Celebs Cher Can't Stand

Having been at the top of the pop game since the mid-1960s, Cher has undoubtedly earned the right to say it like it is. And sure enough, the "Just Like Jesse James" singer has certainly been unafraid to put the cat among the pigeons over the years.

The music icon has called out everyone from presidents of the United States to her pop rivals since bursting onto the scene with then-partner Sonny Bono in the Swinging Sixties. She's also been particularly vocal since the advent of Twitter, even if her style of tweeting sometimes makes it hard to decipher exactly who or what she has a beef with.

Yes, the cast of "RuPaul's Drag Race" could still learn a thing or two about throwing shade from the legendary diva. Here's a look at 14 famous faces who have been at the receiving end of the Academy Award winner's sharp tongue.

You could write an entire book about the beef between pop superstars Cher and Madonna. But where did it all begin? Well, it seems as though an appearance on British chat show "Wogan" in 1991 may have been the catalyst.

While promoting the hit film "Mermaids," Cher was asked her thoughts about the Material Girl, and the "If I Could Turn Back Time" star certainly didn't pull her punches, remarking (via Billboard), "She's unbelievably creative because she's not unbelievably talented. She's not beautiful, but she's kind of ... she's creative, but she's rude." That same year she told CBS (via E! News), "There's something about her that I don't like. She's mean. I don't like that. I remember having her over a couple of times because [Sean Penn] and I were friends, and she just was so rude to everybody. It seems to me that she's got so much ... she acts like a spoiled brat all the time."

Cher has continued to poke fun at the Queen of Pop ever since. In 2012, she tweeted that she was celebrating Madge's birthday by getting a colonic. And when asked which three vocalists she'd like to duet with during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," the star replied, "Adele, Pink and not Madonna."

You could also write an entire book filled with the disdainful tweets Cher has posted about Donald Trump. Yes, scroll through the "Love and Understanding" singer's timeline and you'll find literally hundreds of scornful messages about the 45th.

Take the time she compared Trump to Hitler, for example, before adding that she'd rather "chew glass" than offer him her support. Then there was the time she posted a Photoshopped pic of Trump in bed with Russian leader Vladimir Putin with the caption, "Ok Daddy. I'll do whatever you want."

The singer has also repeatedly called the former president of the United States out in interviews. When asked by The Guardian in 2020 about the upcoming election, Cher responded, "I said if Trump can't be in the White House, he's going to burn it down. He's trying to block Joe at every moment. He's the most vindictive person I've ever witnessed. I think he's fighting so hard because he's going to be prosecuted when he gets out of the White House." The Oscar winner went on to admit that she's never hated anyone in her life more than she hates "The Apprentice" star.

Cher had worked alongside Michael Jackson on several occasions, including a medley with The Jackson 5 on her self-titled show back in 1975 and a 50th anniversary special of "American Bandstand." But it was while filming the latter that the singer's opinion of the King of Pop, and particularly his parenting skills, drastically changed.

In a 2003 chat with TV Guide (via CBS News), Cher recalled, "He had this child rolled up in a blanket, and I was thinking, 'What kind of life is this?' I cannot imagine putting my children through what he put his children through."

The "Walking in Memphis" hitmaker also revealed that her views on the superstar were strengthened by his odd behavior in the Martin Bashir exposé "Living with Michael Jackson": "I saw the recent documentary on him, and I thought: 'This guy is nuts. He shouldn't have these children.' As an artist, I can't fault his art because he was brilliant ... I wouldn't buy anything now."

Miley Cyrus' sexually charged display alongside Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards was undoubtedly one of the most talked-about in the ceremony's history. But the most no-nonsense review came from a woman no stranger to wearing provocative outfits herself.

In a chat with USA Today, Cher revealed that she wasn't exactly a major fan of the one-time Hannah Montana's performance, but not for the reasons you may think: "I'm not old-fashioned. She could have come out naked, and if she'd just rocked the house, I would have said, 'You go, girl.' It just wasn't done well. She can't dance, her body looked like hell, the song wasn't great, one cheek was hanging out. And, chick, don't stick out your tongue if it's coated."

Luckily, Cyrus appeared to take Cher's shade-throwing as a positive. She later told SiriusXM's "Live Transmission Christmas" (via Elite Daily), "I'm like, 'Oh, Cher gives a f*** about what I'm doing!' When these legends and these icons and these artists that we look up to ... f***ing hate us, it's still a compliment. She was mad that I was sticking my tongue out all the time and all that s***. And I'm like, 'Yo, I pissed Cher off, I really made it!'"

