Do you think being a celebrity makes you able to go any country easily? If you think being a celebrity is that easy, you are wrong. Maybe you are famous celebrities, but when you enter a country, you still have to obey the rules of that country.
If not, you are most likely blacklisted. If you think it’s impossible for famous celebrities to be boycotted, banned, and blacklisted, in fact there are many international Hollywood celebrities who have experienced this misfortune. Here are a number of Hollywood celebrities who are banned in several countries.
1. Lady Gaga
Banned Country: China
In the list of celebrities who are boycotted in several countries, China is one of the countries that boycotts many public figures from abroad. This time the target of the boycott is Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga is an American singer who is very eccentric and has an out of the box fashion style.
What makes us surprised is, Lady Gaga has not only been boycotted once but twice by the Chinese government. First, Lady Gaga was boycotted for reasons of her dressing style which was too vulgar and her persona which was considered not to set a good example. The first boycott occurred in 2011.
The second boycott occurred in 2016. This time, Lady Gaga was boycotted because she had a meeting with the Dalai Lama. The Chinese government once boycotted the Dalai Lama in 1959. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader for Buddhists in Tibet. Tibet is an autonomous entity under Chinese control. When China carried out its invasion of Tibet in 1950, the Dalai Lama experienced many conflicts with the Chinese government, especially in terms of autonomy and human rights.
Because of the actions taken by Lady Gaga, the Chinese government boycotted Lady Gaga for the second time. Chinese government to prohibit Chinese media from carrying news about Lady Gaga and posting her music content.
2. Justin Bieber
Banned Country: China
Justin Bieber has long been one of the most hated public figures in the world. Even in America itself, there are so many people who hate Bieber. Their hatred there is unreasonable. But, indeed, Bieber did some silly things that made people resentful of him.
China is a country in Asia that has strict rules regarding who can come to the country. If someone is deemed problematic, then that person will not be allowed to enter China. Bieber, including in Hollywood celebrities who became victims of the Chinese boycott. When he was about to do his music tour in China, the Chinese government boycotted Bieber’s concert.
The Beijing government considers that Bieber’s bad behavior can cause inconvenience to Chinese citizens.
3. Selena Gomez
Banned Country: China
Young, beautiful, famous, has a good voice, that’s what we can see from Selena Gomez. The American singer who had an affair with Justin Bieber is not only known as a singer, she also has acting skills and is also a businesswoman.
Those who become haters of Selena Gomez are not random people. This time the hater is a big country in Asia, China. On her Instagram account, Selena Gomez has posted photos of herself with the Dalai Lama and openly supports Tibet. This clearly infuriated the Chinese government.
The Chinese government regards Tibet as a politically sensitive area. The Chinese government provides very strict rules on who can be allowed to enter their country. Because of the actions taken by Selena Gomez, she was unable to do a music tour in China and was prohibited from visiting China.
4. Snoop Dogg
Banned Country: Norway
America has a lot of black rappers. For those who are wondering why rap music is synonymous with black people, this has a long root story in the 1970s. At that time, being a person of African-American descent and black skin, they often received unpleasant treatment by those who were white. Then they expressed their frustration through rap songs.
One figure of the famous American rapper named Snoop Dogg. This famous rapper alone can be included in the list of Hollywood celebrities who are boycotted in several countries. For his case, Snoop Dogg was boycotted or canceled in a European country, Norway. He got into trouble in the country because of marijuana possession.
In America, marijuana is legal, but not in Norway. In 2012, Snoop Dogg was banned from entering Norway for 2 years for possessing 8 grams of marijuana. Snoop Dogg actually has a schedule to perform at a festival. Luckily he was allowed to continue performing while he had to pay a fine and was banned from entering Norway for 2 years. Snoop Dogg accepted the rule and did not appeal.
5. Akon
Banned Country: Sri Lanka
Freedom to work is highly valued in America. That’s why if you look at the works produced by Americans, some countries outside America can accept them and some can’t be accepted. In this case, the work produced by Akon forced him to be boycotted by one of the countries, Sri Lanka.
