Highlights

  • Celebrities like Madonna, Joan Rivers, Kathy Griffin, and more have been banned from talk shows due to their bizarre behavior or conflicts with the hosts.
  • Piers Morgan refuses to have Madonna on his talk show due to their ongoing feud, while Anderson Cooper didn't invite the Kardashians because they were already overexposed.
  • Talk show bans can also happen due to celebrities struggling with addiction, like Gary Busey, or taking a joke too far, like Gilbert Gottfried.

Celebrities often make appearances on talk shows to promote their latest movie or television show, and can even help spike ratings for a talk show because of their popularity. While talk show hosts are grateful for the stars that come to sit on their couch and have a chat, there have been numerous times when a host has banned a celeb because of their outrageous behavior or because it's a matter of principle.

The celebs on this list have been uninvited from certain talk shows because of their bizarre behavior or simply because the host and the star just don't get along. Piers Morgan's tight-lipped feud with Madonna has been going on for years and so, he's banned the "Material Girl" from both his U.K. and U.S. shows. Anderson Cooper, who hosted Anderson Live from 2011-2013, refused to have any of the Kardashians on his show because they were already everywhere else.

RELATED: What Really Happened To Holly Robinson Peete After Co-Hosting The Talk?

Others still were banned from talk shows until they could get their addictions under control. All of which make up quite a list of celebrities who have been missing from the talk show circuit for years.

Updated November 2023: With the writers' strike having recently ended, celebrities appear to be on their best behavior as of late on the talk shows. But give it time and there will surely be some antics that arise to get someone permanently banned from a show, barring anyone willing to apologize for their unacceptable behavior. A move that does not generally happen in Hollywood.

15 Madonna Was Banned From Piers Morgan Live

Ban Date: 2001

Madonna credits her children for saving her life
Via Instar Images 
  • Ban started over a bread roll-throwing incident

Broadcaster Piers Morgan will never allow Madonna to come on his newest talk show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, as it's clear that the British television personality is not a fan of the songstress.

During CNN's Television Critics Association Winter 2011 Session, Morgan referred to Madonna as "an irritant in my life for 20 years" and added that the only way he'd allow the Queen of Pop on his show is if she "made an apology to CNN."

While he never truly revealed why he has so much hate for the star, he did admit there was a bread roll-throwing incident and that "there's a series of crimes" that Madonna "reportedly" did to Morgan. Madonna has never responded to his backlash.

Related: These 8 Stars Actually Fired Back At Piers Morgan

14 Joan Rivers Was Banned From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Ban Date: 1986

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via YouTube
  • Ban started because Joan Rivers did not tell Johnny Carson she was getting her own show

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ran on NBC for 30 years and one of his permanent guest hosts was Joan Rivers. The comedians enjoyed one another's company for some time, but things went downhill when Rivers received her own talk show for the FOX Network, airing opposite Carson.

RELATED: Joan Rivers' Decades-Long Ban From 'The Tonight Show' Was Finally LIfted Thanks To Jimmy Fallon

According to Carson, Rivers never personally told him that she received her own show, but Rivers disagreed. Joan's talk show was quickly canceled, but she was never allowed back on Carson's talk show, nor Jay Leno's show, out of respect for Carson.

When Carson passed in 2005, Rivers revealed that he never forgave her.

13 Kathy Griffin Has Been Banned From Almost All Of Them

Ban Date: 2012

Kathy Griffin posing on the red carpet
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  • Ban began with all the talk shows over bizarre behavior

Kathy Griffin is no stranger to controversy and her antics have banned her from multiple talk shows. The comedian has been banned from past and present talk shows, including, Leno, Conan, Ellen, The View, Live with Regis and Kelly, Letterman, and The Today Show.

The comedy star has had some wild moments on live air including stripping down to her undergarments during the 2012 New Year's broadcast, dropping the F-bomb on The View, and appearing on Letterman in 2012, after being banned, and proceeding to undress on air.

12 Gary Busey Was Banned From The Howard Stern Show

Ban Date: 2001

Gary Busey on the red carpet
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  • Ban started over erratic behavior

Gary Busey has been known more recently for his erratic behavior than for his acting skills. This behavior was front and center during an interview on The Howard Stern Show and it is what got Busey banned from ever coming back.

In 2001, Busey had a problem with minding his personal space. According to Grunge, he tried to lift Robin Quivers over his head and even attempted to chase Howard Stern down in the studio. This led to Busey getting tired and trying to wrestle Stern to the ground.

After repeated warnings, Busey was booted from the show. He was also banned for life from coming back to chat with Stern.

