Emily Ratajkowski and Olivia Wilde led the criticism against Blue Origin's recent spaceflight, which featured an all-female crew including Jeff Bezos' fiancée, Lauren Sanchez. Ratajkowski, in a TikTok video, called the mission wasteful and performative, highlighting the stark contrast between the extravagance of space tourism and the struggles faced by many on Earth. She argued that the flight, while appearing progressive, was simply a display of Bezos' wealth and privilege.
Blue Origin declined to disclose the cost of the flight. Lauren Sanchez defended the mission, inviting critics to see the work done by the company's employees. Gayle King, another passenger, stated that the critics don't understand the mission's significance for young women and girls.
Olivia Munn called the flight a âgluttonousâ stunt, and Amy Schumer made light of the event through humorous social media posts. Wilde expressed sarcasm, suggesting that the event at least generated good memes.
Earth to Jeff Bezosâ Blue Origin: This weekâs fleeting space launch featuring an all-female crew was a wasteful, performative and tone-deaf endeavor reminiscent of the âHunger Gamesâ dystopia â according to author, model and actor Emily Ratajkowski.
The outspoken âMy Bodyâ writer did not mince words Tuesday as she continued to criticize Mondayâs Blue Origin flight that launched six women including Katy Perry, Gayle King and Bezosâ fiancĂ©e Lauren Sanchez into space. The endeavor, which had been heavily hyped and promoted for more than a month, lasted only 11 minutes from takeoff to landing. (Previous Blue Origin flights, including the 2021 launch with âStar Trekâ icon William Shatner, were equally as brief.)
Ratajkowski dissected the New Shepard rocket mission in a TikTok video posted Tuesday morning, claiming that the women-led initiative was not as progressive as it seemed. While Mondayâs celebrity launch was the nationâs first spaceflight where women filled each seat and âoptically looks like progress,â Ratajkowski alleged, the âtruthâ was that Amazon executive Bezos just wanted to âtake his fiancĂ©e and a few other famous women to space for space tourism.â
âIt just speaks to the fact that we are absolutely living in an oligarchy where there is a small group of people who are interested in going to space for the sake of getting a new lease on life while the rest of the population, most people on planet Earth, are worried about paying rent or having dinner for their kids,â she said.
She added elsewhere in her video: âBeing able to take the privilege that you have gained from exploitation and greed of the planet, of resources of human beings, and doing something like going to space for 11 minutes is not an accomplishment.â
Tuesdayâs video was the second Ratajkowski shared reacting to Mondayâs launch. In a clip posted shortly after the Blue Origin crew returned to Earth, Ratajkowski said the space trip resembled âend times sââ and was âbeyond parody.â She also called out the discrepancies between the environmental messaging surrounding the flight and the resources expended to send the women to space.
âIâm disgusted,â she said.
Blue Origin, founded in 2000 by Bezos, declined Monday to say how much the flight, a quick up-and-down trip from west Texas, cost or who paid for what. The launch precedes Sanchez and Bezosâ Venice, Italy, wedding in two months.
Ratajkowski hasnât been the only star to express disdain for the Blue Origin flight on social media. âDonât Worry Darlingâ director-actor Olivia Wilde in a since-expired Instagram story reacted to the flurry of jokes inspired by the launch. âBillion dollars bought some good memes I guess,â she said sarcastically.
Comedian Amy Schumer also poked fun at the flight Monday, joking she was a last-minute addition to the eclectic female crew. âIâm going to space and thank you to everyone who got me here and Iâll see you in space,â she said in an intentionally vapid-sounding voice, repeating the word âspaceâ numerous times.
Even before Blue Originâs New Shepard lifted off with film producer Kerianne Flynn, scientist Amanda Nguyen, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe and the others in tow, âYour Friends and Neighborsâ star Olivia Munn dubbed the spaceflight a âgluttonousâ stunt. During her April 3 guest spot on âToday With Jenna and Friends,â Munn questioned the purpose of the trip amid more pressing societal and political issues.
âItâs so much money to go to space and thereâs a lot of people who canât even afford eggs,â she said before further scrutinizing media coverage of the endeavor.
After returning from space, âCBS Morningsâ co-host King told People on Monday that critics âdonât really understand what is happening hereâ and said she and her fellow passengers have heard âfrom young women, from young girls about what this represents.â
Sanchez took another approach to the criticism, telling the outlet she invites skeptics to âcome to Blue Origin and see the thousands of employeesâ that she said have devoted themselves to the New Shepard and the mission.
The author and journalist, engaged to billionaire Bezos for nearly two years, added: âWhen we hear comments like that, I just say, âTrust me. Come with me. Iâll show you what this is about, and itâs, itâs really eye-opening.ââ
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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