Top Scandals of the Year 2023 - A Vanity Fair Exposé

Article by Hillary Busis

It might not be a shock that at Vanity Fair, we are enthusiasts of drama—both the fictional type and the real-life scandals that dominate the tabloids and industry magazines, stirring shock and feeding the rumor mill. This year, there were a multitude of scandals, including Gwyneth Paltrow's courtroom stunt that made our 2023 highlights and the scandalous infidelity that shook Vanderpump Rules, earning its salacious nickname: Scandoval.

What other scandals of 2023 made our list? We invite you to read on. (But please note: we’re focusing on scandals closely connected to Hollywood, so George Santos and Donald Trump weren’t included. Maybe next year, gentlemen!).

Were you stunned when Andrea Riseborough's name was mentioned as a contender for best actress when the 2023 Oscar nominations were unveiled in January? You weren't the only one. Even many film insiders hadn’t heard of the movie until it got this unexpected nomination. This movie's relatively unknown status was overcome at the perfect time to catch the Academy's attention, courtesy of a coordinated promotion effort by famed actors like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Edward Norton. Did To Leslie breach any actual Academy rules with its unconventional campaign? No, but the Academy did revise its campaign requirements this spring as a direct result of this scandal. Leslie may well be a one-off.

Who could've foreseen that a small ski slope accident at the exclusive Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah could generate such compelling television? However, we did, when the accused person in the ski crash was none other than Oscar awardee and GOOP mogul Gwyneth Paltrow. From her court appearance attire to her lawyer who resembles Clark Kent, to her response to Terry Sanderson’s lawyer about what the crash cost her—every moment of the incident felt scripted by Mike White, the creator of White Lotus. Hence, there's already a musical set to debut this winter about it.

The infidelity saga that tore apart Vanderpump Rules—a scandal that made the longtime Bravo show a must-see again, deserves special mention. The scandal named the chief actors—Tom Sandoval, his co-star and longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix, and their other co-star Rachel Leviss—and explained why it was irresistible for reality TV fans. Scandoval’s impact extended beyond the show, leading to unauthorized merchandise, an yet-to-be-opened sandwich shop, podcasts, and non-Vanderpump TV roles for the most tangentially related castmates.

In an unexpected move, Comcast fired Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal in April after an internal probe verified employee allegations of sexual harassment. It soon emerged that for years, Shell, who was married, had been in a relationship with CNBC anchor Hadley Gamble. When the relationship ended in 2021, this year, Gamble discovered her contract would not be renewed. She subsequently lodged both harassment and discrimination complaints against Shell. Interestingly, a year before Gamble and Shell split, Shell ousted Universal executive Ron Meyer over a similar scandal, leading to speculation that Anthony Pellicano, an associate of Meyer, might have had a role in Shell’s firing as well.

Chris Licht lost control of CNN the same way Mike went bankrupt in The Sun Also Rises: slowly, then suddenly. Only a year after controversial Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had appointed Licht to run the cable channel in 2022, Licht was ousted following an ill-received town hall event featuring Donald Trump and a damning profile in The Atlantic that characterised Licht as an aloof owner whose aim was to fulfill every whim of Zaslav's. "There were definite feelings of widespread relief in the building. It simply couldn’t carry on this way," one CNN source told Vanity Fair after Licht's dismissal.

The HBO series 'The Idol,' was rumored to have a tumultuous working environment prior to its debut last summer, according to a Rolling Stone exposé. The creators, Sam Levinson and The Weeknd, dismissed the allegations and even poked fun at the magazine in a scene from the show. Regardless of the backstage drama, the series was ultimately cancelled after one season of five episodes.

Questions surrounding the accomplishments of athlete Diana Nyad have been a topic of discussion for years within the marathon swimming community. The release of the Netflix biopic, 'Nyad,' starring Annette Bening as the controversial figure, brought renewed attention to the matter. The film defended its central character against criticism, explaining that they found no validity in the accusations against her.

In a recently published memoir, 'Worthy,' Jada Pinkett Smith discussed her unsettled marriage to actor Will Smith and the infamous slap incident at the Academy Awards. As she promoted the book, Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Smith had separated years before the Oscars incident and that comedian Chris Rock had once asked her out.

In her highly anticipated memoir, Britney Spears gave a candid account of her tumultuous past relationships, her life under a conservatorship, and her interactions with Hollywood. Her book, titled 'The Woman in Me,' sold over a million copies in its first week, and a second volume is reportedly underway.

Hasan Minhaj, a former correspondent for 'The Daily Show' and host of the 'Patriot Act,' appeared to be in line to succeed Trevor Noah at Comedy Central. However, controversy arose when The New Yorker questioned him about possibly exaggerating stories in his stand-up act. Their interview led to Minhaj's misunderstanding with the network and his potential position was given to someone else.

Drew Barrymore's talk show was reportedly set to resume production amid a writers' strike, causing the actor to face backlash from the industry. Deciding to air the fourth season of her show during this time led to her losing hosting duties at the National Book Awards and numerous industry professionals condemned her. Despite reversing her decision, three head writers opted to leave her show.

It’s been a rough fall, marked by global violence and existential dread. What a delight it was, then, to have a low-stakes scandal to drink up in November when Rolling Stone revealed that HBO CEO Casey Bloys had secretly directed his staffers to use sock puppet accounts to rebut TV critics on social media (and random Deadline commenters) when they spoke negatively about HBO series. As luck would have it, the story ran the day before Bloys was due to preview his network’s upcoming slate to critics and journalists in New York. To his credit, Bloys began by addressing the story head-on, apologizing and explaining that he had spent an “unhealthy amount of time scrolling through Twitter” in 2020 and 2021. CEOs: They’re just like us!

Technically, the Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes scandal began at the end of 2022 when the world learned that the Good Morning America cohosts were cheating on their spouses with one another. But it reverberated into 2023, when ABC president Kim Godwin announced that the pair were leaving GMA. Then, on the day the pair launched a new podcast venture, Page Six revealed that, according to sources, their estranged spouses Marilee Fiebig and Andrew Shue, are now dating. It’s a twist worthy of Jesse Armstrong, or at least Bravo.