Thomas Gibson and TV’s history of bad on-set behavior

by Larry Carroll at 09:08 PM on Aug 12, 2016

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Long before “Dharma & Greg” star Thomas Gibson earned himself some bad karma by allegedly kicking a writer and getting subsequently fired from the drama “Criminal Minds,” Hollywood was already known as a place where flare-ups, fisticuffs, and firings were commonplace.
It’s a simple issue of taking a bunch of people and putting them together for long days, under intense pressure to perform. Throw in the occasional ego, and next thing you know, another show is looking for a new lead actor. As “Criminal Minds” fans begin speculating on who will next lead the team, here are some other entries from TV history of stars who acted up on set — and faced the consequences.
RELATED: Thomas Gibson fired from ‘Criminal Minds’; Who will lead the team?

Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj

“American Idol” clearly wanted to harness the power of the diva when it hired this duo of flamboyant chart toppers. But the problem is that when you put one diva in the proximity of another, things are sure to become explosive.
When Mariah and Minaj’s feud went public, it made daily headlines. Carey was quoted as saying “It’s like going to work every day in hell with Satan,” while Minaj shot back some four-letter bombs: “I’m not fuckin’ putting up with her fuckin’ highness over there.” After many epic tweets fired back and forth, both left the show.

Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey fighting at 'American Idol' auditions caught on tape

Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano

Just when “Charmed” was at its most popular, drama hit the show — and it was most definitely not scripted.
Near-daily clashes between the two stars resulted in Milano refusing to ever work with Doherty again — which didn’t exactly do wonders for the latter’s reputation, since similar reports plagued her “Beverly Hills 90210” days. Much like that show, Doherty would leave “Charmed” after a handful of seasons, this time being replaced by Rose McGowan.
Years later, the grudge still seemed to be strong: Asked on “Watch What Happens Live” to name three nice things about Milano, Doherty could only muster “She’s pretty?”

Charlie Sheen and … well, everybody

After his incident with “Criminal Minds,” Gibson said “I regret that it occurred,” indicating that the clash was a brief lapse of judgment. Charlie Sheen, however, spent months involved in a prolonged lapse that included statements against his show “Two and a Half Men,” back-up from porn stars, and even a tour that had him telling live audiences about his “Winning!” ways.
Ultimately, Sheen lost. His “Men” contract was terminated, and he was replaced by Ashton Kutcher.

Suzanne Somers and “Three’s Company”

This one was less physical and perhaps more “business” than the others, but in the eyes of her employers, it was every bit as dangerous.
At the beginning of the fifth season of the classic sitcom “Three’s Company,” Somers demanded that they increase her salary five-fold (in addition to a 10 percent stake in the show’s profits). When ABC refused, Somers went on strike, sitting out several episodes and creating a stalemate being watched by everyone in Hollywood.
Somers claimed that she was only asking to be paid as much as male stars at the time; ABC’s counter-argument included cutting her screentime drastically, and then firing her. Decades later, some see Somers as a pioneer for actress’ rights, others see her as a cautionary tale of greed ruining a career — and actors think of her as yet another reason why they should be on their best behavior while on set.