While we here at The Root are always rooting for everybody Black — and especially Black women — the same can’t be said for the broader mainstream media. In fact, there have been countless times where some of favorite Black women celebs became trending topics for all the wrong reasons thanks to a litany of public scrutiny over everything from the way we style out hair, the shape of our bodies, our fashion choices, bank accounts and other things.
Over the years, we’ve seen some truly outrageous, racist, and downright awful instances of Black celeb women getting raked over the coals. Now, it seems like some of those same famous faces are pulling back the veil and expressing their hurt and displeasure about it (looking at you, Oprah). Let’s take a look at some of the worst times Black women were unfairly criticized in pop culture.
Zendaya & the 2015 Oscars
Fans were pissed off for Zendaya at the 2015 Oscars when fashion critic and “Fashion Police” cohost Giuliana Rancic described her wearing locs to the event looking like she “smells like patchouli oil…maybe weed.” As you might expect, the backlash was swift and ultimately led to Rancic issuing a public apology to the “Euphoria” star. But still—what would possess her to make that comment in the first place?
Serena Williams & the 2018 French Open
While the 2018 French Open was supposed to be a momentous occasion for Serena Williams — who was making her grand return one year after the difficult birth to her first child—it was her outfit that ultimately stole the show in the most negative way possible. Donning a black Nike catsuit that was specifically designed with compression gear to keep her from forming any more blood clots, Williams drew major ire from the French Tennis Federation, whose President Bernard Giudicelli soon announced that they’d be implementing a dress code at the tournament going forward—which meant catsuits like Serena’s would be banned.
“It will no longer be accepted. One must respect the game and the place,” he said at the time.
Speaking on that experience, Williams told CNN in 2024: “I didn’t know it would have such an impact. Here I am just trying to be healthy. I was a new mom and just trying, you know, to be me. It was a great moment. I didn’t know it would cause such a stir,” she said.
Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team & Don Imus
In perhaps one of pop culture’s most memorable moments, the predominately Black women’s basketball team at Rutgers University were referred to as “nappy-headed hoes” by sports pundit Don Imus and “jiggaboos.” This sparked national outcry and led to him ultimately putting out an apology and being suspended. The Rutgers University Women’s Basketball Coach Vivian Stringer eventually responded to Imus’ words at the time, calling them “deplorable” and telling folks at a press conference that she and her players were all “physically, mentally and emotionally spent” and “so hurt” by his words.
Whoopi Goldberg & Joan Rivers
While comedian and TV host Joan Rivers was never known to mince words, she went too far back in 1989 when she asked fellow comedian Whoopi Goldberg if she wanted to be “thin and gorgeous”—as if to insinuate that she was the opposite. While the question soured a lot of folks off of Rivers, Goldberg’s confident response quickly saved the moment and served as a good reminder of the importance of self-love.
Oprah Winfrey & Joan Rivers
As we previously told you, in 1985, Oprah Winfrey appeared on “The Tonight Show” with host Joan Rivers and their encounter was anything but pleasant. Just listen to Winfrey’s recollection:
“Joan Rivers said to me, ‘Shame, shame, shame on you for not losing the weight. How did you gain the weight?’ I remember leaving feeling embarrassed, but she said I could come back if I lost 15 pounds. I wasn’t even upset with her. I thought, ‘I’ve got to get on it, I’ve got to lose those 15 pounds,’” Winfrey said.
She later shared that she blamed herself, internalized the shame around her weight and felt the years-long bad jokes and negative comments were warranted because she felt like she should have been able to lose the weight. Even on her own show, especially when Winfrey wheeled out that wagon of fat, we knew that her weight loss was something both she and America at-large were clearly concerned about.
Tyra Banks & “America’s Next Top Model” Negativity
While Tyra Banks endured her own set of criticism (more on that later), that doesn’t mean she was exempt from dishing it out to other Black girls on her widely popular show “America’s Next Top Model.” Whether that meant lowkey body-shaming Keenyah Hill (of whom she made aware that they had to “retouch the heck out her stomach to make it slim” in a photoshoot); telling a darker-skinned model that she had to put on “more makeup”; calling another darker-skinned models photos “hoochie” like—Banks’ early 2000s show was all-around a hot mess.
Tyra Banks & Personal Fat-Shaming
In 2007, after Tyra Banks became a trending topic thanks to a series of off-guard swimsuit pictures captured by the paparazzi, she became the subject of public scrutiny from folks who had a lot to say about her seemingly plumper shape. However, she wasn’t about to take that criticism (though she dished out similar as we just mentioned) lightly and told viewers of her eponymous daytime talk show to “kiss my fat ass” as a means to combat the negativity. Over the years, her weight has fluctuated with one of her most recent photoshoots garnering some more mixed discourse.
Lizzo, Jillian Michaels & Fat-Shaming
In 2020, fitness trainer Jillian Michaels memorably put her foot in her mouth and prompted accusations of fat-shaming when it came to singer Lizzo while doing an interview on Buzzfeed’s AM2DM morning show.
