Bezos the latest of the billionaires behaving brazenly
But both could be captured by the broader label of billionaires behaving bizarrely.
We have become obsessed with torturing ourselves by watching the excesses of the ultra-ultra-wealthy, which most will label obscene but compelling.
There are plenty of cultural references, such as Succession, which is loosely based on the antics of the Murdoch family and sibling rivalry for control of the empire.
Another that springs to mind is Mountainhead, the recently released satirical drama based on four billionaire tech bros' weekend getaway, set against the backdrop of an international crisis of their own making but on which they are hoping to capitalise.
Fictional as those characters are, think Tesla's Elon Musk, Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI founder Sam Altman or the elder statesman of the group, PayPal's Thiel.
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It's even been reported that some have 'prepper' plans to move to New Zealand in the event of an apocalypse.
Sure, the tech bros are all innovators, but they have made their money on the back of selling products and services to the 99.9999 per centers. We buy their products, read their social media platforms and drive their electric vehicles.
And they don't quietly influence the political process – they attend presidential inaugurations and make millions in public political contributions.
Thus it is hardly surprising that the Bezos nuptials have been transformed into a worldwide event, costing more than $100 million and attended by a list of guests with more influence than the United Nations gathering, and which presents guests with more networking potential than the annual Davos get-together.
The local Venetians are certainly not seeing this as a great tourism marketing opportunity – rather as a mass migration of rich-listers taking over their historic town. Such was the level of protest that the event's venue was changed.
About a dozen Venetian organisations – including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups – have reportedly united to protest the multi-day event under the banner 'No Space for Bezos'.
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The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Bezos and Sanchez wedding causing ripples in Venice
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have arrived in Venice ahead of their wedding, which has galvanised an assortment of protesters in the Italian city. Bezos waved from a water taxi as he and Sanchez arrived at the dock of the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal with two security boats in tow. Their wedding has drawn protests by groups who view it as a sign of the growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, while residents complain it exemplifies the way their needs are disregarded in the era of mass tourism to the historic lagoon city. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — have united to protest the multi-day event under the banner "No Space for Bezos," a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight. They were joined Monday by Greenpeace and the British group "Everyone Hates Elon," which has smashed Teslas to protest Elon Musk, to unfurl a giant banner in St. Mark's Square protesting purported tax breaks for billionaires. On Wednesday, other activists launched a float down the Grand Canal featuring a mannequin of Bezos clinging onto an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. The British publicity firm that announced the stunt said it was a protest against unchecked wealth, media control, and the growing privatisation of public spaces." Bezos' representatives have not commented on the protests. The local activists had planned to obstruct access to canals on Saturday to prevent guests from reaching a wedding venue. They modified the protest to a march after claiming their pressure forced organisers to change the venue to the Arsenale, a more easily secured site beyond Venice's congested centre. Among the 200 guests confirmed to be attending the wedding are Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio. Venice, renowned for its romantic canal vistas, hosts hundreds of weddings each year, not infrequently those of the rich and famous. Previous celebrity weddings, like that of George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, were embraced by the public. Hundreds turned out to wish the couple well at City Hall. Bezos has a different political and business profile, said Tommaso Cacciari, a prominent figure in the movement that successfully pushed for a ban on cruise ships over 25,000 tons travelling through the Giudecca Canal in central Venice. "Bezos is not a Hollywood actor,'' Cacciari said. "He is an ultra-billionaire who sat next to Donald Trump during the inauguration, who contributed to his reelection and is contributing in a direct and heavy way to this new global obscurantism.'' Critics cite Amazon's labour practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments and Bezos' political associations as reasons for concern. Activists also argue that the Bezos wedding exemplifies broader failures in municipal governance, particularly the prioritisation of tourism over residents' needs. They cite measures such as the day-tripper tax — which critics argue reinforces Venice's image as a theme park — as ineffective. Chief among their concerns is the lack of investment in affordable housing and essential services. City officials have defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the event an honour for Venice, and the city denied the wedding would cause disruptions. Meanwhile, a Venetian environmental research association, Corila, issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." Corila, which unites university scholars and Italy's main national research council in researching Venetian protection strategies, wouldn't say how much Bezos was donating but said contact began in April, well before the protests started. