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57 Once-Admired Public Figures Who Ended Up Completely Destroying Their Own Legacies
The Dark Knight got a lot of things right. Heath Ledger as the Joker, the darkness surrounding Gotham, and, of course, the one line that changed the course of history: “You either go out a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
Granted, this is about Harvey Dent (tragic, tragic arc), but it’s also exceptionally fitting for any public figure who is heavily praised by the masses. Sometimes, they get involved in some really... dubious activities. Other times, people simply realize: wow, this is actually a flawed, corrupted human being.
And interestingly, there are quite a few examples of people who were loved by the public but soon became hated by everyone, and users on r/AskReddit weren’t afraid to point out exactly who they were.
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#1
It's always going to be JK Rowling for me. In spite of the, admittedly, problematic themes in the Harry Potter books, Rowling could have easily been remembered solely as one of the most beloved children's book authors of all time. She wrote a book series that defined a generation and which was, ostensibly, about fighting oppression and the power of friendship. All she had to do was take her gazillions of dollars, sit in her mansion in Scotland, and keep her mouth shut while cashing checks for the rest of her life.
Instead, she decided to devote every ounce of her energy to.....saying really cruel stuff on social media? Being chronically online? Bullying children? For what?? What is she getting out of this? Attention?? She already had plenty of attention! All she's doing is alienating a huge part of her fan base and losing money. Yes, there are lots of people who don't care and still support her, but there's no denying she's lost money and tarnished her reputation to some degree.
Obviously, I personally think she's a transphobic jerk.. but even if you are a person who also hates trans people, you've gotta agree that her course of action here is just incredibly stupid. Why open your mouth just to say divisive s**t??? If she had just kept her opinions to herself everyone would still universally love her. Instead of a big devoted fan base that adores her, now she has people who actively hate her, people who are generally put off by her, people who reluctantly still support her because they love Harry Potter so much, and people who only loudly support her to own the libs. Yikes.
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#2
The founders of Google. They wanted to give information to the world, but when they realized they needed to make money they started collecting and selling our data to the highest bidders.
#3
David Baszucki, the CEO of Roblox. Founded Roblox with his friend Erik Cassel, actually made donations to people struck by the Haitian earthquake back in 2010. Did the same a year later for the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake in Japan.
Then by 2020s, he has turned Roblox into a shell of it former self. There is no more creativity, there is absolutely zero stuff being done to stop predators, banned Chris Hanson live at CrimeCon due to not wanting to be exposed for the fact Roblox has a serious predator problem. Said in his own words in a interview back in 2025 that he sees "predators as a opportunity".
I know this is going to be buried, because so many people have already replied to this thread. But I feel like the way Roblox has become now **needs to be mentioned.**.
Bram Buring 56 minutes ago
They took the company private in 2021 which means they have shareholders that demand they 1) expand their customer base and 2) monetize every player. "Predators as a opportunity" sound exactly what someone in that position would say. It's foul, but I can wrap my head around it.
A fall from grace can happen to just about anyone. It doesn’t even need to be someone with a lot of power, but it just so happens that those in the public eye tend to have their achievements and downfalls more heavily publicized. But there’s actually another connection to be made here between power and ruined reputations.
Neurologist David Owen and psychiatrist Jonathan Davidson actually coined the term “Hubris Syndrome.” This refers to an acquired personality change that can develop from prolonged exposure to power and attention. Extreme overconfidence and contempt for criticism can lead people to stray from what they once believed to be morally correct.
#4
Elon Musk
When he first entered the public eye, he was a breath of fresh air. A billionaire who was looking to actually do some good. He arguably pushed electric cars to the mass market and successfully launched a viable rival to NASA, starting a second space race. For a while, it looked like we were getting back on track as a civilisation with an eye toward a better future for all.
Then he went full right wing nut job, threw his weight behind Trump and burned all his goodwill overnight.
#5
Fritz Haber. He won the Nobel prize after inventing a process that supports something like 1/3rd of the world’s food production, hugely reducing world hunger. Then in WWI was essentially the father of chemical warfare on behalf of Germany, using his chemistry knowledge to create truly horrific weapons.
#6
Chuck Norris seems to be a good example. In his later years, many things came to light that really made him out to be a complete tool.
