Bizarre Stuff Celebs Tried To Sell Us

It's too surprising when celebrities launch their own businesses. With so much success from their day jobs and fans willing to pay any amount for something with their favorite star's name attached to it, celebs have made millions and even billions from their flourishing side hustles. 

In 2014, actor Jessica Alba created her wellness brand, The Honest Company, which sells non-toxic household items and clean, natural baby essentials. In 2021, the company went public and was valued at more than $1.4 billion. In August 2021, Rihanna was named a billionaire by Forbes thanks to her highly successful makeup line Fenty. Let's not forget about reality star Kim Kardashian, whose SKIMS shapewear line has also made her a billionaire. 

While these A-list stars are basking in their mega-success, not every celebrity can say the same of their business opportunities. Celebrities have used their fame to get their fans to buy their products, but some stars have ventured into bizarre businesses that made us question what they were thinking in the first place. From coffins to beauty products you can eat, here are the most absurd things celebrities tried to sell to us. 

Mike Tyson is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time despite having a complicated and controversial life. His intimidating nature has been seen more than once in the ring, with one match standing out among all others. 

One of the most infamous incidents surrounding Tyson was his 1997 boxing match against Evander Holyfield during the WBA Heavyweight Championship. According to The New York Times, things got intense during their fight when Tyson took a bite out of Holyfield's ear. However, after biting his other ear, Tyson was ultimately disqualified. A judge at the match stated, "He bit a hunk out of his ear and spit it on the floor." 

Years later, Tyson, who has a cannabis brand called Tyson 2.0, launched ear-shaped marijuana edibles resembling Holyfield's bitten ear. The product was announced in March 2022 with Tyson telling his fans on Twitter, "These ears actually taste good!" Although the gummies were sold in states like California and Nevada, HuffPost reported that they were illegal to sell in Colorado. According to state law, edibles cannot be sold in the shape of fruit, animals, or humans. Why anyone would want to eat candy in the shape of a human body part is disturbing, if you ask us.

Outlandish makeup and over-the-top wardrobes were a huge reason why the rock band KISS was so successful. The heavy metal, glam rock band, comprised of members Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, were rarely seen without their black and white makeup. They used their famous looks to sell a whole lot of merchandise including clothing, comic books, and even caskets. 

According to Kiss Online, the band gave their devoted KISS Army the option of being buried in a casket laminated with the members of the band, along with their logo. On the side of the "KISS Kasket" read "Kiss Forever" with a signed version selling for $4,700. However, for those not ready to pass over to the other side, the casket could also act as a drink cooler. Simmons said of his one-of-a-kind casket, "This is the ultimate KISS collectible. I love livin', but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good."

Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was buried in a KISS Kasket that was donated by Simmons, per Ultimate Classic Rock. The guitarist and four others were killed when a man went on stage and shot Abbott, then fired toward the crowd during a Damageplan concert in Ohio in 2004, per MTV News. Simmons shared with FOX News (via Blabbermouth), "I think it meant a lot to Darrell ... I mean he had the band tattooed onto his chest. ... And the family wish — you know the one last wish they had was that he be buried in a Kiss Kasket. 

Besides being known as a worldwide pop star in the late '90s and early 2000s, Jessica Simpson has continued to find success in the fashion industry with her brand, The Jessica Simpson Collection. Forbes reported that in 2014, the company, which includes clothing, shoes, and bags, brought in $1 billion per year. However, Sequential Brands Group Inc. become a majority shareholder of the brand in 2015, and Simpson bought back ownership in 2021.

Not every one of Simpson's business ventures has been this triumphant. When Simpson was still married to Nick Lachey in the early 2000s and gained huge viewership for their MTV reality show "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica," she decided to come out with an edible beauty brand called Dessert. According to Pop Crush, the brand launched lip glosses, body washes, shampoos, and lotions that were all okay to consume. What was odd was that while the products were intended to target teenage girls, a press release read, "Sexy girls want a Taste," and a body cream's directions read, "Slather it on yourself or a friend to be completely smoochable and delectable." 

In an episode of "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica," the songstress was seen getting sick, possibly from a Dessert product (although a doctor supposedly told her it was a flu bug), after posing for promotional photos. InStyle shared that Dessert was hit by a couple of lawsuits and later stopped making products by 2006.

