10 Celebrities Meltdown Recoveries

It's no secret that celebrities live under a microscope. A microscope that us normal folk subscribe to quite frequently. So when famous people freak out, we love to watch and relish in all the gory details.

But, we also love a good comeback. We like watching the trials and tribulations of the famous, it makes them seem more real, more like us. Because of this, we love to watch the struggle back to the top. Few celebrities have been able to make it back from a serious freak out, and those who have, are on this list (well, at least 10 of them are).


10. Matthew McConaughey
So, not a total freak out, but a definite freak out moment. Most remember the night in 1999, the "sexiest man alive" was arrested by Austin, Texas police naked, playing his bongos and apparently "high on life." The incident never really ruined his career, and the charges were eventually dropped, but McConaughey has made some positive changes in his life over the past nine years. He's successful, in awesome shape and just welcomed a baby with girlfriend Camila Alves.




9. Mel Gibson
It took only a few drunken remarks to shatter Mel Gibson's public image. After being pulled over in July 2006 for drunken-driving the actor made a series of anti-Semitic comments. After apologizing more than a few times and attending substance abuse treatment, Gibson seems to be back to his old self, and getting his career back on track.





8. Whitney Houston
Pretty much, most of the turmoil and negative press in Whitney Houston's life can be attributed to one man, Bobby Brown. But it all culminated in one unsettling interview. In 2002, Houston sat down with Diane Sawyer, the interview was supposed to show the world that her life was stable and give her a chance to face the rumors that she was using drugs. Instead, she looked unhealthy and downright crazy. When asked if she had ever used crack cocaine, Houston replied with the now famouse quote, "Crack is whack." Luckily, she dropped Brown and is getting her life straightened out. She's put on weight, and no longer resembles the skeleton she once was. She also wisely ditched that "Look at me, I'm on crack," look taht she sported for so many years. She's even rumored to be back in the studio, working on a comeback album.


7. Michael Richards, a.k.a. Kramer
In 2006, at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, Calif., Michael Richards freaked out in a totally not cool way. Richards, who is known for playing Kramer on the sitcom Seinfeld, was angered by hecklers in the crowd. He made demeaning racist remarks to the group of black men, and even made a reference to lynching. He made a public apology, and has retired from comedy. He is currently traveling the world with his fiancée on a search for "spiritual healing."




6. Isaiah Washington
People loved Dr. Burke on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, until he made a homosexual slur aimed directly at gay co-star T.R. Knight. Isaiah Washington even went so far as to deny saying the slur at all, appearing very angry that he could be accused of such a thing. He eventually owned up to harshly insulting Knight, but it was too late, and he was booted from the show. Although publicly angry for some time, Washington has put the matter behind him and is moving forward with his career. He appeared on the Bionic Woman and continues to do charity work with the White House Summit on Malaria.

5. Tom Cruise
On May 23, 2005 Tom Cruise professed his love for Katie Holmes, while jumping on a couch on the Oprah Winfrey Show. At that moment, the whole world knew Tom Cruise had pretty much lost it. After that, no one could mention Cruise without mentioning the couch incident. You Tube videos circulated and for some time, Cruise was ridiculed. Three years later, Cruise still takes flack for being a Scientologist, but since the couch incident he's been relatively mentally stable. His love for Holmes has calmed down, and he's quietly making hit movies and raising the couple's daughter, Suri.


4. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is a diva, so she freaks out, a lot. But in 2001 she totally lost it. She appeared on the MTV show TRL confused, pushing an ice cream cart and wearing nothing more than a t-shirt. She then rambled on about how she only wanted "one day off when I can go swimming and eat ice cream and look at rainbows." It was really no surprise when only a week later she checked herself into a hospital for exhaustion. Sure... exhaustion. Most people blamed the stress from her box-office flop Glitter for her meltdown, but, really, it could be anything. Seven years later Carey has returned to the top, revamping her image and sound, plus she's happily married to actor Nick Cannon.


3. Russell Crowe
Its no secret actor Russell Crowe has anger issues. He's attacked the paparazzi numerous times. But in November 2005, Crowe pled guilty to assault, for throwing a telephone at a hotel concierge and injuring him. His public image should have been forever scarred, and his career should've slowed. Instead, Crowe continues to act, landing the roles that most actors would kill for.




2. Britney Spears
We all know that the past few years of Britney Spears' life have been one big freak out. She married Kevin Federline, then divorced him, then pretty much lost control of her life. She's endangered her children, shaved her head and been admitted to the hospital under questionable circumstances. Although we love to watch it, her downfall has been a sad story. Luckily, with the help of her family, she seems to be getting back on track. She's back in the gym, back in the studio, is acting and was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards. Spears is currently living one of the greatest celebrity comeback stories of the decade.


1. Anne Heche
In 2000 Anne Heche was found wandering through Fresno, Calif., going by the name Celestia and rambling about her being God and taking everyone back to heaven in a spaceship. She obviously, totally lost it, and we all learned that breaking up with Ellen DeGeneres was hard to do. But, almost nine years later Heche is going strong. Although she recently went through a divorce, she's happily caring for her son and enjoying a rising career.


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