E.l.f. Cosmetics on Matt Rife Campaign Backlash

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E.l.f. Cosmetics is addressing criticism over their new ad. 

In response to the growing criticism towards their campaign featuring comedian Matt Rife, the beauty company took to social media to issue a statement.

Just like we usually do, we’re attentive and have taken note of your feedback. The purpose of our recent campaign was to comedically emphasize the concept of beauty equality. We realize that we fell short in meeting your expectations within our e.lf Community regarding the e.lfino & schmarnes collaboration. Despite its conclusion today, we remain committed to advocating for affordable beauty products.

The August 10th ad emphasized this particular theme, featuring Matt and the drag queen Heidi N Closet in a somewhat contentious campaign. They played the role of budget-friendly beauty lawyers at el.f.ino & Schmarnes, a reference to the New York law firm Cellino & Barnes, advocating for their clients against expensive makeup products.

Rife commented, “I have some understanding regarding warning signs, and as for expensive makeup, you deserve something of higher quality.

In my perspective as a dedicated follower, I must acknowledge that some people raised concerns when the comedian was cast for the advertisement. This stems from his joke about domestic violence in his 2023 Netflix special, “Natural Selection.” One social media user expressed this disapproval poignantly in a comment under the company’s Instagram post of the ad, stating, “Oooooh. Matt Rife? The guy who jokes about DV? In an ad targeted to women? That’s, um. A choice.” This sentiment suggests that casting him may have been an unexpected decision given the sensitive nature of his joke and the intended audience for the advertisement.

Yet, even after an issued apology, the campaign and corresponding images remain posted across the brand’s social media platforms. At this time, TopMob News is awaiting a response from Matt’s representative for comment.

Immediately following E.l.f. Cosmetics’ announcement, their Global Chief Marketing Officer, Kory Marchisotto, likewise spoke up about the controversy, expressing surprise at the strong criticism they encountered online.

In an interview with The Business of Beauty on August 14, Marchisotto admitted that there’s a significant disparity between our aspirations and the results some people experienced, as our intentions were to spread positivity but fell short in this instance. To put it simply, this outcome doesn’t align with our values, making us feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Keep reading to see more stars who have been involved in viral controversies… 

In 2023, it was Colleen Ballinger who stood under the spotlight amidst accusations instead of her YouTube persona that sings. The Internet sensation recognized for her character Miranda Sings faced allegations of inappropriate conduct towards underage fans, including grooming and forming exploitative relationships.

A video titled “why I left the Colleen Ballinger fandom…” by YouTuber KodeeRants, which has since been deleted, shared screenshots of an alleged text conversation between Colleen and her followers, accusing her of forming inappropriate relationships with underage fans.

NBC News reported an unverified group chat named “Colleeny’s Weenies,” where Colleen allegedly asked her fans about their favorite sexual positions during a conversation. However, NBC News couldn’t confirm the authenticity of these screenshots.

Later, content creator Adam McIntyre, who once ran a fan account for Miranda Sings when he was 10, posted videos on his YouTube channel claiming Ballinger emotionally manipulates her fans.

Ballinger has not directly responded to these allegations nor commented on TopMob News’ request for a statement. However, she addressed the accusations in a 10-minute ukulele song posted on her personal YouTube account, where she compared the claims to a “toxic gossip train” destined for “manipulation station,” while the rest of the internet seems to “tie me to the tracks and harass me for my past.”

Following these allegations, the remaining dates of her Miranda Sings tour were canceled. Since then, she has remained silent on social media.

The controversy began when the author of “Girl, Wash Your Face” shared a post about her house cleaner, which sparked criticisms of increasing messiness. In a since-deleted post, resurfaced by Angie Treasure, Hollis discussed a comment from April 2021 where she mentioned a woman who “cleans the toilets.” This led to a discussion about privilege and being unrelatable. To explain her perspective, Hollis used examples such as Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, and Oprah Winfrey, all of whom she described as “unrelatable AF.”

However, it’s important to note that selling millions of books does not equate to being a revered abolitionist like Harriet Tubman. A few days later, Hollis issued an Instagram apology acknowledging the pain caused by her remarks and expressing regret for disregarding the struggles of people who don’t have financial security due to systemic racism and bias. The author of “Girl, Stop Apologizing” concluded by saying, “The important thing for me to do now is honestly listen.

In March 2020, the creator of Something Navy clothing line and a popular blog informed her Instagram audience that she had tested positive for COVID-19, announcing her intent to isolate at her Manhattan apartment with her husband Brandon Charnas and their daughters Ruby and Esme. However, just eight days later, her whole household relocated to the Hamptons. To put it mildly, this situation didn’t reflect well on her. The comments on her Instagram page started to get quite heated as she shared about taking outdoor walks for “fresh air” instead of practicing social distancing.

