15 Of The Most Shocking Celeb Backstage Requests

Everyone has likely heard the story of Van Halen's ridiculous backstage request. Apparently, the band's rider included a clause that they were to get M&Ms back stage - but absolutely no brown ones were to be seen amongst the others. The tale has been blown up to serve as an example of crazy celebrity requests, but in that case, the request had a purpose - the band actually stuck the M&M clause in their rider to check if the venue was actually reading their list of important health and safety rules, as they had a very dangerous, technically demanding show. They knew that if they spotted a brown M&M, the venue was probably not particularly thorough in their review of the rider and requirements.

Now, while Van Halen had a legitimate reason for their high maintenance demand, let's be serious - most celebrities probably ask for crazy things just because they can. I mean, wouldn't you? If you could put in a request that something be waiting for you after you finished a long day of work, and the sky was the limit, you'd probably ask for some pretty insane things as well.

Regardless, checking out what celebrities request on their riders is a bit of a guilty pleasure for some. What type of flowers do they like? What type of snacks? Do they opt for just herbal tea, or do they stock their space with tons of alcohol for their crew to party?

Here are 15 shocking backstage requests that celebrities have made.

15 Animal print throw rug

Ever since Rihanna busted onto the scene as a sassy, stylish teen pop star from the Barbados, and she's become a huge superstar known for her willingness to take risks in her music and style - and to serve it all up with a healthy dose of RiRi swagger. Look, frankly, it's a miracle that RiRi isn't even more of a diva. It's tough to imagine what types of things she might request backstage, but there's one item on her rider in particular that stands out - and it's just as gloriously indulgent as you might expect from a pop superstar. Apparently, Rihanna's rider includes a request for a large, clean throw rug in an animal print - either cheetah or leopard. It must be clean, because Rihanna will be walking around on it barefoot. Hey, every woman kind of gets this one - after performing on stage in killer heels, we bet there's nothing better than taking off those shoes and luxuriating in a plush rug.

14 A 15-foot-tall fake tree

If you thought rock stars had the craziest backstage demands, you have to check out Will Ferrell's rider from his tour promoting Semi-Pro. You see, pop stars and celebrities request things like fresh flowers, curtains in specific colours, and other decor-related items that will help get them in the right headspace. Will Ferrell did something similar - although with a zanier twist. He requested items such as a three-wheel mobility scooter, a headset microphone (so he, too, could feel like a pop star), a rainbow on wheels and - the piece de resistance - a 15-foot tall fake tree on wheels. Now, most of the items on that list are weird but easily attainable, and the 'rainbow' item can be interpreted in many ways. The tree, though? It just seems like a logistical nightmare. Not all backstage spaces have 15 foot ceilings, so how would you fit the tree there if it literally didn't fit?

13 Homemade guacamole - made to a specific recipe

Rock star Jack White has many edibles on his rider, including things like chicken wings and fresh blackberries - standard fare. However, there was one particular item on his rider that made headlines because of just how bizarre it was - the guacamole. Now, guacamole itself isn't that crazy of a request - plenty of stars love avocados and guacamole. The crazy thing was he insisted that the backstage guac be prepared according to a very specific recipe, which he provided on the rider. It must be spiced up with Serrano peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and lime - fairly standard. Each avocado must be cut in a specific way and cubed rather than mashed - a little weirder. And then, he will only accept the guac if it's served around 5.00 pm and is fresh - no making it the day before and sticking it in the fridge at the venue. I mean, you've got to hand it to White - that shows true dedication to guac.

12 Framed Picture of Carl Sagan

Pharrell Williams has been tearing up the charts for years, and he's been even bigger lately thanks to a string of mega-hits, including the peppy “Happy” that everyone was obsessed with a few months ago. However, he has a particularly strange request on a rider that he put together for a 2015 tour - he absolutely needed a framed picture of cosmologist Carl Sagan backstage in order to perform. And, not only did he include it once - he allegedly wrote it on the rider twice to make sure the point really, really got across. Perhaps thinking of Sagan makes him think of the stars, and thus motivates him to shoot for the stars in every performance? Perhaps it makes him realize how small he is in the larger universe? Whatever the reasoning behind the request, you've got to admit it's kind of a strange one. Look out for a Carl Sagan-inspired jam on his next album, perhaps?

