It’s All Falling Down! The 25 Craziest Celebrity Meltdowns

Endless images appear in the minds of pop culture fans when thinking of celebrity meltdowns. Meltdowns run the gamut, and they are blind to age, gender, race, religion, and status.

MORE: Is Britney Spears on the verge of another breakdown with KFed legal battle?

Presenting 25 of the craziest celebrity meltdowns gracing headlines over the past few decades. It’s a cornucopia of talent– from a singer who was on top of the world then beat a paparazzo's car with an umbrella, to an Oscar winner screaming at a director of photography who had gotten in his line of sight. And who could forget the then bad boy actor who threw a phone at a hotel employee?

MORE: Mariah Carey's most shocking meltdowns, secrets and scandals exposed!

This is a tease of 25 outrageous, whacked-out, jaw-dropping celebrity meltdowns. Can you believe some of these people still have careers?

Think Britney Spears is on the list? How about good ol' Mel Gibson? Prepare to go down an infamous rabbit hole that is explosive celebrity meltdowns.

Warning: Some of the videos included contain harsh language.

When: June 1997

Where: On Late Night with David Letterman

The Meltdown: Farrah Fawcett, the former '70s pin-up staple, and star of Charlie’s Angels had America talking when she appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. She seemed drugged out of her mind. She giggled for no reason, told began stories without completing. Then, she became fascinated by all the shiny lights on the New York skyline façade sitting behind Letterman.

The Fallout: It wasn’t too bad. It made for good television as Fawcett claimed she was just “having fun” and was not on drugs. America begged to differ, but regardless, she is considered a beloved figure in American pop culture history and her name remained solid. So much so, that when she died on June 25, 2009, she managed to be the only other topic news outlets reported other than Jackson dying that same day.

When: The late ‘90s, early 2000s

Where: Across Los Angeles and global movie sets

The Meltdown: There were myriad drugs that Robert Downey, Jr. was using during this period, which started to impact his work. Director Jodie Foster caught him doing coke on the set of her movie Home for the Holidays, and begged him to get help. He didn’t and spiraled out of control until a neighbor came home one fateful evening and Downey was sleeping in their bedroom, heavily drugged. He spent time in state prison, then over a year in rehab. Downey relapsed once again and the spiral continued. He attempted a comeback on Ally McBeal, but was then arrested again, and again.

The Fallout: By the mid-2000s, Downey had sobered up and thus started his ascent to superstardom in Hollywood. Director Shane Black gave him a role in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Given how good he was acting and looking, the world knew that the supremely talented actor was back. Scoring the lead role in Iron Man in 2008 changed everything. Can you imagine the billion-dollar Marvel Studios existing without Downey nailing that first Iron Man role? Hardly.

When: 1999

Where: The Set of MTV Lame 25

The Meltdown: Jon Stewart, pre-Daily Show, Denis Leary, Chris Kattan, and Janeane Garofalo hosted a program on the set of MTV called MTV's Lame 25. The hosts made fun of music videos that had aired on the network, like Snow’s “Informer,” and then destroy the tape. At number nine on the countdown was the Vanilla Ice guilty pleasure “Ice, Ice Baby.” The rapper showed up at the studio, as planned, to take a baseball bat to his tape for the hit song. He didn’t stop with the tape, but took the bat to the entire set, scaring everyone who was there.

The Fallout: Not too much, by 1999, Vanilla Ice’s 15 minutes of fame had wrapped up. The show went on, albeit with a messy set, and Ice proceeded to go back into obscurity… before reinventing himself as a DIY superstar on various home improvement networks. Of particular joy are the segments where they gut a house before rebuilding it. Ice is really good at that part.

When: August 2000

Where: Fresno, California

The Meltdown: Anne Heche arrived at the front of a house that was not hers, and not even remotely near the zip code she calls home. She was in Fresno– four hours by car from Los Angeles! She was found disoriented and confused as to where she had landed. It was believed that she was on drugs. Seems her split from Ellen DeGeneres was hitting her hard. For example, she told a police officer on the scene that she, “was God and was going to take everyone back to heaven with her in some sort of spaceship.”