When her husband cracked that only “hot” people were getting the virus, emotions boiled over.  

Later, she published a heartfelt apology detailing several issues – their nanny also fell ill with the virus, they arranged for doormen to clear their building lobby before leaving, refrained from stopping at gas stations, and had groceries delivered; their Hamptons home was situated on a somewhat secluded street. However, the negative impact remained.

After Nordstrom ended their partnership with Charnas’ line in 2019, she switched to a direct-to-consumer relaunch, stating “I desired more control”. Now, she’s back to sharing her favorite Shopbop choices and collaborations with A Pea in the Pod.

On The Glossy Podcast, she admitted, “People expected me to be more mindful about global events, and I should have been.

In 2020, fashion blogger Emily Gellis Lande publicly criticized registered dietitian, Lisa Zuckerbrot. Through a series of posts, Gellis Lande shared unverified testimonials from dieters who claimed they had spent large sums on Zuckerbrot’s high-fiber F-Factor Diet and experienced various health issues such as rashes, severe cramps, signs of metal poisoning, and even a miscarriage. The controversy gained media attention with an article published by The New York Times.

Lisa Zuckerbrot responded to the accusations by hiring lawyer Lanny Davis, a former White House special counsel for President Bill Clinton. Zuckerbrot denied the claims and suggested that her diet plan did not lead to disordered eating. She stated that out of over 176,000 sales of her snack bars and powders, she had received just 50 health complaints. To address concerns about heavy metals in her products, Zuckerbrot released a Certificate of Analysis and appeared on Today to defend her program further.

In response, Gellis Lande stated that Zuckerbrot views her as someone who is trying to help people, but believes that the lifestyle promoted by Zuckerbrot is harmful and can cause anorexia. Zuckerbrot, who has worked with Megyn Kelly, dismissed Gellis Lande’s criticisms, saying “She’s a fashion blogger.”

Zuckerbrot filed two lawsuits against Gellis Lande, alleging she started a smear campaign to damage her brand. Both lawsuits are still pending, and Gellis Lande has denied the claims.

2020 marked a pivotal moment for racial awareness globally, yet it was my beloved friend Jessica Mulroney who received a much-needed wake-up call. In an almost 12-minute video on Instagram, influencer Sasha Exeter openly discussed their disagreements, which started when Mulroney took offense at Exeter’s call for her followers to speak up against racial injustice and support the Black community.

Exeter claimed that Mulroney responded in a manner that was highly problematic, allegedly speaking negatively about her to other brands and even sending her a written threat. Although Mulroney issued an apology in the comments of Exeter’s video, she later sent a DM that Exeter chose to reveal, stating, “Liable [sic] suit. Good luck.”

Though Mulroney addressed the issue with her followers by pledging to amplify Black voices on her account, CTV decided to cancel her reality show, I Do, Redo. In a similar turn of events, Ben Mulroney, husband of Jessica, stepped down from his co-host role at CTV’s eTalk, expressing hope that the new host would be Black, Indigenous, or a person of color who could use this platform to inspire and instigate change. Regrettably, Jessica managed to keep her high-profile friendship with Meghan Markle, as she wrote in a since-deleted post, “Meghan and I are family. She is the kindest friend.

Renowned for blockbuster cinema exploits like “I Duct Taped My Brother’s $400,000 Truck!” and exited from Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark, the Vine sensation turned YouTube celebrity moved up to the major leagues in 2020.

On the morning of August 5, FBI agents carried out a federal search warrant at Paul’s home in Calabasas, California, confirming it was linked to an incident on May 30 at a Scottsdale, Arizona mall. While live-streaming from a Black Lives Matter protest that culminated at the city’s Fashion Square Mall, Paul disobeyed orders to leave after police requested everyone to depart. In a subsequent statement, he clarified on Twitter that while he was documenting the protest, “neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism.”

The cause of the FBI raid became a topic of widespread discussion, growing as large as his YouTube fanbase. A local ABC station video showed numerous firearms being transported into a police vehicle. In an August 12 video since deleted, Paul maintained that the search was “entirely related to the Arizona looting situation that happened. It’s an investigation. There are rumors about it involving many other matters unrelated to me or my character, and the speculation being made is completely absurd.”

Although no charges were filed, his attorney informed TopMob News in a statement that they would “cooperate with the investigation.

