Imagine, for a second, a world where 'Batman' isn't a big deal. Hard to picture, isn't it? Even casting news about a forthcoming 'Batman' movie makes the front page of entertainment publications these days, but that hasn't always been the case. Back in 1989, the first thing that came to mind when most people thought of 'Batman' was the campy 1960s TV show starring Adam West. That meant that when Tim Burton was casting for his 1989 film, John Lithgow wasn't overly enthused about playing the part of the caped crusader's arch-nemesis, the Joker.
We all know what happened next. The part went to Jack Nicholson instead, and Nicholson made it his own until Heath Ledger took the crown away from him twenty years later. Lithgow, left watching from the sidelines, would later tell interviewers that he didn't have a grasp of how many people loved 'Batman,' and how big the movie would be. We guess he just isn't a comic book guy.
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.