While some celebrities have done legitimately good things, many others haven't. Everyone has skeletons in the closet, but some loved celebs have opened their closets and fans seem not to care one bit.
Here are twelve examples of public figures still beloved despite the controversies surrounding them, based on a recent online discussion.
1: David and Leigh Eddings
One fan said, “David Eddings and his wife Leigh, authors who wrote several bestselling fantasy series. They had a horrible child abuse conviction prior to writing books.”
The Eddings kept a four-year-old boy locked in a cage in their basement. After the boy was discovered, the couple was arrested and served time in prison. However, their sentences were short and they're now free.
2: Ethan Kath
One person mentioned, “Not extremely well known I think but Ethan Kath (aka Claudio Paolo Palmieri) from Crystal Castles.”
“He abused Alice Glass physically, mentally, sexually, and financially for like a decade. Too bad he's an awful person, he's a very talented producer/musician.”
3: Local Celebrities
One person said, “Let me just tell you that the weatherman from my hometown has more than a dozen aggravated assault charges from beating his wife and is still worshiped. I hate the man and all that he stands for.”
4: Gloria Trevi
“Gloria Trevi,” said one music fan. “She's a Mexican singer who's been popular since the 90s. During the 90s she and her husband (Sergio Andrade) were the head of a sex/human trafficking ring of underaged girls.”
“Basically, she would groom young girls and promise them a career in music. However, once they accepted, she would basically kidnap them and would force them to have sex with her clients and husband.”
“She was never convicted of any charges or sentence. She is still very famous in Mexico and a lot of people still listen to her songs and go to her concerts.”
5: Jerry Lee Lewis
One critic said, “Jerry Lee Lewis: was married seven times, and a couple overlapped. The third marriage (at age 22) was to his first cousin once removed who was 13 at the time.”
“She had a son at 14 that died in a pool accident at age three. She divorced Jerry at age 19 for adultery and abuse (physical and mental).”
6: Ezra Miller
One moviegoer said, “Ezra Miller should probably be in jail.”
“They could still very much go to jail,” replied another. “Authorities will often investigate right up until the statute of limitations to make their arrests.”
“Some of their crimes were felonies, so they’ve got at least 3 years to make their move.”
7: Boy George
One fan shared, “Boy George – falsely imprisoned a male escort by handcuffing him to a wall and beating him with a metal chain.”
“He served a 4-month sentence and now he's on all sorts of reality shows,” added another.
8: Steven Tyler
One person said, “No one's gonna mention Steven Tyler of Aerosmith? Fans signed over legal custody of their daughter to him at 16 y/o, he then raped and drugged her for a couple of years, made her get an abortion, and then dumped her back to her “parents” home.”
Unrelated: Aerosmith is currently undergoing a farewell concert tour.
9: Joel Osteen and Peter Popoff
One person answered, “How about prosperity church cretins/faith healing con artists like Joel Osteen or Peter Popoff? I *cannot believe* that they have followers still, it's unfathomable.”
10: Roman Polanski
The legendary filmmaker has created incredible movies and won several awards for them. However, he's never been able to accept them in person due to being unable to enter the United States. The reason? Drugging and raping a teenager.
11: Coco Chanel
The cultural and fashion icon is still beloved by many after her death, but she's not without controversy.
One person lists her issues: working with and for Nazi intelligence throughout World War II, turning in associates to Nazis and seizing their assets, and countless other anti-Semitic acts.
12: The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Popular band Red Hot Chili Peppers is compromised of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante.
Flea and Smith have been previously arrested for sexual assault and Kiedis admitted to statutory rape in his autobiography.
They're also touring in 2023 to, presumably, sold-out shows and music festivals.
A thread inspired this post.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Maya (she/they) is a queer entertainment and culture journalist. They cover interviews, reviews, roundups, news, and more. She loves horror, history, and creativity. They hope their writing both entertains readers and inspires them to think critically. Her favorite pastimes include needle felting, gaming, and drawing.