Whether it’s a spaceflight funded by Jeff Bezos or a photo op with a Tesla, several high-profile women are facing backlash from their followers for actions that appear to align them with the new Republican administration
People subscribe LOG IN People Celebrities From Gwen Stefani to Katy Perry: The MAGA drift of celebrity Democrats Whether it’s a spaceflight funded by Jeff Bezos or a photo op with a Tesla, several high-profile women are facing backlash from their followers for actions that appear to align them with the new Republican administration Singer Gwen Stefani on 'TODAY,' November 14, 2024. Singer Gwen Stefani on 'TODAY,' November 14, 2024. NBC (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty I) Elena Muñoz Elena Muñoz Madrid - MAY 07, 2025 - 13:29 CEST Share on WhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on BlueskyShare on LinkedinCopy link The space trip aboard a Blue Origin rocket that Katy Perry and five other women took on April 14 has further damaged the pop star’s already tarnished public image. This week, Perry admitted she felt like a “piñata” after being bombarded with hate on social media. The California native traveled alongside reporter and Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, CBS journalist and host Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, activist Amanda Nguyen, and producer Kerianne Flynn. The 10-minute suborbital flight, operated by Bezos’ company Blue Origin, reportedly cost close to half a million dollars per person.
The trip has sparked a wave of criticism, both in traditional media — where opinion pieces have proliferated — and on social media, where memes mocking Perry have gone viral. “Can we send her back to space?” said one user. Celebrities including actresses Amy Schumer and Olivia Munn, and model Emily Ratajkowski, also weighed in with criticism. “Saying that you care about Mother Earth and it’s about Mother Earth, and you’re going up in a spaceship that is built and paid for by a company that’s singlehandedly destroying the planet?” Ratajkowski said in a video.
While Perry endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris during the presidential campaign, her perceived coziness with Bezos — who is widely seen as having helped fuel Donald Trump’s electoral success — has been the final straw for many longtime fans already disillusioned with her.
The backlash began with her comeback album 143, released last summer. The lead single, Woman’s World, featured longtime collaborator Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald — the producer accused of rape by singer Kesha in 2014. Though the lengthy legal battle ended in a settlement, Dr. Luke remains a polarizing figure, and Perry was heavily criticized for partnering with an accused rapist on a song that purported to champion female empowerment.