Related: The Real Reason Gary Busey Has A Net Worth Of Less Than A Million

11 Gilbert Gottfried Was Banned From The Howard Stern Show

Ban Date: 1987

Gilbert Gottfried on the red carpet
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  • Ban started because of a joke taken too far

Gilbert Gottfried has the most recognizable voice in Hollywood with his most famous role in Disney's Aladdin, voicing the parrot Iago. Gottfried has had numerous roles in movies and television, and he was a frequent guest on Howard Stern's talk show.

The two men got along quite well and Gottfried appeared on the show several times, but something occurred between them that got Gottfried banned from the show. It's presumed that the actor took a joke too far by either spitting on cupcakes or spitting them on the floor behind the scenes. However, some people believe the two stars just didn't click anymore.

10 Howard Stern Was Banned From The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Ban Date: 1994

Howard Stern at Howard Stern Film Festival
via: Instar
  • Ban began after Howard Stern brought adult film stars to talk over guests on the show

Howard Stern and Jay Leno's talk shows are opposite, but that wasn't the reason why Leno officially banned Stern from his late-night show The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. While Stern constantly accused Leno of plagiarism and lying, when Stern appeared on Leno's show it just went from bad to worse.

During Stern's interview on the show, he brought adult film stars out and would purposely talk over other guests' during their interviews, and do more outrageous antics. This got Stern banned from Leno's show and even NBC got in on it, publicly slamming Stern for his actions.

9 Jay Leno Was Banned From Conan

Ban Date: 2010

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  • Ban began because Jay Leno ended up taking back over The Tonight Show after it was given to Conan O'Brien

While Jay Leno banned folks from his talk show, he was actually banned from Conan after the fiasco with The Tonight Show being taken away from Conan O'Brien.

Leno wanted to step back from The Tonight Show. This meant that O'Brien was cleared to come in as the new host. Wanting to keep both comedians on NBC, Leno was given a slot at 10:00 PM while O'Brien kept the later Tonight Show slot. But, when both shows did not have the audience that NBC hoped for, they took The Tonight Show away from O'Brien and gave it back to Leno, a move that left a bad taste in O'Brien's mouth.

O'Brien took his talk show to TBS and stated that Leno would never be a guest on his show.

"He can come as the musical guest, because that I want to see; no one knows he has an operatic range," O’Brien joked. "No, there are certain things I will not do, regardless of the price."

Leno never did come on Conan, with O'Brien sticking by his guns and not allowing him on his show.

Related: The Best '90s Talk Show Hosts: Where Are They Now?

8 Dax Shepherd Was Banned From The Conan O'Brien Show

Ban Date: 2004

Dax Shepherd on the red carpet
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  • Ban began because Dax Shepherd came to The Conan O'Brien Show intoxicated

Dax Shepherd came onto The Conan O'Brien Show to promote a new film but the interview went downhill fast when Shepherd could not keep his train of thought and rambled through his interview on the talk show.

"I show up on the show. I don’t know what he’s talking about," Shepherd explained. "I can tell he’s queuing me up for stories I’ve told, but I don’t know any of the stories. So, I’m just doing what I can to be funny out there, and I am a mess."

This happened because Shepherd had consumed so much alcohol that he blacked out only to be shaken awake by his manager to get to Conan before being late.

Once the interview was over, O'Brien banned Shepherd from the show until he could get clean. Fortunately, Shepherd did get sober and was back on O'Brien several times after his difficult appearance and the two wound up on good terms in the years after as well.

7 Hugh Grant Was Banned From The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Ban Date: 2009

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Instar
  • Ban started because Hugh Grant was rude on The Daily Show

It's hard to believe that actor Hugh Grant would get banned from anything, but he rubbed talk show host Jon Stewart the wrong way while making an appearance on his show in 2009. When Grant came on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he was incredibly rude, even cursing and complaining on the show, which is unlike all the charming characters he plays on screen. Stewart wasn't a fan and banned the Brit from his show.

After hearing about the way he acted in front of the talk show host, Grant tweeted, "Turns out my inner crab got the better of me with TV producer in 09. Unforgivable. J Stewart correct to give me kicking."

6 The Kardashians Weren't Allowed On Anderson Live

Ban Date: 2011

The Kardashians on the red carpet
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  • A feud never ensued between The Kardashians and Anderson Cooper, but over-exposure kept the family members from being on Cooper's show

The Kardashian/Jenner family has been on almost every talk show there is, except Anderson Cooper's. The television journalist who hosted Anderson Live for two years already knew that he did not want any of the Kardashian clan on his new daytime talk show, despite the fact that the Kardashians admired him.

