Image via Complex Original
Last week, the mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford (not to be confused with Jay Z's musical muse), admitted that he smoked crack cocaine. After months of rumors and reports about a video that showed the politician doing the drug, Ford owned up to the allegations. And then a couple of days later, he took some kids on a tour of his office. Nice try, Ford, but this one won't be an easy forget.
It was "Take Your Child To Work Day," so it's understandable that a mayor would bring children from the community to the office, but it's pretty convenient that Ford would pull out such a squeaky clean deed following his sordid scandal. But, really, who's that surprised at his scheme? Politicians and celebrities alike have a well-documented history of making nice following their very public screw-ups. In fact, most famous exist on a predictable timeline: mistake-public backlash-apology. Most times (shoutout to C.Breezy and Kanye West) those apologies fall on deaf ears. In case you have a short memory, here's a short history of famous people trying to make us forget their mistakes with public apologies, charitable acts, and, in some cases, good old-fashioned groveling.
Akon
Offense: He simulated sex with a 14-year-old girl on stage.
Good act: He recorded the track "Sorry, Blame It On Me" in which he apologizes for a myriad of things, and says "sorry for the wrong things I've done."
Did it make us forget?: He may have succeeded in making people forget about him completely. Seriously, when was the last time Akon was in the studio?
Tiger Woods
Offense: A shady voicemail, a wrecked car, an estranged wife, and about 15 alleged side pieces later, the world now knows the truth about one of its best golfers: Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. A lot.
Good act: He entered a sex therapy program.
Did it make us forget?: Almost. Woods kept relatively quiet about the incident and quietly entered sex rehab. Everyone still remembers what he did, but as long as he keeps swinging that club and dating nice girls like Lindsay Vonn, we'll stop making him the butt of all of our jokes—we promise.
Mel Gibson
Offense: Gibson stunned the world when a recording surfaced of an intensely anti-Semitic rant while he was being arrested on a D.U.I charge.
Good act: Gibson issued an apology and reached out to prominent Jewish leaders to help him find "the appropriate path for healing."
Did it make us forget?: No. Gibson never followed through with the meeting, alleged recordings of more racist and anti-Semitic speeches surfaced, and he was later accused of physically attacking his estranged wife. Gibson is still working somewhat consistently in the film industry but a quick search reveals how we really feel. Type "Mel Gibson" into Google and one of the first things that pops up is "mel gibson rant." The Internet never forgets.
Justin Timberlake
Offense: During his Super Bowl performance with Janet Jackson, he pulled off part of her top and revealed her breast (nipple included) to the millions of viewers watching.
Good act: JT apologized during his Grammy acceptance speech for best male pop vocal. According to a statement from CBS, both Jackson and Timberlake were only allowed to go to the award show if they apologized and Ms. Jackson declined.
Did it make us forget?: Yes. Sure, this incident will live in Super Bowl Halftime infamy, but neither of their careers suffered. And, despite Common's attempt to throw lyrical shade, Timberlake is still one of the top pop acts out.
John Mayer
Offense: The singer/songwriter used racial slurs during a 2009 Playboy interview and described his penis as a "white supremacist" when discussing not having sex with black women.
Good act: He cried during an apology speech at a Nashville concert a few months later.
Did it make us forget?: Yes. Though the post-interview backlash was thick, when Mayer stepped out of the spotlight for several years to record the introspective Born and Raised, the world nearly forgot his outspoken antics. Mayer continues to write love songs for housewives to drink wine and clean to.
Kanye West
Offense: He famously swiped the mic from Taylor Swift during her first VMA win speech to inform her, and the world, that Beyonce deserved the award.
Good act: He tweeted about writing her a song that may or may not be "Runaway."
Did it make us forget?: No. But it's just another moment in the history of Kanye West being well, Kanye West. Taylor Swift can count herself among many others, including the band J.U.S.T.I.C.E, paparrazi, former President George W. Bush, and probably members of the Kardashian family that Kanye has called out/placed in headlocks/generally been his IDGAF self towards. Keep on keeping on, Kanye.