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have arrived in Venice ahead of their wedding, which has galvanised an assortment of protesters in the Italian city. Bezos waved from a water taxi as he and Sanchez arrived at the dock of the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal with two security boats in tow. Their wedding has drawn protests by groups who view it as a sign of the growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, while residents complain it exemplifies the way their needs are disregarded in the era of mass tourism to the historic lagoon city. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — have united to protest the multi-day event under the banner "No Space for Bezos," a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight. They were joined Monday by Greenpeace and the British group "Everyone Hates Elon," which has smashed Teslas to protest Elon Musk, to unfurl a giant banner in St. Mark's Square protesting purported tax breaks for billionaires. On Wednesday, other activists launched a float down the Grand Canal featuring a mannequin of Bezos clinging onto an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. The British publicity firm that announced the stunt said it was a protest against unchecked wealth, media control, and the growing privatisation of public spaces." Bezos' representatives have not commented on the protests. The local activists had planned to obstruct access to canals on Saturday to prevent guests from reaching a wedding venue. They modified the protest to a march after claiming their pressure forced organisers to change the venue to the Arsenale, a more easily secured site beyond Venice's congested centre. Among the 200 guests confirmed to be attending the wedding are Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio. Venice, renowned for its romantic canal vistas, hosts hundreds of weddings each year, not infrequently those of the rich and famous. Previous celebrity weddings, like that of George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, were embraced by the public. Hundreds turned out to wish the couple well at City Hall. Bezos has a different political and business profile, said Tommaso Cacciari, a prominent figure in the movement that successfully pushed for a ban on cruise ships over 25,000 tons travelling through the Giudecca Canal in central Venice. "Bezos is not a Hollywood actor,'' Cacciari said. "He is an ultra-billionaire who sat next to Donald Trump during the inauguration, who contributed to his reelection and is contributing in a direct and heavy way to this new global obscurantism.'' Critics cite Amazon's labour practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments and Bezos' political associations as reasons for concern. Activists also argue that the Bezos wedding exemplifies broader failures in municipal governance, particularly the prioritisation of tourism over residents' needs. They cite measures such as the day-tripper tax — which critics argue reinforces Venice's image as a theme park — as ineffective. Chief among their concerns is the lack of investment in affordable housing and essential services. City officials have defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the event an honour for Venice, and the city denied the wedding would cause disruptions. Meanwhile, a Venetian environmental research association, Corila, issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." Corila, which unites university scholars and Italy's main national research council in researching Venetian protection strategies, wouldn't say how much Bezos was donating but said contact began in April, well before the protests started. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have arrived in Venice ahead of their wedding, which has galvanised an assortment of protesters in the Italian city. Bezos waved from a water taxi as he and Sanchez arrived at the dock of the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal with two security boats in tow. Their wedding has drawn protests by groups who view it as a sign of the growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, while residents complain it exemplifies the way their needs are disregarded in the era of mass tourism to the historic lagoon city. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — have united to protest the multi-day event under the banner "No Space for Bezos," a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight. They were joined Monday by Greenpeace and the British group "Everyone Hates Elon," which has smashed Teslas to protest Elon Musk, to unfurl a giant banner in St. Mark's Square protesting purported tax breaks for billionaires. On Wednesday, other activists launched a float down the Grand Canal featuring a mannequin of Bezos clinging onto an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. The British publicity firm that announced the stunt said it was a protest against unchecked wealth, media control, and the growing privatisation of public spaces." Bezos' representatives have not commented on the protests. The local activists had planned to obstruct access to canals on Saturday to prevent guests from reaching a wedding venue. They modified the protest to a march after claiming their pressure forced organisers to change the venue to the Arsenale, a more easily secured site beyond Venice's congested centre. Among the 200 guests confirmed to be attending the