From Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West to Cardi B vs. Nicki Minaj, there’s no shortage of celebrity feuds getting splashed across the tabloids. While these famous fights can certainly add some excitement to our daily dose of gossip, even the juiciest fight gets hard to watch if it drags on for too long. Sometimes, fans just want to hear, “I’m sorry.”
But it isn’t always easy to apologize—for any of us. A recent Preply survey found that nearly half of Americans’ apologies are only sometimes or rarely sincere. Another 73% have apologized without really meaning it. Does an apology count if you’re not really sorry?
Whether we stick to it in our personal lives or not, we as a society value sincere apologies as a sign of good character. With that in mind, let’s see which celebrity battles Americans think could use a heartfelt redemption arc.
Celebrity feuds Americans are over
We might put them on a pedestal, but celebrities are people, too, and some of them are guilty of insincere apologies if they bother offering one at all.
Regardless, Americans have a guilty pleasure of following the gossip, but sometimes, they are ready for certain fights to end. Here are the top 5 feuding celebrity pairs that Americans wish would kiss and make up:
- Prince William vs. Prince Harry: Americans are obsessed with the royal family. Despite hailing from across the pond, there’s no lack of TV shows and movies about the family, and their names often make headlines. Rumors of Harry and William’s feud started in November of 2018, and it hasn’t seemed to get better in the years since.
- Will Smith vs. Chris Rock: The slap that rocked the world happened at the Oscars in March of 2022, and we still haven’t gotten over it. The two actors have known each other for decades, making the event feel even more bizarre. While Will Smith did apologize publicly in July of 2022, Chris Rock didn’t hold back from slamming Smith in his Netflix comedy special a year later.
- Jennifer Aniston vs. Angelina Jolie: One of the biggest celebrity feuds in history, it started with Angelina getting together with Brad Pitt after filming wrapped for Mr. and Mrs. Smith—just after Aniston and Pitt had announced their separation.
- Selena Gomez vs. Demi Lovato: Demi Lovato has publicly denounced rumors of a feud between her and Selena Gomez, but fans have picked up on the fact that the two stars are no longer friends. Their friendship started in 2002 when the pair were on Barney and Friends together (the irony) but mysteriously ended in 2020 with Lovato confirming they are “not friends.” What happened, girls?
- Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West: It all started with Kanye crashing Swift’s MTV VMAs acceptance speech for Video of the Year in 2009. The feud continued when Ye’s then-wife, Kim Kardashian, publicly shared a private phone conversation between Kanye and Swift where they discussed a song he was working on. That song ended up having the controversial lyric, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have s**. Why? I made that b**** famous.”
What Americans think makes a good apology
Sometimes, a heartfelt “I’m sorry” is all you need to squash a beef. But celebrities have the burden of not only apologizing to each other, but also apologizing in public. Knowing that whatever they say will get picked apart by the press can make apologizing even more stressful.
Just like celebrities, many Americans find it difficult or impossible to apologize, to the point that 41% have lost sleep over the idea and 1 in 5 have sacrificed relationships. It’s especially hard when we’re dealing with a spouse or partner, our parents, and even ourselves.
So, what do Americans want from an apology? Genuine remorse is the top element, followed by taking responsibility, acknowledging your wrongdoing, hearing and validating the other person’s feelings, and committing to change. Another 38% of Americans say adding a gift to your “sorry” doesn’t hurt either.
Top 5 Worst Apologies From Video Game Companies(Opens in a new browser tab)
Though most Americans (59%) might not want or expect to apologize for every little mistake, it’s important to know how to make a good apology when it’s really needed. The same applies to our favorite celebrities, especially when many fans are hoping for some infamous fights to simmer down.
Ending a feud not only provides a chance for personal growth and healed relationships—it also sends a powerful message to millions of fans worldwide. If more celebrities back down and eat a slice of humble pie, we might start hearing a few more apologies in our lives.
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