5 Celebrities Banned From Late Night Talk Shows

It feels increasingly common for late night talk shows to feel like an outdated concept. Now that anyone with a YouTube channel can talk to celebrities, people don't have to stay up until 11:30 p.m. on a weeknight to see a comedian chat with an actor and hear about the latest movie they're in. We're inundated with that information all the time, and after all, no one's expecting anything crazy out of a talk show appearance. A celebrity promotes whatever project they have coming up, they share a few laughs, and everyone goes on their way. 

But every so often, something truly unhinged occurs. Maybe it's captured on camera or maybe it's something only a select few are privy to at first. But whatever happens, it's enough to get the celebrity banned from a particular late night show. 

Even the best late night hosts of all time aren't immune to being utterly disrespected by their guests. These celebrities banned from late night talk shows all share one thing in common: a wild story that explains why they've been uninvited from ever appearing on the program again. On the other hand, maybe modern talk shows could use more of these incidents to encourage viewers to tune back in. 

An integral component of late night talk shows for decades, stand-up comedy has been a great way for up-and-coming comics to get introduced to a wide audience for the first time, just by getting up onstage and telling a few jokes on camera. But Bobcat Goldthwait wasn't content with doing a standard five-minute set — he had to take things up a notch. 

Known in the '90s for his stuttering, high-pitched voice, Goldthwait always sounded like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. But he got into more physical comedy on a May 6, 1994 taping of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." While chatting with Leno about what an "excellent" role model he is for children, Goldthwait got up from his seat and began spraying it with lighter fluid he happened to have on his person. He then set the chair ablaze, which Leno doused with his water to put out. 

Leno played it cool in the moment, joking that Goldthwait now had to sit in his burned chair. But Goldthwait was subsequently banned from "The Tonight Show." On top of that, he received a fine of nearly $4,000 for arson and had to make a fire safety public service announcement on behalf of a burn center. Goldthwait may fancy himself a clown — and even made one of the best clown movies ever with 1991's "Shakes the Clown" — but maybe he should have stuck to some more cerebral comedy during his "Tonight Show" appearance. 

In recent years, Hugh Grant has garnered a reputation for generally being a grumpy old man. When promoting "Wonka," Grant jokingly said that he hated working on the film, but everyone took it as a fact. Not everyone can appreciate dry British humor, however, and an untold truth of Hugh Grant is that he actually got banned from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" for being a bit too cheeky. 

Grant appeared on the comedy show in 2009 to promote his new film at the time, "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" As standard on late night shows, they showed a clip from the film, but Grant apparently wasn't happy about the clip chosen. Grant said it was a "terrible clip," to which Stewart responded, "Well, then make a better f***ing movie." That was what audiences at home saw, but apparently, Grant was a curmudgeon throughout his "Daily Show" visit and complained ad nauseam backstage. 

Stewart later said that he would never have the actor back on his show. When news of the ban reached the internet, Grant was completely understanding, writing on X, "Turns out my inner crab got the better of me with TV producer in 09. Unforgivable. J Stewart correct to give me kicking." He continued to appear on other talk shows, so his churlish attitude apparently hasn't upset everyone. 

Harmony Korine has garnered a reputation for being one of the most controversial directors of all time. His movies often eschew traditional narratives, and one could argue his stories often opt for style over substance. And if you've seen any of his public appearances, you know that he doesn't embody a squeaky clean image. 

More was revealed when James Franco went on "Late Show with David Letterman" to promote his film "Spring Breakers," which Korine directed. Franco asked Letterman why Korine had been banned from the show back in the 1990s. Letterman regaled him with a story of how he had gone backstage to greet another guest, Meryl Streep. But when he entered her dressing room, he found Korine rummaging through her purse, resulting in his ban from the show.

Korine suffered from drug addiction in his younger years but went through rehab. During Franco's appearance, Letterman even said that he'd be happy to bring Korine back on the show since he got clean, but it never happened.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

One of several famous funny women who inspired the character of Midge on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," the late Joan Rivers was a comedy institution. So it shouldn't be a shocker to hear that late night icon Johnny Carson was a big fan of hers — for a while, at least. 

Rivers first appeared on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" in 1965, and she quickly became a favorite. Carson regularly had her on to engage in witty banter, and occasionally, when Carson himself went on vacation, Rivers would host in his absence. Rivers eventually had a chance to host her own late night talk show in 1986 on Fox, and while it wasn't unheard of for other comedians to try to compete against Carson, they did so with the late night king's knowledge and blessing. But Rivers wanted to keep it a secret until she knew the show would actually happen.

Unfortunately, news of Rivers' show got out, and Carson apparently thought she was trying to stab him in the back. Rivers' show didn't even last a year, and she wound up with a lifetime ban from "The Tonight Show" in the process. Even when Carson stepped down, his replacement, Jay Leno, didn't allow Rivers back on in solidarity. Fortunately, Jimmy Fallon invited Rivers back on in 2014, with Rivers declaring in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter), "It's about time! I've been sitting in a taxi outside NBC with the meter running since 1987."

Joan Rivers wasn't the only woman who got on Johnny Carson's bad side. Barbra Streisand may be a singing sensation, but there's no excuse for unexplained absences on a late night program that usually tapes hours before it airs. One fateful night in 1975, Streisand was scheduled to perform on "The Tonight Show" but canceled at the last minute with no real reason given. Carson was furious, and she was subsequently banned from the talk show for decades. 

But Carson wasn't willing to let it go at that. The following night, Carson brought out a Streisand impersonator, played by Madlyn Rhue, to come out and start singing "People." However, Carson quickly rushed her off the stage, saying that the show was already overbooked. 

While Streisand has gone on to appear on other late night talk shows, it hasn't come easy. For example, she wasn't able to appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" since the show wasn't willing to accommodate a unique seating arrangement that would allow her to show off her "best side." It wasn't just the seating arrangement that weirded out Kimmel; it was that he also wasn't allowed to comment on the new set-up. It was a classic case of the Streisand effect: Not wanting people to talk about something just makes them want to talk about it more.