In the wake of Framing Britney Spears, a lot of people are re-examining the treatment of famous women in the 2000s. Now, Mariah Carey is one of the most successful, talented, amazing people ever — yet she was treated so unfairly, so viciously, and overall, so terribly by the media.
Here are some of the times the media failed Mariah Carey:
1. When Howard Stern harassed Mariah nonstop in this gross interview:
Mariah responded by trying to change the subject, asking about Howard's pets.
2. Like, it was not OK at all:
Mariah walked away with her head high, like the queen that she is.
3. When Joan Rivers said this to her at the 1999 Oscars red carpet.
"They said I gained weight?" Mariah said.
4. When the media invalidated and mocked the fact that she is a biracial woman. She eventually did a cover with Essence magazine, iconically titled, "America's Most Misunderstood Black Woman."
Mariah recalled the cover to Wendy Williams, saying, "That was the best photo shoot I ever had. In a way, people will know a whole different side of me if they read this story."
5. When Rosie O'Donnell criticized how Mariah dressed:
Mariah responded by saying she had to cover up for the first six to seven years of her career.
6. When the media said she was over after Glitter:
The movie and soundtrack came out on September 11, 2001 and was panned.
7. When this interviewer implied her song "Loverboy" was a flop — even though it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100:
8. When paparazzi would swarm Mariah in a super unsafe way allll the time:
9. And when paps made fun of her elbow after she broke it:
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"I have a problem with my elbow. Is that a problem for you? Maybe it hurts me. You think that's OK?" she responded.
10. When Wendy Williams said this to Mariah on the radio:
Mariah hung up.
11. And also said this about her:
12. When this panel of male interviewers was rude to Mariah and said she paid people in the audience to clap/be her fans (????):
13. When Ellen DeGeneres tried to get Mariah to drink on her show to prove she wasn't pregnant. She was pregnant at the time. SMH:
“I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say. And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath,” Mariah said.
14. When Charlamagne tha God said this to Mariah:
Mariah said to Google the back cover of her first album.
15. When tabloids wrote entire articles discussing her body:
16. When this interviewer asked Mariah — the greatest vocalist of all time — if she planned on using backing tracks, implying she lip syncs her songs:
"If there's any confusion, they're welcome to come to my house and sing in the shower with me."
17. When TMZ leaked Mariah's isolated vocals on a day she was sick in an attempt to humiliate her online:
18. When Piers Morgan blindsided her with footage and news of the Las Vegas shooting mid-interview:
"Wow, that's awful. Again, I pray for the victims and hope all this can stop as soon as possible. This thing happening anywhere is a huge tragedy. I will continue to pray for the victims," she said.
19. And lastly, when the media tore her apart for the New Year's Eve debacle — you know when her ear monitors broke, and the production team foiled her:
Don't worry, though, because despite the media's horrid treatment of Mariah, the queen remains unbothered, selling out stadiums, topping charts, winning awards, and surpassing only herself and her amazing achievements.
So, in conclusion, RESPECT MARIAH CAREY, ONE OF THE GREATEST ARTISTS OF ALL TIME. PERIOD. NO EXCEPTIONS.
