Katy Perry's space mission was a PR stunt? Singer's 'crazy' remarks amid Blue Origin flight backlash

Time of India

24-04-2025

Katy Perry responds to backlash
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Why Katy Perry faced backlash?
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Pop star Katy Perry experienced a mix of joy and disappointment following her trip to space on an all-female Blue Origin mission. The space trip, organized by Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin, took place on Monday, April 14, 2025. Katy Perry was part of an all-female crew that included well-known personalities like TV host Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez.The singer has hit back at the backlash she received for her Blue Origin space flight during the opening night of her 'Lifetimes' tour. The Grammy nominee recently faced backlash for her 'out of touch' and 'entitled' 11-minute voyage to space on Jeff Bezos' New Shepard 31 spacecraft. Former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn also traveled on the historic trip.The 'Dark Horse' singer, who kicked off her trek Wednesday in Mexico City, recreated space choreography during the concert while dressed in a silver metal bodysuit.At some points, she even flew in the air and took selfies with men dressed in blue NASA space suits. Perry, 40, also addressed her critics directly, asking the audience, 'Has anyone ever called your dreams crazy?', according to Daily Mail.Model Emily Ratajkowski said she was 'disgusted' by their space launch. Many people online have been claiming that pop star Katy Perry's recent space journey was faked, but experts say there is no real proof to support these theories.'That space mission this morning? That's end time s–t. Like, this is beyond parody,' she said on TikTok. '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 single-handedly destroying the planet?'Actress Jessica Chastain shared an opinion piece in the Guardian titled, 'The Blue Origin flight showcased the utter defeat of American feminism.'Olivia Munn, meanwhile, called out the millionaires for wasting 'so much money' traveling to space as many Americans struggle to buy food.'I know this probably isn't the cool thing to say, but there are so many other things that are so important in the world right now,' the 'Predator' actress, 44, said on 'Today with Jenna & Friends' earlier this month.'What are you guys gonna do up in space? What are you doing up there?' she asked.Olivia Wilde also shaded the launch, writing, 'Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess' alongside a carousel of memes posted by @betches, which featured an image of Perry kissing the ground after returning to Earth.King, 70, and Sánchez, 55, clapped back at the criticism they and the other women on their space flight faced.'Anybody that's criticizing doesn't really understand what is happening here,' the 'CBS Mornings' co-host told People.'We can all speak to the response we're getting from young women from young girls about what this represents.' As for Bezos' fiancée, she said the negative comments got her 'really fired up.''I would love to have them come to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employees that don't just work here but they put their heart and soul into this vehicle,' she noted.'They love their work and they love the mission and it's a big deal for them.'The 11-minute space flight captured widespread attention, but it also stirred up a fair amount of controversy. On social media, conspiracy theories quickly surfaced, with some users suggesting the entire mission was a carefully staged publicity stunt.One of the main points of skepticism was a video showing the capsule door being closed and then reopened after landing—leading some to believe the flight may not have taken place at all. Others questioned the lack of burn marks on the capsule, which they expected to see if it had truly re-entered from space. There were even claims that a strange-looking hand visible through the capsule window appeared fake, prompting speculation that dummies—not real people—were onboard.However, experts and sources such as the Daily Mail were quick to debunk these theories. The operable capsule door is actually a NASA safety requirement, designed so any crew member can open it within 60 seconds. The absence of burn marks was also explained—Blue Origin's capsule didn't ascend high enough to experience the intense heat associated with longer spaceflights. As for the mysterious hand, it turned out to be from a 2017 test mission that used a mannequin for safety evaluation, not from this recent flight.Even though the mission was authentic, it didn't escape criticism. Many viewed it as extravagant and ill-timed, especially amid widespread financial hardship. Celebrities such as Olivia Munn and Emily Ratajkowski called the launch "gluttonous" and "disgusting," while singer Lily Allen expressed her disapproval on her podcast, questioning the value of the trip during such a difficult time for so many people. Environmental concerns were also raised—some critics pointed out the irony of Katy Perry, known for her environmental advocacy, participating in a flight that may have produced more pollution than an entire concert tour.Though the flight was real and verified by official sources and space experts, the debate continues. To some, it was an impressive technological feat. To others, it felt more like an expensive spectacle than a meaningful step forward.