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10 Celebrities Branded "Performance Artists" (PHOTOS)

First Posted: 06/24/11 05:49 AM ET   Updated: 08/23/11 06:12 AM ET

"Performance artist" has become a common slur against celebrities who thrive on tastelessness. There's no way these people could be for real, the argument goes, so it must all be an elaborate ruse. But whether it's from James Franco, who openly admits this act, or Joaquin Phoenix, who kept it going long enough to make a documentary about it, performance art is becoming a viable career option for established entertainers.

It's not just that these celebrities' personas have infiltrated their lives. That's gone on for decades, from The Beatles and Bob Dylan, who liked to manipulate and mock their interviewers, to Samuel L. Jackson, who became typecast for his enthusiastic use of profanity. But recently, with the likes of Snooki, Soulja Boy and, lest we forget, Sarah Palin, tabloid performance art has thrived. With the entertainment media's hyper-short attention span, famous people who can continually make a spectacle of themselves can also usually make headlines. In the slideshow below, we present ten celebrities who have been accused of performance art, with varying degrees of truth behind the allegations.

Sarah Palin
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"It's become clearer and clearer, of course, that she's been going the really-rich-and-famous-performance-artist route. Who could take either the Reality Show or all that shameless "look-at-me" Twittering seriously? She's narrowed the distance between herself and Charlie Sheen and Lady Gaga and Ashton Kutcher way too much to be a credible presiential candidate. That's not to say she doesn't still have lots of fans. She's become a celebrity, not a political leader."
-Big Think
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Just attention seeking
Performance art!

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"Performance artist" has become a common slur against celebrities who thrive on tastelessness. There's no way these people could be for real, the argument goes, so it must all be an elaborate ruse. Bu...
"Performance artist" has become a common slur against celebrities who thrive on tastelessness. There's no way these people could be for real, the argument goes, so it must all be an elaborate ruse. Bu...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
futurejd
06:28 PM on 07/30/2011
You missed Katy Perry, Rihanna and Kesha
10:15 PM on 06/26/2011
You Hippocritical dingbats at Huffington puffington post Obamma was the least qualified media star celebrity candidate in History and you Say palin is to Much of a Celebrity. four More years of Obammanation would ruin this Country Roy Harley Rush Limhttp://youtu.be/ji2lxSSj_2Ebaugh Jr Jr
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12:06 AM on 07/03/2011
Time for your meds.

Cheers,
Jack
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Marcusarilius
My Brain Hurts
10:28 PM on 06/24/2011
Palin does nothing but Paint Gloom and Doom for America.
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Watching rock grow
It's a practice in patience
12:42 AM on 06/26/2011
Its what in with her crowd.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Arts4u
It's better than a reality show.
08:49 PM on 06/24/2011
Actually... Sarah Palin is a great drag queen persona.

Yes, Gaga... complete and utter performance artist - like Madonna used to be. Bravo.
12:30 PM on 06/24/2011
Trump is.
12:20 PM on 06/24/2011
Ah sarah..The Ring Master of The Tundra Circus stole, Memorial Day and it became ...all about her day. Just barged your way in, took over...yup a real American she is...........
12:06 PM on 06/24/2011
Where's Obama?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Guscat
02:29 PM on 06/24/2011
In the White House.
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rich3324
Likes: Chasing villagers. Dislikes: Fire
03:34 PM on 06/24/2011
Where he belongs.
12:27 PM on 06/26/2011
He belongs at the top of this list.
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x2zero
peace and prosperity
12:01 PM on 06/24/2011
Even by this site's standards that it the saddest excuse to put her photo on the front page.
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leorangerie
11:50 AM on 06/24/2011
Palin as performance artist. Interesting. Hadn't thought of it that way. But apt. She's adept at it...or just bumbling? I can't tell. Which is often the hallmark of a skilled performance artist.
11:05 AM on 06/24/2011
Snooki Polizzi / Sarah Palin 2012
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
madisonhack
I prefer not to......
11:04 AM on 06/24/2011
Why do all these Baggers adore the mean girls in black leather?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
leorangerie
11:51 AM on 06/24/2011
because they want some darn discipline in this country!
10:57 AM on 06/24/2011
Ha! she can't ride a motorcycle! yet she pretends like she's miss great outdoors she looks so ridiculous on the back of that bike-all in black leather- total dork--whats wrong her?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
DaniFoxy
Crazy girl from LA
10:35 AM on 06/24/2011
I like bacon.
10:09 AM on 06/24/2011
Performance artist" has become a common slur against celebrities who thrive on tastelessness.

watch video http://twurl.nl/frfuv5
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10:07 AM on 06/24/2011
What aboutArianna?