We have all made mistakes in the past. And yes, that includes posting stuff on social media that we shouldn't have posted. But whenever celebrities make a similar mistake, they must deal with the consequences of their actions no matter what.
In this list, we have collected all the social media posts the world's favorite celebrities wish they had never made public. They may have tried to delete them, but it was already too late—once it's online, there's no turning back.
Why Even Ask?
Rejection is hard to deal with: it gives way to many insecurities and can leave some people psychologically scarred for life. But while all forms of rejection sting, we think there's nothing more hurtful than being rejected by one's own supporters.
Take the famous "FOODGOD" entrepreneur Jonathan Cheban, for example. He made the crass mistake of asking his followers if he should do a live stream. The question, Jonathan thought, was mostly rhetorical. But to his surprise, a 53% majority voted 'No.'
Lost in Translation
The American singer Ariana Grande is one of the most popular pop stars on the planet. However, there's nothing too grandiose about one of her tattoos. She shared it on social media, believing it meant "Seven Rings" (the name of one of her songs), but was sad to learn it was Japanese for "barbecue grill."
The letters were presumably copied from the sign of some local Japanese restaurant. We know this can happen in low-budget tattoo parlors, but we never thought Ariana would fall for it.
Even Oprah Gets It Wrong Sometimes
Microsoft developed the line of tablet computers Surface to compete with Apple's iPad. Outdoing iPad sales was a challenge from the get-go, but things got harder when even the celebrities Microsoft paid to promote the Surface seemed not to believe in the product.
How do we know that Oprah was paid to advertise Microsoft Surface on social media? Because she tweeted her Surface ad from an iPad, meaning she was not a genuine fan of the product. It's a good thing nobody can get mad at Oprah, not even Microsoft.
A Celeb's Worst Nightmare
The American actor Charlie Sheen is accustomed to making headlines for his frantic lifestyle. But it seems like Sheen's social media life is equally stressful and chaotic. For one, he did what most celebs would consider their worst nightmare: accidentally share his phone number with... Everybody!
He must have felt desperate once he realized what he'd done. This is why famous people like Sheen should always hire their own social media manager. He must've received hundreds of anonymous calls right after the post went online.
Efron's Misaligned Priorities
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday marking the birthday of the man who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Everybody's entitled to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but it's a bit infuriating when one major celebrity decides to make such a special occasion all about himself.
It was the case of the "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" actor Zac Efron, who thought that having 10 million followers on Instagram was a feat comparable to the Civil Rights Movement.
Rich People's Problems
Tragedies unite people. And there was surely a sense of unity in January 2021, when the world was still having trouble dealing with the devastating effects of a worldwide health crisis. It was then the American model Chrissy Teigen decided to share details of her new equestrian adventure with her followers.
While all people are entitled to work on their issues, it's simply out-of-touch to publish a message like this when the entire world's engulfed in a more serious problem.
Kanye's True Colors
Most celebs avoid looking like spoiled divas. It's annoying and out of style. But the American rapper Kanye West likes to make things differently. He's not afraid of being looked down upon as petty and egocentric, and he surely likes it when his Persian rugs have cherub imagery.
It's just West being West. After all, he does have a song called "I Am a God" in which he tells his servants to "Hurry up" with his "massage" and "croissants" while repeating "I am a God."
Speaking Way Too Soon
Considering that the "Maroon 5" singer Adam Levine seemingly hates MTV no matter what, we understand that he assumed they wouldn't nominate Childish Gambino's terrific "This Is America" music video to any VMA category. But why would a celebrity go public based on an assumption alone, without getting the facts right first?
While Levine is known for being a hardworking professional, he was lazy and reckless when he publicly accused MTV of not doing something they had done. At least he tweeted to apologize for it.
April Fools' Fool
The level of foolishness involved in this Lindsay Lohan social media blunder is through the roof. Never mind the fact that she decided to play the most unimaginative April Fools' joke ever on her followers (claiming she was pregnant). The real tragedy here is that she did so one day after April Fools!