The Fallout: Besides being the butt of late-night TV hosts jokes for several days, not much happened to Heche. She has since gone on to have quite a full career, most recently starring in Chicago PD. She was married briefly to Coleman Laffoon, and they have one child.

When: 2001

Where: MTV’s TRL, New York City

The Meltdown: Popsicle or ice cream, anyone? While promoting the dead-on-arrival movie, Glitter, Mariah Carey showed up on the set of MTV’s TRL to promote her film. By the time her visit was over, she had made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Carey then checked herself into rehab for exhaustion. So, what happened during the 2001 fateful visit? She muttered something about rainbows, started to strip off her clothes, and then passed out popsicles to an excited– yet confused– audience including host Carson Daly. This entire episode was not planned by her publicist or the movie studio publicity team. Carey was on her own with ice cream cart idea. “If you don't have ice cream in your life, sometimes you might go a little bit crazy,” she stated. Then she proceeded to read a love letter to Daly from her mother. It just got weirder as the minutes went on.

Fallout: After getting help for exhaustion, she has worked hard to get back. In fact, from a music critic review standpoint, Carey put out her best album of the century in November.

When: 2002

Where: Berlin, Germany

The Meltdown: Michael Jackson, while still considered a pop superstar, was in his Berlin hotel when throngs of fans gathered below his room. There were also a ton of paparazzi present. How would the King of Pop "thrill" those gathered below? He dangled his baby, son Prince Michael II, over the balcony. Hearing the collective gasps of the crowd below, he pulled him back into his arms and went into his room.

The Fallout: This was just another spoke in the wheel for the public believing that Jackson was losing it– both professionally and personally. He would spend years defending the move, but other things would eclipse this when it comes to his legacy, most notably his dying from a drug overdose in 2009.

When: 2002

Where: Beverly Hills

The Meltdown: Winona Ryder was arrested after nabbing over $5,500 worth of high-end goods from the Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue. The world was shocked. Why would an actress who has all the money in the world resort to shoplifting? She immediately went into hiding emerging only for her trial.

Fallout: She was convicted of felony grand theft and vandalism, but was acquitted for the burglary charge. Ryder escaped jail time, but was given probation, fined and ordered to do community service. She also was required to have drug and psychological counseling. Ryder was quoted as saying that it was nice to take a break from the entertainment business for a while. She has come back strong, what with that smash hit that is Stranger Things on Netflix.

When: May 23, 2005

Where: On Oprah’s couch

The Meltdown: Tom Cruise was on top of the world on May 23, 2005 when he visited Oprah. He was there to promote his film, Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds. Perhaps he read the room wrong. Maybe love makes you crazy. Either way, when asked about his relationship with Katie Holmes, Cruise proceeded to stand up on the couch and then jump up and down repeatedly extolling the virtues of being in love. The audience may have thought it was awesome, but home viewers got completely spooked. His public image took a hit. Cruise came off as slightly unstable and just… odd.

The Fallout: Somehow, he has persevered, and his star seems to be shining brighter with each passing year. It’s just when it comes to his personal life, between Scientology and this couch-rant about love, the public has decided that it can love his movies but doesn’t necessarily have to “like” him. Proof of that arrived with Mission Impossible: Fallout. The film has grossed $789 million (and counting) at the box office.

When: June 6, 2005

Where: The Mercer Hotel, New York City

The Meltdown: It was after 4AM., and Russell Crowe was frustrated that he could not get a call through to his wife in Australia. The actor, in town to promote a film, had a fit at the front desk and threw a phone at the clerk, hitting them in the eye.

The Fallout: He was charged with assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon—yes, a telephone. The Oscar winner pled guilty and the judge slapped him with a conditional discharge, which basically means he cannot be arrested again. Crowe’s career hasn't suffered as he’s gone on to star in dozens of films.

When: 2006

Where: Malibu

The Meltdown: Back in 2006, Gibson was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars and an Oscar winning filmmaker– for his work on Braveheart– when he was pulled over by police for suspected drunk driving. Not taking too kindly to the police questioning, Gibson launched a tirade filled with racial and anti-Semitic remarks that shocked the world. He told a Malibu cop, among other things, that “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.” The July 28 event would derail the actor’s career. Making things worse was the May 2011 release of a tape that showed the former star being abusive towards his young wife, Oksana Grigorieva. On the tape he even said, after hitting her, “You f**king deserve it.”