Kevin Sorbo is another example. He was widely loved during the height of his fame (Hercules) but he's gone full Kool-Aid and now seems to be entirely insufferable.
There have also been studies conducted to try to predict exactly how power and attention can change someone’s brain function. Neuroscientist Sukhvinder Obhi, for example, found that people who suddenly rose to a position of power showed lower activity in the mirror neuron system, which is associated with empathy and understanding other people’s experiences.
So, it’s quite literally been shown that power can impair the brain’s ability to simulate and even share empathic feelings toward others. This could help explain why some people who started out as morally acceptable figures, like Elon Musk and Wayne Gretzky, initially seemed to work toward positive things, only to eventually change their worldviews as they gained more power and influence.
#7
Bill Cosby. He was family friendly, had good moral values in Fat Albert and Cosby show, and was viewed as a nice sweet man who enjoyed his pudding pops.
#8
Benedict Arnold.
Was injured in the Battle of Saratoga, where there’s a monument of him (or at least his leg).
He went on to attempt to surrender West Point to the British.
#9
Rudy Giuliani. Many people don’t seem to realize how integral he was in taking down the mob. Before he became mayor of New York he oversaw the investigations and convictions of most of the heads of all major mafia families.
Fast forward a few decades and the man is nothing but a lackey.
As for those actually watching the newfound public figure, they might also start to resent them for being overly successful. This is often a phenomenon we see with celebrities — particularly female celebrities, whose former fans may eventually get tired of constantly being exposed to them — but it can also extend to anyone in the limelight. It’s called the Tall Poppy Syndrome.
This concept was formalized in social psychology by N.T. Feather, which describes the cultural tendency to resent or criticize individuals who stand out or become too successful. As these people become more and more publicized, their actions (whether or not one can morally agree with them) also become more susceptible to criticism.
#10
Young people seem astounded when I tell them that OJ Simpson was once a respected athlete and actor.
#11
Wayne Gretzky. Was a household name in Canada and was known for his work with making hockey more accessible to kids.
Now he's turned MAGA.
#12
Herbert Hoover went from a man admired for his humanitarianism to the most hated man in the United States after a failed attempt to blame the Great Depression that he caused more than any other human being on Mexican Americans, which led to the deportation of over 1.5 million American citizens of Mexican origin. Around 60% of these were natural-born citizens. The Democratic Party then won the next five elections in a row.
#13
George Lucas. He created Star Wars and became a legend, then spent years getting roasted by his own fans for the prequels and changes to the original movies.
#14
Back in 1995, a Republican representing Oregon in the US Senate, Bob Packwood, was being credibly accused by multiple women of s****l harassment and a*****t - eventually a total of 19 different women would come forward. As evidence of what he'd done mounted, the Senate Ethics Committee eventually voted unanimously to recommend that Packwood be expelled from the Senate, leading to Packwood's resignation. The Senate seat he vacated would go on to be held for many years by a Democrat, Ron Wyden. Four years later, during President Clinton's impeachment, the chairman of that Ethics Committee, a Republican himself, said he'd known a Democrat would likely take Packwood's seat if he was forced out, but he felt that felt that it had come down to a choice of "retain the Senate seat or retain our honor".
That Republican who valued his party's honor over their power in the Senate? Mitch McConnell.
Then, our own expectations of morality come into play. The Halo Effect, coined by Edward Thorndike, causes us to assume that if someone excels at their craft, they’re put on a pedestal, which can lead everyone else to assume they must also be morally upright and benevolent.
So, when that expectation is shattered, sociologists say the backlash can be disproportionately severe compared to that of a regular person doing the same thing — albeit to a much lesser degree due to differences in power, influence, and money. It causes the public to feel betrayed, turning the savior into the villain.
#16
Scott Adams.
Dilbert was once counted among the most popular comic strips in the country but as soon as it's creator found social media it all vanished in moments.
Now he's d**d and it'll probably never be relevant again since he has no heirs and the rights are a quagmire.
#17
Viktor Orbán is a great example, he had a bold vision when young but he was not brave enough, and his personality overcome him. His regime later became an abormination, the very thing he stood up against.
#18
Does Lance Armstrong fit the definition enough?
Was a hero, rolemodel of so many people. And is now despised as a cheater.
#19
Jim Jones was a seriously progressive guy and a true civil rights pioneer in his early days.
