Entertainment
Top 10 Surprising Celebrity Hobbies
Celebrities, they’re just like us, just ask Jennifer Lawrence at every interview she’s ever done! But, really, they are human beings and when they’re not out filming and promoting television shows or movies, or playing whichever sport has made them famous, or even… Doing whatever the Kardashian’s do that makes them famous, they have hobbies just like “normal” people do. So, we scoured the internet to look through years of interviews and articles describing the interesting hobbies of top celebs that you and I look up to, in order to find the Top 10 most interesting hobbies for different celebrities. So strap in and prepare to have your perceptions of people you think you know changed as we delve into the personal lives of those who have millions of followers on social media and even more millions of dollars in the bank.
10. Johnny Depp and Barbie?
Johnny Depp’s wild spending habits have been in the news for the past few years but popped up again this week as his lawsuit against his former management company is becoming more and more public. Depp, who was the highest paid actor in the world for most of the early-to-mid aughts, has come out to say that the estimates for things like his monthly wine spending budget were “offensive”, as the estimates were way too low. It was reported that he spent $30,000 a month on wine, something that he said he spent far more on. Beyond that, he also famously spent millions to shoot his former friend, legendary gonzo reporter Hunter S. Thompson’s ashes into the air out of a custom made cannon. So, there’s not a ton that will surprise you about Depp’s spending and hobbies, at least until now. It’s been reported that Depp LOVES him some Barbie dolls. That’s right, Jack Sparrow, has an expensive Barbie doll collection, something that he hasn’t attempted to hide. When asked about his Barbie collection Depp saying playing with the dolls was something he was “good at”. He’s collected doll version of characters he’s played in film and also has Barbies and dolls for High School Musical, Beyonce and more. He uses the dolls to get into character while filming movies and also to bond with his kids.
9. Azealia Banks and Witch Craft
If you’ve ever ended up on the weird part of YouTube you’ll know that there are a lot of people out there that believe that basically everyone in Hollywood is part of some sort of coven of witches that loves a form of the devil called the Baphomet, which is all part of the Stone Masons. So, while calling Azealia Banks a celebrity in 2018 might be a stretch, her interest in witchcraft is too interesting not to be covered. She infamously posted (and then deleted) a post on Instagram back a few years ago that stated that she practices witchcraft in a room (or closet) that she specifically used for animal sacrifices (namely chickens). In the post she shared a video of herself cleaning up the blood of chickens which had dried on the wall as well as feathers and the bodies of two dead chickens. She referred to what she was doing as “brujera”, a Spanish word for witchcraft and that she had been doing it for three years. The post stated “Real witches do real things” while she was operating a sandblaster to get the blood off the wall. Even if you’re not a fan of PETA you had to feel for those chickens and the backlash from animal lovers was strong as was the backlash from those who believe that Hollywood is evil. It was just one of a ton of hits to the image of Azealia, which can partially explain why she hasn’t been relevant since. Apparently she did those spells wrong.
8. Mike Tyson and Pigeons
If there’s one person you wouldn’t want to anger in this world you’d have to think it was former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Perhaps the most powerful boxer of all-time, Tyson had a reputation during his prime of being a person who was extremely volatile, angry and genuinely scary. While that image has softened as of late thanks to roles in films like ‘The Hangover’ and also his one man show that showed that he’s actually a very intelligent and genuinely funny person. Before people became to love Tyson, it was reported that he was a big fan of pigeons (which means that he’s probably got a bone to pick with the aforementioned Azealia Banks) and that he has spent a lot of money on rare pigeon breeds that he keeps in a coop. He has attended multiple pigeon pageants and has even spent time training his birds to be the best “racers” they can be. He also wants to bring the hobby to the newer and younger generations and has said “Take this opportunity at a young age to enhance your responsibility and enjoy it”. Well said, Mike. Well said.
7. Paris Hilton Loves to “Hunt” Frogs
Another former celeb, Paris Hilton has done something most celebrities would never think of, as she’s basically consciously stopped trying to be famous. It was always reported that Paris wasn’t as stupid as she let on while out in public or on reality shows and the amount of money that she has made off of her brand and companies is proof of that. So, it’s not that surprising that she’s decided to step away from the public eye as she’s matured, as she no longer needs that image to promote her numerous companies. Despite that, though, she still does give interviews from time to time and one of the things that surprised her fans and people in general, especially those that watched her reality show with Nicole Richie, that she loves catching frogs outside of her ranch(es). That show, The Simple Life, showed Hilton as someone who was a prima donna and thus afraid of being dirty, or doing anything that seems gross. So, it’s surprising that she loves catching frogs, something that she got heat for from the animal rights community, because of course she did. She defended her frog hunting practices as “humane” as she always releases the frogs back into the wild. This is one of the few hobbies on this list that humanizes the celebrity, and shows that perhaps the reputation that a famous person has doesn’t fully describe who they are and what they are about.
6. Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak and Segway Polo
In what seems like the most stereotypical thing a person with too much money can do, the beloved Steve “Woz” Wozniak has said (and been pictured) playing a new sport called Segway polo. Polo typically is played on horses and while that’s still the case, there is a new off-shoot for the top 1% that involves the players riding Segways. There is actually a league for this game, which perhaps unsurprisingly plays in Silicon Valley, and Wozniak plays this sport for a team called The Silicon Valley Aftershocks all around the world. A few summers ago he played in the Segway Polo World Championships in Cologne, Germany and because of his participation and support for the league the trophy for that Championship was named after him (the “Woz Cup”). Beyond the sport Woz loves riding his Segway everywhere he can, stating:
“When I want to go into town, or I want to buy something, I’ll take the Segway, and I’m into town in 10 minutes. And I feel happy, I got to skip the whole car thing. The Segway has brought a lot to my life”. If that’s not an amazing sales pitch, I don’t know what is.
