Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The People The Media Did Dirty

I was recently thinking about Winona Ryder, an actress I've always loved, who was crucified by the media because of her shoplifting arrest. Ryder dealt with emotional problems for several years and she was treated terribly at trial. The media circus cost her acting work and she took a long break before re-emerging as a character actress and slipping back into more substantial roles.

It was grossly unfair, and an example of the power the tabloid press can wield. Ryder is fortunate to have a successful career and has for the last few years starred on Netflix's Stranger Things. But she is sadly not the only person to be crucified by the media.

People shared their thoughts after Redditor Mush_Committee_9335 asked the online committee,

"Who was someone done dirty by the media?"

Christopher Jefferies

"Christopher Jefferies who had the bad luck to be a bit strange-looking and eccentric and be the close neighbour of a murdered woman. Originally questioned over the murder and released, he was hounded by Britain's tabloid papers right up to the point where it was proved that someone else was the murderer."

jwelshuk

The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries is such a good miniseries.

Lindy Chamberlain

"Lindy Chamberlain was charged with her baby's murder and jailed for several years. It wasn't until someone found the baby's bloodied jacket beside a dingo den that she was released. The trauma of that is unimaginable. You lose your baby AND get thrown in jail for her murder."

llamaunepredo

Perhaps the most well known miscarriage of justice on the part of the Australian justice system.

Richard Jewell

"Richard Jewell. He was a hero that likely saved dozens of lives. Instead of praising for the hero he was, the FBI and the media rushed to judgement and labeled him a terrorist."

Thatguy755

Too bad the film about his story didn't seem to do him much justice.

Brendan Fraser

"Brendan Fraser. Was shamed and blacklisted for admitting to being sexually assaulted in the industry. Wow."

[deleted]

And he's enjoying quite the comeback! The Whale looks amazing.

Britney Spears

"Britney Spears. They loved her mental breakdown."

TraditionalLiving

And she's free now! Thankfully!

Lindsay Lohan

"Lindsay Lohan. David Letterman made fun of her for going to rehab on national television, to the point where she began to cry. She had her demons, but was treated disgustingly."

Catwymyn

I remember that. It was terrible. No wonder she was on a downward spiral for such a long time.

Stella Liebeck

"Stella Liebeck. Nearly died from 3rd degree burns courtesy of McDonald’s coffee, gets them to stop serving coffee at a hazardous temperature, and what does she get? Her name synonymous with stupid lawsuits and even Darwin-esque awards for stupidest lawsuits."

LegalAssassin13

All she wanted was for them to cover her medical expenses and they refused. She had no option but to sue or go bankrupt.

Monica Lewinsky

"Monica Lewinsky. There's a huge issue of power going on here and it was mostly ignored like she was the temptress who lured poor innocent Bill into her den of iniquity."

eddyathome

Thankfully opinions on her have changed as culture has changed. Sadly, we probably don’t know the worst examples because we’ll never hear their side of the story.

Jake Lloyd

"Jake Lloyd. Not his fault much of Phantom Menace was cringe, especially the dialogue. Personally, I think Anakin should’ve been introduced and played by a teenager. Would’ve made his relationship with Padme less creepy. But that was all Lucas. Kid didn’t need to crapped on by fans and the media."

MurkyConflict3737

He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. He's had a sad life since that film exposed him to so much mockery.

Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson. Also why did people care so much; it's a breast. I've never understood America's obsession with nudity. Put as much violence on the screen for my kid as possible, but god help you if you show the little boob for half a second."

HairyTesticleMonster

The public freakout over this was RIDICULOUS. It absolutely hurt her career and should not have.

Consider: Would you want to be treated the way these people were treated? Think before you pass judgment. You don't always know the whole story.

Have some observations of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Piers Morgan; Russell Brand
Piers Morgan Uncensored/X

Russell Brand Struggles To Find Bible Verse During Ultra-Cringey Piers Morgan Interview

Content Warning: Sexual Assault, Rape, Performative Christianity

In 2025, Russell Brand pleaded "not guilty" to multiple charges of rape and sexual assault against him in London and Bournemouth and said he "welcomed" the opportunity in court to "prove his innocence."

Keep ReadingShow less
Marissa Bode
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic-Gettz Images

'Wicked' Star Marissa Bode Speaks Out After She's Turned Away From Boarding Flight Due To Her Wheelchair

Marissa Bode is well-known for her role as Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba's sister and the Wicked Witch of the East in last year's Wicked.

Now, she's becoming well-known for her TikToks about travel gone wrong, and it seems some airlines haven't gotten the memo about accessibility. Bode has even joked on the platform that it's become a "space to complain" and "a space to s**t post" because of the bad luck she's had on various airlines due to poor accommodations and low accessibility standards.

Keep ReadingShow less
Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler leans over a desk in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Courtesy of NBC

Season One Episode Of 'Law & Order: SVU' Goes Viral After Fan Notices Prophetic Detail Written On Binder

Folks, as you know, you don’t get to call anything a coincidence on the internet anymore—especially when a decades-old TV episode, a pause button, and one very loaded last name collide.

When Law & Order: Special Victims Unit debuted in 1999, no one was freeze-framing scenes looking for hidden meaning. Nearly three decades later, that’s exactly what viewers are doing, and one background detail from the show’s second-ever episode is suddenly under a microscope.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dana White attends the 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026.
Taylor Hill/WireImage via Getty Images

UFC CEO Reveals Why He Didn't Follow Orders To 'Get Down' During Correspondents' Dinner Shooting In Bizarre Interview

Of all the reactions to a shooting incident outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, UFC CEO Dana White’s stood out for just how out of step it was.

In an interview with USA Today, White recalled tables being “flipped over” as law enforcement rushed in and ordered those in the room—including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members—to “get down.” Seated near the head table alongside top administration officials, the longtime Trump ally said he ignored those instructions entirely.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nathan Lane
The Howard Stern Show/YouTube

Nathan Lane Opens Up About The Devastating Thing His Mom Said To Him When He Came Out As Gay

There are two types of people when it comes to first becoming acquainted with Nathan Lane: they either immediately assume that he's gay, or they assume he is a really good actor.

With some of his top achievements being The Birdcage, The Producers, Modern Family, and The Lion King, Nathan Lane is both. He's an incredible, immersive, and funny actor, but when it comes to his being gay, he's said in interview after interview that it's something he just assumes "everybody knows" about him.

Keep ReadingShow less