11 A menagerie

There are a few pop stars you might initially think of when you hear the word 'diva,' and Mariah Carey is without question one of them. Her crazy vocal range makes her truly unique, and she certainly knows it - fairly early in her career she became known for her diva-like demands, and that reputation has remained over the years. Though she's made a couple crazy requests, one tour rider in particular contained a request for real, live animals. To be more specific, she wanted 20 white kittens and 100 white doves. Look, we get wanting one or two kittens or puppies in your dressing room - they're adorable, and if we could just request a baby animal to appear at our workplace, we totally would. However… . why so many? Who is going to clean up after them? Does the rider also contain a request for food? Where do they go after Carey leaves for the next town? There are so many questions surrounding this bizarre request.

10 A vintage Maybach

When you've reached Jay Z's level of fame, you can pretty much request anything, right? Well, he's certainly tried to test that. On his rider for a certain tour, in addition to tons of alcohol for him and his crew to sip, he made a specific request - a vintage Maybach (1957 or 1962 models) with tinted windows. Look, we get the need for transportation - after the show has wrapped, you would probably want to go somewhere for a decent meal and not just nibble the backstage snacks you may have requested on your rider. However, we're betting Jay Z has plenty of drivers in any city he might go to, and could get any type of VIP rental car on a moment's notice. Why specifically the Maybach? Perhaps a childhood dream? Lesson learned - when you get super famous, don't waste your time requesting a luxury car, take things to the next level and request a specific model of a specific type of car.

9 A Bob Hope impersonator

Iggy Pop is known for requesting some fairly bizarre things backstage, but this one tops it all. Apparently, the rock star is a fan of comedian Bob Hope - but he didn't go small and request a recording of Hope's performances, or some type of reading material related to the funny man. Instead, he requested a literal Bob Hope impersonator to truly bring the Bob Hope experience to him backstage. Look, we get it - performing is probably fairly stressful, and you want to be able to relax. Some celebrities request some nice wine or spirits, Iggy Pop requests an impersonator of a legendary comic. The question is, did the same Bob Hope impersonator have to tag along throughout the entire tour, or was the backstage crew in each city tasked with finding a different impersonator? How many Bob Hope impersonators are out there? Did some backstage crew member just learn some Bob Hope material and hope for the best?

8 A photograph of Princess Diana

Britney Spears' many guilty pleasures are well documented, but when it comes to her backstage rider, it's not Frappuccinos that she's requesting - it's something a little bit more inspirational. Apparently, when Britney had a huge performance at The O2, a fantastic arena in London, she really wanted to get in the British spirit, so in addition to munching on fish and chips, she had a photograph of Princess Diana backstage. While Princess Diana is certainly an inspirational woman, one has to wonder why exactly Spears needed a photo of her backstage. Will her next tour rider perhaps include a request for a photo of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton? Is it a royalty thing - that having a photo of a former royal inspires her to truly shine on stage? Did she keep the photo after the performance was over? Does she request images of royalty from every country she visits? There are so many questions we would love to ask.

7 Christian Gray's toolbox - sort of

Goldfrapp are a British duo - comprised of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory - who have been in the music scene for over 15 years, and are said to be releasing another album sometime in 2017. However, we hope their rider demands have changed a little bit from their earlier touring years - or that their backstage crew is prepared for whatever happens. Back on a former tour rider, Goldfrapp requested a few, uh, questionable items - namely, a whip (specifically not PVC), a riding crop with a leather handle, and a table tennis bat. Perhaps they just need to get their pre-show tensions out by hitting things? Either way, we can only imagine the staff member pulling together the requested items for Goldfrapp's rider was scratching his or her head a little bit, and hoping he or she wouldn't be witness to anything X-rated.

