Celebrity Rider Requests: The Weirdest Things Celebrities Demand In Their Contracts

This article originally appeared on Investing.com. It has been republished here with permission.

Taylor Swift ©Brian Friedman/Shutterstock.com

We all know demanding people in our daily life, whether it’s the person who absolutely must have their coffee at work in the morning, the one who constantly adjusts the thermostat to ridiculous highs or lows, or the one who gets overly-finicky about his parking space. These people can be real killjoys, and they’re just everyday civilians, not celebs.

Some of our favorite celebrities can also be demanding, and, to get them on stage, managers, promoters, and staff at venues around the world must meet their every request. Read through this list to discover who are the world’s most temperamental stars.

1. Beyonce

Request: A hotel room at 77 degrees Fahrenheit all the time and a buffet without Coca Cola
Cost of Request: $10,000*

Beyoncé is known worldwide for her music and her charm, and she is a celebrity that needs no introduction. However, fame and wealth have led her to make some rather strange, even ridiculous, demands.

Beyonce ©Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com
For example, Beyoncé requires that her dressing room be kept at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. She also asks for chicken thighs that have been heavily seasoned with cayenne pepper, as well as rose-scented candles. Lastly, Beyoncé refuses to have Coca-Cola cans around, as she can only be seen with Pepsi products due to a contractual agreement.

2. Rihanna

Request: Blue silk curtains and a dozen candles
Cost of the Request: $5,000*

Rihanna earns millions of dollars every year through her businesses and singing career (though the latter has been a tad inactive these past few years). Nowadays, Rihanna focuses on her lingerie and makeup brands, and this new focus does not prevent her from having crazy Requests when she is in concert.

Rihanna ©lev radin/Shutterstock.com
The singer insists on having blue or black curtains covered in blue silk in her dressing room, along with an animal print rug and a very specific request for candles. Rihanna is a person who cares a lot about her comfort, and she is ready (and able) to pay the price for it.

3. Paul McCartney

Request: Plants everywhere and meat nowhere
Cost of Request: $4,000*

Legendary Beatles bassist Paul McCartney made millions throughout his life through his music career, and he is now a fervent defender of animal rights. He banishes fur, leather, and meat from any of his lodgings, and he is also very fond of plants. Forget love, all you need are flowers.

Paul McCartney ©s_bukley/Shutterstock.com

Among other things, Paul McCartney requires that all lamps be dimmable halogen bulbs, that there are only animal-free materials (cotton, denim, velvet, etc.) in his dressing room, and that his limousines are not made of leather. Suffice it to say that inviting Paul McCartney to a steakhouse would be a very bad idea.

4. Jay Z

Request: More than 7 dressing rooms, several different types of drinks
Cost of Request: $15,000*

Considered the king of rap in many peoples’ opinion, Jay Z is a role model who came from abject poverty to become one of the wealthiest musicians alive. Jay Z’s net worth is pushing the billion-dollar mark, and he has quite a few requests when it comes to his rider.

Jay Z ©Brian Friedman/Shutterstock.com

Jay Z demands 7 dressing rooms, 77-degree room temperature, a large sofa, 48 bottles of Fiji water, 6 cans of Coke, 6 cans of Red Bull, and 6 bottles of vitamin water. Apparently, he doesn’t share the same “Pepsi Only” clause as his wife, Beyonce.

5. Celine Dion

Request: A private jet, and 75 first-class hotel rooms for her production team
Cost of Request: $350,000*

Celine Dion is a singer loved by all, and she has toured the world thanks to her angelic voice and big hits. Although Céline is known for her humble, down-to-earth side, she has also been known to throw rather incredible tantrums if she doesn’t get what she wants.

Celine Dion ©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

On the long list of things Celine Dion wants when she goes on tour is a private jet, 75 first-class hotel rooms for her production team, a presidential suite for her and her son, and a mandatory temperature of 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Celine Dion wants to have the best conditions for her and her family, and she is ready to pay the price for them.

