Music

McDonalds and Lacoste are paying celebrities to go to Coachella

by Tyler Munro

via Posh24

Coachella has quickly become the summer festival, not just for its massively popular reunions but for its people watching. Each year, style bloggers and paparazzo flock to Indio, California to take in the latest in laissez-faire bohemian fashion trends, looking to get the jump on whatever kind of curtain Lindsay Lohan’s draping over herself.

Thing is, it’s a sham. And you knew this. Former child stars might be genuinely stoked on that At the Drive-In reunion, but more likely they’re just there to be seen. The New York Daily News confirmed as much yesterday, reporting that Glee star Lea Michele is being paid $20,000 from Lacoste to show up and prance around to Arcade Fire.

McDonalds is denying that they’re paying Vanessa Hudgens $15,000 of McMoney to pop molly at the festival, but we’re not ruling it out. Admitting that they’re paying this kind of cash kills the credibility they’re after, and we already know they’ll have a presence at the festival with a pool party for attendees.

From their story comes even more speculation: Kate Bosworth apparently wants $30,000 to show up, while Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul wants $15,000. And you know what? Who cares. The issue shouldn’t be that the cast of High School Musical is being shoveled money to got to that festival you’ve been saving up for all year; the problem should be even stronger corporate integration.

Even then, that’s the reality. For every secret party there’s Lady Gaga singing in a giant vending machine. As the music industry landscape continues to change, so do the means by which celebrities make their money. The relationship these tabloid stars have to the music industry is tangential at best, but let’s be honest: Wouldn’t running into Jesse Pinkman in the line for the shitter make for one hell of a story?

Plus for every Elijah Wood DJ party there’s a Danny DeVito live tweet. Never forget!