wedding are Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio. Venice, renowned for its romantic canal vistas, hosts hundreds of weddings each year, not infrequently those of the rich and famous. Previous celebrity weddings, like that of George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, were embraced by the public. Hundreds turned out to wish the couple well at City Hall. Bezos has a different political and business profile, said Tommaso Cacciari, a prominent figure in the movement that successfully pushed for a ban on cruise ships over 25,000 tons travelling through the Giudecca Canal in central Venice. "Bezos is not a Hollywood actor,'' Cacciari said. "He is an ultra-billionaire who sat next to Donald Trump during the inauguration, who contributed to his reelection and is contributing in a direct and heavy way to this new global obscurantism.'' Critics cite Amazon's labour practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments and Bezos' political associations as reasons for concern. Activists also argue that the Bezos wedding exemplifies broader failures in municipal governance, particularly the prioritisation of tourism over residents' needs. They cite measures such as the day-tripper tax — which critics argue reinforces Venice's image as a theme park — as ineffective. Chief among their concerns is the lack of investment in affordable housing and essential services. City officials have defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the event an honour for Venice, and the city denied the wedding would cause disruptions. Meanwhile, a Venetian environmental research association, Corila, issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." Corila, which unites university scholars and Italy's main national research council in researching Venetian protection strategies, wouldn't say how much Bezos was donating but said contact began in April, well before the protests started. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have arrived in Venice ahead of their wedding, which has galvanised an assortment of protesters in the Italian city. Bezos waved from a water taxi as he and Sanchez arrived at the dock of the Aman Hotel on the Grand Canal with two security boats in tow. Their wedding has drawn protests by groups who view it as a sign of the growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, while residents complain it exemplifies the way their needs are disregarded in the era of mass tourism to the historic lagoon city. About a dozen Venetian organisations — including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups — have united to protest the multi-day event under the banner "No Space for Bezos," a play on words also referring to the bride's recent space flight. They were joined Monday by Greenpeace and the British group "Everyone Hates Elon," which has smashed Teslas to protest Elon Musk, to unfurl a giant banner in St. Mark's Square protesting purported tax breaks for billionaires. On Wednesday, other activists launched a float down the Grand Canal featuring a mannequin of Bezos clinging onto an Amazon box, his fists full of fake dollars. The British publicity firm that announced the stunt said it was a protest against unchecked wealth, media control, and the growing privatisation of public spaces." Bezos' representatives have not commented on the protests. The local activists had planned to obstruct access to canals on Saturday to prevent guests from reaching a wedding venue. They modified the protest to a march after claiming their pressure forced organisers to change the venue to the Arsenale, a more easily secured site beyond Venice's congested centre. Among the 200 guests confirmed to be attending the wedding are Mick Jagger, Ivanka Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio. Venice, renowned for its romantic canal vistas, hosts hundreds of weddings each year, not infrequently those of the rich and famous. Previous celebrity weddings, like that of George Clooney to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014, were embraced by the public. Hundreds turned out to wish the couple well at City Hall. Bezos has a different political and business profile, said Tommaso Cacciari, a prominent figure in the movement that successfully pushed for a ban on cruise ships over 25,000 tons travelling through the Giudecca Canal in central Venice. "Bezos is not a Hollywood actor,'' Cacciari said. "He is an ultra-billionaire who sat next to Donald Trump during the inauguration, who contributed to his reelection and is contributing in a direct and heavy way to this new global obscurantism.'' Critics cite Amazon's labour practices, ongoing tax disputes with European governments and Bezos' political associations as reasons for concern. Activists also argue that the Bezos wedding exemplifies broader failures in municipal governance, particularly the prioritisation of tourism over residents' needs. They cite measures such as the day-tripper tax — which critics argue reinforces Venice's image as a theme park — as ineffective. Chief among their concerns is the lack of investment in affordable housing and essential services. City officials have defended the wedding. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the event an honour for Venice, and the city denied the wedding would cause disruptions. Meanwhile, a Venetian environmental research association, Corila, issued a statement saying Bezos' Earth Fund was supporting its work with an "important donation." Corila, which unites university scholars and Italy's main national research council in researching Venetian protection strategies, wouldn't say how much Bezos was donating but said contact began in April, well before the protests started.
