The Most Unexpected Friendships Between Celebs and Politicians (4 of 5)

Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong Un

The friendship between Dennis Rodman and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has long been one of the more unusual intersections of sports, celebrity, and international politics. Rodman first visited North Korea in 2013, where he met Kim and reportedly attended a basketball game with him.

The connection appeared to stem partly from Kim’s well-known interest in basketball, particularly the Chicago Bulls, the team with which Rodman became a global star. Rodman later returned to North Korea several times, describing his relationship with Kim in personal terms rather than diplomatic ones. His visits drew substantial criticism, especially given North Korea’s human rights record, but they also made Rodman one of the few Americans publicly known to have spent time with the country’s leader.

Shakira and Gordon Brown

Everyone knows who Shakira is, but what about Gordon Brown? Well, in case you didn’t know or care, he’s the former British prime minister who obviously enjoyed hanging out with Shakira because who wouldn’t?

At the core of their friendship lies Shakira’s Barefoot Foundation that supports education for disadvantaged children in Colombia. That’s basically how they’ve met. Later, when Brown was Britain’s chancellor, Shakira praised his commitment to financing education in developing countries, and they continued working on campaigns after he left office.