Rapper Nelly was at the top of the music charts after the release of his debut album "Country Grammar" in 2000. His first album went No. 1 on The Billboard 200 list and stayed there for five weeks. His sophomore album, 2002's "Nellyville," was also a hit and spawned "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma," featuring Kelly Rowland. Both songs would sit at the No. 1 position for weeks on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list.

With his mounting success, Nelly decided to start a new business venture and in 2003, launched an energy drink called Pimp Juice, which was also the title of one of his songs on his second album. The rapper already was involved in a clothing line called Vokal which was released in 1997, and in 2003, he launched the women's clothing line Apple Bottoms. According to BevNet, Nelly's energy drink came out a lime green color and contained taurine and guarana, the same two ingredients in energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster. However, unlike Red Bull, it was not carbonated. The site also explained that part of the sales of the energy drink went toward 4Sho4Kids, Nelly's nonprofit.

Not everyone was on board with Pimp Juice. When it was released, a group named Project Islamic H.O.P.E. called the name of the drink "disrespectful and misogynistic" and believed it promoted a negative stereotype of African-Americans. A Pimp Juice website based out of Germany shows that fans can find a distribution center for the drink in Nelly's hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. 

In 2013, reality stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner teamed up with PacSun to launch their clothing line Kendall and Kylie, which sold fashion-forward pieces including dresses, tops, jackets, shorts, and accessories. A few years later, the sisters branched out on their own for a similarly named line, Kendall + Kylie. They decided to superimpose their faces over rap legends on t-shirts that were quickly deemed controversial. 

According to Fashionista, the Kendall + Kylie clothing line launched 15 t-shirts in 2017 that featured altered images of the rappers as well as rock bands including Metallica and Pink Floyd. One shirt featured a photograph of Tupac with an image of Kylie Jenner in a bikini superimposed over it, while another showed Kendall's face superimposed on The Doors singer Jim Morrison's face. The shirts sold for a whopping $125 each. That same month, Voletta Wallace, Notorious B.I.G.'s mother, posted about the shirts on her Instagram and shared, "I have no idea why they feel they can exploit the deaths of 2pac and my son Christopher to sell a t-shirt. This is disrespectful, disgusting, and exploitation at its worst!!!" 

According to TMZ, photographer Michael Miller filed a lawsuit against Kendall and Kylie for the use of his image of Tupac, but the lawsuit was later settled. Fashionista reported that not long after their launch, the shirts were pulled from the clothing line's Instagram account, with The Guardian also reporting that the shirts were no longer being sold on their website. 

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow's wellness brand Goop has been known for selling controversial items including a $75 candle called "This Smells Like My Vagina" and a $27 Psychic Vampire Repellent Protection Mist that is supposed to "banish psychic vampires" and "conjure up positivity," the site notes. However, one of the items sold online included a Jade Egg that caused massive outrage among health experts. 

According to Goop, the Jade Egg sells for $66. "Yoni eggs harness the power of energy work, crystal healing, and a Kegel-like physical practice," per the site, when inserted into a woman's vagina. But the Goop site initially claimed (in a now-archived post), "Fans say regular use increases chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance, and feminine energy in general." Several doctors disputed these claims, especially a California OB/GYN named Dr. Jen Gunter, who stated that Paltrow's egg was "the biggest load of garbage I have read on your site since vaginal steaming." She added that sleeping with the egg could lead to "bacterial vaginosis" and "toxic shock syndrome."

According to The New York Times, Goop was hit with a $145,000 fine for making the outrageous claims about its Jage egg and agreed to pay the fine and return money to its customers. However, Vox reported that the egg is still sold on the Goop website with its new, less dangerous claims.

The band Korn was formed in 1993, but they brought metal to mainstream music in the late '90s and early 2000s with songs like "Twisted Transistor" and "Freak on a Leash" and found their way to the Top 10 positions on the Billboard 200 charts. The band has since released 14 albums, with their latest titled "Requiem" in February 2022. Korn hasn't slowed down one bit, and it could all be thanks to their second passion — coffee. Believe it or not, the band has a brand of java called Korn Koffee, and it's been giving them the energy boost they need since they launched it in 2018.

