The Traitors US has returned with a brand new season, and fans aren't very happy about it. Season 4 of Peacock's beloved reality game show premiered on the streaming platform on Thursday, January 8, 2026, and it has already triggered a massive backlash online, thanks to the casting of controversial actor-comedian Michael Rapaport. Angry audiences on social media are only demanding one thing: they want him gone ASAP.
Rapaport is one of the Faithfuls, aka truth-seekers, contesting alongside 22 fellow players, including NFL mom Donna Kelce, Love Island USA star Rob Rausch, and Survivor star Rob Cesternino. However, fans aren't quite putting their faith in the Friends actor, and are rather claiming he's "tainting" the show and draining the cast's energy.
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The raging hate doesn't come only from Rapaport's loud remarks or so-called all-attention-on-me attitude on the show. His list of controversies goes far beyond his reality TV stint and political opinions, spanning decades. Here's a breakdown of the numerous "disgusting" controversies that have followed the actor over the years.
Michael Rapaport's ever-growing list of controversies
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Rapaport's history of controversies dates back to the late 90s. In 1997, the Friends actor became the centre of public and legal scrutiny after his ex-girlfriend, The Conjuring actress Lili Taylor, filed a police report accusing him of harassment. The incident resulted in an arrest and a court-issued protection order from contacting Lili with mandatory counseling.
For nearly a decade, Rapaport largely stayed out of major public controversy, but that changed in 2017 when he appeared on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live. A self-proclaimed reality TV superfan, Michael joined the talk show alongside The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore, and quickly reignited a previous Twitter feud. During the appearance, Rapaport openly shaded Moore on air and remarked:
“I didn’t want to say it on live TV, but Kenya’s feet are ashy as f--k. Them sh-ts are ashy. I didn’t want to say it on live TV because I’m a gentleman, but pan down to them sh-ts, you could cut glass with them sh-ts.”
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The next controversy arose within a year, and this time, it was a high-profile legal fallout. In 2018, Rapaport signed a deal with Barstool Sports to produce I Am Rapaport, which paid him a USD 600K salary, along with shared revenue and opportunities with SiriusXM. Within just six months, however, the company terminated his contract, citing his insulting remarks towards fans. In response, the Prison Break star made a vulgar social media post involving Barstool's founder, Dave Portnoy, and later sued the company for defamation over a clown-themed T-shirt. A federal judge ultimately ruled the image was exaggerated satire.
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In 2021, the actor got into a public fallout with NBA star Kevin Durant after sharing images of private chats where Durant used language that could be labelled as misogynistic and homophobic. This prompted the NBA player to issue a public apology.
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The next controversy arose in 2023, when, during the Gaza War, Rapaport openly voiced his support for Israel on social media and promoted anti-Palestine sentiment. His political commentary, particularly his outspoken support and sharp attacks on critics, drew massive protests, and people urged a boycott of Rapaport.
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The situation worsened in 2024 after Michael Rapaport shared an AI-generated image related to the Holocaust, which showed a man playing the violin in Auschwitz’s concentration camps in the backdrop. The Auschwitz Memorial criticised this move as disrespectful and told TMZ:
“Publishing fake, AI-generated images of Auschwitz is not only a dangerous distortion. Such fabrication disrespects victims and harasses their memory. If you see such posts, please don’t share them.”
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Now, too, as he competes in The Traitors, off-screen, Rapaport has been actively engaged in calling out the newly sworn-in mayor, Zohran Mamdani, since he announced his run. On his Instagram, he continuously calls out Mamdani and recently announced that he will be running for the next NYC mayor's position in 2029. The actor announced on his podcast:
“Let me tell you something, guys, girls, women, children of all ages. 2025 was crazy, and I don’t see it getting any f—ing calmer or cooler in 2026, the way things started. That’s why I’m running for mayor... Zohran the Zero, Zohran the Ziophobe, he is going to supersede all our fears and expectations.”
Why fans are already done with Michael Rapaport's presence on The Traitors
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Whoever chose to cast Michael Rapaport for this season's The Traitors surely knew what they were doing. The actor's confrontational energy and unfiltered commentary as a Faithful all but guarantee chaos inside the castle. However, some viewers have raised concerns about whether Rapaport's behaviour at the roundtable turns out anticlimactic for the Faithful in the long run. Some fans are saying his arguments in the show with co-contestants like Yam Yam Arocho and Porsha Williams are making the conflict more exhausting than entertaining.
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Rapaport addressed online backlash, responding directly to a TikTok user who claimed the cast “can’t stand” him and called him annoying. Rapaport replied, “GIRL, you’ll be ok Girl,” a comment many viewers viewed as dismissive rather than witty. The exchange fueled further criticism, with some fans renewing calls for his removal and threatening to boycott the season over his past controversies and social media remarks.
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The controversial actor-comedian doesn't seem to care about the noise surrounding his controversies and TV appearances. He instead took to Instagram to ask his fans for their opinions on the show and on the Traitors and the Faithfuls. He mentioned:
"Traitor Nation...I never thought I'd be saying those words. What is up Traitor Nation? How are you guys feeling? Are you enjoying it so far? What do you think of the Traitors? What do you think of the Faithfuls? What do you think of the outfits? What do you think of me?"
Whether producers anticipated this level of backlash is unclear, but one thing is certain: Michael Rapaport has become the lightning rod of The Traitors Season 4. What are your thoughts on his gameplay in the show?
Read Next: Who Is Michael Rapaport's Wife? All About Kebe Rapaport As 'Traitors' Star Announces A NYC Mayor Run
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