Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Are 'Trying to Rebrand Wealth as Culture,' PR Expert Says — But Young Audiences Aren't Buying It

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos aka Dr Evil and the Joker are trying to have it both ways.

On one hand they're busy sucking up to the president for a tax break while refusing to pay Amazon workers a living wage and giving them healthcare, and on the other hand wanting to hang with the cool kids — aka people in an industry that's all about celebrating equality, diversity and creativity. All because Lauryn couldn't hack it as an entertainer on her own.

So the only way either of them could be accepted is by buying their way to the cool kids table.

via: Radar Online

The Bezos' are under fire as their growing influence in elite spaces, including the Met Gala, sparks backlash, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

A PR expert said the couple's attempt to position themselves at the center of culture is falling flat with younger audiences.

'Wealth Is Being Rebranded as Culture'

Media strategist Mike Fahey didn't hold back in his assessment of the couple's growing presence.

"Two weeks ago, reports surfaced that Bezos was approached to help buy back Kylie Jenner's cosmetic line. Their wedding was one of the biggest star-studded events of the last few years," Fahey told RadarOnline.com.

"To me, this signals that power and wealth are trying to rebrand themselves as culture. But younger audiences are more skeptical than ever. To them, this can read less like 'iconic power couple' and more like 'unchecked wealth trying to buy cool,'" he added.

Fahey also touched on the inevitability of backlash with the Bezos couple being part of such a beloved event: "When you put someone like Jeff Bezos on a red carpet at the Met Gala in this economic and political climate, backlash isn't a risk; it’s the baseline. Just like their Italian wedding made headlines across the globe. They're a lightning rod for controversy, despite never really doing much in the controversial realm of things. In many ways, their only flaw is being wealthy."

He also added that the backlash was "baked in."

"You're not putting Bezos on that carpet in 2026 without triggering a reaction. The only real question wasn’t if there'd be backlash, but how loud it would be," the expert shared.

Glam Look Mocked Online

At this year's Met Gala, Sanchez chose a custom Schiaparelli strapless gown with pearl accents, a design linked by Vogue to the once-controversial Madame X portrait by John Singer Sargent.

"When you stand in front of it now, you see a beautiful woman," Sanchez said. "For me, the image represents how fashion and cultural standards can shift over time. Today, a strap is a strap, but back when Madame X was painted by Sargent, a strap was a scandal."

She completed the look with a pair of 60-carat pear-shaped diamond and pearl drop earrings, as well as a 35-carat Marquise Golconda diamond ring.

Interestingly, Sanchez appeared on the carpet alone despite the couple serving as primary donors and honorary chairs.

Critics Slam 'Plastic' Look

Despite the high-fashion reference and multimillion-dollar styling, Sanchez's appearance quickly became a lightning rod for criticism, with much of the online chatter focusing on her face rather than the gown.

"She likely paid a ton to get this look. The surgery was unsuccessful," one person raged, as another responded, "Not sure which part is more fake. Going with the lips."

A third user went off, "She was so pretty before all the surgeries," while another added, "What's wrong with her face? She used to be hot."

One commentator claimed Sanchez was trying to go for the "plastic" look.

Before the event began, reports claimed hundreds of bottles filled with yellow liquid — believed to be fake urine — had been hidden throughout the museum, including near valuable artifacts, raising alarm among staff.

"Anna is genuinely shocked by how hostile this has become," a source said. "She never imagined the Met Gala would start being seen as a symbol of excess instead of a cultural institution."

"There was a real panic meeting about messaging," one source said. "Anna wanted new talking points immediately. The tone inside was urgent."

Insiders said Anna Wintour quickly gathered top advisers to respond as backlash surrounding the event intensified.

*****

I have no respect for the Temu Lex Luthor who doesn't take care of the workers that work their butts off helping Amazon turn a profit. Workers who have to resort to urinating in bottles due to the fact that they can't even get a pee break. The fact that we have someone who has to spend $10 million dollars in order to get Lauren a seat next to Anna Wintour at a charity event is just beyond pathetic.

Shout out to Lisa Ann Walter, Taraji P Henson, Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet for refusing to attend the Met Gala.

Below is a video from former Amazon worker Chris Smalls who put Jeff Bezos on blast via a bulding projection, and was also arrested outside the Met Gala for protesting.