After reconciling with Tati Westbrook over a year ago, the popular YouTube personality found himself embroiled in fresh disputes. In an August 2020 tweet subtly criticizing certain celebrities launching makeup lines, he implied that Alicia Keys, who rarely wears makeup, should not have a skincare collection and later retracted his statement as he realized he was not the arbiter of cosmetics.

However, barely two weeks later, he found himself in another controversy when he criticized Lauren Conrad’s new beauty line on Instagram Stories. He displayed empty packaging from the brand to his 22 million followers, suggesting that Conrad had no business having a makeup line.

Conrad humorously acknowledged her mistake on Instagram by blaming the person who organized the gifts for putting an empty bag of samples into a test bag and sending it out. Fortunately for Conrad, she did not shed a single tear over the incident. “The woman who put together the gifts” would be dismissed immediately, she added.

Charles eventually apologized, explaining that his videos were meant to be amusing and that he had spoken privately with Conrad about the misunderstanding, assuring that they were now on good terms. Nonetheless, it’s apparent that he was well aware of the predicament he had created.

In the opening of a May 2020 video, the vlogger and YouTuber known as The Stauffer Life, named James, revealed that this would be one of the hardest videos they’ve ever made publicly. Instead of sharing their newborn nighttime routine or daily diet, they disclosed that they had placed their 4-year-old son Huxley, whom they adopted from China in 2017, with his permanent family due to difficulties managing his autism.

The response from their almost million subscribers was largely upset, with fans questioning whether the couple, parents to four other children, were either misguided or had used Huxley for increased views and donations only to abandon him when caring for him became too demanding. As a result, they lost followers and partnerships with brands such as Fabletics, Suave, Danimals, who ended their collaboration. Even the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio confirmed they were looking into Huxley’s well-being.

Authorities closed the case without filing charges at the end of June, but Myka’s brand remains dormant since she released a lengthy statement expressing regret for being uninformed during the adoption process and clarifying that they were not under investigation. Since then, she has not posted any new content on YouTube or Instagram.

The journey turned out to be quite an eventful one. When Hall announced in May 2020 that he and his TikTok partner were planning a road trip across the country within a few days, they received more than just travel suggestions. Hall’s Twitter followers were already displeased about their plans to travel against stay-at-home advice, prompting Hall to defend himself by stating that most states had lifted quarantine measures and they would maintain social distance during their trip, implying it wasn’t a significant concern.

However, things took a turn for the worse when they passed through Lee County, Texas five days later. The sheriff’s office confirmed that Hall was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, while Hossler was also arrested and charged with possession of controlled substances. They both posted bail the following day, but neither responded to TopMob News’ request for comment at the time. Hall later wrote an essay for People magazine in June, where he admitted that he had started on the path towards sobriety and expressed remorse for his past mistakes, promising to make amends and regain people’s trust.

In October 2019, two YouTube personalities, called the Stokes Twins, pulled a prank by dressing up as robbers, hailing an Uber as their getaway vehicle while filming. The unsuspecting driver was threatened at gunpoint by police when they arrived due to the situation being misunderstood. Once it was confirmed that the driver was innocent, he was released, and the police warned the Stokes Twins about the dangers of their prank.

Four hours later, they repeated the prank on the University of California, Irvine campus, leading to their arrest. If convicted for false imprisonment and swatting (falsely reporting an emergency), they could face up to four years in prison. However, they were charged with lesser offenses like misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting a false emergency. They received 160 hours of community service, one year of probation, and a statement from their lawyer claiming their innocence. Despite this, they admitted guilt for the lesser charges in 2020.

Additionally, Orange County D.A., Todd Spitzer, criticized the prank as it could have caused serious injury or even death.

In a dramatic turn of events, the internet personality known as Dawson, once hailed as the “King of YouTube” due to his long videos and popular content, lost his throne in June 2020. This was triggered by a controversial tweet he posted, which he later deleted, where he criticized members of the online beauty community, particularly James Charles, for their attention-seeking behavior. He described them as self-centered, narcissistic, and volatile, prompting backlash from his followers.

In response to the criticism, Dawson published a 20-minute video titled “Taking Accountability,” in which he acknowledged his own transgressions, such as using blackface, making racist comments, joking about pedophilia, and sexualizing a then-11-year-old Willow Smith. He expressed regret for these actions and admitted that he should have faced consequences for them.

As a result of his misdeeds, YouTube suspended his ability to monetize his three accounts. However, Dawson returned to creating content in 2021, expressing gratitude for being canceled as it led to significant changes in his life.

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2025-08-14 23:50