With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Pop Hypocrisy: Beyonce's Strict No-Junk Food Rule on Pepsi-Sponsored Tour
Singer Beyonce arrives at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Musicians are known for their whacky dressing room requests on tour, but a recent story that surfaced about Beyonce has us scratching our heads. Junk food is simply a no-no for the ultra-fit pop star. For sustenance, she requests hand-carved ice balls to suck on after the show, glass platters of almonds and oatcakes, and "green-only" salad bar nibbles.
According to the Daily Star, Beyonce's rider includes some other pretty specific demands:
"It insists that her crew wear only 100% pure cotton clothes, presumably to save her from allergic reactions. She’s also said to ask for special titanium straws which are used to drink a special alkaline water that’s served at exactly 21 degrees. She also demands her dressing room has freshly painted white walls and a new toilet seat, and even makes it clear that she will only use red toilet paper."
But perhaps the most interesting request from Jay Z's wifey is that junk food is absolutely verboten in her dressing room. Mind you, this is on a tour that's sponsored by one of the world's largest soda manufacturers, Pepsi. This, of course, could be a big bad business move.
Sponsored message
Says Take Part:
We assume that means Bey and her crew aren’t sipping on Pepsi before and after the show, despite the fact the drink-maker signed the Queen of Pop last year to a $50 million contract to use her likeness on its cans, have her sing at the Super Bowl halftime show, fund many of her upcoming “creative endeavors,” and, yes, sponsor her “Mrs. Carter Show” world tour. If Beyoncé doesn’t regularly drink Pepsi for inspiration, as the current television spots imply, the entire endorsement can be risky for both her and Pepsi, says Margaret C. Campbell, professor of marketing at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business.
But who knows, maybe Beyonce is slurping down fizzy sugary sodas. Why else would she need that titanium straw? She's got to have something that can stand up to that Hulk-like clench of hers, after all.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