Donald Trump isn't the only major political figure to repeatedly incur the wrath of superstar Cher on Twitter. The "I Got You Babe" singer is unlikely to ever send Mitt Romney a Christmas card judging by the volume of disdainful tweets she's posted about the Republican in recent years.

Referring to the 2012 presidential election, the singer tweeted (via Politico) in her inimitable style, "If Romney gets elected I don't know if I can breathe same air as him and his right-wing, racist, homophobic, women-hating tea bagger masters." Cher has questioned the politician's tax affairs, too — accusing him of keeping his money in offshore accounts — as well as pointing out the lack of diversity in his following.

The chart-topper has also warned her own followers to be vigilant when it comes to the voting booth: "I Know u aren't in2 politics, but you'll pay High Price if u Don't Know the enemy. Mitt Would Steal The Penny's Off His OWN Eyes 2 B PRESIDENT."

Cher once again proved in 2016 that few other Twitter accounts provide as much drama as hers when she essentially called for the governor of Michigan to be executed. The "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" singer took to the social media platform to sound off about Rick Snyder in the wake of the Flint water crisis. Angry that the citizens of the Michigan town had been put at risk by lead poisoning, Cher described the politician as a murderer before arguing that he'd deliberately polluted the water supply.

After initially calling for Snyder to receive a jail sentence, the pop icon then appeared to suggest that life behind bars wasn't enough punishment. In fact, only capital punishment would suffice, judging by the hashtag she concluded her diatribe with, "#FIRINGSQUADWORKSFORME."

Dave Murray, a spokesman for the man Cher seemingly wanted dead, responded in a statement, "It's unfortunate that someone would use such rhetoric at a time when Gov. Snyder is working so closely with Flint's leaders on coordinated efforts to protect the health and welfare of people in the city and across our state."

Wendy Williams learned the hard way in 2020 that you don't get on the wrong side of Cher. The talk show host quickly became the "Strong Enough" singer's arch nemesis when she appeared to mock one of Joaquin Phoenix's facial features, a birthmark often mistaken for a cleft lip, while hosting an episode of her self-titled series. 

Cher took to Twitter to explain why she became so enraged: "I was going to try and hold my temper. But I'm so f***ing angry, I can't. In 1985, I made a film called 'Mask.' Through that film I became involved with children and adults who had craniofacial anomalies. You have no idea what these people go through!! 20 operations."

The superstar, who picked up a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance in the aforementioned drama, continued: "Before their teens, much of the time they are in pain, afraid, but have hope they will look normal. The heartbreak and fear their parents go through is unbearable. If your mom saw what you did she'd be ashamed. My mom taught me to love and help people in pain." Cher then suggested that the outspoken Williams, who later apologized for causing offense, should lose her job for her insensitive remarks. 

It seems fair to say that there was no love lost between Cher and director Peter Bogdanovich during the filming of 1985 tearjerker "Mask." The pair repeatedly clashed on the set of the movie in which the singer played the mother of a teenage boy with a facial deformity. And rather embarrassingly, their feud spilled over into a more public arena when they both graced the Cannes Film Festival for its premiere.

Bogdanovich, who sat three seats away from the leading lady during the screening, later called her out at a press conference, accusing her of ignoring his direction. In return, Cher claimed (via the Los Angeles Times) that the auteur was only "looking after his own interests now and not the interests of the film." That wasn't the end of the story, though.

Three years later, Cher alleged that Bogdanovich had made sexual advances toward her during the shoot and that his general lack of empathy affected his direction. The pair were still at loggerheads three decades on, with the filmmaker telling Vulture that Cher "couldn't sustain a scene." However, following his death three years later, the "Dark Lady" vocalist did pay her respects on Twitter, posting, "I'm proud of the film we made together and in the end I'm sure he must have been as well. He made some very memorable films and discovered amazingly talented artists."  

Sarah Palin entered Cher's radar in 2008 when she was announced as John McCain's running mate for the presidential election. Unsurprisingly, given her liberal stance, the "You Better Sit Down Kids" singer often gave the governor of Alaska a piece of her mind.

Yes, Cher regularly took to her social media platform of choice, Twitter, to let Palin know exactly what she thought of her, including describing her as a "media w****." However, she saved her most offensive insult for a 2013 tweet which read, "Go to the dictionary and look up the 'C'-word ... Next to the definition ... you'll see a pic of Sarah Palin! No ... wait ... she's under 'dumb C-word.'"