Korn announced their new business endeavor with a video posted on Facebook that showed the members of the band touring a roasting facility where their unique blend of coffee is produced. "The Korn Koffee idea pretty much came up because we drink so much coffee on the road, when we're touring, it's good to have something to really kick you in the pants in the morning," Korn guitarist James Shaffer stated. 

According to Korn's website, fans can get a bag of Korn Koffee for $17.99. The coffee's description reads that it is "a smooth, dark roasted blend of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Guatemalan Huehuetenango, and Organic Peru beans mixed with Vintage Black Diamond by J. Gursey Coffee that has been uniquely curated by the members of Korn." Fans can also purchase a "special edition Italian roast" called Korn Koffee Wired Roast for the same price.

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino is best known for MTV's "Jersey Shore," where he and his roommates would GTL (gym, tan, laundry) during the day and frequent the many bars and clubs around Seaside Heights, New Jersey, at night. The reality show lasted for six seasons with the cast spending the summer in Miami in Season 2 and jet-setting to Italy in Season 4. The show was a hit, and the cast used their newfound fame to venture into other businesses. 

Today reported that in 2011, the reality show was seeing each episode pull in over 8 million viewers, making the cast, including Sorrentino, overnight celebrities. The star used his fame to launch a line of lollipops. According to Bon Appétit, Sorrentino teamed up with candy retailer Sugar Factory and created a $25 "signature couture pop" that was "bedazzled with crystals in the colors of the Italian flag." Kean 105.1 FM reported that Sorrentino followed in the footsteps of big-named celebs like Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears, who each released a line of lollipops with the company.

Besides his lollipop line, Sorrentino has an online business that sells clothing for men, women, and children, home decor, and "Jersey Shore" merchandise. 

Before Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, the businessman was known for his casinos, skyscrapers, hotels, and golf courses, and became a reality star when he hosted "The Apprentice" from 2004 until 2015. As a man who sought out several business ventures, it came as no surprise when the former president announced he was going to sell a line of steaks. 

According to Think Progress, Trump Steaks was released in 2007 and was a line of hamburgers and steaks supplied by meat company Buckhead Beef. The steaks were oddly sold at Sharper Image (by mail order), with prices ranging from $199 to $999. In his commercial, Trump proudly declared, "When it comes to great steaks, I've just raised the stakes!" Unfortunately, plastering his face on different cuts of meat wasn't selling.

After only two months on the shelves, the company, known for selling electronics and high-tech products, no longer sold Trump's signature steaks. CEO of Sharper Image Jerry Levin said, "We were just an agent to sell them, really," adding, "The net of all that was we literally sold almost no steaks. If we sold $50,000 of steaks grand total, I'd be surprised." According to The Washington Post, Trump Steaks were once sold on QVC, too, but they appear to be a thing of the past, as no filet mignons or New York Strips are selling online or in stores.

Bassist Bill Wyman left the Rolling Stones in the early '90s after having been with the rock band since 1962. Talking about his departure, he told The Telegraph in 2008, "...I can't rely on Stones royalties to support me. I have to work and I'm not in the same league as the boys who stayed on. But I wanted to have fun. Playing with the Stones, there was always such a lot of pressure." Although he isn't rocking out on stage with Mick Jagger, Wyman has found other passions in life, one of his biggest being hunting for treasures with his metal detector. 

According to his website, Wyman created a signature metal detector, which he called "a lightweight treasure finding instrument ideal for newcomers to detecting of all ages." Explaining why everyone should pick up a metal detector, Wyman told Goldmine (via Ultimate Classic Rock), "Metal-detecting is not just for anoraks or eccentrics. It's probably the best and most enjoyable way of learning about our history. On any garden, country field, footpath, woodlands, beach, or moorland you can find a huge variety of historical objects, all easily located with this high-quality metal detector." The detector has previously sold for $185, shipping and handling not included.

In 2005, Wyman (and co-author Richard Havers) published his book "Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands: Britain's History Uncovered" which details several historical objects found in Great Britain and Ireland. 

