Buzz
Just because they're in the spotlight doesn't mean they're immune to eccentricities. Whether it's bizarre stunts, strange videos, or quirky concoctions, these stars have left us all questioning their sanity.
10. Show of Suicide Solidarity
Marilyn Manson, the notorious shock rocker of the '90s, was the name every parent feared. His associations with Satanism, Anton LaVey, and even smoking human bones were enough to send chills down your spine.
In 2001, Manson raised the bar on outrageous behavior. During his performance at Ozzfest, he chose to engage with a security guard in an extremely unsettling way—wrapping his legs around the man's head and rubbing his groin against him, all while clad in nothing but pantyhose and a leather thong. Unsurprisingly, the 25-year-old guard, Joshua Keasler, filed charges of battery and sexual assault against Manson. While the sexual assault charge was later dropped, Manson was fined $4,000 after pleading no contest in 2002.
In 2013, Paris Jackson, the daughter of Michael Jackson, reportedly attempted suicide after being denied permission to attend a Marilyn Manson concert. She allegedly tried to cut her wrists with a meat cleaver after ingesting 20 Motrin pills. Jackson was rushed to a hospital and placed under observation for recovery. During the concert, Marilyn Manson dedicated his song 'Disposable Teens' to her and even dragged a meat cleaver across his own forearm as a show of solidarity with the then-15-year-old girl.
9. Everything Shia LaBeouf Has Ever Done
Shia LaBeouf, the actor who once seemed so 'normal' in films like Transformers, became one of the most bizarre figures in Hollywood. LaBeouf faced accusations of plagiarism and even plagiarized his own apology for it. At one point, he appeared on the red carpet wearing a paper bag with the words 'I am not famous anymore' written on it, leaving his fans dumbfounded. At 28, he also decided to feature in a Sia music video with 11-year-old Maddie Ziegler, where the two were seen tussling in skin-colored leotards and shorts.
Sia’s social media accounts were bombarded with angry reactions from viewers who felt the video carried disturbing connotations of child molestation, pedophilia, and abuse. Despite this, Sia quickly apologized, but the controversy did not stop the video from achieving over 4 million views on YouTube within just one day.
Many of LaBeouf's eccentric acts were dismissed as 'art exhibitions' or 'performance art.' However, one particularly baffling incident in 2015 saw him livestreaming himself watching all of his movies in reverse chronological order. He invited people to join him in the theater, where the waiting line lasted 12 hours. During the screenings, he shook numerous hands, appeared confused at times, and even took naps in the aisles before returning to the screen.
8. The Enigma of Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage has made a name for himself as the king of over-the-top facial expressions, swearing, and, of course, leather jackets. His obsession with jackets became so intense that one morning, he woke up to find a man standing at the foot of his bed, clad only in one of Cage's leather jackets, eating a Fudgsicle. Cage's penchant for spending money knew no bounds—he once bought a stolen dinosaur skull and, in 2007, purchased the notoriously haunted LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans, hoping it would inspire him to write a horror novel. However, that book was never completed.
Over the years, Cage's eccentric purchases included Leaf Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, shrunken pygmy heads, and even a pyramid-shaped tomb. His most bizarre purchase? A $150,000 octopus, which he hoped would improve his acting skills.
The octopus, however, didn't seem to make much of a difference. In his latest project, *History of Swear Words*, Cage is essentially his usual self, but with even more exaggerated energy (and a truly odd hair dye job).
7. All We Smell Is... Lady Gaga
Despite her impressive vocal range and an Oscar to her name, Lady Gaga will likely always be most remembered for her eccentric outfits, such as wearing a meat dress, bleeding during performances, and arriving at an awards ceremony in an egg. She also managed to send Eminem into a state of shock when she accepted an award from him completely covered in red lace, with a red crown perched on her head.
In 2013, reports surfaced that Lady Gaga found herself in an awkward situation backstage on the *Late Night* show, where she could only make it to a dressing room and ended up squatting over a trash can. The strangest part of this incident, however, wasn't even Gaga’s doing. Andy Cohen, after seeing the situation unfold, collected the singer's urine in a bottle, which one of his assistants then turned into a scented perfume.
6. That’s Captain… Jack Sparrow
Johnny Depp has long been known for his quirky personality, even beyond his iconic film roles. In the early 90s, he would conduct interviews with what sounded like an American English accent, but over time, his accent evolved from British to Irish to Australian. Depp also honored a friend's last wish by having the ashes of Hunter S. Thompson fired out of a cannon after Thompson’s suicide in 2005. Depp's career as an actor was actually encouraged by Nicolas Cage, whom he met in the 80s. At the time, Depp was focused on music, but after a game of Monopoly, Cage convinced him to try acting, which led to Depp meeting Cage’s agent and landing his first role in *A Nightmare On Elm Street*.