Although Palin didn't address Cher's remarks directly, her brother, Chuck Heath Jr., did in a Facebook post in which he tried to take the high road: "I was sorry to hear that you tweeted out such vile comments about my little sister yesterday. It's sad because Sarah has never had a harsh word to say about you. In fact, our grandmother was one of your biggest fans. Have a good night, Chuck."

Following the flop of her 1969 star vehicle "Chastity," Cher took a 13-year break from the world of acting before signing up for Robert Altman's verbosely titled "Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."

The singer received critical praise for her performance as Disciples of James Dean fan club member Sissy. But her experience filming the 1982 drama wasn't an entirely harmonious one. In "Robert Altman: The Oral Biography," (via The Village Voice) the "Take Me Home" singer recalled that she and co-star Karen Black "never got along."

Cher didn't go into detail about the cause of their apparent beef. But in a behind-the-scenes New York Magazine piece about the adaptation of Ed Graczyk's Broadway play, it's revealed that Black was renowned for being aloof. A friend added, "She always spends the first two weeks checking out the other actors."

Bill Maher isn't exactly known as the most sensitive guy on the late-night talk show circuit. So it probably wasn't too much of a surprise when he made a below the belt comment about Chaz Bono's gender reassignment surgery in 2010, telling the "Real Time with Bill Maher" audience (via Salon), "If [Cher] was your mother, you would [transition] too."

It also wasn't too much of a surprise when the outspoken Cher fought back. During an appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman," the "I Found Someone" singer was asked about Maher's offensive remarks. And she took down the controversial comedian with just two words, "F*** him."

Four years later, Maher invited Bono onto his show to discuss his book "Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man," where he offered an apology to Cher. He said, "I just want to say tell your mother, who I think was mad at me for a minute there. Tell her I'm a big fan of hers. Don't be mad at me. We do jokes. It's a comedy show. I wasn't trying to be mean."

Cher memorably held her own against Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Jack Nicholson in 1987's "The Witches of Eastwick." But as she told fans during a show at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City several decades later, she was initially overlooked for the role of Alexandra Medford because of some blatant sexism and ageism.

Cher recalled (via The Hollywood Reporter) receiving a phone call from filmmaker George Miller, who told her in no uncertain terms he wasn't going to cast her in the supernatural drama. "He said, 'I just wanted to call and tell you that I don't want you in my movie and Jack Nicholson and I think you're too old and you're not sexy.' ... He just wanted to tell me everything: 'I hate the way you walk. I hate the way you talk. I don't like the color of your hair. I don't like your eyes.'"

As you'd expect, Cher didn't take this character assassination lying down. "I was like, 'O.K., look motherf***er ... you didn't find me under a rock. I was nominated for an Academy Award for "Silkwood." And I got the Cannes Film Festival award for best actress for "Mask," so goodbye!'" Cher's response obviously worked in her favor as she was eventually given the part, and the rest is history.

In 2011, Chaz Bono competed on the 13th season of ABC ratings juggernaut "Dancing with the Stars" where he eventually placed a respectable seventh. But hell hath no fury like a talent show eliminee's mother scorned.

Yes, before Bono was able to stand up for himself, his mom Cher took to Twitter (via Today) to give the show's judges a piece of her mind. Firstly, she took aim at Bruno Tonioli, who'd described her son as a "cute little penguin trying to be a menacing bird of prey." She posted, "To the gentleman, I didn't know who you were before which I guess is a blessing. Going home is fine but why insult him before he goes. Maybe rudeness and flapping arms take the place of talent."

The "Song for the Lonely" vocalist then switched her attention to Tonioli's fellow judge, Len Goodman. "As for the older gentleman, every show needs a grumpy old man." Cher had nothing but kind words to say, however, about their colleague Carrie Ann Inaba: "Thank you Carrie Ann for your gentility. You are beautiful inside and out."

Cher is a keen advocate for animal rights and many of her most outspoken tweets have been directed toward those whom she believes are responsible for breaching them. Take Chris Christie, for example, who the singer described as a "despicable bully" for his vetoing of a pig crate bill.

The "Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves" singer took to Twitter to make her feelings about the then-governor of New Jersey crystal clear. She posted, in part, "Why must you torture pregnant pigs? You put them in crates and lock them down so they can't move." Cher then addressed Christie, telling him to forget any ambitions he had of becoming the president of the United States.

Christie had argued that the bill would have been ineffective in his home state, which houses only 9,000 pigs. But that didn't placate Cher, who also questioned why meat-eaters need to eat so bacon badly they "will torture the pig for its entire life to get it."