It's bad enough spending hours under hot studio lights with a heavy costume and makeup on, but we think finding out that you're allergic to the makeup and that it's slowly killing you is probably far worse. That was the issue facing original Tin Man actor Buddy Ebsen as he stepped in front of the camera.
Ebsen had been fine throughout rehearsals, and had recorded the movie's soundtrack, but when his makeup was applied to start filming, he was hospitalized with shortness of breath. The makeup was later revealed to contain aluminum dust! Ebsen was unable to continue and was replaced by Jack Haley. Makeup staff tried using aluminum paste instead of dust for his makeup but got some in his eye. He missed four days with an eye infection because of it. We think it would probably be better for everybody if people kept aluminum away from the ingredients list for makeup.
To insure one’s house, one’s car or to underwrite a life insurance policy, that is common practice. But who would pay an insurance premium for his/her thumb, legs or smile? Stars, of course.
At the top of the ranking are the legs of Mariah Carey, worth 810 million USD: The diva became, in 2006, the Gillette brand muse for the advertising campaign «Legs of a Goddess». She then took out an insurance policy with London Lloyds to protect her legs, a decision that is far from being insignificant. Among its customers, the London insurer then included several icons of music, such as Bob Dylan or Rod Stewart.
David Beckham’s body insured for 195 million USD: European champion with Manchester United in 1999, David Beckham was in 2006 the most renowned footballer of the planet. In relation to his sporting activities, he took out an insurance cover for his legs. The huge amount paid for his insurance would reportedly exceed the 103 million USD disbursed by Real Madrid for the cover of Christiano Ronaldo in 2009. The fashion model would later extend his insurance cover to his entire body.
15 million USD in insurance for Kim Kardashian’s curves: The curves of Kim Kardashian are her number one beauty asset. The reality TV star, who is crazy about plastic surgery, has underwritten an insurance policy worth 15 million USD to protect her famous butt.
The culinary critic Egon Ronay assured his taste buds: The famous Hungarian culinary critic has insured his taste buds since 1957, for the amount of 400 000 USD. An original insurance policy which allows him to cover his sense of taste without which he will no longer be able to practice his job.