In 1991, George Clooney was fired from the sitcom Baby Talk after confronting executive producer Ed Weinberger over his treatment of staff. Weinberger alleged that Clooney had physically threatened him, leaving the actor concerned that the incident could damage his prospects in Hollywood; Clooney later described it as a turning point that made him reassess his career.

Clooney had spent around 12 years working in minor television roles and B-movies before the dispute, appearing in projects including Return of the Killer Tomatoes and Roseanne. Baby Talk, a sitcom loosely based on Look Who’s Talking, was poorly received and cancelled after two series, while Clooney appeared in only five episodes. He subsequently built a successful career through ER and major films, although the article says he believed the firing had briefly put that future at risk.