The Fallout: It was severe, he was considered persona non grata for many years. No one would work with him. Then, in 2013, he scored the villain role in the Robert Rodriguez film Machete Kills. He has come back in some ways—his directing work on Hacksaw Ridge was universally acclaimed. Still, he is not the heavyweight he once.

When: 2006

Where: The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles

The Meltdown: Michael Richards, better known as Kramer from Seinfeld, was one of the most beloved character actors working in Hollywood. It all disappeared when he took to the stage of LA’s Laugh Factory and spewed racist hate towards some African American members of his audience who were talking during his performance. Highlights of his rant include saying, “Shut up! 50 years ago we’d have you upside down with a (expletive) fork up your (expletive).” Then he went on to say the “N” word seven times.

The Fallout: Richards has not been cast in much since then beyond a few minor supporting roles on Kirstie and in Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he played himself. Full career recovery is unlikely. He is deeply sorry about the incident, telling friend Jerry Seinfeld all about it in a 2012 interview.

When: 2007 – present?

Where: All over the world.

The Meltdown: The thing about Lindsay Lohan and her celebrity meltdown is that is has been long coming and shows no signs of slowing down. Back in January 2007, she was on top of the world as one of the most well-known actresses of her generation. Then, she got arrested for drunk driving and possession of cocaine. She headed to rehab. When she got out, she looked ready to rock. That was so not the case. Lohan returned to rehab in May. By October 2009, the court system was getting involved. Since she missed so many alcohol education classes, Lohan was ordered to endure probation for another year. At an event after her date in court, she slurred her words, saying, “(Expletive) that judge, I'm gonna drink whatever I want. No one can educate me about alcohol.” Fast forward almost a decade and Lohan is still getting into trouble. Her fame meter kept its slow and steady fall. In October of 2018, she had a meltdown on Instagram in front of her six million followers. She was accused of trying to take refugee children away from their parents. According to her, the parents were pushing their kids into child trafficking. The video has since been deleted.

The Fallout: Is still being determined, especially with this latest Instagram scandal. Her career has long past its expiration date.

When: 2007

Where: Las Vegas

The Meltdown: Alcoholic and drug addicts often talk about hitting rock bottom. For many, their daughter is not usually there filming it. That is exactly what happened to Baywatch legend David Hasselhoff back in 2007, who was as drunk as could be and was a little hungry, so, he got some burgers and brought them to his Las Vegas home. He then sloppily ate said burgers in the bathroom while falling over into his food, wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans. His 16-year-old daughter Taylor is heard begging him to grow up on the video. Fascinatingly, Hasselhoff had asked his kids to film him if he ever falls off the wagon. It is heartbreaking to hear her pleas to him on the tape. She said, “You need to promise me you're not going to get alcohol tonight, OK?”

The Fallout: Hasselhoff got sober. He’s still a pop culture icon and knows it—milking appearances, playing himself for laughs, and even scoring a cameo in that Baywatch movie.

When: April 2007

Where: New York City

The meltdown: Alec Baldwin left a phone message for his daughter, Ireland Baldwin, where he unloaded on her in the most striking of ways. He called her a “thoughtless little pig.” It started when Ireland didn’t answer the phone when they had scheduled a chat. He said, “Once again, I have made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone. You have insulted me for the last time." He then seemed unsure exactly how old she was while taking a stab at his ex-wife, Kim Basinger. “I don't give a damn that you're 12-years-old or 11-years-old, or a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass who doesn't care about what you do.”

The Fallout: For starters, when the tape was leaked, a family law judge heard the tape and barred Baldwin from seeing or having any contact with his daughter. Over time, things cooled. Baldwin met his yoga instructor wife, Hilaria Baldwin, who further calmed him down. Now, he’s one of the great actors of our generation—beloved for his portrayal of President Trump on SNL and his stunning role in Mission Impossible: Fallout. Then again, Baldwin did have an altercation over a parking spot! Stay tuned on this one!

