Katherine Jenkins shocks with un-Diva-like backstage rider demands

This morning The Daily Telegraph published a non-story about Katherine Jenkins' backstage tour rider (the foodstuffs and whatnot artists like to have at their disposal).

Katherine Jenkins

As much as I'm sure the paper would have loved to expose Katherine Jenkins as a J-Lo-like diva par excellence with demands for white doves, out-of-season pomegranates floating in eau de cologne and gold-plated exercise bikes, she is pretty much normal for someone of her sales and stature.

It's reported she likes a loaf of brown bread, an electric juicer, 12 Cokes, some chocolate, wine, water, herbal teas, a pineapple, candles and a toaster. Hardly the demands of a diva I think. She asked on her Twitter today: "So Twitter World, after today's 'revelations' (I use that term very loosely) in the Telegraph... What would you ask for on your rider?"

If you've never heard of the more outlandish demands of the world's biggest stars, I suggest a quick trip to The Smoking Gun.

They reprint the backstage demands of a huge amount of the biggest stars, smuggled by roadies or the like. Elton John likes a six foot sofa, a six foot banqueting table covered with white linen table cloths a large arrangement of coloured flowers (but no chrysanthemums, lilies, carnations or daisies). Among other things.

When it came to riders, though, James Brown took it to the bridge. A two bedroom suite. Two junior suites. A deluxe single room. A limousine, black or white, 186 inches long (current year model). He also needed a room for his 'wardrobe mistress'.

Famously, it was Van Halen who demanded that all brown M&Ms be removed from their backstage sweet selection. They also wanted herring in sour cream, four cases of Schlitz Malt Liquor beer (in 16 ounce cans) and a large tube of lubricating jelly.

For a real laugh, take a look at the wonderfully tongue-in-cheek Iggy Pop demands. There's no better reason for demanding two big fans than: "So that I can wear a scarf and pretend to be in a Bon Jovi video."

All of which make Jenkins' demands seem positively pedestrian.

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