Celebrities who got fired from their TV shows for alleged racism

They’re getting their comeuppance. Protests around the world are bringing attention to hate and violence against black people and other people of color. In response, companies are finally starting to take action against those who perpetuate racism. Public figures who have shared offensive comments in the past are seeing a widespread reckoning, and leaders are …

They’re getting their comeuppance.

Protests around the world are bringing attention to hate and violence against black people and other people of color. In response, companies are finally starting to take action against those who perpetuate racism.

Public figures who have shared offensive comments in the past are seeing a widespread reckoning, and leaders are beginning to treat racism from employees with zero tolerance. The upheaval is widespread — from Bon Appétit Editor-in-Chief Adam Rapoport stepping down after a photo of him in brownface surfaced to the New York Times temporarily halting Alison Roman’s column after she called out Chrissy Teigen and Marie Kondo.

Here are the actors and personalities, past and present, who have been booted from their sets because of their racist behavior.

Stassi Schroeder, “Vanderpump Rules”

Schroeder, 31, and castmate Kristen Doute came under fire for allegedly calling the police on Faith Stowers, the only black cast member to date on the Bravo show.

“There was this article in the Daily Mail where there was an African-American lady,” Stowers said in an Instagram Live video. “It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different weird tattoos. I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me. This is, like, a true story. I heard this from, actually, Stassi during an interview.”

Schroeder had also made offensive remarks on her podcast.

Both she and Doute were fired by the network. Schroeder was also dropped from her publicist’s firm, Metro Public Relations, and her partnerships with shaving brand Billie and Ritual vitamins were canned.

Kristen Doute, “Vanderpump Rules”

Doute is also feeling the heat from her actions. “I have been taking some time to really process what I’ve been seeing, feeling and learning,” she wrote in an Instagram apology. “Although, my actions were not racially driven, I am now completely aware of how my privilege blinded me from the reality of law enforcement’s treatment of the black community, and how dangerous my actions would have been to her. It never was my intention to add to the injustice and imbalance. I’m ashamed, embarrassed, and incredibly sorry. I will do better. I have to do better.”

Stowers is happy she spoke up. “I feel so vindicated studios and production are able to see blatant racism and make these positive changes and help … with the fight forward,” she told Page Six.

Max Boyens, “Vanderpump Rules”

In January, Boyens, 27, apologized when past racist tweets resurfaced. “It upsets me that the word n—a is not allowed to be said unless you are black because quite honestly it’s my favorite word,” he wrote.

He said in a statement: “I want to sincerely apologize for what I tweeted in 2012 — it was wrong on every level. It is not a representation of who I am. I am shocked I ever tweeted that — and I am disgusted and embarrassed — I am truly sorry.”

Brett Caprioni, “Vanderpump Rules”

Old tweets of Caprioni’s also resurfaced in January, and they show a frequent use of the N-word.

“I want to express my deepest apologies for the insensitive, ignorant, and hurtful comments I made,” the reality star, 31, told Page Six of his 2011-12 tweets. “I am incredibly ashamed and accept full responsibility, and acknowledge that this language was as unacceptable then as it is now. Please know that I have learned and grown since then and would never use this language today. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry.”

Both Caprioni and Boyens were fired Tuesday alongside Schroeder and Doute.

Hartley Sawyer, “The Flash”

The actor, who played Ralph Dibny on the CW show, was fired this week when racist and misogynistic tweets from his past were found. Among the offensive comments were a 2012 tweet, “The only thing keeping me from doing mildly racist tweets is the knowledge that Al Sharpton would never stop complaining about me,” and another from 2014, “Enjoyed a secret boob viewing at an audition today.”

“Hartley Sawyer will not be returning for Season 7 of ‘The Flash,’ ” a network statement reads. “In regards to Mr. Sawyer’s posts on social media, we do not tolerate derogatory remarks that target any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation.”

Taylor Selfridge, “Teen Mom”

MTV cut ties with “Teen Mom OG” reality star Selfridge this week. The network announced Tuesday that it shelved Selfridge and boyfriend Cory Wharton’s special episode, “Teen Mom OG at Home: Cory & Taylor’s Baby Special,” because of offensive tweets. Selfridge’s past racist tweets include, “We have to greet everyone at work but sometimes I won’t greet the Black people because they scare me,” and “My uncle is dating an Asian. Aunt Ping please make me sushi.”