We always feel silly when we miss a friend's birthday and wish him or her a "Happy birthday" one day after. But getting April Fools wrong is a whole other level of negligence.
Opening an Exception
While visiting Thailand, the ever-cool pop star Rihanna decided to snap a picture of herself while holding one of the cutest animals in town. The only problem? The slow loris on her shoulder is an endangered species, and it's illegal to keep, buy, sell, or solicit one in the country.
While many people criticized Rihanna on Twitter due to her ignorance of Thai law, the local authorities were more than happy to let her go and even credited her with saving the animal. It pays off to be Ri-Ri!
Kendall's Not-So-Secret Secret Party
In 2020, people were often forbidden from doing something as commonplace as meeting friends for a coffee. Considering the context, it's understandable that the American socialite/influencer Kendall Jenner got some hate online once photos of her huge birthday party started popping up on social media.
Kendall wanted to keep the party a secret, but some of her guests couldn't resist sharing snaps of the special moment. To the millions of Kendall fans stranded at home, it was like a punch in the face.
Internet Moms
Copy-and-paste scams thrive on social media and can get to some people. After all, who doesn't have a family member who's fallen for one of these before? What we didn't expect, though, was to see Julia Roberts get fooled online as if she was any run-of-the-mill Internet mom.
This embarrassing post is all the reason Roberts needs to get herself a social media manager. The "Ticket to Paradise" star has a net worth of $250 million, so it's not like she can't afford one!
Madi Can't Fake Reality
Popular reality shows such as "The Bachelor" always leave viewers wondering what's real and what's not. Some claim the show is genuine, while others say it's mostly fake. Right now, this social media blunder by the former "The Bachelor" contestant Madison Prewett is a strong argument in favor of the latter...
Madi was running fake accounts to flatter herself on social media and got it all mixed up when she commented on herself (and as herself) in one of her posts.
Murray's Take on Social Media
The ever-relevant Bill Murray is huge on social media, but he's not a big fan of everything it involves. For one, he once tweeted about how social media makes us compare our lives to the lives of others instead of "appreciating everything we are." It's just ironic that Murray decided to say that... On social media!
But to be fair, multiple studies do show there's a correlation between social media and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation (as per Medical News Today).
Kevin, Do You See the Light Now?
The NBA superstar Kevin Durant is a baller! However, he doesn't seem to be a very big fan of science. All he needed was one curious (and slightly embarrassing) tweet for everybody to learn that he knows pretty much nothing about how astronomy works.
Kevin, these are just some of the ways scientists can study the Sun without being physically there: by examining its wavelengths, using spectroscopy, analyzing its radiation with radars, and using acoustic interferometry to learn more about its interior.
The Strangely Un-Relatable Kanye
Every Internet-meme fan knows the expression "first-world problems," which refers to issues so petty they can only be a problem for people who are very rich, spoiled, or lucky. And when it comes to first-world problems on Twitter, the American rapper Kanye West has got to be the undisputed king.
For most of us, throwing a bottle of water in the trash hardly counts as a chore. But to Kanye, it's worth complaining to the entire world via social media.
Setting the Wrong Example
Fame and social responsibility should always walk hand in hand, but sometimes huge celebrities forget about it. The American comedian/movie star Kevin Hart is incredibly famous, and some of his most loyal fans happen to be children. That's why it's so problematic that he once posted a joke about being caught by the cops driving under the influence.
It's not like he should be canceled—we think this is more a case of posting before thinking. Nonetheless, the #TrueStory only makes things look much worse.
What About Bill?
While it's impossible to know whether this tweet is 100% true or not, it has unquestionably hurt Bill Murray's nice-guy reputation. To make matters worse, the source is quite credible: Ben Dreyfuss is an American journalist and the son of the actor Richard Dreyfuss, who worked with Murray in 1991's "What About Bob?"
It's always painful to watch when adults decide to throw a tantrum. But when the adult in question is a famous, rich, and talented guy like Murray, it's for some reason even worse.
Things Peepole Should Keep To Themselves
We all have quirky little thoughts sometimes, but we tend to keep them to ourselves. So, why do celebrities feel like everything they come up with is worth sharing online? This Kim-Kardashian tweet is the perfect example of a "you should have kept your mouth shut" moment.
