12 Celebrity Comebacks That Failed

The Comeback:Katy Perry seems to fight with people constantly. She had tension with Taylor Swift.Taylor SwiftPerry threwShe digs at Britney Spears.over her shaved head (before chopping off her own hair for similar reasons)Similar reasons.just a few months later), and Perry defended Dr. Luke, a music producer facing multiple sexual assault allegations, including from Kesha. Perry worked with Dr. Luke again on her seventh studio album143, including on lead single “Woman's World.” Critics received the song and video poorly; one critic called it“garbage.”She called it “garbage.”

The Result:Because Perry worked with controversial figure Dr. Luke, people criticizing the “Woman's World" video for objectifying women is not surprising. Fans question her outdated views on “feminism” and the song's overproduction. Listeners are not happy with the message Perry sends to young girls in the video.

The singer took damage control after the backlash,She claimed the video was “sarcastic” satire.and avoided questions about working with Dr. Luke.

The Comeback:Chevy Chase's career has had rumors of bad behavior on set. Though he stayed in the spotlight, theSNLalum's acting career faced rough spots. In 2009, the actor got a major role in the sitcomCommunity, where things looked good for him. But actors soon started speaking out about his on-set actions.

The Result: WhenCommunitycast members and fans called out Chase for his alleged bad behavior,his response was, “I don’t give a crap… I am who I am. And I like who I am. I don’t care. And it’s part of me that I don’t care.”

As popular asCommunitybecame, Chase did not last for the show's run. His character developed more unlikeable storylines toward the end of his time.

Co-star Donald Glover said Chase interrupted scenes with racist jokes and stated, "People think you’re funnier because you’re Black."

The Comeback: Actor Steven Seagal is known for movies likeUnder Siege,Fire Down Below, andThe Glimmer Man.Off-screen, actresses like Julianna Margulies, Jenny McCarthy, and Portia de Rossi accused the actorof using his status to harass and assault them during auditions.In 2004, the actor released the reggae albumSongs from the Crystal Caveto start a new career phase.

The Result: Since the album wasnever releasedin the US, it did not perform well with audiences. The album's identity crisis caused it to shift between genres like reggae, blues, funk, pop, and rock for a messy final product.

The Comeback:Hollywood stars rich and famous for decades might be out of touch with the public. In 2024,fans roasted Jennifer LopezA video explains Jennifer Lopez's bodega order, questioning the story that she grew up low-income. Her musical career hit a snag recently, but Lopez released a new album in 2024.This Is Me... Now.She announced the accompanying “This Is Me… Now: The Tour.” The tour did not go as planned.

The Result:Lopez's comeback albumsold only 14,000 copies in its first week—much worse than her prior album (which was not great anyway). Because the album sold poorly, it is not surprising her 30-city tour did not sell well. Seven shows were canceled due to “logistical issues”; soon, the entire tour was called off.Fell in its debut week. It performed much worse than her prior album, which still sold poorly. Because the album sold badly, her 30-city tour allegedly failed too. Seven shows got canceled for “logistical issues”; soon, the whole tour stopped.

Rumors spread that Lopez's marriage to Ben Affleck faced trouble. Lopez responded by...I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Know that I would not do this if I did not feel it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again.Lopez's acting career achieved more success than her music career in recent years, especially on streaming.

The Comeback:

Charlie Sheen faced trouble in 2011 when he was fired from the Chuck Lorre comedy

Two and a Half MenCharlie Sheen faced trouble in 2011 after getting fired from the Chuck Lorre comedy show.calling Lorrea “a stupid, stupid little man” and a "maggot." Warner Bros. Televisioncalling Lorre: “After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen’s services onTwo and a Half Men: “After careful thought, Warner Bros. Television ended Charlie Sheen’s job onThough his showAnger Management

offered the actor a comeback, his attempts at a live tour failed.Anger ManagementSheen's Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour

stopped in Detroit. It began strong with a standing ovation from the audience, but the crowd should have waited until after Sheen told a few jokes to praise the act.Sheen's Violent Torpedo of Truth TourThe stop in Detroit began well; the audience gave him a standing ovation. However, the crowd should have waited until after the guy delivered a few jokes to praise the act.

