Revoking celebrities’ honorary degrees might be rare, but it is not unheard of. Sean “Diddy” Combs was awarded an honorary degree by Howard University at the school's 2014 commencement ceremony. This was to celebrate his career achievements and contributions to the arts. However, it comes as no surprise that this honor was revoked recently in June 2024.
After a video surfaced showing Combs violently abusing his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016, his already depleting fame took an even bigger nosedive. Howard University also announced it would be cutting all ties with Diddy and might be returning his $1 million donation to the school. Diddy isn’t the only one to suffer this disgrace though. Here are five other notable names who have had their honorary degrees rescinded by a University.
Read More: 7 Rappers Who Have Received Honorary Degrees
Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly, a former television host and political commentator, gained popularity with his show The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News. He subsequently became one of the most prominent figures in cable news. O’Reilly was recognized for his conservative commentary until his career at Fox News ended in 2017. This came amid allegations of sexual harassment, which he has repeatedly denied.
Regardless, in response to these allegations, Marist College in New York, where O'Reilly had earned his Bachelor of Arts history degree in 1971, revoked the honorary degree it had awarded him. The college's Board of Trustees cited the sexual harassment allegations and his reported settlements as being deeply contrary to the values of Marist College. This decision to revoke the degree was announced by the university on February 6, 2018. O'Reilly would later accuse the school of being corrupted by left-wing leadership on his No Spin News show in 2023. Nonetheless, the damage was already done.
Charlie Rose
TV personality Charlie Rose was known for his eponymous interview show Charlie Rose on PBS and Bloomberg. He also gained fame for his role as co-anchor on CBS This Morning. He maintained his journalism career for over four decades, and he was respected for his in-depth interviews with influential figures across various fields.
However, Rose's reputation was tarnished when The Washington Post reported in November 2017 that eight women accused him of making unwanted sexual advances, including lewd comments and inappropriate behavior. Following these allegations, Sewanee: The University of the South revoked the honorary degree it had awarded to Rose when he delivered the university’s commencement address in spring 2016. This action, taken in March 2018, marked the first time Sewanee had rescinded an honorary degree. Additionally, SUNY Oswego started the process to rescind the honorary doctor of humane letters degree it awarded to Rose in 2014, after the allegations surfaced and he was fired by CBS.
Kanye West
Ye had his honorary degree revoked by The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). This marked the first time the institution would make such a move in over eight years. The degree was originally awarded to him in 2015, in recognition of his artistic achievements. However, following a series of controversial remarks made by Kanye, including anti-Black and antisemitic statements, the institution decided to rescind the honor in December 2022.
SAIC's announced that their decision came after West made public comments that were widely condemned across the country. Evidently, his offensive remarks were not taken lightly. Moreover, the SAIC's school president described Ye's actions as “disgusting and condemnable”. The revocation of his honorary degree was also sped along by a Change.org petition. It accused Kanye of using his degree to legitimize hatred and violence. The petition would receive over 15,000 signatures.
Harvey Weinstein
Another celebrity personality who had their degree revoked was Harvey Weinstein. The disgraced former film producer was once dubbed “the king of Hollywood” by the media. Weinstein's fall from grace began in October 2017, when The New York Times published a report detailing decades of allegations of sexual harassment and assault against him. This report led to a cascade of further allegations and ignited the #MeToo movement. As a result, many women came forward with their experiences of sexual misconduct in various industries.
In response to these allegations, The State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees voted to revoke the honorary degree it had awarded Weinstein from the University at Buffalo. Weinstein had received this honorary SUNY doctorate in 2000. At the time, it was in recognition of his contributions to the film industry. However, the university began the process of rescinding the degree in October 2017, after the allegations became public. The revocation was official on November 15, 2017.
Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby, the once-celebrated comedian and actor, was awarded numerous honorary degrees during his career. Multiple prestigious universities bestowed him this honor, including Brown University in 1985, the University of South Carolina in 1986, and his alma mater Temple University in 1991. However, following his conviction on April 26, 2018, for three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand, a former basketball player and employee at Temple University, many institutions began revoking these honors. Some of the many revoked degrees were from Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, Boston College, and also Temple University. To date, over sixty honorary degrees that were awarded to Bill Cosby have been revoked, The Atlantic reports.