While Kim has the eyes of the world on her at all times, we feel like even her most dedicated fans don't care too much about the fact that she finds "peepole" to be a funny word.
The Reddest Red Flag
It's always worrying when someone posts about his or her mental health issues on social media. When it comes to mental health, though, there's no caption more alarming than a terrifying "I'm fine"—especially if such "I'm fine" is accompanied by a couple of weird snaps of a desperate haircut.
The American actor Armie Hammer starred in "Death on the Nile" and seems to be okay now, but he was evidently not "fine" when he uploaded these two bizarre pics to social media.
Anti-Relaxation Bath
On February 11, 2012, the iconic American singer Whitney Houston passed away after accidentally drowning in her bathtub. This is a well-known fact, but there's a chance many people (including the Australian pop singer Lorde) still don't know about it. Otherwise, how can one justify the existence of this post?
On her day off, was Lorde simply enjoying a nice bath or making a very bad-taste joke? It's impossible to know for sure, but we like to think that the "Royals" singer's joke was unintentional.
Conveniently Hacked
Pop singer Rita Ora promised to drop her "new song Monday" if she hit 100K likes. The only problem? She never did. It's got to be awkward for an artist (especially an artist as popular as Ora) to not get the attention she wanted from her own fans!
Later, Ora claimed the post was fake and her account was hacked. Maybe that's true, but it sure doesn't look like it. We guess that Ora's convenient cyberattack was just her creative way of saving face.
Rob's Unlawful Blunder
Known for his appearances in shows such as "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Dancing with the Stars," Rob Kardashian is the son of the late Robert Kardashian, an American attorney/businessman best known for his involvement in O. J. Simpson's infamous 1995 trial.
Perhaps because of that, many people found it natural that Rob would want to follow his father's example and go to Law School. The only problem? He never did and he lied about it on social media—only to be unmasked by USC Gould Law.
Real Housewive... Fake Photo
A TV personality with more than 3 million followers on Instagram, the "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kim Zolciak-Biermann knows the value of looking good on the Internet. However, she made a regrettable mistake when she used Photoshop—albeit moderately—to make her young daughter look better.
According to an ABC News article, several studies have linked Photoshopped pictures on social media with eating disorders. The article is quite old (it was first published in 2011), meaning that the situation has presumably only gotten worse.
How to Prove One's Wrong
While only a fool would criticize Mary J. Blidge's unmistakable singing prowess, someone apparently accused her of not being very smart. Determined to silence the haters, Blidge went on social media and shared her true feelings on the subject with all her fans.
The only problem? She misspelled "underestimate my intelligence" as "understand estimate my intelligents." In addition to being hilarious, the typo made her message extremely ineffective. In trying to prove she was smart, Blidge ended up proving her haters right.
Useless’s Too Good a Word
Dom Lever is a TV personality best known for appearing in "Love Island" as a contestant. Like most former "Love Island" alumni, he loves to keep his social media followers busy by posting more often than he probably should... Why do we say that? Well, this image should speak for itself.
Not only is he sharing with everyone that he's traveling alone on the train (which is, honestly, quite dull) but he's also not even alone on the train to start with. Sometimes, NOT posting is the way to go.
No Holes in the Plot
More than a social media blunder, this Bill Murray tweet is 50% a joke and 50% a smart suggestion. The lovable American actor/comedian believes that legalizing a certain herb would help the country to have better roads. The plan's called Pothole, of course, but we can't see any holes in Murray's plot.
To be honest, the recreational use of the aforementioned herb has already been fully legalized in many American states, including California, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Maine, and Massachusetts.
Corden Raises Awareness of Cyberbullying
We've seen plenty of social media posts made by celebrities that deserve to be criticized. But sometimes, celebs suffer unfairly because of nasty comments posted by "fans." Take the TV host James Corden, for instance, who was once forced to speak out after reading a comment wishing that his children got cancer.
