Love is in the air — and apparently, so is a $25 price tag on discarded straws.
In what may be the most perfectly 2025 story ever told, Taylor Swift fans are gleefully handing over actual money for actual garbage collected from the streets outside Madison Square Garden, where America’s most famous couple, Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce, recently tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony.
New York artist Justin Gignac — a man who has clearly found his calling — spent last Friday prowling the city blocks surrounding the venue, collecting the sacred detritus left behind by the celebrity extravaganza. Water bottle caps, police caution tape, plastic utensils, ring pop candy, straws, and yes, a single left AirPod (its right-handed companion, lost to history) were among the holy relics recovered.
But the crown jewels of this particular treasure hunt? A cigarette butt and — brace yourself — an ovulation test kit. Which someone left on a public street. Outside a celebrity wedding. In New York City. We have so many questions.
Gignac, who runs the wonderfully straightforward website New York City Garbage, sealed each item inside a tiny plastic cube — officially listed as a “sculpture,” because if you’re going to sell trash, you might as well make it art — to prevent any unfortunate leaking or smells. He also tied some pieces into knots to, and we’re quoting directly here, “hammer home the wedding theme.” Truly a craftsman.
All 50 items sold out within 24 hours of going on sale, netting Gignac a cool $1,250. That’s twelve hundred and fifty real American dollars. For sidewalk garbage.
“It’s getting a lot of Swifties who just want a tangential piece of the wedding,” Gignac told AFP, with what we can only imagine was a quietly delighted expression on his face.
Gignac was careful to note that his collection was sourced from outside the security barriers — so no, you did not accidentally purchase Blake Lively’s cocktail napkin. But given that 50 people bought it anyway, it seems proximity to greatness was more than enough.
More items may be hitting the market soon. Consider yourselves warned — and maybe start checking your couch cushions for loose change.
*Source: AFP via Yahoo Entertainment, as submitted to Reddit’s r/offbeat*
Original story via Reddit Offbeat
