Top 20 Craziest Things Celebs Did for Attention

It is not exactly new for famous people to pull big stunts when the cameras are rolling. Awards shows, red carpets, and live appearances have turned into stages where a single moment can overshadow an entire project. Some choices were planned down to the last detail while others seemed to happen right in front of everyone without warning.

Here are twenty headline making moments that show how far star power can stretch. Each one is grounded in what happened when and where along with what followed after. No guesses about motives and no filler. Just the what and the aftermath that kept the story going.

Lady Gaga

At the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Lady Gaga arrived wearing a dress made from raw beef. The look was created by designer Franc Fernandez and styled by Nicola Formichetti and it included matching beef shoes a headpiece and a clutch. Photographs of the red carpet moment ran worldwide within hours.

Gaga later explained that the dress was meant to raise awareness about rights for service members at the time connected to the debate around the United States military policy known as Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. The outfit was preserved and eventually displayed as an art piece after being treated to prevent decay which kept the discussion going long after the show ended.

Kim Kardashian

In 2014 Kim Kardashian posed for the Winter issue of Paper Magazine with a cover line that said Break the Internet. The shoot was photographed by Jean Paul Goude and recreated his earlier champagne balancing image. The main cover and the inside spread were released online and across social media at the same time which pushed the magazine far beyond its usual audience.

The issue generated a large spike in search interest and publication traffic and the publication followed up with behind the scenes content to extend the coverage window. The images also sparked commentary about photo manipulation and homage which kept the conversation active for weeks.

Miley Cyrus

During the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Miley Cyrus performed We Can’t Stop before joining Robin Thicke for Blurred Lines. The performance used foam props giant teddy bears and a blend of her song with his and it featured twerking that drew extensive media coverage.

The night led to a surge in downloads and streams for the songs involved and the routine became one of the most replayed moments from the broadcast. Broadcast regulators received complaints and the show’s producers addressed the reaction in post show interviews which prolonged the news cycle around the appearance.

Joaquin Phoenix

In late 2008 Joaquin Phoenix said he was leaving acting to pursue a rap career then maintained that position across public appearances. In 2009 he went on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ with a beard sunglasses and brief answers which prompted widespread speculation about his plans.

In 2010 the feature ‘I’m Still Here’ was released with Casey Affleck credited as director and it revealed the entire episode as a work of performance captured documentary style. Phoenix returned to ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ afterward to discuss the project which clarified the timeline and intent behind the two year stretch.

Sacha Baron Cohen

At the 2009 MTV Movie Awards Sacha Baron Cohen appeared in character as Brüno and descended from the ceiling on wires. The stunt ended with him landing in Eminem’s seat which caused the rapper to get up and leave the venue in visible frustration.

Days later Eminem and Cohen’s team confirmed the moment had been rehearsed and approved which reframed the incident as a staged gag. The show capitalized on the buzz by replaying the segment across its channels and the film promotion benefited from the extra attention as its release approached.

Madonna

During the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards Madonna performed with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera in wedding dresses before revealing a black tuxedo look. In the middle of the routine Madonna kissed Spears and then Aguilera while the broadcast camera cut to reaction shots in the audience.

The moment dominated post show headlines and became a signature image from that year’s ceremony. It also coincided with promotion for new music which kept Madonna in music press coverage and general news at the same time extending the life of the performance beyond a single night.

Kanye West

At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Kanye West went onstage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance for Best Female Video. He took the microphone during her speech and addressed the audience before leaving the stage which interrupted the presentation and halted the show format.

West later issued apologies through multiple channels and the network referenced the interruption in subsequent broadcasts. The incident became a cultural reference point and was replayed in highlight packages for years which kept both artists linked in discussions about live television flashpoints.

Justin Bieber

In 2013 Justin Bieber visited the Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam and signed the guestbook. His note expressed admiration and added that he hoped Anne would have been a fan which the museum shared in a public post.

The message prompted a wide reaction that was covered by international outlets and the museum responded by clarifying the tone of the visit while maintaining its original post. The episode broadened attention on the museum’s social media presence and sparked discussions about celebrity behavior in historical spaces.

Angelina Jolie

In the early two thousands Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton wore small vials containing each other’s blood on necklaces. The pendants were visible at events and were referenced in interviews which made them a recurring talking point during their marriage.

After the couple separated Jolie addressed the necklaces in later profiles by noting that the vials were simple keepsakes not large containers as some reports suggested. The clarification helped correct early descriptions while preserving the details that made the items stand out at the time.