As any parent knows, there's nothing funny or excusable about this kind of comment. A survey among teens once determined that cyberbullying is more harmful than face-to-face bullying.
Strong Allegations
Not everything one reads on the Internet is true. Nevertheless, rumors and allegations can hurt a celebrity's reputation as much as a disastrous post made by themselves on social media. The "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris sure knows what we're talking about.
He allegedly (please mind the word) bought an Amy Winehouse corpse cake shortly after she passed away in 2011. We don't know if such a thing happened for real or not, but it's bad enough that someone decided to make the "information" public.
Stop Body Shaming
No, celebrities don't have to post stupid tweets to be put on the spot. Due to their popularity, they can't escape criticism even if they want to. One of the most common causes of cyberbullying among celebrities is their weight gain or loss, as Rebel Wilson sure knows.
The "Pitch Perfect" and "Senior Year" Australian actress/comedian spoke out against body shaming after putting on a few extra pounds during a vacation. Just leave Britney alone (oops, we mean Wilson)!
Jamil's Harsh Take on the Kardashians
The British actress Jameela Jamil is no stranger to the ins and outs of fame, but she's not a big fan of some of her American celebrity counterparts. She once published a tweet about how the Kardashians are a bad influence on youngsters, especially young girls.
While millions of people love the likes of Kim, Kourtney, Kris, and Khloé, there are plenty of articles in favor of Jamil's position, calling out the fact that the Kardashians promote a "being famous for being famous" lifestyle.
Jamil's Opinion of Musk's Space Program
Always opinionative and unafraid to speak out, the British celeb Jameela Jamil has also criticized the small bunch of billionaires who, just like Tesla's Elon Musk, have spent insurmountable amounts of money in egotistic space-exploration programs. The reference to virtual coins makes her post even more sarcastic.
While we get Jamil's point, though, we also believe that Musk's comeback was fair. Many people see billionaire-sponsored space programs as bonafide ego trips, but others believe they are a sign of hope and progress.
Feel-Good Ellen Makes Some Headlines
In recent years, the TV host Ellen DeGeneres has been accused of running a show that had a toxic culture. That hasn't made much for her reputation, as most people find spoiled, over-demanding, and cruel bosses to be particularly despicable.
To make matters worse, a 2009 tweet posted by Ellen resurfaced amidst the controversy and seems to be evidence of her alleged sadistic nature. "Honestly, it felt good?" What kind of person, famous or not, would post something like that on Twitter for the whole world to see?
Davidson Attacks Kanye...
Even though they broke up in October 2022 (but decided to remain friends), the American socialite Kim Kardashian and the comedian Pete Davidson had a nine-month affair that made headlines all over. At the height of the excitement, though, Kim's ex-husband Kanye West sadly decided to get in on the action.
The celebrity press sure loved it when Davidson made one of his text message exchanges with Kanye public, as the public's not accustomed to this kind of insight into a feud between two famous people. Kanye got burned!
...And Then He Offers Him Help
When it comes to celebrity feuds, there's rarely one clear winner. In the whole Kanye vs. Davidson dilemma, though, the "Saturday Night Live" comedian stood tall as the evident winner. Why? Because he was kind to Kanye despite everything that happened.
Hate leads nowhere, and it's great that famous people like Davidson publicly treat their "enemies" with affection and understanding. Davidson already was a role model for making jokes and—let's face it—dating beautiful women, but he set an even better example when he shared this now-infamous text-message exchange.
Lohan's Warped Derrière
It's hard enough for anonymous people to keep up with today's beauty standards, so it should be extra hard for famous women like Lindsay Lohan to do so. The "Parent Trap" star enjoyed a comeback with productions such as "Falling for Christmas" and "Lovestruck High," but she nonetheless felt the need to Photoshop herself into looking curvier.
Unfortunately, her doctored photo was edited in such a poor way that it was instantly obvious to everyone but Lohan that she tried to make her derrière look bigger.
Have Some Respect, Man!
When Apple came out with an emoji of a pregnant man, many people (including the Today's Parents website) found it to be an inclusive, refreshing, and much-needed move. Internet's busiest billionaire Elon Musk, however, decided to use the emoji to make fun of Microsoft's founder Bill Gates.
