1. Actor Tim Allen is arrested for dr*g possession
image source: people.com
Tim Allen rose to fame in the years after the 70s for his comedy and TV shows, but back then, he was arrested for possession of coc*ine at an airport, and ended up swerving life imprisonment through a plea deal, ending up serving just over two years after giving up the names of other dealers.
2. Director Roman Polanski is arrested – and flees
image source: festival-cannes.com
Famous director Roman Polanski was arrested in 1977 for a number of shocking offences, including intercourse with a minor, s*xual assault and sodomy. The scandal is ongoing to this day, because Polanski fled to France before being formally charged, and still lives as a free man.
3. The body of Charlie Chaplin is stolen
image source: burialsandbeyond.com
Only months after legendary silent movie actor Charlie Chaplin had passed away, his body was stolen in 1978 from the cemetery. His widow then received a ransom demand to have his body returned. Police eventually found the culprits, a pair of political refugees, and Chaplin’s body was recovered.
4. The shocking death of martial arts actor Bruce Lee
image source: wptv.com
Bruce Lee should have had a long and successful life, and his death was all the more shocking because it happened in the middle of a movie shoot when he’d only led down for a nap. He was found unresponsive, and the world was shook at the death of the young martial artist, the like of which there hasn’t been since.
5. Charles Manson’s conviction for his horrific crimes
image source: theguardian.com
Although the horrific cult murders of Sharon Tate and her associates happened in the late 60s, it wasn’t until the 70s that Charles Manson and his ‘family’ were officially charged with murder and sentenced to death. The death sentence was switched to life imprisonment, with some of the ‘family’ passing away behind bars, including Manson himself.
6. Madonna’s controversial music video to Like a Prayer
image source: imdb.com
Like a Prayer has to be one of Madonna’s best songs, but the Vatican certainly didn’t think so. Scandal broke out when the Vatican were appalled by Madonna’s “blasphemous” use of Christian imagery, as well as her intimate scenes with a statue of a saint in the music video, and went out of their way to fully protest.
7. A 15-year-old Brooke Shields goes commando
image source: aaaa.org
American actress Shields appeared in a Calvin Klein jeans advert back in the 80s when she was only 15 years old – which wouldn’t be too controversial, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was wearing revealing clothing with the tagline that “nothing” came between her and her jeans, implying the minor was going commando, and starting off a huge scandal for Shields.
8. Chuck Berry is found to be filming women in the bathroom
image source: udiscovermusic.com
American singer Chuck Berry found himself embroiled in a huge scandal when it was discovered that he’d been secretly filming women in the bathroom of his restaurant. Several women filed lawsuits against him, and although it was found that Berry had been holding the footage at his home to watch himself, he was never formally charged – but had to pay outside of court to the women he’d wronged.
9. Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a bat
image source: rollingstone.com
Even today, everyone knows of the moment that rock star Ozzy Osbourne bit off the head of a live bat on stage in the 80s. Later, it was revealed Ozzy had thought the bat would be fake and made of rubber – but it wasn’t. It caused a stir with animal rights activists and many wanted him punished for animal cruelty.
10. Vanessa Williams has her Miss America crown stripped
image source: defendernetwork.com
Vanessa Williams was crowned as the first African-American to win the Miss America crown back in 1984. Unfortunately, she’d previously posed naked for a photoshoot, and the photos were released without her consent, causing a scandal and causing her crown to be stripped from her.
11. Actor Matthew Broderick and his fatal car crash
image source: mamamia.com
Teen idol Matthew Broderick, and his then-girlfriend Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey, had been driving in Ireland during bad weather. On a country lane, Broderick had drifted too far onto the opposite side of the road, and ended up crashing into another car, killing the two women inside. His charge was reduced, which the victim’s family were in uproar about, claiming he was let off easy because of his celebrity status.
12. Christian Slater’s car chase
image source: grunge.com
Christian Slater was another teen icon in the 80s, who also got involved in dangerous driving. He had struggles with substance and alcohol abuse, and in 1989, he was involved in a police car chase while drunk driving, where he was chased through West Hollywood before assaulting a police officer.
13. Princess Diana shaking hands with AIDS victims
image source: elle.com
What was a moment of compassion soon turned into a moment of scandal, which the late Princess Diana was no stranger to. In 1987, the princess had been visiting AIDS and HIV patients at a hospital during a time when people believed the disease could be passed through contact like a hug or handshake. Without wearing gloves, Diana had shaken the hands of the patients – and it made headlines.
14. The love triangle of Lionel Richie
image source: briefly.co.za
Lionel Richie was one of the biggest music stars of this era, and everyone loved his relationship with childhood sweetheart and wife Brenda Harvey. Fans were disappointed when it was revealed he’d been having an affair with a dancer named Diane Alexander. Brenda divorced him, and Richie then married Alexander – but they divorced years later, too.
15. Ben Johnson was found to be using steroids in the Olympics
image source: theguardian.com
Ben Johnson was one of the most talented Olympic stars of the 80s, and he set a world record for the 1988 100m Men’s final. Understandably, he was hailed a sporting hero – until it was discovered that he’d been taking an illegal steroid. He was stripped of his title and retreated to Canada.
16. Anjelica Huston and Jack Nicholson’s shocking split
image source: newyorkpost.com
Huston and Nicholson’s relationship was never plain sailing, but it was one that the public enjoyed following due to the pair’s obvious chemistry. But a scandal emerged in the 80s when it was found that Nicholson had not only cheated on Huston, but fathered a child with another woman.
17. Patty Hearst is kidnapped by a militant group
image source: cnn.com
The granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst was kidnapped in 1974 at only 19 years old by the Symbionese Liberation Army. She was held captive while the group made demands, but then shockingly she declared she’d joined the group willingly. She later claimed she’d been brainwashed, and was pardoned.
18. The raid of Studio 54
image source: businessinsider.com
Studio 54 was notorious for its controversial activity, and the IRS raid on the club in the 70s went down in history. The club was raided by 31 federal agents, and a ton of cash was seized, as well as a series of arrests including for dr*g possession and tax evasion.
19. The divorce of Sonny and Cher
image source: billboard.com
One of the biggest couples of this era was Sonny and Cher, and it shocked the world when Cher filed for divorce from Sonny in 1974, particularly for the accusation that Sonny had been withholding Cher’s portion of the earnings, as well as citing “involuntary servitude”.
20. Jane Fonda’s visit to Vietnam
image source: snopes.com
Fonda was one of the biggest movie stars of the 70s, and she was also known for her activism. During the conflict between Vietnam and America, she famously toured and protested against America, leading her to be dubbed a traitor, and for people to see her protests as being against American troops themselves, forcing her to apologise.