First, you need to know that the majority of the population of Sri Lanka are Buddhists. The figure of the Buddha is especially purified there. One of the music videos made by Akon entitled Sexy Chick, was considered very vulgar by the citizens and government of Sri Lanka. In the music video, there is a sexy party scene that takes place in a swimming pool in front of a Buddha figure.
6. The Beatles
Banned Country: Philippines
It’s outrageous if you are music lovers but don’t know a band called The Beatles. The Beatles are one of the most famous rock bands from Liverpool. The band was formed in 1960 and consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. This band was very popular in the 1960s.
The first female president of the Philippines at that time named Imelda Marcos was a fan of The Beatles. He also sent breakfast invitations to all members of The Beatles.
The Beatles turned down the breakfast invitation for some reason. Feeling hurt by being rejected by The Beatles, Imelda Marcos boycotted The Beatles. When they wanted to fly out of the Philippines, the band was mobbed and attacked before boarding the plane for takeoff.
7. Katy Perry
Banned Country: China
Don’t joke or do anything that is prohibited by a country if you don’t want to get in trouble and be boycotted. This is what happened to Katy Perry. Katy Perry is no longer a stranger to our ears. She is one of the most famous American pop singers. It turned out that she was one of the Hollywood celebrities who was boycotted in several countries, and in the case of Katy Perry, she got a boycott from China.
When the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held in Shanghai, Katy Perry was boycotted and could not appear. This is because Katy Perry wore the Taiwanese flag while performing a music concert at the Taipei Arena.
8. Richard Gere
Banned Country: China
If men can have an idea of what kind of woman they want, women can also have an idea of what a man is like as an ideal man. In the 1990s, the male figure that women most wanted was Richard Gere. Even at the age of 73, he is still considered charming by a number of women.
Actors like Richard Gere are also on the list of Hollywood celebrities who are boycotted in several countries. The country that boycotted Richard turned out to be none other than China. The Chinese government’s treatment of Tibet, which is considered unfair, has received criticism from many people, including American celebrities. Including one of them is Richard Gere.
Richard Gere has publicly stated his support for Tibet. Those remarks were expressed at the Oscar ceremony held in 1993. The Chinese government hated Richard Gere even more when the actor once went to Tibet and met the Dalai Lama.
9. Beyoncé
Banned Country: Malaysia
Different countries have different rules that bind their citizens. Not only citizens, but tourists who want to come to a country must also follow the rules made by that country. If you break it, then don’t be surprised if that person will get into trouble with the law. Not only fines, but you can also get prison sentences and be banned from entering the country for a certain period of time.
Beyonce, a famous female singer from America, became one of the Hollywood celebrities boycotted by the neighboring country. Malaysia is one of the countries in Asia that highly upholds moral and religious rules. The Malaysian government sees that Beyonce always appears in sexy clothes and is considered to have violated the rules in Malaysia.
Therefore, when Beyoncé wanted to expand the music market by holding a concert in Malaysia, the concert was then canceled by the Malaysian government. The reason, as already explained, is that Beyoncé is considered too sexy and this style is not accepted in Malaysia.
10. Alec Baldwin
Banned Country: Philippines
Working as a comedian is not easy. If you make a joke that isn’t funny, then the comedian is branded as a failed comedian. When making a joke and someone is offended, the comedian can get ridiculed and even get canceled culture by a group of people.
Alec Baldwin is not only an actor but also a famous comedian from America. He was included in the list of Hollywood celebrities who were boycotted in several countries because he himself was boycotted by the Philippines.
As a comedian, it’s only natural that he makes jokes when he gets a job as a comedian. While attending The Late Show with David Letterman in 2009, Alec Baldwin made a joke aimed at Philippine senator Ramon Revilla. Because it was considered offensive, Ramon Revilla called Alec Baldwin as arrogant and insensitive.
Alec Baldwin was also boycotted by the senator and was barred from entering the Philippines until a certain period of time. There are rumors that Ramon Revilla threatened Alec Baldwin.