Musk can have more money than Gates now, but he should show more respect for one of the men who led the digital revolution that allowed tech entrepreneurs such as Musk to prosper. It's yet another regrettable Musk tweet.
Morgan Had 007 Reasons to Keep His Mouth Shut
After being snapped walking around town with his infant child on a baby backpack, the "Buzz Lightyear" actor Chris Evans was publicly mocked by the British broadcaster Piers Morgan. However, Morgan was quickly put in his place and became the punchline to the bad-taste joke he started.
Evans' comeback was both polite and well-argued and made him look a whole smarter than someone suggesting that a man carrying his child is emasculating. Can we please make a petition so the next James Bond is a dad?
It’s Not Like She’s Martin Scorsese...
It's okay for celebrities to publicly voice their opinion about something; however, they should always measure their reputation before doing so. Some people have the "street cred" to criticize something, while others need to take a good look at themselves before opening their mouths.
The backlash Jennifer Aniston received after saying that Marvel movies were "diminishing" proves our point. Some Marvel flicks are arguably subpar, but it's not like Aniston has never appeared in a bad movie. We'd surely rather trust Martin Scorsese's take on it.
So Much More Than Basically Nothing
The "Friends" superstar Jennifer Aniston isn't a big fan of Marvel flicks, and she doesn't seem to like influencers too. While many people agree with Aniston, the fact is that influencers work hard to get the attention of their followers. Calling what they do "basically nothing" is hurtful and disrespectful.
It can be hard for a Hollywood veteran like Aniston to keep up with change, but that doesn't give her the right to snub on a whole new class of content creators, actors, entertainers, comedians, and musicians.
Leave Britney Alone
If there's someone who's suffered enough for being famous, that's the pop singer Britney Spears. The former teen icon continues to have an active presence on social media despite everything she's been through, but it's not like all people respect her any more than they did in the past.
For one, she received a lot of backlash after posing without clothes on the beach, as many found it inappropriate for a woman over 40 to do such a thing. Just leave Britney alone!
When Comedy Goes Too Far
The late American comedian Gilbert Gottfried was generally very funny, but he took his passion for comedy a little bit too far when he tweeted about the 2011 Tohoku tsunami in Japan, which took the lives of more than 15K people. Add the old-timey reference to Japan's "surprising advancedness," and one has all the ingredients of a bad-taste joke.
Luckily, Gottfried was not canceled after this one despite the negative backlash and continued to make people laugh for real until passing away in 2022.
From Giorgio to Georgio
Kim Kardashian can move mountains. One of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet, she has built a personal-brand empire with her TV shows, multiple business endeavors, and unforgettable social media posts. So, if there's anyone who can bring back a discontinued product, that's Kim.
Here's a tip, though: if you want to get the attention of a luxury company like Armani, it's probably a good idea to know how to spell the first name of its founder. It's Giorgio, Kim, with an I!
When the World’s a Billionaire’s Playground
On October 2022, Tesla's billionaire Elon Musk acquired the social network Twitter in a major $44-billion deal. The news made for an international sensation and kickstarted a radical Twitter transformation that's caused a lot of controversies.
To make matters worse, Musk once joked about it all by claiming he would also buy Facebook just so he could delete it. In a time when so many people think wealth inequality is going too far, billionaires should stop acting as if they have the world in the palm of their hands.
Disick's Lazy Copy-Paste
Scott Disick from "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Flip It Like Disick" is an American media personality and socialite. That means, among other things, that he makes part of his money by promoting products on social media. But shouldn't influencer-style ads be a little more... Organic?
When Disick made a post for BooTea Shake, he forgot to remove the script from the company from the post itself. Instead of copying and pasting just the part below "write the below," he put the whole thing there!
Rexha's Shocking Dream Destination
Based in New York City, the singer Bebe Rexha is known for hit songs such as "In the Name of Love" and "I'm Good." But while her singing is impressive, her knowledge of history is not on the same level. After all, who in her right mind would dream of going back to '40s Paris out of all places?