Dennis Rodman

In 1996 Dennis Rodman arrived at a New York event wearing a full white wedding dress to promote his book Bad As I Wanna Be. He complemented the look with a veil and makeup and posed for photographs while riding in a horse drawn carriage.

The stunt delivered front page images and tied directly to the book’s release schedule which placed Rodman on talk shows and press stops that week. The visual was reused in later retrospectives of his career and remained one of the most referenced moments from his off court life.

Tom Cruise

In 2005 Tom Cruise appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ to discuss his relationship with Katie Holmes. During the interview he stood on the couch and expressed excitement which the program replayed during the same episode.

Clips of the appearance circulated widely online as media sites expanded their video sections that year. The interview coincided with film promotion and other press stops which kept Cruise in the news cycle across entertainment and general interest outlets at the same time.

Lil Nas X

In 2021 Lil Nas X partnered with the art collective MSCHF on modified sneakers referred to as Satan Shoes. The shoes were based on the Air Max 97 silhouette and included a pentagram detailing and branding notes along with a claim that each pair contained a drop of human blood. A total of 666 pairs were offered and the price referenced a biblical verse.

Nike filed a lawsuit against MSCHF over trademark concerns and the parties reached a settlement that included a voluntary recall offer to purchasers. The legal action and the limited quantity sale ensured continuous coverage across business fashion and music media during the product window.

Lil Uzi Vert

In early 2021 Lil Uzi Vert revealed a large pink diamond that had been implanted in his forehead. He documented the process across social media and referenced the purchase price in posts which fueled extensive discussion about the stone and the procedure.

Later that year footage from a concert showed the implant gone and he confirmed it had been removed after a crowd surfing incident. He then wore the diamond in more traditional settings which closed the chapter on the forehead placement but kept the gem in circulation as a talking point.

Mike Tyson

In 2003 Mike Tyson debuted a tribal style tattoo on the left side of his face. The design was done by artist S Victor Whitmill and quickly became part of Tyson’s public image as he continued to make appearances that year.

Years later Whitmill filed a lawsuit related to a similar tattoo design that appeared on a character in the film ‘The Hangover Part II’. The case was settled which preserved the original authorship while keeping Tyson’s tattoo in legal and entertainment headlines beyond sports pages.

Björk

At the 2001 Academy Awards Björk arrived in a swan dress designed by Marjan Pejoski. On the red carpet she mimed laying eggs as photographers captured the sequence which turned the gown into one of the ceremony’s most memorable fashion statements.

The dress drew immediate analysis in fashion media and later appeared on museum exhibits and best of lists that reviewed red carpet history. Björk discussed the choice in interviews which helped document the inspiration behind the design and its path from runway to the Oscars.

Katy Perry

At the 2019 Met Gala themed Camp Notes on Fashion Katy Perry walked the carpet in a custom chandelier dress by Moschino. The look featured working lights and a fitted corset that supported the fixture shapes around her.

For the after party she changed into a full hamburger costume from the same house which generated a second wave of images from the event. The pair of outfits became anchors in that year’s Met coverage and were reused in recaps of the theme.

Janet Jackson

During the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004 Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake. Near the end of the routine a costume reveal exposed her breast on live television which interrupted the show flow and led broadcasters to cut away.

The Federal Communications Commission pursued fines against the network which were later overturned after legal challenges. The broadcast delay used by live events changed in the aftermath and the halftime show became a case study in live television controls.

Heidi Montag

In 2010 Heidi Montag underwent a set of cosmetic procedures that were completed in a single day. She discussed the process and the number of procedures in a magazine profile and followed with a media tour that documented her recovery.

The publicity around the operations placed her on multiple entertainment news programs and sparked ongoing discussion about plastic surgery in reality television. She continued to address the decision in later interviews which kept the topic in circulation across seasons of her shows.

Steve-O

In 2015 Steve-O climbed a construction crane in Hollywood while holding an inflatable whale and a sign criticizing SeaWorld. Emergency crews responded and he was arrested when he came down which led to charges related to the incident.

He later shared details of the protest on social media and in interviews and the case concluded with sentencing that included community service. The climb and its aftermath were referenced in environmental activism coverage and entertainment news which extended its visibility.

Logan Paul

In late 2017 Logan Paul uploaded a video filmed in Japan’s Aokigahara forest that showed the body of a deceased person. The video was removed and he posted an apology then released a follow up statement that addressed the reaction.

YouTube responded with penalties that affected his channel’s advertising and projects on the platform. The episode led to changes in policy enforcement for sensitive content and became a frequent reference in discussions about creator responsibility.

Share the wildest headline grabbing moment you remember in the comments and tell us which entry surprised you most.