Beyonce deserved the award
18:40 instead. Swift was understandably embarrassed by the whole situation, as was Beyonce,
18:46 who looked deeply uncomfortable when the cameras cut to her. Rather than deter her,
18:51 this moment seemed to serve as motivation for Swift to continue to defy the naysayers.
18:56 "For someone who's built their whole belief system on getting people to clap for you,
19:03 the whole crowd booing is a pretty formative experience."
19:09 What other celebrity moments have given you secondhand embarrassment? Let us know in the
19:14 comments. "You okay?" "You okay?" "Me?"
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