Sydney Sweeney Breaks Silence on American Eagle Ad Controversy

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Like everyone else, Sydney Sweeney simply gets dressed each day and doesn’t give it a second thought.

Following a stir caused by an American Eagle advertisement featuring the Euphoria actress – which some interpreted as a playful reference to both “great jeans” and “great genes” – she addressed the discussions the campaign sparked.

Sydney recently shared with GQ that they were featured in a jeans advertisement. They admitted being surprised by the public’s reaction, but emphasized their love for denim, explaining they wear jeans and a T-shirt almost every day.

The July ad sparked a lot of discussion, even catching the attention of President Donald Trump, but Sydney insisted it didn’t bother her. She explained that she was confident in the ad’s purpose: to showcase great jeans.

Sydney admitted she didn’t really focus on support she received, even from the president.

She admitted she hadn’t really considered things that way. She’d simply stopped using her phone as much. She was busy filming Euphoria, working long, sixteen-hour days, and usually didn’t even bring her phone to set. After work, she’d go straight home and sleep, so she missed seeing a lot of what was happening.

Regarding the mostly negative feedback about the advertisement, Sydney explained that her only goal was to let people know where they could buy good jeans.

She explained that she doesn’t try to dictate what people should think. Instead, she aims to broaden their perspectives. That’s why she’s drawn to complex characters and stories, especially those with flawed or unlikeable individuals—because she enjoys revealing the human side of even the most difficult personalities.

Sydney doesn’t rule out speaking up about issues she cares about, saying people will definitely hear from her when she does.

For more stars who have spoken out amid controversies, keep reading…

Colleen Ballinger, the internet personality behind the Miranda Sings character, faced serious accusations in 2023. YouTuber KodeeRants posted a video claiming Ballinger had inappropriate relationships with underage fans, sharing screenshots of a group chat called “Colleeny’s Weenies” where Ballinger allegedly asked fans inappropriate questions. While NBC News couldn’t confirm the screenshots, the claims sparked further scrutiny. Adam McIntyre, a former fan who ran a Miranda Sings account as a child, then released videos accusing Ballinger of emotional grooming. Ballinger initially responded with a 10-minute ukulele song, dismissing the accusations as harmful gossip. Following the controversy, the remaining dates of her Miranda Sings tour were canceled, and she has been largely absent from social media since.

Rachel Hollis faced criticism after sharing a story about her house cleaner and a subsequent online discussion. It began when Hollis mentioned, in a now-deleted post highlighted by Angie Treasure, that she acknowledged her privilege after someone pointed out she could afford to have her toilets cleaned. She defended her success, saying she worked hard for the money. When someone called her unrelatable, Hollis argued that many icons – like Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, and Oprah Winfrey – are also unrelatable.

This sparked backlash, with many pointing out the difference between her situation and the struggles of those facing systemic barriers. Hollis later apologized on Instagram, acknowledging she had caused pain by referencing the achievements of women, especially women of color, whose experiences she couldn’t fully understand. She also admitted she hadn’t adequately considered the struggles of those who lack financial security due to biased systems, and stated she needed to listen more.

In March 2020, the founder of Something Navy announced on Instagram that she had tested positive for COVID-19 and planned to quarantine with her husband, Brandon Charnas, and their daughters, Ruby and Esme, in their Manhattan apartment. However, just eight days later, she and her entire household – including their nanny – left the city for the Hamptons. This sparked criticism online, as people pointed out that she was publicly enjoying outdoor activities and not fully adhering to social distancing guidelines.

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

Look, things got really tough for me after that whole situation blew up. I tried to explain everything – our nanny was sick too, we took precautions like having the building clear the lobby before we left, and we avoided public stops by getting groceries delivered. Our Hamptons place is pretty secluded, but it wasn’t enough to stop the backlash. Nordstrom decided not to renew my line’s contract, which had actually expired in 2019. So, I decided to take things directly to you all with a relaunch, because I really wanted to be in charge of the brand’s direction. Now I’m back to sharing my favorite finds from places like Shopbop and partnering with brands like A Pea in the Pod. Honestly, the biggest lesson I learned, and I shared this on The Glossy Podcast, is that I needed to be more aware and sensitive to what was happening in the world – and I really should have been.

