The Jonas Brothers Once Received a Dead Shark From a Fan That Left Kevin, Joe, and Nick Wondering ‘How They Actually Went About Buying’ the Gift
The Jonas Brothers quickly took the entertainment world by storm in the mid-2000s after making their splash with appearances on the Disney Channel. Over a decade later, the fun-loving family trio continues topping the music charts, even after the Jonas Brother band breakup in 2013.
During their rise to superstardom, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas gained a wide following, resulting in some awkward fan moments over the years. Although it’s not unusual for celebrities to have strange encounters or receive gifts from fans, the Jonas Brothers believe the dead shark gift received in 2009 ranked as one of the craziest.
A deep dive into The Jonas Brothers’ crazy fan gifts
While the Jonas Brothers formed their band in 2005, it was their appearance in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock and its sequel that took their music and acting careers to the next level. Within the same year, the band was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards and won the Breakthrough Artist award at the American Music Awards.
By 2009, the group sold over eight million albums across the globe and had become a worldwide sensation. During this peak time in their career, they also received one of the most unforgettable gifts from an admiring fan.
A recent Insider article revealed that the Jonas Brothers received a dead shark from a fan in 2009. Nick Jonas explained, “It was only a baby shark, but they’d preserved it in this tube for us. That was odd.” If the fan had included a note with an explanation about their gift choice, it could’ve been deemed a little less odd. However, Nick said, “It was just, ‘Here’s a dead shark.'”
Another mystery around the dead shark gift was how people actually buy a dead shark. Kevin Jonas commented, “Is there such a website as Buyadeadshark.com?” Although the Jonas Brothers are still trying to figure out how someone bought and sent them a dead shark, it was definitely a memorable fan gift for them.
Continued success after the dead shark
While some may consider getting a dead shark as a bad sign, for the Jonas Brothers it was more like a good luck charm. The trio went on to release their fourth album, Lines, Vines, and Trying Times, which debuted at number one.
They also played at the White House to honor Paul McCartney before focusing more on their solo careers in 2011. The brothers reunited for a World Tour in 2012 and 2013, featuring new hits First Time and Wedding Bells. The tour was what many thought was the end of the Jonas Brothers until they surprised fans with a comeback in 2019 and released their popular single Sucker.
Since then, the band has had numerous other hits and appeared in TV Specials.
Other celebrities share awkward fan moments
It’s not always strange gifts celebrities receive from fans but also weird situations. Rupert Grint, best known as Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, shared with US Magazine his unusual fan encounter. He revealed that he has a “hard time turning down fans’ requests,” and once ended up back a drag queen’s flat because of it. Grint recalled the situation, “They dressed me up, and we went to get bagels at 4 a.m. I was in full heels and feather boa. It was really weird.”
Another celebrity who received an unusual fan gift is 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto. He once received a whole ear that someone had cut off. Leto said, “The strange gift came with a note that just read “Are you listening?” Although he never found out who sent him an ear, he made use out of it by poking a hole in it and wearing it as a necklace.
Dead sharks, cut-off ears, and an unexpected night out are just a few of the weird things celebrities have seen from fans. While being in the spotlight has its perks, it doesn’t keep stars free from avoiding strange experiences.