6 A super-sized boa constrictor

If you were to guess any celebrity would put something ridiculous on their rider, you would likely think of a heavy metal star - after all, Ozzy Osbourne literally bit the head off a bat in a performance. Who knows what types of things they might want backstage? Well, Nikki Sixx, who rose to fame as a member of Motley Crue, had a particular slithering request on his rider during a tour - he wanted the backstage crew to procure him a boa constrictor. And not just any boa constrictor - it had to be, at the very least, 15 feet in length. First of all, we can't even imagine how terrifying it must be for the crew member responsible for handling the snake and transporting it from wherever you get a boa constrictor to Nikki Sixx's backstage area. And second - what happened when he was performing? Who watched the boa constrictor? Did he get VIP snack service too?

5 Two boxes of cornstarch

There are some celebrities who make backstage requests that are a shocking or even obscene, and then some that make requests that just seem plain bizarre. Trent Reznor, who rose to fame with Nine Inch Nails, is in the latter group. You see, back in the 90s when he was performing, there were a lot of crazy fashion trends - including leather pants. Reznor frequently performed in tight, tight leather pants, and as he was running around the stage they would obviously get sweaty, and then when it came time to take them off… no bueno. They were totally stuck. So, he took to requesting corn starch to sprinkle on them to help get them off. That's right - a rock star basically lived the episode of Friends where Ross can't get his leather pants off and smears his legs with all kinds of stuff, and he did it night after night.

4 A mannequin with puffy pink pubic hair

We can see why you might want a pink item backstage - countless celebrities ask for items in certain colours, generally white, to create a certain atmosphere. We can also see why you would want a mannequin - perhaps you want to see a stage outfit all laid out before you put it on. However, combining the two into this particular request seems, well, odd. However, Lady Gaga gets what Lady Gaga wants, and back when she was on tour in 2013, she wanted a mannequin with puffy pink public hair. I mean… what do you even do with the mannequin? If it's purely aesthetic, couldn't she just have asked for a piece of art to be hung backstage for her benefit? Although, this is a woman who wore a meat dress, amongst other crazy outfits, so perhaps it was all part of a larger plan? Some type of avant-garde backstage post-show?

3 A meeting with Vladimir Putin

After Lindsay Lohan broke up with her younger beau Egor Tarabasov, she was asked to be a guest on a Russian talk show, Pust govoryat. Some stars might have certain requests for the green room when they appear on a talk show (although the majority of talk shows treat their guests pretty well), and Lindsay Lohan certain did - in order to make an appearance on the show and discuss her failed relationship, she requested a private jet, complete with onboard makeup artist, manicurist and hairstylist to ensure she showed up looking her best, a penthouse suite, a 1-year Russian visa (should she wish to visit again, I guess?) as well as… a meeting with Vladimir Putin. I mean, you have to admire her willingness to ask, but at the same time, who just asks for a meeting with someone so important just for appearing on a talk show? Visiting British starlets weren't demanding to see Obama just because they did a press tour through the late night talk shows.

2 A custom ferry

Jennifer Lopez has had several diva-ish rider requests, most commonly involving tons and tons of white fabrics, white flowers, and sometimes requesting that no staff at the venue speak to her. However, one request that she made at the 2010 American Music Awards topped it all. Apparently, J.Lo needed to travel from Cannes to Monaco - and she wanted to do so in style. So, she requested a custom, all decked out ferry with faux leather seats and a fridge specifically for champagne so she could sip bubbly while looking totally chic. I mean, if you thought the vintage Maybach was bad, at least you can rest assured that Jay Z wasn't asking for a literal boat. What, like J.Lo can't afford dock fees? If she wants to travel via a styling ferry so badly, perhaps she should just rent one for the day (or week) and do her own thing.

1 Titanium drinking straws

Okay, let's be real - when you're Beyoncé, you can pretty much demand whatever you want and people will more than likely give it to you. However, this request was particularly strange. For her time at London's O2 arena, Beyoncé had a long list of demands, including $900 titanium drinking straws that were to help her consume alkaline water served at precisely 21 degrees. Look, we get that singers often have temperature requirements for water - some prefer hot or room temperature in order to keep their vocal cords ready. However… we're not sure why you need crazy expensive straws to consume it. Although, this is a diva who also requested that members of her crew only wear 100% pure cotton clothing in order to eliminate the risk of Bey having any type of allergic reaction, so she's definitely not afraid to demand what she wants. The question is, does water taste any sweeter from luxe titanium straws?