6. Cher

Request: A separate hotel room for her wigs
Cost of Request: $20,000*

Cher started her career in the music industry as a singer before transferring into television when she had a show with her ex-husband, Sonny. Since then, she has combined her musical career with a career in the film industry. Although many say she is a pleasure to work with, she has some rather odd demands on set.

Cher ©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

One of these demands is that she has a separate room for her wigs. Admittedly, her wigs are a serious part of their look, so perhaps they do deserve their own space. Her other two strange requests are that she must have aloe vera tissues available at all times, and, secondly, she will only use black cups.

7. Mary J. Blige

Request: A new toilet seat at every place she goes
Cost of Request: $5,000*

One of the strangest requests comes from singer Mary J. Blige. Wherever she performs, she expects a brand new toilet seat to be installed before she arrives. It is her most important requirement, and she has asked for it in all the cities where she has performed.

Mary j Blige ©Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock.com

However, since this is one of her only requests, people working on sets are usually only too happy to fulfill this order, and she is not generally seen as a demanding diva. On one tour, she visited 36 different cities. That’s a lot of new toilet seats for just one celebrity.

8. Will Smith

Request: A two-story trailer for filming
Cost of Request: $2.5 million*

Will Smith might seem like a pretty cool guy, but that doesn’t mean the famous actor doesn’t make huge demands before agreeing to step on set. In fact, for one movie, he had his own two-story trailer built at a cost of $2.5 million.

Will Smith ©Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

The craziest part is that his trailer even comes with a $200,000 kitchen and its own dressing room. After constructing this trailer, his main requirement when working on set, is to have enough space to park his giant trailer.

9. Barbra Streisand

Request: A police dog who checked the premises before her arrival
Cost of the Request: $20,000*

Millennials and Generation Z probably don’t know who Barbra Streisand is, but the rest of us know how famous she was decades ago. Back when she was a touring star, Streisand required a police dog to sweep the premises before she arrived, a Request that seems a bit over-the-top, yet understandable.

Barbra Streisand ©Debby Wong /Shutterstock.com

Apparently, Streisand thought she was such a big star that everyone wanted to end her career, perhaps by dangerous means. Needless to say, her worst fears never happened, and she actually turned 80 this year.

10. Prince

Request: A house with five bedrooms
Cost of Request: Undisclosed

The Artist Formerly Known as Prince wasn’t shy about voicing his demands when he was backstage. When he performed in London, Prince asked an organizer to build him a luxurious five-bedroom house near the 02 Arena in London, according to Marie Claire.

Prince ©Olena Znak/Shutterstock.com

One of his other requests was 192 bath towels. Prince was very serious about his cleanliness and hygiene, and he refused to reuse any towels. This information seems obvious when you see Prince’s appearances in public; everything was meticulous down to the last detail.

11. Mariah Carey

Request: An assistant to throw away her (Mariah’s) chewing gum
Cost of Request: $50,000*

Mariah Carey is a famous diva, and her reputation is that of a superstar who is never shy to make demands. Along with asking for a bottle of champagne and flexible straws to sip it, Carey expects organizers to have an assistant for her, which seems reasonable but isn’t.

Mariah Carey ©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

According to Marie Claire, Carey wants an assistant just to throw away her gum. This assistant’s job is very specific, and he or she is paid pretty well for it. Apparently, Mimi is repulsed by the idea of touching gum (even if it is her own).

12. Jennifer Lopez

Request: She requires her coffee to be stirred counter-clockwise
Cost of Request: $5,000*

J. Lo isn’t called “La Diva Latina” for nothing. She’s always had an extravagant side, but considering she’s one of the hardest-working women in showbiz, she has earned it. Among her rider requests are white flowers, tablecloths, curtains, candles, sofas, and low-wattage light bulbs.

