Hot Mic Moments That Caused A Stir

Credit the media to come up with sure-fire ways to catch celebrities off-guard. There's the tabloid paparazzi approach to make stars so uncomfortable, they might show their true colors reacting to the annoying strobes of flashbulbs. In scrums, aggressive journalists jockey for position to make famous folks feel off-balance with blunt questions that challenge their accountability. Dumpster divers (usually media interns) wade through garbage and shredded documents seeking a smoking gun for an exclusive exposé. And then there's the long shot: Leaving a mic nearby, inconspicuous and operational, to catch some idle chatter containing clues to a potential scandal. 

Granted, what's called the "hot mic" method is about as exciting as dropping a fishing line into a lake hoping for at least a bite, but it's yielded some pretty impressive results. One unsuspecting flub nearly determined the outcome of a federal election, while another remark resulted in a murder conviction. Still others revealed immature statements by celebrities foreshadowing their downward career trajectories, as well as jocular comments from politicians triggering international incidents, including one with potentially catastrophic results. While it was tempting to include the likes of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars or Tiger Woods cursing at The Masters, all of them knew they were on live TV at the time. Hot mics target those more oblivious to their presence. Still, the method proves that in a world hungering for salacious media tidbits, nothing is ever truly off the record.

As the oldest person to ever take America's highest office, President Joe Biden has had to contend with detractors worried about the effects of age on his ability to do his job. Even CNN, which frequently provides airtime for pro-Biden pundits, tackled that issue with a story citing columnists from Bloomberg News to The New York Times who attributed his sliding performance to his advancing years. But in October, while surveying the damage left behind by Hurricane Ian in Florida, the president demonstrated he still has a bit of a spryness in his repartee. After Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy thanked the president for his support, mentioning the visit and hurricane relief, the commander in chief responded, "No one f***s with a Biden," a remark caught by cameras several feet away. Hours later, the video clip went viral, as pretty much every legacy media outlet posted it online.

For the most part, the reports stuck to the facts, and issued no judgement regarding the profanity, even with Murphy laughing and saying "You're god***n right," but the biggest remark over the profanity came from Fox News contributor Joe Concha. "Nothing says trying to sound like some sort of combination between Clint Eastwood and Samuel L. Jackson like being braggadocious in the middle of a disaster zone," he said. However, given that Florida's almost totally surrounded by a saline ocean, you'd think the state would be used to language that's just as salty.

For the past few years, Aaron Rodgers has distinguished himself as one of the best pivots in the NFL and a holder of league records in categories that include passing yards and touchdowns. He's also courted a great deal of intrigue over his relationship with racecar driver Danica Patrick and his immunization status during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodgers got more headlines, however, for a feat on the football field that he didn't expect. During an October 3 NFL match between the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots, Rodgers was growing impatient with his offensive line scrimmaging for the next play, especially his center Josh Myers. "Snap the f***ing ball!" he yelled at a volume loud enough to be caught by the CBS network's field mics on the sidelines. 

Evidently, he noticed the Patriots weren't ready either and wanted to catch them off guard. It was all for naught, though, when New England immediately called time out before the Packers quarterback could execute the play. At that moment, color commentator Tony Romo quickly covered up for Rodgers while trying to keep broadcast coverage G-rated, when he exclaimed, "He said, 'You've got to snap the ball a little quicker, guys!'" A video compiled by Everything Wisconsin Sports revealed that crowd mics have recorded Rodgers cursing during games on several occasions. Each time, the play called by Rodgers didn't go well, usually ending in the Packers star either fumbling or getting sacked by the opposition.

While the late, beloved queen of England and monarch of the British Commonwealth was highly regarded for her sense of duty and was remarkably scandal-free, she wasn't immune to some off-the-cuff remarks picked up by a hot mic in 2021. Visiting Cardiff, Wales to open the next parliamentary session of the Welsh government, the queen was caught remarking with her daughter-in-law, Camilla Parker Bowles, about how world leaders weren't reacting fast enough on environmental issues, especially those being addressed at COP26, a United Nations climate change conference slated to run in Scotland. The queen was also scheduled to attend that event. 