He opposed racial discrimination and took concrete actions against segregation.
The Peoples Temple operated facilities and programs for elderly people, children and people with disabilities, and helped members navigate welfare and juvenile justice systems.
If he d**d in the 1960s he would have been considered a great man.
It also comes down to one simple thing: money. The proverb “Money doesn’t change people; it unmasks them” has existed for decades, and for anyone who started out with humble beginnings, it makes sense to consider how money might change them in the long run. Ambition runs deep, and the more you have, the more you seem to want.
But there’s actually no empirical evidence that proves that. Instead, there are numerous studies showing that money can affect ethical behavior. And a simple game of Monopoly demonstrated that. In a UC Berkeley study, researchers found that players who grew richer during the game changed their behavior dramatically, moving their pieces more aggressively and even acting rudely toward other players. Coincidence? I think not.
#20
Howard Stern is probably not the best example, but a current one. He has became everything he rallied against and mocked.
#21
Marshal Petain of France.
Probably the most famous French general of the first world war. Known as the Lion of Verdun and led the victorious French in throwing back the Germans over an incredibly bloody 9 months. If you know anything about how important Verdun was in the history of western Europe you know this was a big deal.
If he had d**d in the 20s or early 30s he would be be one of France's great heroes.
Instead he lived and led the n**i collaborationist Vichy regime after the fall of France in the second war, and now he is collaborationist scum you wouldn't cross the street to p**s on if he were on fire.
Ultimately, it’s easy to give people what they want to hear. Populism is a rising phenomenon, and it’s not surprising that many political figures make this list. They know what people want to hear and how to address their frustrations. And while it may appeal to them in the short run, over time, they can end up becoming the villains of history.
But it also falls on us to consider what we value. Why do we give these people the time of day? Why do we turn engineers and even politicians into celebrities, as if they were real-time entertainment? Why do we, as humans, keep relying on celebrities for our moral compass? Hard questions.
#23
Jackie chan was one of the few brave celebrities who spoke about the 1989 tianemman square attacks
He later became the biggest lapdog of CCP .
#24
Why, Benito Mussolini of course. Man grabbed Italy by the throat when it was still considered a Superpower and vowed to turn it into a bona fide empire. The people were with him. Other leaders admired him. Italy was said to have the most powerful Navy in Europe, and the UK and France were extremely wary of it. R&D was a priority, and so on and so forth.
And then he started believing his own hype, sided with H***r, went into a war the Country wasn't nearly prepared for thus exposing how it was all basically a giant bluff, lost everything and ended up upside down, hated by everyone.
#25
Maybe Ashton Kutcher, he saved so many little girls, but gave one bad reference and his reputation was ruined.
#26
Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier. He was an actual doctor and saved lives in a US-sponsored campaign against tropical diseases. He then became dictator of Haiti, fostered a cult of personality based around voodoo and k****d a reported 30,000-60,000 people.
#27
Jimmy Saville d**d while he was still a hero in a lot of people’s eyes.
He didn’t live long enough to see all of us realize he was a villain. .
#28
I am not sure if he fits this criteria, but I say Noam Chomsky. Before his ties to Epstein were exposed, he was an idol to many leftists.To be honest, even though I wasn't a fan of his, I liked many of his ideas. However, in the final years of his life, his connections to Epstein was exposed and unfortunately we all saw his true face.
#29
John Fetterman. Went from being the new hope for PA Democrats to a wacko turncoat, post-stroke.
#30
Gwen Stefani used to be such a b****s girl power figure. Now she’s maga and married to a man with those values.
#31
Robiespierre (French Revolution). Was a leading figure in the uprising and the aftermath, after Louis 16 was shortened. A bit later he thought people should honor him as a god. He d**d then.
#32
Neil Gaiman. He was the anti-JK Rowling and a progressive man, a feminist even - until the multiple s****l a*****t claims.
#35
Fritz Haber. He worked out how to fix nitrogen from air, which is why roughly half of everyone alive today can be fed, then ran Germany's chemical weapons programme and stood at Ypres to watch the first chlorine attack. His institute's pesticide work led to Zyklon B, which ended up being used on members of his own family.
#36
Fred Phelps. He was a lawyer and a hero of the Civil Rights Movement. He won several landmark cases and was even awarded by the NAACP.
