How Stacey Dash Ruined Her Career

Stacey Dash, once celebrated as a '90s icon for her role as Dionne in the hit movie Clueless, has seen her public persona shift dramatically over the years. Once adored by fans, she is now often labeled as one of the most controversial figures in Hollywood. This transformation has raised eyebrows, with many wondering how a promising career could lead to such a polarizing reputation.

Born on January 20, 1967, Stacey Dash became a household name after her breakout role in Clueless. However, her career took unexpected turns that veered far from the trajectory of her initial success. Today, she’s known more for her political commentary and controversial opinions than for her acting talents.

As we delve into the various factors that contributed to the decline of Stacey Dash's career, we will explore her controversial political stances, conflicts with peers, and how her choices have alienated her from the industry that once embraced her.

Table of Contents

• Biography
• Stacey Dash was hired and fired by Fox News
• She waged a war against BET, which had given her a paycheck
• Stacey Dash picked a fight with Leonardo DiCaprio over climate change
• Her anti-abortion film was so wild, it struggled to find a cast
• Stacey Dash called actor Jesse Williams a 'plantation slave'
• She made offensive comments about the transgender community
• Stacey Dash thinks feminism has 'emasculated men'
• Since Clueless, Stacey Dash's film success has been hit or miss
• Stacey Dash tried – and failed – to run for Congress
• She's been busy dodging divorce headlines
• Can Stacey Dash's career recover?

Biography

Stacey Dash was hired and fired by Fox News

The beginning of the end for Stacey Dash's public reputation was her affiliation with oft-criticized right-wing talking heads like Piers Morgan and Sean Hannity. In 2012, she kicked off her career as a political commentator by appearing in a single episode of Piers Morgan Live. A cameo on Hannity followed shortly thereafter, and by 2014, the star was an official Fox News contributor. Unfortunately, her newfound TV success didn't last as long as her fervent support for Donald Trump.

According to reports from Us Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter, Dash was "temporarily suspended" from her position less than two years into her contract following an outburst during an episode of Outnumbered, in which she claimed that then-President Barack Obama didn't "give a s**t" about terrorism. The lightning-fast producers managed to bleep out the profanity before it aired.

Dash only managed to cling on for a few more months until her contract was up for renewal, and the network gave her the axe. This came in the fall of 2016 after numerous controversial rants on topics like transgender rights and immigration. Her firing became a trending topic on Twitter, with many users expressing their satisfaction with her dismissal.

She waged a war against BET, which had given her a paycheck

Stacey Dash is entitled to her own opinion, which is why her 2012 endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney only elicited some eye rolls and a few nasty Twitter comments. As The Washington Post points out, the star wasn't immune to racial backlash, but that backlash was nothing compared to what was on the horizon when she waged a war against BET, Black History Month, and Jada Pinkett Smith's Oscar boycott.

In one breath, Dash ostracized herself from her Hollywood peers and ViacomCBS, the media conglomerate that supported some of her most prolific TV storylines, including The Game and Single Ladies. She stated during a 2016 appearance on Fox & Friends that if we don't want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards.

Despite her claims, Dash's statements were misleading. The BET Awards were created to predominantly celebrate Black artists, but they still regularly nominate artists from various ethnicities. This misstep further alienated Dash from her peers and the industry.

Stacey Dash picked a fight with Leonardo DiCaprio over climate change

Somewhere in Leonardo DiCaprio's home, there's a shelf with three Golden Globes and an Oscar. Throughout his massive career, he has achieved several major nominations while remaining a vocal advocate for the planet's ongoing environmental issues. He even produced the critically-acclaimed climate change documentary, Before the Flood, and serves on the board of numerous environmental protection organizations.

When DiCaprio finally won an Oscar for his role in The Revenant in 2016, Dash threw him under the bus, mocking his acceptance speech where he addressed climate change. She claimed that his warnings were "too much" and attempted to disprove his statements, which did nothing to align her with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who have been actively working to reduce their environmental impact.

Dash was busy criticizing climate change activism while the industry shifted towards sustainability, further distancing herself from Hollywood's evolving narrative.

Her anti-abortion film was so wild, it struggled to find a cast

Stacey Dash certainly didn't do herself any favors when she aligned herself with a controversial film project that may go down as one of the most disastrous in history. The anti-abortion film Roe v. Wade was described as the "craziest, most controversial movie of the year" and was beset by chaos from the very beginning.

While the film chronicled the 1973 Supreme Court decision that guaranteed a woman's right to an abortion, it reportedly pushed conspiracy theories and lies. The project struggled to find financing and faced a casting nightmare as actors continuously dropped out after reading the script.

Dash starred as Mildred Jefferson, founder of the National Right to Life Committee, alongside controversial figures like Tomi Lahren and Milo Yiannopoulos. The film's niche appeal led it to premiere at the Conservative Political Action Conference instead of traditional film festivals, highlighting its controversial nature.

Stacey Dash called actor Jesse Williams a 'plantation slave'

At every turn, Stacey Dash seems to criticize her peers rather than stand by them, which certainly doesn’t help her reputation in the industry. This was particularly evident when she compared Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams to a "plantation slave," accusing him of being "racist" towards white people.

In a scathing blog post, Dash referenced Williams' now-viral BET Humanitarian Award acceptance speech, suggesting that he was just "spewing hate and anger." This comment further alienated her from the Hollywood community, where solidarity and support for fellow artists are often valued.

Williams has long been an outspoken human rights activist, and his acceptance speech condemned systemic racism and police brutality, urging viewers to mobilize for change. Dash's comments seemed to reinforce her isolation from the very community that once celebrated her.

She made offensive comments about the transgender community

As Hollywood has been working towards greater LGBTQ+ visibility, Dash has positioned herself in direct opposition to this movement. In her memoir, There Goes My Social Life: From Clueless to Conservative, she criticized Caitlyn Jenner for using the women’s restroom and suggested that transgender people should pee "in the bushes" to avoid infringing on her rights.

Dash's remarks reflect a misunderstanding of