RELATED: The Kardashian-Jenner Businesses, Ranked From Most Lucrative To Least

While there is no hate between Cooper and the most famous Hollywood family, on an episode of Watch What Happens Live, the journalist told Andy Cohen that the Kardashians are already everywhere and all over the media, so he simply didn't have anything new to say to them, so what would be the point to put them on his daytime talk show?

5 Vivica A. Fox Was Banned From Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Ban Date: 2005

Vivica A Fox
Via: Instar
  • Ban occurred because Jimmy Kimmel insulted Vivica A. Fox's friend, Star Jones

In 2005, Vivica A. Fox thought that her interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be a straight-forward interview. However, when being introduced, Jimmy Kimmel threw in an insult about Star Jones, one of Fox's close friends. This set the tone for the interview which went downhill quickly.

Fox tried to get things back on track by asking to start the interview over, but Kimmel kept pushing the joke about Jones. Instead of sitting there and hearing Kimmel talk poorly about Jones, Fox instead threw an insult back and walked off the show.

It was not until 2014 when Kimmel was on Watch What Happens Live that Fox was even aware that she was banned from the show, a fact that she found surprising given that in the years after the tense interview, Kimmel apologized.

4 Donald Trump Was Banned From Late Night With Seth Meyers And The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Ban Date: 2016 And 2017

Donald Trump at Civil Fraud trial
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  • Ban began with Ellen DeGeneres because Donald Trump had differing views;
  • Ban with Seth Meyers began because of Trump's unwillingness to allow all news outlets to cover his presidential campaign

Donald Trump never made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show because Ellen DeGeneres banned him before Trump ever got the opportunity. When asked by Matt Lauer why she did not want him on the show, DeGeneres had a very straightforward answer.

"Because I’m not going to change his mind,” DeGeneres explained. "He’s against everything that I stand for. We need to look at someone else who looks different than us and believes in something that we don’t believe in and still accept them, and still let them have their rights."

As for Trump's ban from Late Night with Seth Meyers, he also did not do anything on the show to get him banned, but nevertheless, Trump was not allowed on the show. This, instead had to do with the fact that Trump did not want to let particular publications cover his presidential campaign.

"As for the Washington Post, we here at Late Night believe in freedom of the press and therefore have decided to stand in solidarity with them,” Seth Meyers stated. "So as long as the Washington Post is banned from Donald Trump’s campaign, Donald Trump will be banned from ever coming on this show."

3 Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump Was Banned From Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Ban Date: 2014

Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump at grand opening for Trump International Hotel
via Instar
  • No specific reason for a ban from Jimmy Kimmel Live! but perhaps, Jimmy Kimmel's preference to not have the Trump brothers on

There was never a specific reason that Kimmel ever gave for banning the Trump brothers from his show. While he did make fun of both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump over the years, there was not any specific beef. However, that did not stop Kimmel from expressing that the two were banned from his talk show on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On Watch What Happens Live, Kimmel said that the Trump brothers were banned from his show. This came after Kimmel and Andy Cohen compared notes about who was banned from their shows. Whether Trump Jr. or Trump knew this is unknown.

2 Chevy Chase Was Banned From Saturday Night Live

Ban Date: 1997

Chevy Chase on the red carpet
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  • Chevy Chase was banned for hitting Cheri Oteri in the head

These last two aren't strictly about talk shows, but they are about the late-night variety series SNL, which shares several similarities with many of the most popular talk shows: it's filmed live, it airs on late-night TV, it has celebrity guests every week, and it's produced by Lorne Michaels, who produced numerous talk shows. Therefore, it counts for the purposes of this list.

Chevy Chase is best known for his portrayal of Clark W. Griswold in five National Lampoon's Vacation movies, but before he took part in those films, he began his career on the original cast of Saturday Night Live in 1975. Chase would end up becoming one of the first members banned from the show as well.

The actor was on Saturday Night Live for two years, and after leaving, came on to host the show eight times. However, his eighth time hosting would be his last after it was learned Chase hit cast member Cheri Oteri in the back of the head. Creator and producer Lorne Michaels ended up banning Chase from coming on the show, but he later returned for smaller roles.

1 Steven Seagal Was Also Banned From Saturday Night Live

Ban Date: 1991

Steven Segal on the red carpet
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  • Steven Seagal was banned because he was deemed hard to work with

There is apparently a very long list of actors banned from Saturday Night Live and one in particular is actor Steven Seagal. After hosting the show in 1991, Seagal was banned from the show by producer Lorne Michaels because he was difficult to work with. While they never got too specific, the crew admitted that they did not like working with the martial artist and even found him annoying.

The show's cast and crew were on edge and almost ran an entire show without a host. However, they stuck to it and would ban Seagal right after he was done.

Source: CNN, Grunge, Watch What Happens Live