Over the years, Depp has engaged in some truly bizarre behavior, including recording a strange video with his then-wife, Amber Heard, apologizing for bringing their dogs to Australia. Months later, he humorously claimed that he had 'killed and eaten' his dogs 'under direct orders from some kind of, I don’t know, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia.'
In his early 21 Jump Street days, Johnny Depp once defaced a promotional billboard featuring his own face because he wasn't pleased with how his character was portrayed. Once security realized who he was, they let him continue without interruption.
5. Pop princess on a downward spiral
The 90s gifted us with an endless parade of pop icons and boy bands, such as The Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Christina Aguilera, The Spice Girls, NSYNC, and of course, Britney Spears. After the cancellation of The Mickey Mouse Club, Spears returned home, and in just five years, she opened for NSYNC on her first major concert tour, propelling her to superstardom. Her journey was marked by a highly publicized relationship with Justin Timberlake, a controversial kiss with Madonna, a 55-hour first marriage, and a messy second marriage to Kevin Federline. In 2007, she shaved her head, attacked a photographer’s car with an umbrella, lost custody of her children, all while working on her fifth album, “Blackout.”
Things began to improve for Spears toward the end of 2008, but the legal battle over her finances continues. Her father still holds the role of her conservator. In late 2020, Spears raised concerns among her fans when she posted an Instagram video passionately describing how much she loved her summer, yet her messy hair and smeared makeup made it unsettling. Two months later, she seemed to mock herself by posting multiple Instagram updates in the same outfit, further alarming her followers. Fans can only hope that things improve when the conservatorship is reviewed in February 2021.
4. I’mma let you finish…
Amidst the many strange events involving Kanye West, it's easy to forget the significant impact he had on shaping mainstream hip hop in the 21st century. His controversial moments, including outbursts at award shows, his ties to former President Donald Trump, and his near-marriage to Kim Kardashian, have often overshadowed his long-standing achievements in the music industry.
Things took a darker turn for Kanye in 2018 when he made the infamous comment about slavery: 'When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.' This statement sparked intense criticism, prompting him to apologize. He further ignited controversy by defending figures like R. Kelly and Bill Cosby, which only worsened the situation.
In a bizarre twist, Kanye declared on July 4th, 2020 that he would run for president that year. Despite receiving support from Elon Musk, his campaign failed to gain traction, and he ended up with a mere 0.04% of the national vote.
3. Things aren’t as bad as they seem
In 2016, Azealia Banks shocked followers by posting videos of herself cleaning a closet filled with decaying chickens, blood, and feathers, claiming it was part of her witchcraft practice. But her January 2021 posts took the shock factor even further, as she posted disturbing footage seemingly showing her cooking the corpse of her cat, Lucifer, which she had exhumed three months after his death.
After facing heavy criticism, Azealia Banks defended herself, clarifying, 'No, I didn’t eat the cat, and I especially did not eat a cat that’s been dead for three months.' She explained that what was shown in the videos was part of a taxidermy process. Banks further clarified that the skull she held up wasn’t her deceased cat’s, but a human skull she had purchased online. She went on to say the skull belonged to a six-year-old girl who had died from head trauma.
2. Armie the Cannibal?
2021 has already been a tumultuous year for Armie Hammer, and we’re only in January. The disturbing DMs allegedly sent by Hammer, which are still unverified, have caused quite a stir. In the messages, Hammer supposedly discusses dark fantasies, including rape, mutilation, and cannibalism. Several women shared screenshots of these messages in January 2021, claiming they were sent by the actor. His credibility further eroded due to a 2015 Playboy interview where he discussed BDSM, along with a leaked Instagram video showing a lingerie-clad woman lounging on a bed, while Hammer referred to her as 'Ms. Cayman.' He was quick to release an apology to the Miss Cayman Islands Universe Committee.
Hammer also sparked controversy in July 2019 after sharing a video in which his 2-year-old son was seen sucking on his toes for a full seven minutes. Fans found the footage to be not only repulsive but also highly inappropriate and disturbing.
1. Let Me Be Frank
Kevin Spacey was once a celebrated actor, winning prestigious roles and accolades, including a Golden Globe and five consecutive Emmy Awards. However, his career took a drastic turn in October 2017 when he was accused of sexual misconduct. Netflix swiftly severed ties with him, removing him from the final season of House of Cards and canceling his film, Gore. In the same month, Spacey publicly came out as gay while apologizing to his first accuser, actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed that Spacey made a sexual advance toward him in 1986 when Spacey was 26 and Rapp was just 14. Over 30 other individuals came forward with similar allegations, including eight people connected to House of Cards.
In a baffling move, Spacey posted a video on Christmas Eve 2018, dressed in a Santa apron and mimicking his character Frank Underwood from House of Cards. In the video, he delivers lines like, 'You wouldn’t rush to judgment without facts, would you?'
Spacey again revived his Frank Underwood persona in 2019, posting another YouTube video on Christmas Eve. In this one, he eerily says, 'You didn’t really think I was going to miss the opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas, did you?'