Jennifer Lopez ©Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock.com

The wackiest item in her rider is that she requires her coffee to be stirred counter-clockwise. The story behind this Request isn’t widely known, but we assume it either has to do with superstition or the quality of the coffee.

13. George Clooney

Request: A basketball court and a beach cabin built right next to his trailer
Cost of Request: $200,000*

George Clooney appears in director Alfonso Curaón’s award-winning film Gravity as astronaut Matt Kowalski, commander of a space shuttle mission carrying Sandra Bullock into space to repair the Hubble Telescope.

George Clooney ©Serge Rocco/Shutterstock.com

Kowalski dies fairly quickly, leaving Bullock’s character to struggle alone to overcome the terrors of space. Despite his short stint on screen, Clooney demanded that he be provided with a full yard, basketball court, and beach cabin built right next to his trailer, at a cost of $200,000.

14. Tom Cruise

Request: Underwear specially made for him
Cost of Request: $5,000*

Tom Cruise has come a long way in his career, and he is famous for his work ethic and doing his own stunts. He is also known for being extremely finicky, almost to the point of being a huge on-set diva.

Tom Cruise ©Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

For example, Cruise insists on having an arsenal of specially-designed underwear woven from a specific fabric, to maximize his comfort and flexibility during his stunts. Since he prefers to wear new ones each time, he can wear up to 50 different underwear per movie. $5,000, the cost of these undies, is a small price to pay to ensure that his legs don’t chafe whilst he’s jumping out of helicopters or riding motorcycles.

15. Madonna

Request: She asks for the toilets to be cleaned four times a day
Cost of Request: $3,000*

Madonna is an artist who leads a rather extravagant lifestyle, and it’s not a surprise that Madge can be a total diva when it comes to her rider. One of Madonna’s greatest Requests is linked to the hygiene of, believe it or not, her toilets.

Madonna ©Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock.com

Indeed, Madonna asks that her toilets be cleaned at least four times a day. That’s how much Madonna hates dirt, as she has a bit of a phobia, according to some sources. The pop star is willing to pay top dollar to stay germ-free, all the way down to her toilet bowl.

16. Gwyneth Paltrow

Request: She had an entire hotel evacuated for some ridiculous reason
Cost of Request: $3,500*

Actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow has made the headlines for quite a few ridiculous reasons, usually having to do with her lifestyle brand, Goop. Among the Requests of stars, this one deserves the palme d’or of the most ridiculous Request in the world.

Gwyneth Paltrow ©Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock.com

Years ago, Gwyneth Paltrow decided to go to her press conference in slippers, a change from the high heels she usually wears. However, it was unthinkable for her to be seen in this state when she left, so she decided to evacuate the whole hotel so that other people wouldn’t see her in slippers. We’re sure those guests were beyond irritated.

17. Vanessa Paradis

Request: Travel only with Air France in first class
Cost of the Request: $25,000*

Vanessa Paradis is a very versatile artist, as she is a singer, actress, and model. The artist loves her work, and she also loves her country. This might explain her Request, which has to do with both patriotism and her preferred mode of travel.

Vanessa Paradise ©Oleg Nikishin/Shutterstock.com

When traveling by plane, Vanessa Paradis only uses Air France. Also, she only travels in first class, as it is the most comfortable. Plane tickets can easily cost into the thousands for this Request, but it is a price Paradis is more than willing to pay.

18. Britney Spears

Request: Six cases of Diet Coke and ten pieces of fried chicken wherever she goes
Cost of Request: $5,000*

Britney Spears has had a very complicated career and, to this day, she continues to worry her adoring fans from time to time. However, Spears lives her life to the fullest, documenting it all on her well-publicized Instagram. That said, like all Hollywood stars, she also has star Requests.

Britney Spears ©Kobby Dagan/Shutterstock.com

Before her concerts, Britney Spears demands that six cases of Diet Coke, ten pieces of fried chicken, potato salad, and twelve chocolate bars be brought to her trailer. While the food itself isn’t really strange, we have to say that choosing to eat all that before performing is a bold choice.