When: 2007-2008

Where: Los Angeles

The Meltdown: Shaving one’s head then taking an umbrella to a car window while the paparazzi documents the whole thing certainly has to go down as one of the most impressive of celebrity meltdowns in the history of meltdowns. Back in 2007, she was just a few months divorced from Kevin Federline. Among many high-profile outings, the most headline grabbing was when Spears went out partying with Paris Hilton. This was all without panties! Then in February of 2007, one day after checking herself out of a rehab facility in the Caribbean, Spears shaved her head in Sherman Oaks, CA. Two days later… she was back in rehab again. Then, in August, she fled the scene of a car accident. Ultimately, she was charged with two counts of hit and run. One month later Spears was far from ready for her comeback, yet she still took the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards. She was flailing on stage and far from present. October of 2007 found her losing custody of her kids when the court determined that she was not fit to parent. In 2008, she was rushed to the hospital after refusing to hand her kids over to Federline.

Fallout: Her life and career was then placed in further chaos with her father assigned as her conservator. Slowly but surely she earned her way back. Since then, Spears has had one of the most incredible celebrity comebacks ever. She's in the best shape of her life and making bank with her Vegas shows. Now, if there could only be a new album.

When: February 2009

Where: The set of Terminator Salvation

The Meltdown: Perhaps the movie should have been called: Terminator: Christian’s Fury. In February of 2009, Christian Bale was filming a scene for Terminator Salvation when a director of photography entered his field of vision while he was attempting to execute a scene. The man playing Batman… lost it. He said, “Why the (expletive) are you walking right through? What the (expletive) is it with you? What don't you (expletive) understand? You got any (expletive) idea about, hey, it's (expletive) distracting having somebody walking up behind Bryce in the middle of the (expletive) scene? Give me a (expletive) answer! What don't you get about it?”

The Fallout: There was not much, honestly. Bale is one of Hollywood’s major go-to actors. He even won an Oscar in 2010’s The Fighter.

When: 2009

Where: MTV’s VMAs

The Meltdown: Taylor Swift won the Moon Man that night for Best Female Video for her work on “You Belong to Me.” Disagreeing with that decision, Kanye West took the stage, grabbed the award and microphone from Swift’s hands, and went on a rant about how his friend, Beyoncé, had the best video of the year for “Single Ladies.” He said, “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!” A pin drop could be heard from the audience as he handed the award back to Swift and headed back to his seat.

Fallout: West was booted from the VMAs immediately and thus began the “is Kanye OK” movement that continues today. Swift went backstage and cried her eyes out.

When: From 2010 through 2013

Where: Los Angeles and New York

The Meltdown: The signs of trouble started for Amanda Bynes when news arose that she was retiring from acting, then unretiring. Then she posted a slew of Tweets that were out of left field, such as asking Drake to “murder her vagina.” There were a few car accidents, reported plastic surgery that drastically altered her appearance. But it was in 2013, when she was arrested by the NYPD for marijuana possession after she threw a bong out the window of her apartment, that things really got sad. She wore a platinum blonde wig to court and threatened to sue the NYPD for sexual harassment. By May she was Tweeting about looking forward to her career as a “singer/rapper.” Thankfully, she either got help or at least faded from the spotlight. Until…

The Fallout: Years passed and it was finally time for Bynes to get well. In a 2018 interview in Paper, she talked about getting clean, being happy, and being ready for the next chapter of her life. Good for you.

When: 2011

Where: Los Angeles

The Meltdown: The actor had the most public of meltdowns in early 2011 that resulted in his being fired from his hit show, Two and a Half Men. He was seen on a Beverly Hills rooftop drinking what he called “Tiger Blood” and brandishing a machete. Then, he signed up for Twitter, and within a week had two million followers. He was singularly credited for making #Winning trend for some time. The actor had porn star girlfriends and even had his father, Martin Sheen, publicly worrying about the health of his son. Charlie Sheen admitted that he was on “Charlie Sheen drugs” that would kill normal people. He would later blame everything on “'roid rage.” (Roid, being short for Steroids). Yeah, that was it.

The Fallout: He was fired from his show, Two and a Half Men and ostracized and largely made fun of in Hollywood. In 2012, the outrage seemed to have passed as he was given another show, Anger Management. The program was a hit and ran for more than 100 episodes. He has since revealed that he is HIV positive and blames his wild party days. He is still in relatively good health. When it comes to his career, Sheen still believes he's been blacklisted.