Daily Mirror reporter Russell Myers recorded the conversation on video, which was rather garbled until some audio wizardry cleaned up the din. Clearly, the queen didn't sound optimistic about COP26. "I've been hearing all about COP, still don't know who is coming, no idea," she remarked. "We only know about people who are not coming. It's really irritating when they talk, but they don't do." Reaction to the video after being posted on Twitter was mixed, with supporters eagerly echoing her sentiments, while detractors blamed the queen and other royal jet-setters for adding more carbon emissions to the atmosphere. United Kingdom government cabinet minister Grant Schapp also didn't seem impressed that the Daily Mirror had made the queen's comments public in the first place. "I think comments made in private should stay private," he said to Sky News. 

Canada has very seldom been the focus of global media scrutiny when it comes to international events, but that was before the emergence of that country's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who was elected to office in 2015. Almost immediately, the world fell in love with the photogenic politician, with media types like the U.K.-based Mirror calling him a "genuine heartthrob." That honeymoon, combining his good looks, commitment to climate change, and his benevolence to overseas refugees, made it easier for the Canadian statesman to rub shoulders with leaders of nations considerably more powerful than his own. But at times, Trudeau could get overconfident and even a little cocky.

That demeanor particularly came to light in 2019, when a video caught him engaging in party talk with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron at a Buckingham Palace social during a NATO conference in London. Diligence on behalf of a CBC producer revealed a conversation concerning President Donald Trump, whom Trudeau blamed for Macron's late arrival at the reception. "He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top," Trudeau said. "I just watched his team's jaws drop to the floor!" he later added, with a zeal that amused Johnson and Macron. At a media conference a few days later, Trump noted his displeasure over Trudeau's remarks, calling him "two-faced" (per Reuters), and setting the bar for frostier relations between Canada and the U.S.

Throughout his controversial 2016 campaign for the presidency of the United States, Donald Trump provided the media with many provocative anecdotes, from railing against illegal Mexican immigrants to insulting Muslims. But his drive to the White House could easily have been scuttled October 7, a month before the federal election, by a damning 2005 videotape that was leaked to the press. The tape documented a garrulous Trump bragging to "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush on how easy it was for a celebrity like himself to have his way with women. "You know, I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them," he said at one point. "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. ... Grab 'em by the p*ssy." 

The remark infuriated everyone from women to fellow Republicans, prompting the Trump team to shift into damage control and the candidate issuing a public apology on Twitter. In a statement (per The Washington Post), Trump seemed remorseful while simultaneously downplaying the incident as "locker room banter, a private conversation that took place years ago." The incident helped Trump's rival, Hillary Clinton, stay ahead in the presidential race, until October 28, when the FBI revealed it had evidence that Clinton breached security by using her personal email to conduct government business. Although she was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, enough doubt had been cast on her that Trump won the federal election, despite his hot mic moment.

Although Canadian singer Justin Bieber became a bubblegum favorite in 2010 with his massive hit "Baby," it didn't take long before enough celebrity veneer withered away to reveal a real bad boy in the making. Adjustment to life under the spotlight was difficult for Bieber, and the media documented instances of underage drinking, late concert starts, and a rocky relationship with fellow singer Selena Gomez. But the media didn't have to so much as lift a finger in 2015 to reveal yet another example of Bieber's testy side when he was slated to do a live performance of his hit "What Do You Mean?" in front of Rockefeller Center in New York for a "Today" show segment. When the song ended, Bieber expressed disdain over the positioning of one cameraman during his live session, lamenting "Next time I won't dance because the camera's here the whole time. Might as well not dance. What do I do this for if they're just gonna..." before turning off his mic. 

Unbeknownst to Bieber, who thought "Today" had cut to commercial, part of his complaint was still being carried live, a situation the tabloids latched on to. PopSugar claimed a few in attendance believed Bieber threw a fit, while HuffPost chastised the star, stating he should have known better than to complain while a mic was still operational. However, the incident barely dented his career, and Bieber remains one of the most popular vocalists on the planet.

