ITT we make our own "celebrity riders"
 

"What’s a Rider?
A rider is what the industry people call the full contractual list of requirements that a talent asks of the event organizers and producers. Often, it contains instructions about certain conditions and requirements, which can range from stage-related needs to backstage needs. And now and then, often with the biggest acts with household names, the backstage demands can be so bizarre that even production staffs who should already be so inured against the most baffling of demands, would still give pause."


Some examples:
Lady Gaga demands a Mannequin with puffy pink pubic hair, White leather couches, fresh roses and black satin drapes, Old rock posters of David Bowie, Queen, Elton John and Billie Holiday, Peanut butter with flax seed that contain no more than 4g of sugar.

Madonna: A 200-person entourage that includes 30 bodyguards, personal chefs, a yoga instructor, an acupuncturist and an on-site dry cleaner, 20 international phone lines, Lilies and white and light-pink roses that have stems trimmed to precisely 6 inches

Mariah Carey: 20 white kittens and 100 doves (WTF :eek:), $200 bottle of cabernet sauvignon, Two dozen white roses and vanilla aromatherapy candles, No busy patterns in the living room space, Her room should be about 75 degrees

Kanye West:
Imported and recut Versace towels, Any chauffeur who drives him must wear 100% cotton clothes, "no man-made fibers."

and on Adele's list: Any fan who scores free tickets has to make a donation to charity, no exceptions. (I like this one, personally.)


SO, YOU are a huge international celebrity and your tour rider can have anything you want on it. What's on the list?

Sometimes the backstage demands are the results of over-inflated egos and self-aggrandizement, but not always. Van Halen's contractual requirement that there be a bowl of M&Ms backstage with all of the brown M&Ms removed is one example.

These concert contracts are incredibly long and detailed. They don't just have requirements for the green room, they also have specifications on how the stage, lighting, sound equipment, etc., are to be set up. There are lots of safety considerations involved. So the "no brown M&Ms rule" worked as a test -- sort of a canary in the mine shaft. If the band came backstage before a show and found brown M&Ms, then they knew the contract hadn't been read carefully. And that meant that all of the bigger stuff on stage needed to be double-checked before anyone went on stage.

That's genius!

I thought about it and mine would be:

Jar of dill pickles
Cherry Pepsi
TV/DVD player/all 7 HP movies
Green Listerine strips
Flip flops

Cheesecake
Summer Shandy
Root Beer Floats
A soft serve ice cream machine and a sundae bar
Puppies. Lots and lots of puppies.
A mini horse.

My real rider requires room temperature water at the podium and that I am introduced by a student where possible.

My make-believe rider involves strippers.

Strawberries
Diet Coke
Comfy couch and blanket
A copy of whatever book I'm currently reading
Sushi

Best post of the day! Every day there is a post that I just love for it's humor or snarkiness or cleverness. This is it!

I wanna know what Mariah does with all those kittens! :eek:

I'd request:

Diet Coke
A cell phone charger
Criminal Minds on DVD & TV to watch said show on
Peanut Butter M&M's

lol lollllll

Thaaanks!

My rider: Beyonce must be present. Also, assorted snacks and water would be nice. Oh, and a pack of gum (preferably minty, not cinnamon or other BS).

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I have worked in a lot of riders and I have seen a few fun ones. You can tell how fun and carefree some people are through the rider.

Here's one:
- Some bottles of water (3)
- One bottle of either Strawberry Naked juice or Odwalla juice (if you can get it, I love it. Otherwise, just some juice)
- Small bag of pretzels or chips or something like that
- Some sort of chocolate (if you feel like it)

Lactose free chocolate milk/regular coke unopened in a can
Straws
Milkduds
an area for my dogs (in my imagination I have two fairly sizable ones)
Pita chips and hummus (no onions included)
Green grapes washed and off the stem
Green olives/sweet pickles in an unopened jar

Bottled water
licorice both black and red
good and plenty's
recliner
TV
private bathroom
a private chef

Private jet
Private car with driver
Someone to go get me whatever I want on a moment's notice, depending on my current whim or craving
Soundproof, spotless, private dressing room that is comfy
No one who is grumpy or mean is allowed in my presence (even though I am demanding, I am still cheerful and polite)

Mine would include diet coke (fountain with fresh ice available), dark chocolate, JIF peanut butter, Honey Maid graham crackers and bananas. Sound system with Sirius XM and iPhone hookups, Woodwick vanilla candles, AC system with in room controls, current local and national newspapers and while I'm at it 100% compostable cups and utensils and recycling available everywhere in back of house.

Having said that, nothing is going to top http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backsta...ck/iggy-pop-06, http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backsta...oo-fighters-08 or behold http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documen...r-rider-872903.

Found this when looking up the Iggy rider I posted above. Can't breathe from laughter. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backsta...ck/iggy-pop-12

Does Mariah Carey set the white kittens on the doves and watch the ensuing blood bath?

I don't think y'all are crazy enough in your demands. (Except for maybe IrishLake.)

Fresh-cut flower arrangements, preferably white or predominantly white; any roses must be white
Three puppies no more than three months of age, two of which should be small- to medium-sized breeds (the third can be toy or large)
Three bottles of good Moscato or Moscato d'Asti
Top shelf rum, vodka, and whiskey + some mixers
A 12-pack of Vanilla Coke
A 12-pack of Coke made with real sugar (or 10-pack if you have to import it as long as the volume is equivalent and it comes in cans)
High speed wi-fi, the best you can get--I want HBO Go to load videos instantly
Hot tub in my room that can comfortably hold six people
Selection of designer bikinis in my size
Unlimited room service with exotic cuisine
Flat screen TV (minimum 52", 60"+ preferred)
Access to a private gym

That sounds about perfect. Party in my room, with puppies. You're all invited but you'll have to bring you own dvds and strippers if that's what you're into.

^^^ I think you also need a "puppy handler" to take the puppies out, clean up after them, etc., because that's not something you should have to do.

I thought about that, but then there would always be a stranger hanging around. I actually don't mind cleaning up after the little guys as long as carpet isn't involved. Hmm... something to consider.

The puppy handler could wait outside the party suite, and only be beckoned in as needed. The puppy handler would not be allowed to make eye contact with you or any of your guests, obviously.

Man. You are good at this. If and when I DO become a celebrity diva, I'm going to have you look over my list of demands before I hand it over.