As charming as Paris tends to be, only someone oblivious to history would want to visit the city in the '40s, back when World War II was causing havoc throughout Europe.
A Joke We Wish We’d Never Heard
The American actress Amber Heard is far from being consensually loved by the fans, especially in the aftermath of the infamous Depp-Heard trial case. But she's not making herself any favors by posting "jokes" like this one on Twitter. It's a reference to the ICE Customs and Border Protection checkpoints and, more importantly, the well-known (but elusive) fact many people around Hollywood employ illegal immigrants.
Why would someone joke with something like that? Maybe this was just a private joke Heard wanted to share with her rich Hollywood neighbors.
A Flash Tribute to the Late Stephen Hawking
Before passing away in December 2022, the American actress Kirstie Alley, of "Cheers" and "Look Who's Talking" fame, posted this tribute to the late Stephen Hawking on social media. And while not all celebrity RIP messages are equally beautiful, Alley's was shockingly dry.
It was as if she wrote this tribute in five minutes before rushing somewhere else. "You had a good go at it" and "thanks for your input" is not exactly the best way of celebrating the feats of a genius like Hawking.
Thank You... Malaria?
The Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace prize for her "fight for the right of every child to receive an education." The British supermodel Naomi Campbell found Yousafzai's cause to be a noble one and decided to congratulate her with a message on Twitter.
So far, so good. The only problem is that Campbell mistakenly thought that Malala's name was Malaria. Inadvertently, she ended up praising a deadly disease that takes the lives of more than 600K people annually (as per the World Health Organization).
Enabling Ableism
Ableism is the name given to all forms of discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. And as much as we love the "Death on the Nile" star Gal Gadot, we have to agree with commentator Zimmy here: claiming that Stephen Hawking's death released him from "physical constraints" is at least borderline ableism.
Naturally, Gadot's blunder was nothing but an innocent mistake—all she was trying to do was pay tribute to one of the most brilliant scientists of the last 50 years.
Oil: Yes, Just That
The American businesswoman/TV personality Martha Stewart is a legend of the small screen and the founder of a successful media company. This New Jersey native can turn anything she touches into gold, but she doesn't seem to be very good at tweeting.
Evidence of that is this incomprehensible tweet she once made. It's the word "Oil," and that's it. What did she mean? Nobody seems to know. But as far as words go, "oil" has got to be one of the least popular.
Lochte's Losing Game
Everybody loves a champion, and the American professional swimmer Ryan Lochte is an undisputed winner. With a whopping 12 Olympic medals in the bag (out of a total of 54 individual major wins), he is the kind of person who never likes losing.
But his rock-paper-scissors tweet was destined to fail from the get-go. While we're not sure about what he meant with the tweet, we're pretty sure he spelled "scissors" completely wrong. Just read the thing before posting, please!
Over-The-Top Honesty
Some celebrities like to keep their private life away from the spotlight, while others love sharing. The American singer Solange Knowles sure doesn't mind letting her social media followers know what's up, but has she gone too far?
As much as we love Solange, we don't need to know that her thumb itches or that her armpits smell like SpongeBob fever (whatever that is). Yes, this is a clear case of TMI (Too Much Information), but Solange's honesty is refreshing!
Lohan Gets Confused
The number of popular social media platforms available grows year after year, and it can be tricky for celebrities to keep up with it. Take Lindsay Lohan, for example. She posted this message online to say hi to her fans, but she forgot about one little detail...
Saying "Hello Facebook" on Facebook is nice, but doing it on Twitter is just wrong. It shows that Lohan, like many other celebs who've made the list, really needs to hire a social media manager.
A Blast From the Past
In 2018, the Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and the American model Hailey Bieber (formerly Hailey Baldwin) tied the knot. They're husband and wife now, and they seem to be very happy together. But it's nonetheless incredible that Hailey once posted this message on Twitter.
Can you imagine finding a tweet from your romantic partner praising your previous relationship? Hailey must've forgotten about this tweet because she should've deleted it as soon as she fell for Justin. We never know what the future holds...