Don Imus
Offense: The radio host described the Rutgers girl's basketball team as "nappy headed hoes" on a live broadcast.
Good act: He met with Al Sharpton.
Did it make us forget?: No. Imus was known for his reckless mouth but wasn't a household name until this infamous broadcast. He initially downplayed his statement by saying that phrase originated from the "black community," therefore he wasn't to blame for repeating and finally apologized during an appearance on the Al Sharpton show. Imus' show returned to the Fox Business Network less than eight months later, but most of the world is on #teamneverforget.
Dr. Dre
Offense: Dr. Dre violently assaulted rap T.V show host Dee Barnes.
Good act: He appeared in anti-violence PSA.
Did it make us forget?: Yes. Considering you're probably reading this while nodding to Dr. Dre's illegitimate white son's new album blasting through your Beats by Dre headphones, and you pray for his long awaited album every night, it's safe to say Dre overcame this one.
Justin Bieber
Offense: Baby Biebs is on a streak of bad behavior in a seeming attempt to make the world forget he is still too young to legally drink in the U.S. A short list includes: peeing in buckets, dissing Bill Clinton, spitting on fans, (allegedly) hitting up brothels abroad, and leaving concerts mid-performance.
Good act: Bieber is heavily involved witht the Make-A-Wish foundation and recently made 200 wishes come true for sick or disadvantaged kids.
Did it make us forget?: No. Don't fall asleep until she leaves, Bieber; that's groupie rule number one. Grow your hair out, call Selena, put out a remix to "Baby," and all will be well again.
Chris Brown
Offense: C.B brutally beat Rihanna back in 2009 and hasn't stopped messing up since.
Good act: Breezy recorded a now infamous apology video five months later where he wore what looked like an orange jail jumpsuit, confusing everyone everywhere.
Did it make us forget?: Nope. Despite Brown constantly blaming the media for pushing him to violent outbursts, it seems like the singer seeks out trouble. He finally figured out the issue lied with him, and is headed to rehab for anger issues. May he get the help he so desperately needs.
Paula Deen
Offense: The former manager of one of Deen's restaurants sued her for racial and sexual discrimination. According to Deen's own deposition, she used the n-word multiple times. The restaurant manager also claimed Deen discussed a plantation style wedding for her brother using all black servers.
Good act: Deen apologized three times via Youtube (and deleted two of the videos) and cried on Matt Lauer.
Did it make us forget?: No. Deen got dumped by the Food Network, lost her book publisher, and lost many lucrative advertising contracts. But, racism appears to have a demographic in America because, following the debacle, Deen's cookbook shot to the top of the bestseller's lists. It's pretty recent history, so it's expected that people still remember, but Paula didn't help herself by so firmly positioning her foot in her mouth numerous times since the icident. This one is going stick to her name for a while. Maybe forever.
George Zimmerman
Offense: Zimmerman shot and killed seventeen year old Trayvon Martin after seeing the young boy walking through the neighborhood and deciding he was a threat to the community. Zimmerman was later acquitted of all charges related to killing Martin. Good act: He saved a family from a car wreck a few weeks after the verdict was delivered. While logic indicates this wasn't a planned event to push Zimmerman off America's most hated list, but conspiracy theorists believe his heroic moment was a set-up.
Did it make us forget?: No. It's somewhat shocking that Zimmerman remains unharmed and alive due to the amount of people who wished it was otherwise. He killed a young boy (whether it was with just cause or not) and the world will always remember that. Zimmerman could cure Magic Johnson and people across the country would still be sharpening their pitchforks. Give it up, George.
R. Kelly
Offense: In 2002, a video surfaced of Kellz having sexual relations with an underage girl—and peeing on her.
Good act: He put out a gospel album entitled Happy People/U Saved Me and appeared on a track by gospel superstar Kirk Franklin.
Did it make us forget?: Kind of. That album went triple platinum and R. Kelly is still putting out music. People continue to crack jokes, *cough* Dave Chapelle *cough*, but it's kind of like making fun of your one friend who did that really dumb thing back in college. It's so long ago that the barb doesn't quite sting as badly as you hoped it would.