In 2020, fashion influencer Emily Gellis Lande publicly criticized registered dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot. Lande shared stories from dieters – which TopMob News didn’t verify – claiming they experienced serious health problems after following Zuckerbrot’s high-fiber F-Factor Diet, including rashes, cramps, potential metal poisoning, and, in one extreme case, a miscarriage. These claims gained attention from The New York Times, which published an article about the situation.

Zuckerbrot, represented by lawyer Lanny Davis (who previously worked for President Bill Clinton), denied the allegations and stated her diet didn’t cause eating disorders. She told the Times that out of over 176,000 purchases of her products, she’d only received 50 health complaints. She also released lab results to address concerns about heavy metals and appeared on Today to defend her program.

Zuckerbrot dismisses Lande’s criticisms, telling the Times she believes Lande thinks she’s helping people by warning them about a harmful lifestyle, but she views Lande as unqualified to comment. Zuckerbrot has also worked with Megyn Kelly.

Zuckerbrot has filed two lawsuits against Lande, alleging that Lande launched a campaign to damage her brand. Both lawsuits are currently ongoing, and Lande denies the accusations.

In 2020, following a global surge in awareness of racial injustice, stylist Jessica Mulroney faced criticism of her own. Lifestyle blogger Sasha Exeter publicly shared that Mulroney took offense to her call for followers to support the Black community and speak out against racism. Exeter described Mulroney’s subsequent behavior as problematic, alleging she spoke negatively about Exeter to business contacts and sent her a threatening message. While Mulroney initially apologized publicly and announced plans to use her platform to amplify Black voices, she also sent Exeter a private message suggesting she could face legal action.

As a result of the controversy, CTV dropped Mulroney’s reality show, I Do, Redo. Her husband, Ben Mulroney, stepped down from his position as co-host of eTalk, expressing hope that his replacement would be a person of color. Despite the fallout, Jessica Mulroney maintained her friendship with Meghan Markle, stating they are like family.

Jake Paul, known for viral videos like “I DUCT TAPED My Brothers $400,000 Dollar TRUCK!” and previously starring on the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark, gained significant popularity on YouTube. In August 2020, the FBI searched his home in Calabasas, California. This stemmed from an incident in May at a mall in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Paul livestreamed a Black Lives Matter protest. Police stated he stayed inside the mall after they told everyone to leave. Paul claimed on Twitter that he and his group did not participate in any looting or vandalism.

The reason for the FBI search became a major topic of discussion online, mirroring the size of his YouTube audience. Local news footage showed firearms being taken from his property. In a video he later deleted, Paul stated the search was solely related to the Arizona incident and dismissed rumors linking it to other issues, calling them false and absurd. Although no charges were filed, Paul’s lawyer said they would fully cooperate with the investigation.

Okay, so it’s been three years since everything went down with The Try Guys – you know, with Ned, Keith, Zach, and Eugene – and honestly, I’ve been waiting forever for Ned to finally talk about it. After all the rumors and accusations about him cheating, he finally spoke up! It’s just… a lot to process after so long of wondering what happened.

 

I was intentionally portraying myself as a happily married man and often talked about how great my relationship was,” he told People magazine. “Fans seemed to really like that part of my persona, so I played it up. It was a genuine aspect of my life, too.

 

He explained that the situation caused such a strong reaction because the irony felt like a betrayal to viewers. He also said it must have been incredibly upsetting and disappointing for them.

Over a year after reconciling with fellow beauty influencer Tati Westbrook, James Charles found himself involved in new controversies. In August 2020, he subtly criticized celebrities launching makeup lines, seemingly targeting Alicia Keys’ skincare collection, and later apologized, admitting he shouldn’t dictate who can create makeup.

Just two weeks later, Charles faced another backlash after criticizing Lauren Conrad’s new beauty line. He posted Instagram Stories showing empty packaging he received, implying Conrad shouldn’t have a makeup brand.