“MTV pulled [the special] … and is ending our relationship with Taylor Selfridge in light of her past racist statements on social media,” an MTV spokesperson tells People. “MTV strongly condemns systemic racism and stands with those raising their voices against injustice.”

Selfridge, 25, originally appeared on “Are You the One?” in 2017 and “Ex on the Beach” in 2018, where she met Wharton, 29. According to IMDb, she was in last year’s “Teen Mom OG,” and in one episode Wharton’s ex “confronts Cory’s girlfriend, Taylor, about her past racist tweets.”

Abby Lee Miller, “Dance Moms”

The head coach on Lifetime reality show “Dance Moms” has been cut from the network, canning Miller’s upcoming series, “Abby’s Virtual Dance Off,” in the process. Miller is accused of making racist remarks to a 9-year-old girl whom Miller was instructing and the girl’s mother during the filming of “Dance Moms” Season 8, according to EW.

Adriana Smith, whose daughter Kamryn was in the most recent season of “Dance Moms,” shared the comments in an Instagram statement. “I couldn’t think of a more perfect day to address my experience with Abby Lee Miller,” Smith writes. “A statement from her that sticks in my mind to this day … is ‘I know you grew up in the HOOD with only a box of 8 crayons, but I grew up in the Country Club with a box of 64.’ ”

Miller will also not return to “Dance Moms” for Season 9.

Dee Nguyen, “The Challenge”

MTV fired Nguyen, a cast member of the sports reality show “The Challenge,” after she made insensitive comments about Black Lives Matter. Nguyen, 27, reportedly responded to a follower with, “People die every f–king day. U don’t know me or what I do. I suggest you wake the f–k up and get off social media.” She then added, “IDK why some of you think I’m anti-BLM. I’ve been saying that since the day I lost my virginity.” In the fallout, Nguyen claimed to be a victim of “cancel culture,” but ultimately apologized. In response, MTV said that it will no longer work with Nguyen but will still air the current season.

“As a result of Dee Nguyen’s offensive comments on the Black Lives Matter movement, we have severed ties with her,” a statement posted to the official “Challenge” Twitter account reads. “Out of respect for our Challengers, we’ll air our season as planned. We strongly condemn systemic racism and stand with those raising their voices against injustice.”

Craig Gore, “Law & Order”

Gore, a writer who has worked on the shows “S.W.A.T.” and “Chicago P.D.,” was fired from the upcoming “Law & Order: Organized Crime” spinoff after penning Facebook posts that threatened protesters. One reads “Curfew…” alongside a picture of him holding a gun on his porch, while in another post he explicitly threatens to shoot looters near his West Hollywood home.

“Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf fired Gore shortly after.

Roseanne Barr

Before the Vanderpump purge, there were other notable celebrity firings over racist remarks. Barr, 67, was fired from her own spinoff sitcom, “The Connors” in 2018 after tweeting that former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett, who is black, was the offspring of the “Muslim brotherhood & Planet of the Apes.” She later blamed her comments on Ambien.

ABC canceled a previously planned “Roseanne” reboot after the fallout, and killed off her character in “The Connors.”

Shane Gillis, “Saturday Night Live”

Stand up comedian Shane Gillis, 32, was originally hired to be part of the NBC sketch show’s 45th season, though he never made it to air. After he was announced as a castmember in 2019, the internet was flooded with offensive jokes Gillis had made against Asian people in the past.

“Chinatown’s f—ing nuts. Let the f—ing ch-nks live there,” he said, in a video that was later deleted.

Gillis later tweeted that he understood NBC’s decision, writing: “I’m a comedian who was funny enough to get SNL. That can’t be taken away. Of course I wanted an opportunity to prove myself at SNL, but I understand it would be too much of a distraction. I respect the decision they made. I’m honestly grateful for the opportunity. I was always a mad tv guy anyway.”

Paula Deen

Deen was fired from her three Food Network cooking shows in 2013 after a lawsuit alleged she used racial slurs and derogatory remarks towards black people. She was accused of saying that her brother’s wedding was a “plantation”-style affair, complete with black men in white jackets and black bowties serving as waiters. The suit was dismissed but Deen admitted in a deposition to using racial slurs in the past.

She later gave a tearful apology on the “Today” show, insisting that she was not a racist. However, in 2015, she came under fire again for a Halloween picture in which she was dressed as Lucy Ricardo from “I Love Lucy” alongside her son, who wore brownface to dress up as Ricky Ricardo. It was among a long string of missteps from the now-infamous food personality.

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