“I’m sure [Lizzo]’s a cool, awesome chick…but why are we celebrating her body? Why does it matter? Why aren’t we celebrating her music? ‘Cause it isn’t gonna be awesome if she gets diabetes—I’m just being honest,” Michaels said at the time. “There’s never a moment where I’m like, ‘And I’m so glad that she’s overweight.’ Like, why do I even care? Why is it my job to care about her weight?”
While Lizzo never directly responded to Michaels, she did post what some took as indirect shade towards her on Instagram not too long after the trainer’s words went viral.
Vanessa Williams & the Miss America Scandal
Vanessa Williams’ Miss America scandal in 1984 is arguably one of the clearest examples of how Black women get unfairly punished for existing in a space not historically built for us. Shortly after she made history as the first Black Miss America, nude photos that were taken years prior without her consent were leaked in the media. This in turn prompted swift media outrage and heavily racialized backlash that ultimately led to her resigning from the position.
While she eventually received an apology from the Miss America CEO over 30 years later, Williams told Page Six in 2021 that she was able to power through that difficult moment due to her self-assuredness.
“I think I was really centered in knowing I know who I am and I’ll get there, and once the dust settles, you’ll see,” she said at the time.
Janet Jackson & the 2004 Super Bowl
Much like the Don Imus incident, Janet Jackson and her 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance with Justin Timberlake—where he ripped her top and exposed one of her breasts—is one of pop culture’s most notorious moments. However, it unjustly led to Jackson unfairly being blackballed by the industry for years. Meanwhile, Timberlake was able to return to the making music and eventually to the NFL stage unscathed. Thankfully, the world would later get a clearer view of how that incident actually went down and what all played a role in it in her 2022 documentary.
Yet and still, it still seems as if some industry folks still feel some type of way about it as this over 20-year-old incident was reportedly a major obstacle that kept her from being honored at the 2023 Grammys with the Global Impact Award. (As we told you at the time, Jackson wanted CBS to issue her an apology for their mistreatment all those years ago and they wouldn’t oblige. So she didn’t want to accept the award.)
Toni Braxton Financial Issues
While Oprah herself was the target of frequent negativity, much like Banks, that didn’t mean that she couldn’t sometimes be the person stirring up drama herself. Who could forget when singer Toni Braxton appeared on her show in 1998 and was made to feel uncomfortable due to Winfrey questioning her about her spending habits.
Specifically, the popular TV host asked Braxton if she had “Gucci flatware” and essentially “reprimanded her,” as the “Un-Break My Heart” singer would later call it.
“She was so frickin’ mean to me, I was in shock,” Braxton said in 2012 episode of “Behind the Music.” “I couldn’t believe it because I loved her so much…She pretty much reprimanded me.”
Mo’Nique’s Industry Blackballing, Issues With Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey
There’s a loooong and well-documented history between comedian Mo’Nique and her issues with Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels and Oprah Winfrey. And it all has to do with the role they allegedly played in blackballing her from the industry after she refused to go on an non-mandatory/non-contractually obligated trip overseas in 2009 to promote her film, “Precious.”
In the years that followed, Mo’Nique saw a complete slowdown in jobs and subsequently called out Perry for the part he played in her career downfall. In one post to social media in particular, she posted an audio conversation of Perry admitting he did wrong by her and that he would eventually apologize. However, she’s yet to receive that apology.
While her and Daniels—who directed “Precious”—have since made up and even worked on another movie together since then, she still remains on the outs with Perry and Winfrey. However, let the court of public opinion tell it, people are on her side and are waiting to see if and how this reconciliation between the three of them will eventually come about.
Gabby Douglas’ Hair & the 2016 Olympics
Despite Gabby Douglas’ history making gymnastic prowess and Olympic gold medals, it wasn’t enough to keep naysayers at bay during the 2016 Olympic Games where—instead of focusing on her impressive talents—folks opted to mad crap about her hair. In particular, her slickbacked ponytail and “edges” remained at the top of mind for people and sadly led to her getting bullied online by “fans.”
However, in 2024, it looked like Douglas may have come to terms somewhat with the negativity.
“Constantly being bullied is very tiring and wearing on me. I just want to live my life and be at peace,” she said in a post on social media at the time.
Leslie Jones & the 2016 “Ghostbusters” Reboot
While comedian Leslie Jones may have been excited to star in the 2016 reboot of “Ghostbusters,” some staunch fans weren’t so excited. In fact, they had such a negative reaction to Jones’ casting that they reportedly lobbed death threats, racial slurs and other comments that were rooted in “racism and misogyny.” Things got so bad on social media that she had to constantly combat folks trying to hack her account and eventually decided to get off X/Twitter altogether to avoid the vitriol.
“I can’t believe anyone would do this shit to someone, anyone, for working. This is awful. I am in a movie. Death threats for something as small as that?” she said according to Variety in 2023.