5. Angelina Jolie and Daggers
Back before she met and married Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie was known as perhaps the wildest child in Hollywood. From wearing a vial of her then husband Billy Bob Thornton’s blood to making out with her brother on the red carpet, Jolie was considered such a liability that she was drug tested everyday on the set of the blockbuster film ‘Tomb Raider’. Getting married and having/adopting kids seemed to calm her down and especially when she joined the UN she became the face of charity and the good that can come from celebrity. Apparently she still maintained some of her wild habits, though, as she stated in a 2008 interview with W Magazine that she collected daggers. The story behind her dagger collection is actually pretty heartwarming as it was something that her mom got her into before she passed away. She only collects dull blades so she can share the hobby with her son, Maddox, and she also has used the daggers to talk to her son about violence. Beyond that she also talked to her son about “Samurais and about the idea of defending someone as good. We talk about everything.” That shows you how sharing a hobby can help open up discussions about life with your kids and while it may seem like an odd hobby it’s something that has clearly brought so much joy to her life and the life of her child[ren], so who really can get mad at that? Don’t answer that.
4. Taylor Swift and Snow Globes
Taylor Swift very well may be the most famous person on the planet and while she is generally beloved there are people that think she’s basically a sociopath that has a vice like grip on her public image. So, take the following with a grain of salt as it very well may be something she’s calculated to make her look like a normal and sentimental person like some sort of celebrity robot (something that you’ll also hear on the weird part of YouTube). Either way you slice it, though, it’s pretty cute that Taylor, who is known to love DIY and arts and crafts. She loves to share her creations with her fans and a big part of that comes around the holidays when she’s shared her snow globe collection with her fans. Most Christmases Swift has shared the snow globes that she’s built for friends and family online, which has to be a pretty disappointing present from someone who has enough money to actually make it snow. Either way the gifts she gives for what has been branded “Swiftmas” show that she’s a giving person, or perhaps that she wants you to believe that she is. Either way, I’m sure those globes are worth a pretty penny considering, so perhaps it’s not as disappointing a gift as some may think.
3. Tom Hanks and Type Writers
While Taylor Swift may be the most famous person on the planet it’s arguable that there is no person that is more beloved in the world than actor Tom Hanks. The best actor of his generation and an all around nice guy, Hanks could easily run for any office he wants and win in a landslide. There are actually groups that keep track of the likeability, trust factor and other factors when it comes to celebrities and it’s actually a quantifiable fact that Hanks is super beloved and trusted by people which makes it surprising that he hasn’t ever really thrown his brand behind another brand for sponsorship purposes as he could make a(n) (another) fortune pitching credit cards or cell phone services. The one thing that he would actually sponsor are vintage typewriters, something that he loves and has collected for years. “There is no reason to own hundreds of old typewriters other than the sing of misguided avarice (guilty!)” Hanks wrote in a 2013 op-ed, ending any chance that he’d become the face of the vintage typewriting industry. Why does he like them so much? Mainly because of the sounds that they make (perhaps it’s an ASMR thing for him)? Hanks did actually create an app called Hanx Writer that brings the font of old-school manual typewriters to smart phones so perhaps he’s making money off of this dead industry after all.
2. Shailene Woodley makes her Own Toothpaste, Lotions, etc.
Shailene Woodley, star of the Divergent films, has always been a unique person. The definition of a “woke” celebrity, she has been outspoken about a lot of different issues since she became famous a few years ago. That far left message is something she actually lives, which is actually rare in a world where celebrities who talk about environmental issues, for example, leave a gigantic carbon footprint thanks to their private planes and gigantic, air-conditioned homes and/or use of plastic and eating of meat/animal products. Woodley isn’t one of those celebrities, which she made clear during an interview with Flaunt Magazine in 2013. In that interview she stated that she makes her own toothpaste, lotions, face oils, medicines and cheese. Beyond that she even “forages for food” which apparently is part of a lifestyle, perhaps a palio lifestyle, which is a diet that is thought to be as close to what humans used to eat back during the hunter/gatherer days. This wasn’t just a phase, either, as she brought Jimmy Fallon some natural immune system boosters when she was on The Tonight Show a few years ago as well. Granted, she probably took a plane to get there, but nobodies perfect.
1. Bob Barker and Chuck Norris
There’s no more beloved game show host than Bob Barker, who hosted The Price is Right for decades (while also hosting other shows back in his prime/the 60’s). Retiring a few years ago so Drew Carrey could take over, Barker is still alive and kicking at the ripe old age of 92. It could be said that his longevity is based on his workout routine, one that he has talked about in his autobiography titled “Priceless Memories”. Half his lifetime ago, at the age of 45, Barker actually took up karate as a way to stay in shape and burn off anxious energy and he actually trained under none other than Chuck Norris. That sounds like the recipe for a perfect internet story/meme but it’s true, as Barker stated “We started out here on my lawn and then I started parking my car on the driveway and made the garage into a karate studio”. For those of you that have seen the Adam Sandler film ‘Happy Gilmore’ it actually finally makes a whole lot of sense as to why Barker was the only one that could best Gilmore in a fight. While he didn’t bust out any karate moves in that fight, he was able to really hurt Gilmore during one of the most famous film fights in Hollywood history (not to mention one of the best one liners of all-time in “The Price is Wrong… B****”.