Multiple celebrities have made unforgettable on-air blunders, including Steve Harvey, Christina Aguilera and Michael Jackson
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While some stars have been able to laugh off their on-air mishaps, others, like Ashlee Simpson, have spoken candidly about the fallout
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In 2025, the singer called the backlash from her 2004 Saturday Night Live lip-sync incident “dehumanizing”
Live TV doesn’t come with a safety net — just askSteve Harvey,Ashlee Simpsonor any other celebrities who got caught in some unforgettable on-air blunders.
Whether it was a misread cue card or a moment that spiraled completely off script, these slip-ups have turned into viral moments that still live on in the pop culture canon.
And while some stars managed to laugh them off, others became cautionary tales of what can happen when the cameras never stop rolling.
"I had a super-high andthen I had a super-low atSNL," Simpson told theLos Angeles Timesin an August 2025 interview discussing the backlash she faced from her 2004 lip-syncing incident onSaturday Night Live.
She continued, "For me, it was such a lesson: You hate me so much because I lost my voice? It was such a dehumanizing feeling that I had to remember who I was and why I was doing this."
From Steve Harvey's miscrowned Miss Universe to Ashlee Simpson's lip-syncing snafu, here’s a look back at some of the wildest celebrity mistakes ever made on air.
Elizabeth Taylor almost ruined her presentation for Best Picture (Drama) at the 2001 Golden Globes
While presenting the Best Picture award at the 2001 Golden Globe Awards,Elizabeth Taylorwas called out by an audience member for prematurely opening the envelope containing the winner’s name, perVulture.
“I’m new at this!” she responded, beforeDick Clarkcame onstage to assist her.
After building suspense by slowly reading each nominee, she abruptly announcedGladiatoras the winner.
Michael Jackson mistakenly accepted an imaginary MTV Video Music Award in 2002
One of the most awkward moments during the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards came during what was supposed to be a simple birthday celebration forMichael Jackson, who was turning 44.
WhenBritney Spearspresented him with his cake, she introduced him as the “artist of the millennium” — a sweet gesture that the "Thriller" singer mistakenly believed to be an actual award.
Jackson went on to deliver a full acceptance speech for the nonexistent honor.
Ashlee Simpson got caught lip-syncing onSaturday Night Livein 2004
Simpson became the first-ever performer to walk offstage during herSNLset in 2004 after her pre-recorded vocals for the wrong song began playing before she could sing.
Caught off guard, she did an awkward jig before exiting and later blamed acid reflux for the mishap.
However, the moment quickly sparked widespread backlash that the "Pieces of Me" singer described as "insane" bullying during an August 2025 episode of thePod Meets Worldpodcast.
“I think it's a different era," Simpson said on the show, adding that she felt like she had to explain herself after the incident. “But then my whole life, I had to tell people, ‘Oh, but I perform every night.' My fans know. I had to know that in my heart."
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Christina Aguilera singing the wrong words in the National Anthem at the 2011 Super Bowl
While belting out the National Anthem during Super Bowl XLV in 2011,Christina Aguileraflubbed the lyric: "O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming."
Instead, she repeated a variation of an earlier line, singing, "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last reaming." The correct lyric is: "we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming."
"I can only hope that everyone could feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through," the singer later said in a statement, perThe Florida Times-Union.
Kendall Jenner nearly introduced 5 Seconds of Summer as One Direction during the 2014 Billboard Music Awards
Kendall Jennerran into a little teleprompter trouble while introducing5 Seconds of Summerduring the 2014 Billboard Music Awards.
The reality TV star seemed to almost refer to the Australian band asOne Direction, but caught herself before finishing and said, "Guys, I’m the worst reader."
Later that night, she posted about the moment on X, writing, "Anndddd as if I wasn't nervous already!!!! #NeverLeavinMyContactsAtHomeAgain! #LOL #LessonLearned."
Steve Harvey named the wrong Miss Universe in 2015
TheFamily Feudhost mistakenly crownedAriadna Gutiérrez, Miss Colombia, as the winner of the Miss Universe pageant in 2015. Minutes later, he returned to correct the error, revealing that Miss Philippines,Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, was the actual winner.
Four years later, Harvey appeared to make another flub during the global competition,introducing the wrong contestantwhile announcing the winner of the National Costume Contest.
"Y’all got to quit doing this to me,” he joked to the show's producers. However, it was later confirmed that Harvey did, in fact, announce the correct winner.
La La Landwas mistakenly announced as the Best Picture winner at the 2017 Oscars
The 2017 Oscars made history whenWarren BeattyandFaye Dunawayannounced the wrong Best Picture winner. Though the duo had announcedLa La Landas the victor, it was reallyMoonlightwho had landed the coveted gold statue.
That mistake was, unfortunately, not realized until theLa La Landcast had already come onto the stage and begun giving their thank-you speeches. Producer Fred Berger was midway through his address when confusion mounted and he said, "We lost, by the way."
It later emerged that Beatty had been given the envelope namingEmma Stoneas Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance inLa La Land. But Dunaway only saw the film title when she announced the winner.
Craig Melvin spoiled Jenna Bush Hager’sThe Devil Wears Prada 2cameo
During a liveTodayshow broadcast in April 2026, hostCraig Melvinaccidentallyspilled the beansabout his co-host's secret cameo inThe Devil Wears Prada 2.
“By the way, you know how that movie’s going to be good?” he rhetorically asked on camera. “You know how I can tell? JBH is in it!”
Jenna Bush Hagerlooked visibly shocked by Melvin's announcement and replied, "I don’t know that you were supposed to drop that bomb." He then apologized for the flub, saying "My bad!”
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