Unfortunately for some, the road to celebrity is paved with overspending and bankruptcy. That's what happened to the stars on this list of celebrities who had to pawn their own belongings. So what's going on when a super famous, reportedly super rich megastar all of a sudden declares bankruptcy? When it comes to these celebrities who went broke, fame couldn't save them from hefty bills.
From lavish spending sprees to expensive broken contracts, stars often fail to check in with their accountants before they open their wallets. As a result, celebrities have to turn to pawn shops or the auction block to recoup their money. Celebrities who have pawned awards include actor Burt Reynolds and footballer Billy Sims. Lindsay Lohan and photographer Annie Leibovitz also made this list of celebrities who sold off their stuff. Leibovitz actually had to hock every photograph she had ever taken in 2009. Yikes!
For these celebrities who had to pawn their own belongings, sometimes stardom comes with a price.
Celebrities Who Had to Pawn Their Own Belongings,
Annie Leibovitz
According to Gawker, in 2009 Annie Leibovitz "hocked every photograph she's ever produced." Apparently, a pawnshop that had loaned her $24 million filed suit to force the famed photographer to sell it all.
Billy Sims
According to The Seattle Times, in April of 1995 Billy Sims pawned a number of items, including his Oklahoma University football helmet, his Orange Bowl Hall of Fame trophy, the Walter Camp trophy, and his Heisman trophy. It seems that after he left the NFL, he slid in and out of bankruptcy and financial woes.
Burt Reynolds
As explained by Vanity Fair, Burt Reynolds was assumed to be "desperately broke" in 2014 after he auctioned off some of his personal stuff, including the 1998 Golden Globe award he won for his role in Boogie Nights and a gold watch Sally Field had given him. The actor went on to deny the assumption though, telling the magazine, “That pisses me off... I’m not bankrupt, by any means. I’m not even worried about it.” Allegedly he made $2.5 million from the auction.
David James
As reported by Mirror, soccer player David James had to sell a number of items including shirts, shorts, and footballs "after going bust."
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan might have sold herself for money - but not in the way you think. According to Hollywood rumor leaked by Gossip Cop, "LiLo [was] so desperate, [she was] offering herself for appearances at weddings and bar mitzvahs." According to Star Magazine, "while Lindsay did earn a meager salary for a play she did in London, she had to pawn $14,000 worth of designer clothing just to get to England and get an apartment!
Skip Thomas
When Oakland cornerback Skip Thomas came upon hard times, he pawned a few prized possessions. According to The Washington Post, the possessions included: a trophy the city of Oakland presented to each starter in Super Bowl XI, as well as Thomas’s ring from that game. Thomas died in 2011, and according to his son, Brandon Thomas, “he didn’t really want to do it but had to."
Toni Braxton
As reported by Daily Mail, the copyright of some of Toni Braxton's best hits from her music catalog were put up for sale for $20,000 during her bankruptcy. While she had the option to buy back the rights, she was unable to do so. Luckily for her, she still owns the rights to her most famous hit, "Unbreak My Heart."
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson essentially did an album for free. The singer released the 1991 album Who’ll Buy My Memories? (The I.R.S. Tapes) and paid all proceeds to the government for what Forbes called a "staggering multi-million tax bill." Additionally, the feds raided Nelson’s home in 1990 and took everything he owned, literally, except for his guitar, nicknamed "Trigger."
Carly Rae Jepsen
As Cosmopolitan reported, Carly Rae Jepsen needs a new hit single ASAP. Allegedly, the star was seen at a pawnshop in NYC trying to get money for a bag she said she paid $25K for.
Brock Williams
According to ESPN, a ring that was issued to the Patriot's rookie defensive back Brock Williams became part of the collection at the infamous Pawn Stars shop in Las Vegas. Apparently he must have fallen on tough times after recurring knee injuries forced him to retire.