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
Bezos the latest of the billionaires behaving brazenly
But both could be captured by the broader label of billionaires behaving bizarrely. We have become obsessed with torturing ourselves by watching the excesses of the ultra-ultra-wealthy, which most will label obscene but compelling. There are plenty of cultural references, such as Succession, which is loosely based on the antics of the Murdoch family and sibling rivalry for control of the empire. Another that springs to mind is Mountainhead, the recently released satirical drama based on four billionaire tech bros' weekend getaway, set against the backdrop of an international crisis of their own making but on which they are hoping to capitalise. Fictional as those characters are, think Tesla's Elon Musk, Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI founder Sam Altman or the elder statesman of the group, PayPal's Thiel. Loading It's even been reported that some have 'prepper' plans to move to New Zealand in the event of an apocalypse. Sure, the tech bros are all innovators, but they have made their money on the back of selling products and services to the 99.9999 per centers. We buy their products, read their social media platforms and drive their electric vehicles. And they don't quietly influence the political process – they attend presidential inaugurations and make millions in public political contributions. Thus it is hardly surprising that the Bezos nuptials have been transformed into a worldwide event, costing more than $100 million and attended by a list of guests with more influence than the United Nations gathering, and which presents guests with more networking potential than the annual Davos get-together. The local Venetians are certainly not seeing this as a great tourism marketing opportunity – rather as a mass migration of rich-listers taking over their historic town. Such was the level of protest that the event's venue was changed. About a dozen Venetian organisations – including housing advocates, anti-cruise ship campaigners and university groups – have reportedly united to protest the multi-day event under the banner 'No Space for Bezos'.
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
Private jets and power players: Guests arrive for Bezos and Sánchez wedding
US President Donald Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, real estate heir Jared Kushner, were among the first public arrivals in Venice this week. The two were snapped boarding a water taxi on Tuesday evening (Venetian time). One day later, Ivanka Trump shared a series of sightseeing photos to Instagram alongside the caption, 'Da Venezia, con amore'. It's believed her brother-in-law Joshua Kushner and his wife, model Karlie Kloss, will also join them. Bezos' second wedding would not be the first billionaire nuptials the president's daughter has attended. In March 2024, she was among many celebrity guests flown to India to celebrate the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. Ambani is the youngest son of Asia's richest man. Trump has been a close friend of Sánchez's for years, and has often been seen at events with the journalist and their mutual friend Kim Kardashian. The Kardashians Also at the Ambani wedding was Kardashian, whose Gulfstream G650ER was flying in to Venice's Marco Polo Airport from Los Angeles, according to flight documents seen by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Loading Corey Gamble, the partner of Kardashian's mother, Kris Jenner, was snapped in Venice on Tuesday. Kardashian's sister Kylie Jenner is believed to be flying in from Budapest. The magnates Flight documents cited by American, British and European media outlets suggest Bill Gates is flying in from Brussels, followed closely by Rupert Murdoch's favoured heir, Lachlan Murdoch, from London. Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones is flying from Tanzania, with film producer and record executive David Geffen travelling from Valencia, Spain. Belgian fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg was also snapped in Venice on Tuesday evening, and it's believed Meta mastermind Mark Zuckerberg will be joining the celebrations. The jury, however, is still out on Bezos' fellow space enthusiast Elon Musk, with whom he had a 20-year-long public rivalry that may or may not be over. The space cadets Speaking of space, it's believed part-time astronaut Gayle King will be in the room celebrating Sánchez's nuptials following their joint zero-gravity frolic earlier this year. King's best friend, Oprah Winfrey, according to flight documents, is flying to Venice from New York. If Katy Perry, who was also aboard the Blue Origin flight in April, somehow makes it from Adelaide to Venice and back in the one-day break between her four Lifetimes Tour shows this weekend, that would be a surprise to TMZ, which has been reporting Perry has split from long-time fiance Orlando Bloom – and that Bloom is 'making his debut as a single man during the festivities' and is 'gonna hit the dance floor hard'. Or, perhaps, 'sneak away with Leonardo DiCaprio for some bar crawling'. If Perry and Bloom have split, however, they have yet to confirm it. Hollywood royalty DiCaprio is one of many famous faces who attended Bezos and Sánchez's August 2023 engagement party, which also counted actors Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire and Australia's own Deborra-Lee Furness among the guests. Actress Eva Longoria, a long-time friend of Sánchez, is another famous face who has been spotted at wedding-related events, most recently in Paris in May for Sánchez's bachelorette weekend. Rumours are also swirling around musicians Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger and Elton John, who are speculated to be performing at the festivities if not attending as guests.
