Jeff Bezos Faces Backlash as Met Gala Sponsor

The 2026 Met Gala, held Monday evening in New York, is drawing unprecedented controversy over the presence of Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez as lead sponsors. The billionaire Amazon founder will sit prominently near organizer Anna Wintour atop the museum steps. Activist group 'Everyone Hates Elon' has launched a campaign against Bezos, plastering posters around New York with slogans like 'Boycott Bezos's Met' and 'Bezos invites you to party like it's 1939: democracy is a thing of the past.' The group also claimed to have smuggled about 300 bottles of urine-like liquid into the Met, referencing past reports of Amazon workers forced to urinate in bottles. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, said he will not attend, breaking with tradition. Actress Cynthia Nixon supported the boycott, calling the gala 'reputation laundering.' According to The Hollywood Reporter, Meryl Streep declined her role as co-chair due to Bezos's involvement, though this is unconfirmed. Zendaya also skipped the event for the first time in seven years. The gala benefits the Costume Institute and this year's exhibition explores the relationship between art and fashion. Saint Laurent is sponsoring the exhibition catalog. Bezos previously sponsored the Met Gala in 2012, when his public image was less controversial.