2024 Met Gala Revolution
They say “Eat the Rich”, but this year’s Met Gala showed us that it’s more like the other way around. Celebrity glorification is rampant in today's internet/social media society and the more that glamorous events expand their egos, the further out of touch they become with reality. The Met Gala used to be a grand fundraising event dedicated to preserving art and celebrating the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Today, it feels more like the Capitol Society from the Hunger Games franchise as a televised event, meant to show all of the districts a glimpse of a life they’ll never have. Every year the Met Gala strikes up controversy due to its lavish displays of wealth and exclusive nature, but this year the public response seems much more revolutionary than in the past.
Several celebrities face public backlash for contributing to the gap between the wealthy and the rest of the functioning (or dysfunctioning) society. With the current troubling conditions worldwide, many saw this year's Met Gala as an American distraction with distasteful displays of unattainable wealth. As people struggle to feed their families, we were “privileged” to watch celebrities face scrutiny based on whether they wear the right costume or not. There are currently videos circling the internet of JLO expressing some sass after being asked what designer dress she was wearing. After a flaming cancellation this year for claiming she’s “just a girl from the Bronx,” she continues to display behavior that could not be any further from the facade she wants to create. She is a perfect example of the celebrity phenomenon when they try to imply that they are “just like everybody else” whilst they vacation on tropical islands once a month. Celebrities like to act as though they live the same as the rest of us, but with that much money, it couldn't be more inaccurate.
The 2024 Met Gala doesn’t look to be too different from its function in years past, but the public response to it has been far more interesting as the dynamics of the internet change. A TikTok influencer, Haley Kalil (or @haleyybaylee) is facing the brunt of a new social movement and celebrity revolt because of a video she posted from the Met Gala in which she uses a sound saying “Let them eat cake,” a famous Marie Antoinette quote. This video generated a social response, with people saying it was a tone-deaf video to make as Marie Antoinette was famous for her extravagant lifestyle at the expense of all those who suffered beneath her. Though many people have used the popular TikTok sound, Kalil is now the face of a new social trend to block celebrities called “Blockout2024” which is being promoted to block any celebrity who does not use their position of influence for the better of society. The current discourse on the matter is that celebrities need to start using their power to make life better for the rest of society, stop flaunting their wealth, and stop pushing the idea that they are the same as regular people.
The irony of it all is that these celebrities uplift an “American Dream” ideal that says with enough hard work and talent, you can work your way up to their status. But in reality, most of them were born into that world through nepotism, extreme wealth, or some other form of silver spoon privilege. Like the Capitol Society in the Hunger Games, there is almost nothing you can do to be a part of their world. They sit in their designer clothes and mansions and watch as the world suffers while they struggle to find what outfit will best fit the theme of this year's Met Gala. It’s just the way of the world I suppose. The rich get richer while the poor stay exactly where they are. Until that truth changes, I suppose the only thing we can do to fight back is give our attention when they actually deserve it and keep striving for a better society within the world of celebrities and fashion culture.