Fans booed the opener before Sheen went on stage, but he did not fare much better. A mix of random movie clips, an awkward iPhone app parody ad, and burning his...The Comeback:Three years after Kim Kardashian became famous for sex tapes, Dustin Diamond tried making his own. The

Saved By the Bell actor struggled to find success after playing the memorable Screech in the tween comedy. So, he made a sex tape called

ScreechedThree years after Kim Kardashian became famous for sex tapes, Dustin Diamond tried making his own. He tried to create his ownSaved By the BellDiamond saidof his early childhood stardom:and join the reality TV ranks?

The Result:Diamond saidof his early childhood stardom:

Being a child star means giving up your childhood. You do not get one, really. I felt lost. As I grew up, I saw I was going through my rebellious teens in my twenties.

His decision to make the tape followed Paris Hilton scoring millions. He said the tape was what he was most embarrassed about, but he claimed it wasn't his body in the video.

I thought I could fake this with my stupidity. I could get a stunt person to take my place. It was my face, nothing else. Looking back in my thirties, I see that was really dumb.

The actor also did reality show gigs where he played a villain. Sadly, he never reached the post-Dustin Diamond was saved by Saved By the Bell.The actor sought success; he wanted the actor.He died from aggressive cancer.This happened in 2021.

Roseanne Barr's comeback was The Comeback:Roseanne Barr's sitcom became very popular in the '80s and '90s. Outside that, her work mostly involved short guest roles on TV shows and movies. The 2018 revival showed signs of improvement for Barr, but it ended quickly.

The Result: Not all failed comebacks stem from the project's failure. The reboot earned She got huge ratings.and fan praise. So, what went wrong? Barr posted a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former Obama administration member. First, she tried to blame Ambien, then she Sara Gilbert blamed her on-screen daughter.for calling her out.

Gilbert posted her own tweet: “Roseanne’s recent comments about Valerie Jarrett, and so much more, are abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least.”

Meanwhile, Barr said, “She destroyed the show and my life with that tweet. She will never get enough until she consumes my liver with a fine Chianti.”

After Barr was fired, her show became a spin-off called The Conners.The Conners kept the previous show's cast and crew.The Conners ran for Roseanne Barr had seven seasons.. Barr's career has only worsened. She continues to endorse conspiracy theories like She promoted Holocaust denial.

Ashlee Simpson's Comeback:In the early aughts, singers like Ashlee Simpson and Michelle Branch shaped the sad-girl alternative pop-rock sound. However, not all these performers kept making popular music. Ashlee Simpson's attempt to regain fame did not go well. Between starting a band with her Her husband was Evan Ross.and their failed attempt at a reality TV show, their partnership should have stayed separate from their professional lives.

The Result:Unless you are a 14-year-old carving your first love's name on a tree, labeling your band Ashlee + Evan does you no favors. The reality show shares the same name. The series ran for only one season. The duo's band has only around [missing information].Ashlee Simpson has 13k followers. She has over a million followers on Instagram. This shows the endeavor did not go well with fans. The couple released nine videos.Ashlee Simpson has over a million Instagram followers on YouTube. Fans did not like the endeavor. The couple released only nine videos.

The Comeback:David Hasselhoff went from leading the powerhouse show Baywatch to making headlines about his personal struggles more than his career.Baywatchand Knight RiderKnight RiderHasselhoff faced drinking and driving in 2004 and multiple hospital stays for alcohol poisoning.His addiction massively impacted his career.Hasselhoff never left Hollywood entirely. He moved from recognized shows and movies to small guest-starring roles in mostly lower-level projects in the early aughts. In the 2010s, he tried to return with a single and a failed reality show.