19. Brigitte Bardot

Request: Donkey’s milk in the bathtub
Cost of the Request: $3,000*

Brigitte Bardot was one of the most famous women in the world at one point. A French film actress, model, singer, and animal rights activist, Bardot lived a busy life deciding to retire in peace. She is now eighty-eight years old.

Brigitte Bardot ©ladie_c/Shutterstock.com

Of course, Brigitte Bardot also had the Requests of stars. For example, in 1956, Brigitte Bardot asked the production of a film to pour donkey’s milk into her bathtub so that she could take her bath there to preserve the softness of her skin. This is a Request worthy of the greatest divas.

20. Mylène Farmer

Request: Refuses the presence of photographers during her concerts
Cost of Request: $25,000*

Mylène Farmer began her career as a singer more than 20 years ago, and she continues to be talked about, thanks to the release of her twelfth album L’emprise. Mylène is very careful about her image in the media, and it is through this Request that she controls that.

Mylene Farmer ©WENN Rights Ltd/Alamy

Mylène Farmer categorically refuses the presence of all photographers other than her personal photographer during her concerts. After her personal photographer takes his photos, he edits and sorts through the ones deemed worthy of being sent to the press.

21. Vanessa Paradis

Request: Demands that producers pay hotel expenses for his family
Cost of the Request: $30,000*

Vanessa Paradis is a repeat member of this list of celebrity Requests, as in addition to traveling only with Air France in first class, Vanessa also makes sure her entire family and bodyguard are taken care of on trips.

Vanessa Paradise ©Oleg Nikishin/Shutterstock.com

If she has to travel for her job, she always demands that the producers pay the hotel expenses of her bodyguard and family. The bills are high, but Paradis knows that family comes first. It’s not that unreasonable a request when you really think about it.

22. Jennifer Aniston

Request: She asks the team members not to approach her too closely
Cost of Request: N/A

Many know her for her role in Friends, but Jennifer Aniston has surpassed TV acting to become one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. Recently, Jennifer Aniston had a bit of a temper tantrum while on set, something we wouldn’t have expected from her.

Jennifer Aniston ©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

While filming her new movie Wanderlust, Jennifer reportedly asked crew members not to approach her. A witness to the weird demand added that she did not separate from her personal assistant, who was charged with keeping everyone away from her at all times.

23. Victoria Beckham

Request: Beckham expects all nannies to respond to the name ‘Jo’
Request Cost: N/A

Musician and designer Victoria Beckham is a serious person, so it’s no surprise that she expects her staff to work as hard as she does. This is understandable. However, it turns out that the Beckhams, Victoria especially, are pretty mean to their staff.

Victoria Beckham ©magicinfoto | Sven Hansche/Shutterstock.com

A former nanny to the Beckham family revealed that Victoria Beckham expects all nannies to go by the name ‘Jo,’ even if their name is not Jo. Apparently, that’s because Beckham’s daughter Harper’s very first nanny was named Jo.

24. Frank Sinatra

Request: A backstage bar stocked with bottles of Absolut, Jack Daniels, and more
Cost of Request: $40,000*

Ol’ Blue Eyes charmed fans for decades with his live gigs, and nurturing such a voice as his required lots of tea, honey… and Jack Daniels. Indeed, Frank Sinatra was a bon vivant, and he liked to drink whatever he could get his hands on.

Frank Sinatra ©Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock.com

During a show in Ohio in 1991, Frank Sinatra wrote a long list on which he demanded an upright piano and 12 rolls of cherry candy, as well as a backstage bar stocked with bottles of Absolut, Jack Daniels, Chivas Regal Scotch, Beefeater Gin, white wine, red wine, and Courvoisier.

