Controversies and Hollywood are a natural combination. There is always going to be drama when there are celebrities involved. Not quite a month into the new year, and we already have a few highly visible scandals that rocked Hollywood and the internet in January 2024.
1. Taylor Swift’s deepfake images: Taylor Swift turned out to be the most prominent and likely the most powerful victim of AI’s risks when she discovered that some AI-generated pictures of her in pornographic situations were being circulated. While SAG-AFTRA and the White House both spoke out in support of Taylor Swift and denounced the act of creating and disseminating such photographs, the Bad Blood singer is allegedly considering taking severe legal action against the perpetrators.
2. Mega Oscar snub for Barbie: The largest issue to arise from those nominations was the seeming slight to Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, who were not included in the best director and best actor (female) categories. The dispute was intensified by remarks made by Hillary Clinton and Ryan Gosling, who were both nominated in the same category and expressed support for the director and lead actress of the biggest summer blockbuster of the previous year.
3. The controversial Epstein list: The names on a seemingly official list that includes some of the persons Jeffrey Epstein, the now-convicted child sex trafficker, typically hung out with. The list featured well-known figures like Bill Clinton and Donald Trump in addition to well-known stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael Jackson.
4. Lip-Reading stint: The most significant controversy to surface from this year’s Golden Globes concerned an apparent instance of excessive lip-reading by a celebrity. In one instance, a video of Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift that went viral showed the actress from Spring Breakers chatting with her pals about rumors. Online lip readers saw the video as Gomez making derogatory remarks against Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner.
5. Kim Kardashian endorsement for tanning bed: Kim Kardashian has faced criticism for allegedly endorsing tanning beds, which have been shown to be unhealthy and even carcinogenic. The actress responded to the criticism directed at X by stating that the tanning bed aids in the management of psoriasis, a skin ailment for which Kim received a diagnosis in 2011.
6. Nicki Minaj-Megan Thee Stallion dissing each other: Megan Thee Stallion debuted her new song, HISS, around the end of January. It is said to be a diss tune about Nicki Minaj and her hubby. Nicki Minaj verified the rumors of the dispute by responding angrily to the WAP singer for her disparaging remarks about her.