The Result:In 2015, Hasselhoff released the single “True Survivor” to go with the short film Kung Fury.Kung FuryHasselhoff made a cameo in the song. The song sounds like it came from the '80s, but it did little to boost his career. Meanwhile, his 2010 reality show The Hasselhoffs did so poorly it only released two episodes. The series had 718,000 viewers at launch, dropping over 200k for the second episode.The HasselhoffsThe series only released two episodes. It had 718,000 viewers when it launched, dropping over 200k for the second episode.

Hasselhoff held high hopes for the failed project.He said in an interview:

It is not over-the-top television. It is not about who is dating whom or who is going out. We thought it might be too soft, but we worked hard to make a show that felt like visiting a successful family in show business. I did not want this to harm my acting or singing career, and I do not think it will.

The Comeback:Vanilla Ice's biggest success is his song “Ice Ice Baby.” Decades later, he still uses it. The artist has done little since around 2011, his last studio album W.T.F. (Wisdom, Tenacity and Focus).W.T.F. (Wisdom, Tenacity and Focus).After a weak response to his second album, the artist changed “Ice Ice Baby” to a metal direction for his third album Hard to Swallow.Hard to Swallow. He named the new song “Too Cold”—and the reception was a bit too cold.too cold.

The Result:Fans struggled to accept the change. The artist's first album To the Extremewasseven times Certified Platinumseven times Certified PlatinumVanilla Ice's follow-up did not rank well. The new nu-rock sound in his third album did not appeal to fans of his hip-hop vibe. His numbers never matched his debut album's success. People still sing his hit song decades later, but it remains a mildly ironic place in music history. Ice found little future in the rock world.

The Comeback:Lindsay Lohan became a darling of the early aughts with movies likeMean GirlsandFreaky Friday. Like many child stars, Lindsay Lohan struggled with fame and substance abuse.. In 2007, the actress entered rehab and faced legal trouble. She served 90 days in jail for not meeting probation requirements. Lohan was caught shoplifting in 2011 and arrested again in 2012 for a hit-and-run.In 2007, the actress entered rehab for the first time and faced legal issues. She served 90 days in jail because she failed probation. Lohan was caught shoplifting in 2011 and arrested in 2012 for a hit-and-run.

This time hurt her acting career. She stayed somewhat in Hollywood, moving from starring in hits to taking on indie movies likeThe Result:

BetweenThe CanyonsandChapter 27Chapter 27, Lohan's later movies differed from the lighthearted films she was known for. Audiences mostly disliked them. Lohan seemed stuck in low-budget projects and small guest roles on TV. Luckily, years later, her Netflix Christmas movierevitalized her career.The Controversy:

Rumorsabout actors getting blacklisted from the industryare common, but actors rarely admit it happened. Mickey RourkeMickey Rourke's comebacks appear often, but actors rarely admit they happened.I messed up my career in Hollywood. I told people I was a man first, then an actor. I fought everyone in the movie business.Rourke never left the spotlight entirely. Many of his roles during this time came in straight-to-DVD projects. He found a comeback success with

I messed up my Hollywood career. I told people I was a man first, then an actor. I fought everyone in the movie business.

Rourke did not leave the spotlight completely. Many of his roles during this period came in straight-to-DVD projects. He achieved mild success with a comeback when he didThe Comeback: (earning an Oscar nomination) and took roles in bigger films for a time.

Iron Man 2, The ExpendablesIron Man 2Immortals, Rourke returned to smaller-budget films. Rourke sought a fresh start, and he found one with a new generation of directors:The young guys are cool. They ignore what they hear. They judge me by my acting ability, not my old reputation. So, it has been a revival of working with younger directors.ImmortalsRourkeRourke returned to smaller-budget films. Rourke seeks a fresh start and apparently found one with a new group of directors:

The young guys are cool. They ignore what they hear. They judge me by my acting ability, not my old reputation. So, working with younger directors has been a kind of revival.