25. Van Halen

Request: The group wanted the removal of all brown M&Ms from the candy bowl
Cost of Request: $5,000*

One of the most famous star Requests comes from Van Halen in the ’80s, and this Request helped cement the stereotype of the lavish rockstar life. The band had a contract that required the removal of all brown M&Ms from the band’s candy bowl before shows.

Van Halen ©UPI/Alamy

If any were found backstage, the promoter had to give up the whole show. Former member David Lee Roth justified the ban in 2012, explaining that it was a test to ensure the promoter had read all of Van Halen’s demands.

26. Adele

Request: The most expensive red wine and 6 metal teaspoons
Cost of the Request: $20,000*

Since the 2000s, Adele’s music career has taken off, as she has a one-of-a-kind voice that has helped her sell millions of records. But as you probably understand by now, with success also comes requests that cost a lot of money.

Adele ©Fred Duval/Shutterstock.com

Indeed, Adele asks for chicken salad sandwiches, Marlboro Lights, the most expensive red wine, and 6 metal teaspoons in her dressing room. She’s also adamant about having absolutely no organic honey in her dressing room, though the reason for that refusal is unclear.

27. Kanye West

Request: The equivalent of 30,000 dollars of alcohol in his dressing room
Cost of the Request: $30,000*

Kanye West is one of the richest artists in the world, as he is the creator of the Yeezy brand and several totally legendary albums. It has been reported that West has a net worth of more than 2 billion dollars. Before his tours, Kanye makes every effort to show his wealth.

Kanye West ©Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

In his dressing room, Kanye West demands that there be a ton of alcohol for him, his team, and his friends. We don’t know if Kanye West performs during his concerts with a few liters of vodka in his blood, but, in any case, he knows how to put on a show.

28. Justin Bieber

Request: The reservation of two 5-star hotels for him and his loved ones
Cost of the Request: $500,000*

We all know how Justin Bieber got his start in music, with a guitar in his hand on the street. His rise to fame was meteoric and surprised everyone, and he is now one of the greatest artists in the world today.

Justin Bieber ©Jack Fordyce/Shutterstock.com

Music journalist Arjun S. Ravi has shared images of a “press release” from Bieber’s entourage, and this release lists a series of prerequisites for the pop star. Among other things, a convoy of 10 luxury sedans, a private Rolls Royce for himself, and the reservation of two 5-star hotels for him and his relatives are must-haves.

29. Katy Perry

Request: An all-you-can-eat buffet in her dressing room
Cost of the Request: $10,000*

Katy Perry is a singer known for her extravagance and colorful personality. She has been singing for over 10 years, during which time she has not lost her love for music. She hasn’t lost her appetite either, as her box demands are just as over-the-top as her music.

Katy Perry ©Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

Besides wanting an assortment of a hundred flowers, Katy Perry’s “shopping list” is both lengthy and strange. The list requires flowers, a bowl of hand-picked organic fruit, chips, freeze-dried strawberries, a jar of natural honey, and much more to be in her dressing room before performances.

30. Eminem

Request: Dumbbells wherever he goes
Request Cost: $50-$200*

Eminem has proven time and time again that he is an artist and a rapper who is second to none in both his music and story. You’d think that with all that wealth and notoriety, Eminem might have gotten a big head, but he has actually remained pretty humble.

Eminem ©Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock.com

Indeed, Eminem’s request is unusual, but not arrogant. He demands that there are two 25-pound dumbbells everywhere he goes. This is his only request, as the Detroit native isn’t much of a diva.

31. Alicia Keys

Request: Beer, fish, and vegetables
Cost of Request: $5,000*

Alicia Keys is known around the world as a living legend in the R&B/Soul genre, and it has been over 20 years since her debut hit single “Fallin’” was released. Alicia Keys continues to do concerts even in 2023, and her last recent concert was in Paris as part of her world tour.

