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Progress or publicity? Jeff Bezos' all-female Blue Origin flight mocked as ‘cringe PR stunt’
Despite the emotional remarks, the mission was heavily criticised online, with many users calling it an unnecessary PR move.
Despite the emotional remarks, the mission was heavily criticised online, with many users calling it an unnecessary PR move.
Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, completed a short space flight with an all-female crew that included his fiancée Lauren Sanchez and pop star Katy Perry. The flight lasted around 11 minutes and went over 60 miles above Earth, crossing the Kármán line, which marks the official boundary of space.
After landing back on Earth, Perry was seen raising her hand to the sky and kissing the ground, saying, “I feel super-connected to love. I think this experience has shown me how much love is inside of me."
Sanchez described the journey as “profound”, adding, “You see Earth, and then there’s total darkness… but we saw the moon and then looked back at Earth, and it looked like a jewel.”
Despite the emotional remarks, the mission was heavily criticised online, with many users calling it an unnecessary PR move. One X (formerly Twitter) user compared it to a “forced girl power moment”, referencing the much-debated scene in Avengers: Endgame, saying:
“A billionaire sending his wife into space with some rich female celebrities just to make space seem safe is dumb."
Others were more blunt in their criticism.
I’m sorry but this is as silly as that forced girl power moment in the middle of the battle in Avengers Endgame - A billionaire sending his wife into space with some rich female celebrities just for space is safe PR is dumb pic.twitter.com/xJkb9KU6G0
— Andy Signore (@andysignore) April 14, 2025
“Jeff Bezos is such a dork, and this entire thing is so cringe,” one person wrote. “If Bezos can send Katy Perry into space, he can pay a wealth tax so every American has debt-free healthcare,” added another.
This is one of the worst things I’ve seen.
— Petey B (@realpeteyb123) April 14, 2025
Jeff Bezos is such a dork, and this entire thing is so cringe.
pic.twitter.com/T6qbV3wgNH
Another user pointed out the irony of the situation, “He couldn’t even pay Amazon workers fairly, but he can send six rich women into space like it’s nothing.”
Jeff Bezos couldn’t even pay Amazon workers fairly but he can send 6 rich women into space like it’s nothing..
— Aes🇺🇸 (@AesPolitics1) April 14, 2025
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Blue Origin has not issued any official response to the criticism.
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