Conrad responded with humor, explaining on Instagram that an assistant accidentally included empty samples with the gifts. She jokingly said the assistant would be fired.

Charles later apologized, stating his videos were intended as a joke and that he and Conrad had resolved the issue privately. However, it’s clear he was aware of his actions.

In May 2020, YouTuber Myka Stauffer began a video by stating it was the most difficult one she and her husband, James, had ever made. It wasn’t about typical parenting content; instead, they revealed they had rehomed their four-year-old son, Huxley, whom they adopted from China in 2017, due to challenges with his autism.

The announcement sparked widespread outrage among their nearly one million subscribers. Many questioned whether the couple, who also have four other children, had been irresponsible or had used Huxley to gain views and donations before giving him up when his care became too difficult. The Stauffers lost followers and sponsorships, with companies like Fabletics, Suave, and Danimals ending their partnerships. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio even confirmed they were investigating Huxley’s welfare.

Authorities closed the case in late June without filing charges, but Myka’s online presence remains inactive. She hasn’t posted on YouTube or Instagram since releasing a statement apologizing for her naiveté during the adoption process and stating they were not under investigation.

A TikTok creator named Kaitlyn Teaches shared a video of the lunch her husband made for her. It included a bag of dog food and a note saying “Because you’re my dawg,” along with leftover Chipotle from two days prior. After receiving a lot of negative feedback, she responded to the criticism about the prank.

She addressed the weekend’s events in a TikTok video from September 2025, saying people were overly concerned about him calling her a dog.

She explained, speaking slowly, “He didn’t call me ‘dog’ – D-O-G. He called me ‘dawg’ – D-A-W-G. It’s slang, like ‘homie,’ and we use it as a friendly nickname. It’s just a joke, J-O-K-E, a joke.”

It was a turbulent time for TikTok star Cole Hall. After announcing a cross-country road trip in May 2020, he faced criticism for seemingly ignoring stay-at-home orders. He defended the trip, stating that many states had already lifted quarantine restrictions and they were avoiding contact with others. However, the situation worsened when Hall and his travel companion, Chase Hossler, were arrested in Lee County, Texas, five days later. Hall was charged with marijuana possession, and Hossler with possession of controlled substances. Both were released on bail the next day. Representatives for both declined to comment when contacted by TopMob News. In a subsequent essay for People magazine, Hall revealed he was beginning a journey toward sobriety, promising to learn from his past mistakes and grow as a person.

Not all pranks are harmless fun. This one went way too far. In October 2019, YouTube personalities the Stokes Twins dressed in black and pretended to be bank robbers, filming themselves as they ordered an Uber as their ‘getaway car.’ The Uber driver was understandably not amused and refused to drive, prompting a passerby to call the police.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, police arrived and pulled the driver out of the car at gunpoint before realizing he wasn’t involved. The Stokes brothers received a warning about the potential danger of their actions.

Just four hours later, they allegedly repeated the stunt on the campus of UC Irvine, leading to their arrest. They faced up to four years in prison for false imprisonment and falsely reporting an emergency. Orange County D.A. Todd Spitzer stated these actions could have caused serious harm or even death.

While their lawyer maintained their innocence in 2020, the twins ultimately pled guilty to lesser charges – misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies. They were sentenced to 160 hours of community service and one year of probation.

Shane Dawson, once hugely popular on YouTube with over 34 million followers, faced a major backlash in June 2020 after a controversial tweet led to his departure from the online beauty world. He publicly criticized others, calling them attention-seeking and narcissistic, and specifically targeted James Charles. This sparked outrage from his audience, who pointed out his own problematic behavior.

Dawson quickly followed up with a 20-minute apology video titled “Taking Accountability,” admitting to past mistakes. He acknowledged harmful actions, including using blackface, making racist comments, joking about pedophilia, and posting a video that inappropriately sexualized Willow Smith when she was eleven years old. He stated he wanted to take responsibility for his actions and believed he deserved consequences.

YouTube responded by suspending monetization on his three accounts. Dawson later returned to creating content in 2021, surprisingly expressing gratitude for the backlash, saying it had fundamentally changed his life for the better.

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2025-11-04 18:48