Kathy Hutchins ©DFree/Shutterstock.com

So, how does Alicia Keys manage to remain on top after so many years? The answer is very simple: she has a great diet. Alicia Keys loves Evian, almond milk, and tuna sandwiches. She requires fish, vegetables, and the occasional beer to be brought to her trailer before she performs.

32. Will Ferrell

Request: An electric scooter and a painted rainbow on the wheels
Cost of the Request: $15,000*

Will Ferrel has been acting in movies for over 20 years and is known for his Requesty humor. Recently, Will Ferrell starred in the movie Spirited alongside Ryan Reynolds, and he has a net worth in the hundreds of millions, thanks to his box office hits.

Will Ferrell ©Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

When it comes to requests, the medal for most bizarre goes to Will Ferrell. During his promotional tour for Semi-Pro, he asked for an electric scooter, a painted rainbow on wheels, and a sixteen-foot-tall fake tree.

33. Selena Gomez

Request: That no one is called Justin in her entourage
Request Cost: N/A

Everyone knows that before getting married to Hailey Baldwin, Justin Bieber had a romantic relationship with Selena Gomez. The duo broke up in 2014, and, according to Marie Claire, this largely influenced Selena’s demands on tour. While touring, she asked that no one around her be named or say the name “Justin.”

Selena Gomez ©Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock.com

Of course, it’s a pretty common name, so people named Justin in Selena’s entourage had to be called by a different name during the post-breakup period. Other than that, Gomez doesn’t seem to have any other outlandish requests.

34. Sam Smith

Request: An assistant for tying your shoelaces
Cost of Request: $5,000*

Sam Smith is not the kind of celebrity you could imagine making crazy demands, but he happens to make at least one superstar-worthy request. According to The Talko, his assistant sometimes ties Smith’s shoelaces for him.

Sam Smith ©Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock.com

In an interview with the BBC, the singer revealed how embarrassed he was that this was the case (it was the same interview where he admitted that he went through a phase where he wore new pants every day).  

35. Justin Timberlake

Request: A disinfectant for door handles
Cost of the Request: $500* 

Justin Timberlake has built up quite a reputation over the years as a singer, songwriter, actor, and, apparently, a man with a bit of a germ phobia. This means that he does not tolerate microbes well. Timberlake reportedly has a staff member sanitize every backstage door handle every two hours while he is on tour.

Justin Timberlake ©magicinfoto/Shutterstock.com

Best Life Online also claims that the singer demands the same at the hotels in which he stays. And, when he stays in these hotels, he asks to have an elevator just for him. We can’t even imagine what would happen if someone sneezed next to him.

36. Paula Abdul

Request: She wants those around her to constantly tell her that she is a “warrior”
Request Cost: N/A

Working for dancer, singer, and former American Idol judge Paula Abdul must be tough, and not only because her cat always follows her everywhere. A colleague of hers revealed that she makes her assistants “check on TV to see if anyone mentions her and record the footage to put on a DVD.”

Paula Abdul ©DFree/Shutterstock.com

It has also been reported that she repeatedly asks those around her to remind her that she is a “warrior, a survivor, and a godsend.” It’s one of those crazy celebrity stories that you hope isn’t true, but it probably is.

37. Christina Aguilera

Request: She doesn’t want to see sweets around her.
Request Cost: N/A 

Christina Aguilera is a talented musician and judge, but being a diva every day is not easy. While on tour, Aguilera follows a very healthy diet, and the “Stronger” singer takes no chances or cheat days.

Christina Aguilera ©DFree/Shutterstock.com

On her rider, she demands various healthy food items, including soy capsules and vitamin milk. She also requests that no sweets be in her presence, lest she gets tempted to nibble. When you’re a celebrity, dieting is far easier, as you can just banish temptation. 

38. Drake

Request: A ton of alcohol and natural incense
Cost of the Request: $30,000*

Drake is one of the most influential rappers on earth, with millions of fans around the world. He has a net worth nearing half a billion as of 2023. Drake leads a star life, and it shows through the requests he makes when he is on tour.