Celebrity Demands

Emily Kastl  

We’ve all heard stories about outlandish celebrity demands: floor-to-ceiling white dressing rooms, constant room temperatures of exactly 73 degrees—you get the idea. Pampered celebs are used to all their demands being met, no matter how bizarre, and food appears to be no exception.

An article from The Daily Meal outlines some of the weirdest backstage ration requirements. Undeniable senses of entitlement aside, perhaps it becomes acceptable to request 7 (but absolutely not 9) grains in one’s bread after selling millions of albums or winning multiple Oscars.

Ever wonder what Jennifer Hudson, spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, craves after a show? Answer: baked hot wings.

What does swooner Michael Bublé expect to see upon his arrival to a performance? “One bottle of premium single malt scotch and a local team hockey puck,” of course.

If you’re thinking about having T.I stop by for a performance, get ready to drop some major dough. Be prepared to have nine filet mignons (at exactly 9 oz a piece), Grey Goose, Patrón, and Rémy Martin VSOP on hand. If that sounds like too much preparation, T.I will graciously accept a $1,000 prepaid bar tab instead. What a guy…

Ever the altruist, Katy Perry requests her and her staff are provided with SIGG water bottles at all times in order to minimize their carbon foot prints. Oh, and while you’re out picking up those water bottles, don’t forget to pick up some freeze-dried strawberries!

The late-great Whitney Houston requested “M&Ms, peanut butter cups, Butterfingers, Raisinets, as well as shrimp cocktail, crab legs, sweet and sour chicken or shrimp, spring rolls, and shrimp fried rice” on her Southeast Asia tour. Maybe Ms. Houston was really saving all her love for her after-show munchies!

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, these celebs are apparently creatures of habit who know exactly what they want. If you take anything away from this article, for the love of god, do not—I repeat, DO NOT—try to serve Selena Gomez her turkey sandwiches on Wonder Bread.

It’s as Simple as Bread and Butter…or is it? The Realities of Living a Gluten-Free Lifestyle

Heather Fendell  

Bread and butter are staples of everyday life. But what would happen if this staple was cut out? Recently I discovered that my aunt has Celiac’s disease, which is an intolerance to wheat, barley, rye, and most other grains. This led me to investigate and learn more about Celiac’s by taking it upon myself to try to experience a gluten-free lifestyle for at least a week. Being lactose-intolerant and (now) gluten-free, I found it quite difficult to find foods that fit my diet, especially in a college environment.
Luckily my roommate has access to a car, and a trip to Whole Foods made my restrictions much less of an issue. I realized that gluten-free is not about what I can’t eat, but instead eating different forms of the foods that I love. The bakery section offered gluten free chocolate chip cookies, cakes, bagels, and fresh loaves of bread, and I stumbled upon a whole section of gluten free pastas! I substituted my favorite Special K cereal for Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, and found substitutes for pretzels. At first the list of forbidden foods seemed so overwhelming that I found myself feeling constantly hungry.
In today’s day and age, we are fortunate enough to be able to have gluten-free eateries (such as Silvio’s which offers gluten-free pizza, pasta, and cookies), bakeries, and a plethora of options in the supermarkets. Since becoming gluten-free I have noticed an increase in my energy levels and an overall feeling of healthiness. So far, I plan on continuing with the diet, and thanks to gluten free bakeries, I can have my cake and eat it too!