For years, authorities suspected that Texas real estate heir Robert Durst had something to do with the mysterious 1982 disappearance of his wife, as well as the deaths of two other acquaintances. But it took an accidental admission on a cable mini-series to put him away for good. In October 2021, Durst was convicted for the murders of Kathie McCormack (whose body was never found) and former college friend Susan Berman. He was previously acquitted of murdering neighbor Morris Black, but pled guilty to dismemberment. Durst died behind bars three months later from natural causes at 78.

The events were sensational enough for Hollywood to release "All Good Things," a film based on the murders, in 2010. HBO also documented the crimes in its 2015 mini-series "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst," encouraging the prime suspect to tell his side of the story, at a time when the murders of McCormack and Berman were still unsolved. The series treated viewers to a variety of escapades, including the grisly discovery of Black's body; how Berman became Durst's confidante; and accounts of the suspect sneaking around Galveston, Texas in drag. But the real shocker took place the night before the finale, when police arrested Durst for the murders. It seemed to be more than a coincidence, as in the final episode, Durst commented off-camera, believing he wasn't being recorded, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course."

Mel Gibson enjoyed years as a Hollywood marquee attraction and action star in the "Mad Max" and "Lethal Weapon" franchises of the '80s and '90s. He capped that ascent to the top with his epic telling of Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace in "Braveheart," which netted him two Oscars for best picture and best director in 1996. But after being arrested for driving under the influence in 2006, when police carried him away in handcuffs while he screamed anti-Semitic remarks, an unforgiving Hollywood kicked him to the curb. Landing hard, Gibson subsequently found himself out of control in situations involving homophobia, racism, sexism and even abusing Oksana Grigorieva, his girlfriend at the time. It turned out that — though Gibson managed to claw his way out of a hole — he still had a lot to answer for.

In 2010, Chicago-based WGN-TV reporter Dean Richards questioned Gibson on his behavior during an interview. Realizing that his appearance was going beyond promoting his movie "Edge of Darkness," Gibson dropped his smooth demeanor and grew irritated when asked about his tempestuous past. "It is a while back," Gibson said between swigs of coffee. "You know, I've done all the necessary mea culpas, so let's move on, dude. Come on." But when Gibson thought the interview had ended, he threw out one more remark: "A**hole." Apparently, he still has a few more mea culpas to do.

Ever since the Civil Rights movement, Reverend Jesse Jackson has distinguished himself on the front lines, battling for equality among Americans, even running for president twice. So it was no surprise that he supported Barack Obama's presidential bid in 2008. When Obama won, Jackson was seen at the victory celebration in tears, as if he helped realize a dream put forth by his late colleague, Martin Luther King Jr. But it turns out Jackson didn't always have that much admiration for the two-term president.

His contemptuous feelings for Obama were made earlier that year at a Fox affiliate in Chicago, just before Jackson, sitting with healthcare executive Reed Tuckson, was about to have an interview for a segment on "Fox and Friends." That's when Jackson whispered, "See, Barack's been talking down to Black people on his faith based. I wanna cut his n*ts off." Since the interview hadn't yet started, Jackson was unaware that cameras were already recording. According to Politico, Fox News wanted to use that part of the tape for other shows hosted by Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, neither of them exactly friends of Obama. When the segment aired, Jackson realized the potential damage it could do to the Obama campaign, and knew he had to patch things up. Three days later, he issued a statement that read, "For any harm or hurt that this hot mic conversation may have caused, I apologize," (per the New York Post).

Throughout its quarter century on the air, "The View" has seemingly been a bit lean with its right-wing representation. Over the years, the daytime show has used Candace Cameron Bure, Nicolle Wallace, Meghan McCain, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck for the more conservative viewpoint. Of these four, McCain proved to be the feistiest, although Hasselbeck could have given her a run for her money. She was especially ballistic during one hot topics segment in 2006, when she locked horns with Barbara Walters and Joy Behar about federal government approval of a morning-after pill, a move she actively rallied against. "This is a slippery slope to just eliminating life," she ranted, before veering into government healthcare territory. Walters then ordered her to stand down for a break, but that response incensed Hasselbeck, who tore up her notes and stomped off the stage. 

