Updated September 24, 2021 34.4K votes 7.6K voters 909.9K views
Voting Rules
Vote up the most cringe-worthy cases of a famous person forgetting their mic was on.
Maybe you've said something you wished you hadn't or been overheard during an inconvenient moment. It's embarrassing, right? Now imagine being on live TV. This is a collection of people who forgot their mic was on and learned the hard way that being overheard often has major consequences. While some people gained notoriety for their blunders, others felt the heat from these famous hot mic fails.
There are plenty of celebrities who forgot their mics were on and said something they really shouldn't have. Whether their mics catch a moment of uncharacteristic honesty or something truly regretful, it's kind of reassuring to know that they're not just teleprompter-reading robots. Vote up the embarrassing hot mic videos that make you cringe the most.
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1,823 VOTES
CNN Anchor Interrupts President's Speech with Personal Baggage
In 2006, CNN's Kyra Phillips gained momentary fame for making a big mistake when she forgot to switch off her mic in the bathroom. Her live mic caught a whole conversation with another woman where she insulted all men except for her husband. She also referred to her brother's wife as a control freak. This all played right over President George W. Bush's Hurricane Katrina anniversary speech. Oopsie!
1,823 votes
2
2,727 VOTES
Donald Trump Accidentally Reveals His Rapey FlirtingTactics
On October 7, 2016, The Washington Postpublished details of a recording of Donald Trump having a very rapey conversation with Access Hollywood host Billy Bush just before appearing on Days of Our Lives in 2005. The conversation, which Trump didn't know was recorded, begins with The Donald saying, “I moved on her and I failed. I’ll admit it... I did try and f*ck her. She was married." The tape was recorded not long after Trump married Melania.
Upon noticing Days star Arianne Zucker, with whom Trump acted in his scene, Bush said “Your girl’s hot as sh*t, in the purple."
Trump replied, “Yes! The Donald has scored... I’ve gotta use some tic tacs, just in case I start kissing her.. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful. I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything.”
“Whatever you want,” replied someone, probably Bush.
“Grab them by the p*ssy. You can do anything,” Trump declared, failing to specify how you grab someone by a cavity.
Trump responded to the publication of the conversation by saying, among other things, "Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course - not even close." Memo to Trump: Hillary Clinton is running for president. Not Bill. Hillary.
2,727 votes
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1,355 VOTES
Jesse Jackson Says He Wants to 'Cut Obama's Nuts Out' Before Fox News Interview
In a 2008 anti-Obama outpouring caught on tape by Fox News before an interview on health care, Jesse Jackson vented some of his frustrations. He accused President Barack Obama of talking down to Black people and said he wanted to "cut his nuts out." This spread across the media like fire, prompting an apology from Jackson. Obama never responded to Jackson's hot mic slip-up or apology.
1,355 votes
4
1,259 VOTES
Chris Matthews Creeps on Melania Trump During MSNBC Broadcast
During MSNBC's 2016 coverage of Donald Trump's primary victory speech in Indiana, Chris Matthews was caught on a live mic making some repulsively sexist comments about Melania Trump. MSNBC co-anchor Brian Williams quickly cut to a commercial. Matthews received widespread criticism for being sexist and creepy, but that's nothing new for him. He's been making crude comments about women for years.
1,259 votes
5
1,263 VOTES
News Anchor Utters String of Profanities on His First Day, Is Immediately Fired
A.J. Clemente was momentarily famous in 2013 for having officially the worst day on the job ever. A few seconds into his first telecast forNBC affiliate KFYR in Bismarck, ND, the rookie news anchor cursed up a blue streak and was immediately suspended. He didn't realize his mic was on. Clemente released an apology, but that didn't do him any good. The station fired him.
In 2009, Britney Spears accidentally made a big mistake during a performance in Tampa, FL. After concluding a song with a dramatic finish, and in the midst of booming applause, she complained into her mic that she was having a wardrobe malfunction. She exclaimed her vagina was "hanging out" so loud that she could be heard over the excited audience.