He then went on to found the Westboro Baptist Church .
#37
Philippe Petain. Was a French general in ww1 and a decorated war hero. In ww2 he signed France’s surrender to Germany and cooperated with n***s.
#38
I remember when Chris Pratt was one of the most beloved actors ever for a few years.
He had two movies make a billion dollars two years in a row, clips of him on Parks and Rec were passed around frequently. He was even heavily suggested to play Indiana Jones in a reboot, or as a recasted younger version of the character.
There was a time where he was pretty much the biggest actor in the world.
Then the news about his church came out, people started hating him more and more, and it doesn't look any better with him defending RFK and Trump.
#41
Probably not top but Noam Chomsky going from writing Manufacturing Consent to Epstein island with the manufacturers was wild to me.
Tbf I never paid attention to him after reading that book forever ago so if someone feels like sharing how he was always a piece of s**t I’m all ears.
#42
Hulk Hogan. He went from America’s Superhero in the 80s… and then in the 2000s he said the guy his son almost k****d in a car crash deserved it, the racist rants came out in 2015, the Trump supporting the year before he d**d and then getting booed in his final pro wrestling appearance and now that he’s d**d he still gets s**t on.
#44
Spartan General Pausanius defeated Persian general Mardonius whilst mocking Persian culture the entire time. After the battle, he decided to explore a luxurious Persian war tent and demanded the resident slaves cook him some authentic Persian food while he mocked them further. He secretly loved it.
This event apparently had a great impact on him as shortly after, he began dressing in Persian attire, adopting their customs, and utilizing Persian bodyguards. He was eventually accused of treason by Sparta, arrested, and e******d.
#45
Che Guevara? He did so much good as a doctor in poor communities in South America. But the Cuban Revolution hardened him. He easily put "traitors" to d***h and other atrocities.
Or Castro? Everyone thought he was going to bring power to the people, but he quickly k****d off his fellow revolutionaries and became a dictator.
Edit: added Castro.
#46
John Fetterman. Stroke nearly took him out. Instead it left him alive but brain-damaged enough to turn MAGA.
#47
Michael Jackson should be a perfect example except everyone liked his music too much and forgave him for being a p**o.
#48
In a way, RBG. There’s no denying her impact on women’s rights, but her refusal to vacate her SCOTUS seat essentially set them back decades after her d***h.
#50
If Elon Musk had actually d**d on Mars when he first expressed such a wish back in 2013, I imagine he would be remembered very differently.
#51
I heard it said that if Mao had died in 1950, he would have been a hero forever. If he died in 1960, he would have been a complicated figure. Unfortunately, he died in 1976.
Edit: thanks to /u/eXAt88, the actual quote from Chen Yun is:
”Had Mao died in 1956, his achievements would have been immortal. Had he died in 1966, he would still have been a great man but flawed. But he died in 1976. Alas, what can one say?”.
#52
JK Rowling.
Made a beloved children series that spanned generations. Became one of the wealthiest authors of all time. Could have bought a small country and f****d right off.
Instead decided her true calling was being transphobic and bullying strangers online.
#53
The owners of Google.
I remember in the early 00s it seemed like they wanted to use tech to make lives better for every day people. I thought a lot of the tech people at that time were really cool. I loved their slogan of "Don't be Evil". Despite 9/11 happening, companies like this still have me some hope for the future.
Now they invest in autonomous weapon systems and help suppress information on behalf of overreaching governments. Hell, they pried the "Don't be Evil" motto off their walls at their main HQ.
#54
Jimmy saville? Wasn’t he still like a god when he died? Years later loads of s**t comes out, but he don’t care, he’s long gone, but now his name is mud and met with scowls.
#55
King Herod.
For decades was a good ruler, got mixed cultures and religions to co-exist, but then surrounded by intrigue and in poor health spent his last years as the tyrant depicted in the bible.
'The Templars' by Piers Paul Read covers this in it's opening chapter on the Temple of Solomon.
#56
Lance Armstrong. The dude was a worldwide hero and had the ultimate cancer survivor narrative before the doping discovery.
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What do you think ?
Woundwort42 1 hour ago
Some of these could really do with a note explaining why/how these people fell from grace
Woundwort42 1 hour ago
Some of these could really do with a note explaining why/how these people fell from grace
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