The Kardashian family has used their fame to launch extremely successful companies including Kim Kardashian's SKIMS, Khloe Kardashian's Good American jeans line, and Kourtney Kardashian's wellness and lifestyle company Poosh. However, not every business venture by these famous reality star sisters has become a hit. In November 2010, the Kardashians unveiled a prepaid Mastercard called the KardashianKard, and it was an ultimate failure. 

According to Forbes, the prepaid debit card, which had the faces of Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe on it, was aimed at teenage girls as a way for parents to track spending habits. However, it also came with an enormous amount of fees that included a $59.95 plan to own the card for six months or a $7.95 cost per month, following the card payment for an initial year at $99.95. These came among a slew of smaller charges.

CNN reported that by the end of its first month, the card was no longer being sold. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called the card "troubling" and added, "Keeping up with the Kardashians is impossible using these cards." The Kardashian sisters did not comment directly on their prepaid card termination, and the University National Bank stated that only 250 people had bought the card when it was released anyway. 

JLS came on to the British music scene in 2008 when they impressed the judges of "The X Factor," including songstress Cheryl and notorious critic Simon Cowell, during their audition. Week after week, Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold, Ortise Williams, and JB Gill won the hearts of viewers at home as they belted out songs like "Working My Way Back to You" by The Spinners and even sang a rendition of Britney Spears' hit "Baby One More Time." JLS lost the singing competition to Alexandra Burke, but that didn't stop them from continuing their boy band success. 

The band's debut album was released in 2009 and sold more than a million copies, making it one of the top-selling albums to come out of "The X Factor" (via The Hollywood Reporter). The boy band found major success in the U.K. and decided to branch out into other business ventures that included a line of condoms through Durex. Cosmopolitan reported that the band launched the line in 2010 and called it "Just Love Safe." Each member had their face on one of four boxes, with Humes stating, "We came up with the idea of Just Love Safe as we wanted to send out a clear message to fans that are over 16 and sexually active — and that is to always use a condom during sex." 

Although the band broke up in 2013, they announced that they were back together and released a new album titled "2.0" in 2021.

Famed soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has been the face of several top brands throughout his career: major endorsements for Nike, with which he has a lifetime deal, Tag Heuer, Armani, and several more. However, one of the most bizarre partnerships Ronaldo has ever taken on was for a Japanese invention designed to strengthen your facial muscles.

In 2014, the soccer player became the face of PAO Facial Fitness, a device aimed to work out the muscles in your face. In its commercial, several testers are seen with the invention in their mouths, although Ronaldo is not one of them, and instead, is seen testing the device in his hands. Ronaldo explained in a company testimonial, "In my everyday training sessions, there is one area of my body that I hadn't been exercising: my facial muscles. That is, until I discovered PAO" (via Bloomberg). Design Boom reported that the commercial, which is in Japanese, also states that the device "targets and massages the major muscles in the face line for 30 seconds, increasing the 'smiling angle' on both sides of the mouth. The technology works by vibrating back and forth to provide 43 degrees of swing." 

Ronaldo is one of the wealthiest athletes in the world, and it could be that the soccer star added even more money into his bank account with this wacky endorsement. 

Lady Gaga launched her first-ever perfume called Fame in 2012, and in Gaga style, it outdid any other celebrity perfume release. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the songstress' ad campaign for her new fragrance featured a naked Lady Gaga wearing a black mask and tiny men climbing on her body. However, her ad wasn't the most shocking part of her fragrance release. It was the fact that she mentioned her perfume was made from blood and semen that made headlines. 

Lady Gaga teased the launch of her perfume on the Australian radio show "The Kyle and Jackie O Show" (via The Hollywood Reporter) and stated that the scent would resemble that of "an expensive hooker." She added, "[Blood and semen] is in the perfume, but it doesn't smell like it. You just get sort of the 'after' feeling of sex from the semen, and the blood is sort of primal. And the blood was taken from my own blood sample, so it's like a sense of having me on your skin." 

Although the perfume's packaging doesn't mention blood or semen, Gaga tweeted a pic of its ingredients: "Tears of belladonna, crushed heart of tiger Orchidea with a black veil of incense, pulverized apricot and the combinative essences of saffron and honey drops." What made the perfume unique was that it was the first black perfume that came out clear. The fragrance turned out to be a massive success with Gaga sharing on Twitter (via Idolator) that 30 million bottles were sold as of 2013.