When: May 21, 2011

Where: The Good Morning America set

The Meltdown: Chris Brown stormed off the stage of the morning show giant when he was asked about his domestic abuse incident with Rihanna. Host Robin Roberts asked Brown if he had been around Rihanna in the two years since their abuse issue produced headlines. Brown replied, “I mean, not really. It's not really a big deal to me now as far as that situation. I think I'm past that in my life. I think today's the album day so that's what I'm focused on." Roberts then asked him two more times about the incident, which were two times too many. Brown stormed off, went to his dressing room, emerged without a shirt. Brown saw the person who produced the segment, turned around and went back to his room. Then, there was an enormous crash heard. Staff called security who discovered that the singer had thrown a chair through a window.

The Fallout: Brown has not been the same since. His album sales are still solid, but his reputation has followed him ever since, and it appears it is impossible to shake. He was recently arrested for an altercation after a concert in Florida. So…

When: 2017

Where: Los Angeles

The Meltdown: In January of 2017, things did not look so good for Mischa Barton. She was taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation after the police had been called to her house because she was heard screaming incoherently at her neighbors. The former star of The OC has had a spotted history since the show went off the air, but this took it to a whole new level—particularly because there was video of it!

The Fallout: She seems to have gotten herself together, what with Barton joining the cast of the re-booted The Hills.

When: April 2017

Where: Jerry’s Deli in Los Angeles and Georgia

The Meltdown: Jerry’s Deli is one of the greatest places to grab a sandwich and experience a true New York-style delicatessen experience, while in LA. Seems Shia LaBeouf went there with a different objective back in April of 2017. He was ordering drinks until he had a bit too many. LaBeouf asked for French fries, but the bartender refused. The actor responded by calling the server a "racist (expletive)." It didn’t end there for the former star of Transformers. When in Georgia he was pulled over by a cop and told the police officer, “You’re going to hell, straight to hell, bro.” The African American officer kept his cool, even when he was told by LaBeouf that he was going to hell “especially because he’s a black man.”

The Fallout: The deli incident and the Georgia traffic stop were just the tip of the iceberg of the behavior that LaBeouf has exhibited of late. It's rumored casting directors are afraid to hire him because they don’t know what they’re going to get. Let’s just say this: After his acting in Borg v. McEnroe, this is a talent that could shine if he could just behave.

When: September 29, 2018

Where: Saturday Night Live

The Meltdown: The situation is the same every week on SNL. The show concludes, the host and the cast (and musical guest) are all on stage. The host thanks everyone for watching, then the theme song plays as audiences witness everyone hugging everyone else and applauding themselves on a good show. That’s not what happened when West appeared as the musical guest. West grabbed a mic and proceeded to perform another song and go on a pro-Donald Trump rant, wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. “I wanna cry right now. Black men in America, you’re supposed to keep what you feel inside right now. And the liberals bully you and tell you what you can and cannot wear,” he stated. Now, to be fair, he was advised not to wear the MAGA hat on stage, which could be what he was referring to in terms of “cannot wear.” But, that was just the beginning. Host Adam Driver looked stunned. The cast looked stunned. Of course, this was all off air, but it still was something out of left field. But, not unusual for an artist who has made this list twice!

The Fallout: Let’s just say that West’s wife, Kim Kardashian West, has had a few words with her husband, and his support for the man behind MAGA has waned of late. Is this the last time that West will land on one of these lists? What do you think?

When: 2018

Where: Los Angeles

The Meltdown: Poor Heather Locklear was having a hard time of it. In September of 2018 she got in a vicious argument with her boyfriend and then proceeded to drive her sports car into a ditch. She had seriously hurt her arm in the fight but didn’t seek medical help until the next day. While at the hospital, she assaulted a nurse.

The Fallout: The jury is still out on Locklear. According to headlines, she has experienced a slow mental decline. Hopefully she will get the help she needs to reclaim her place as one of the best go-to TV villains the world has ever seen. Word is Locklear is seeking psychiatric help before going to rehab.

We pay for juicy info! Do you have a story for RadarOnline.com? Email us at tips@radaronline.com, or call us at (866) ON-RADAR (667-2327) any time, day or night.