While we excitedly await it each year as the Super Bowl of the fashion world, it seems not all the stars are as excited as we are about the annual Met Gala.
While there is undoubtedly always some Met Gala drama (think Beyonce/Jay Z/Solange and the elevator incident of 2014 or the stars who broke the ‘no smoking in the bathroom’ rule in 2017), it’s been reported that those in attendance are often miserable and celebrities are starting to lose interest in attending – probably why they’d rather be smoking in the bathroom then…
Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, Demi Lovato and Tina Fey have all previously spoken out about their hatred of the infamous event and according to Page Six the sentiment is spreading; with insiders saying the event has “lost it’s appeal” and describing it as the “Mean Girls” of events.
“I have gone to it once, and it is such a jerk parade,” Tina Fey previously said during an interview with former Late Show host David Letterman. “It is so unbelievable. Clearly, I’ll never go again. But you go, and it’s this beautiful space and it’s just every jerk from every walk of life is there wearing, like, some stupid thing.”
US Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour, who has been at the helm as Gala Chair since 1995, reportedly “[bans] those she dislikes and [instills] a pecking order everywhere from the red carpet (she reportedly dictates what time each celebrity arrives) to the seating chart (the closer to Wintour, the closer to God),” reports Page Six.
Once the hottest ticket on the calendar, A-listers are now reportedly turning down their invites – something that was once unheard of.
“Look, it’s a very tedious night,” one celebrity publicist says. “It’s very much work for them. It’s very structured, there’s a lot of pressure to network, and [it’s] not that much of an enjoyable evening.”
While the Met Gala dates all the way back to 1946, it wasn’t until Wintour took the reigns that it became the juggernaut that it is today, with tickets starting at around AU$40,000 – but don’t forget that’s only if you’re approved.
Tables are usually purchased by designers and then celebrities and models are invited as their guests (you guessed it, these guests must also be approved).
“I think celebrities are nervous [to attend] because it’s the who’s-who of fashion and the whole entertainment industry as a whole,” makeup artist Ashlee Glazer who has worked with stars for the Met Gala told Page Six. “They are going to be judged from 360 degrees.”
However despite Gwyn, Lena and Amy all famously dissing the event, they all subsequently returned.
“It’s to stay relevant and stay in the good graces of Anna Wintour,” says another source. “She can make or break you. To be honest, I’m surprised she even let them back.”
It remains to be seen which stars will and won’t attend the 2023 Met Gala – themed Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty – but either way, we’ll be watching!
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