Celebrities are often idolized and made up to seem like demigods. Some people seek out and buy items that their idol touched or used for extreme amounts of money. Some of the strangest items that went up for auction include chewed out gum, a tooth, and a used tissue.
David Bowie’s Handwritten Lyrics – Last week a single sheet of autographed paper with the handwritten lyrics of Bowie’s hit song “The Jean Genie” was auctioned off at the Paddle8 Auctions for $27,084. It was originally given to Neal Peters, who is the president of the Original David Bowie Fan Club, Peters gave it up for auction at the starting bid of $20,000,
Scarlett Johansson’s Used Tissue – While the actress was on the Tonight Show, she complained about having a cold. The host, Jay Leno, handed her a tissue to use, and then sealed in a plastic bag signed by Johansson. Leno later placed the bag with its contents for a silent auction on eBay for 99 cents, where it attracted 83 bids. It was sold for $5,300 and the money was given to USA Harvest charity.
Justin Timberlake’s French Toast – In 2001, at the height of N Sync’s stardom, the band was doing a radio interview in New York. Timberlake was served a plate of french toast, which he didn’t finish. Rather than throwing away the leftovers, employees at the station wrapped it up and placed it on eBay. The breakfast meal was sold to a 19-year-old fan for $3,154; the money went to Timberlake’s favorite charities.
Britney Spears’ Gum – A piece of chewed up gum claimed to be Spears’ was listed on eBay in 2004. The seller included pictures of the gum and a copy of the concert ticket, but there was no certification of the authenticity. The seller competed with himself on the site and pushed the price into the hundreds, it was finally sold for $14,000 to a young fan.
Brangelina’s Breath in a Jar – At the Mr. and Mrs. Smith film premiere a fan claimed that he obtained the air of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt while they were walking down the red carpet. There was no actual evidence that proved the authenticity, the jar was sold on online casino site goldenpalace.com for $529.99 to an unknown fan.
Marilyn Monroe’s X-Rays – The legendary beauty icon had many health issues towards the end of her life and career, caused by constant stress and psychotherapy. After her death in 1962, three x-rays of her chest and her partial medical history that were taken in a Florida hospital were sold for $45,000 to a wealthy man in California.
Source: www.two-views.com
Justin Bieber’s Hair – The infamous Bieber gave a piece of his hair to Ellen DeGeneres on the Ellen Show, who placed the follicles into an autographed plastic box. After 98 bids she sold the locks on eBay for $40,668, the money went to an animal rescue organization, The Gentle Barn Foundation.
John Lennon’s Tooth – After a dentist visit, Lennon gave one of his teeth to his housekeeper because her daughter was a fan of The Beatles. The tooth was bought for $30,000 by Canadian dentist Michael Zuk at a UK-based auction house Omega Auctions.
James Blunt’s Sister – Before his fame, the singer advertised his sister Emily on eBay because she needed money for transport to get to a funeral in Ireland. A wealthy businessman, Guy Harrison, won the bid and took Blunt and his sister to Ireland in his helicopter. This unconventional meeting resulted in the marriage of Harrison and E. Blunt three years later.
The only redeemable factor about the purchases of these items is that the money went to a good cause. However, owning something so personal as a piece of someone’s hair or teeth is still very bizarre and obsessive.