During the break, she freaked out backstage at Behar, who had followed her. "F*** that! I'm not going to sit there and get reprimanded on the air!" she yelled, followed by threats that she was leaving the show. Although she made it downstairs to her dressing room, the producers were able to calm her down and bring her back on set before the show returned from the commercial break. This rant was recorded via Hasselbeck's clip-on mic, and made public for the first time in 2019, according to TMZ. By then, Hasselbeck was long gone; she was fired from the show in 2013.

It turns out that "Oops, I Did It Again" was a prophetic title for Britney Spears' sophomore release that dropped in 2000, at the height of her fame. But one stop in her international tour to support the album made Spears the subject of embarrassment, just before she was about to hit the stage at Brazil's Rock in Rio festival the following year. As fans flocked to the front of the stage to check out their favorite vocalist, they heard Spears blurting out expletives that were definitely not her lyrics. "Don't tell me they're just, like, letting the audience just f***ing stand out there like that," she lamented on her headset, unaware that the sound crew had already turned it on and the show's recording had already started. "Oh my god, okay, let's hurry y'all, seriously. This is ret**ded!"

In fairness, Spears likely was upset that her fans had to wait so long for the show to start, but her outburst was the first tarnishing of the singer's squeaky-clean image that at 19 she was trying to cultivate. It also didn't help that the file containing those obscenities went viral when posted on the since-outlawed music sharing site Napster, years before social media would handily take on such a task. The incident also foreshadowed the difficult days that laid ahead for Spears, including a family-imposed conservatorship that restricted access to her assets and limited her freedom for several years. 

in 1994, U.S. figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed in the knee by handlers on behalf of rival Tonya Harding at the U.S. finals preceding the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Long story short, Kerrigan recovered well enough to earn silver at the games, losing to Ukraine's Oksana Baiul. As for Harding, she bombed and was banned for life from the sport for her part in causing Kerrigan's injury. Despite failing to win gold, Kerrigan quickly became America's Sweetheart and a heroine in an attack that could have permanently debilitated her. 

That love affair didn't last long, however, after Kerrigan displayed her discomfort over the fame that enveloped her, including media columnists accusing her of overplaying the victim card. Corresponding death threats forced her to avoid the Olympic closing ceremonies. That reticence became even more apparent while taking part in a Disney parade on a float with Mickey Mouse, when a distant mic picked up her laments. "It's so corny," she could be heard saying. "So dumb. I hate it. This is the most corny thing I've ever done." The backlash to her comments was merciless from media outlets like the Los Angeles Times, which wrote, "It's getting easier and easier to dislike Kerrigan." Years later, the scars of that treatment remain as fresh as those on her knee. "I always wanted to be understood," Kerrigan told Fox Sports. "Who doesn't want to be liked, right?"

As a two-term president during the '80s, Ronald Reagan was a moralistic, freedom-loving Republican cherished by supporters and despised by the left. But there's little argument that he deserved credit for helping to end the Cold War, even though the Soviet Union didn't collapse until three years after he left public office. But one point during his tenure could have resulted in a post-Armageddon gaggle of survivors anxiously munching on saltines in bomb shelters scattered across the globe. Before a televised address to the nation in 1984, Reagan decided to have a little bit of fun while seated at his desk and read the following statement: "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I signed legislation that would outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."

While never broadcast, the hilarious speech still made it to tape and was leaked to the press. According to Politico, international media outlets were angered by the joke, with many calling Reagan "an irresponsible old man." One Paris newspaper questioned his sanity and a Dutch agency hoped he was more careful testing his missiles. In Russia, the TASS news agency condemned what it called a hostile attack by Reagan. The joke also temporarily triggered a drop in Reagan's appeal in the polls. But for a former thespian who turned to politics after starring in such memorable pictures as "Bedtime For Bonzo," Reagan's satirical announcement could very well have been his greatest acting achievement.