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Jeff Bezos is an official sponsor and honorary chair of this year’s Met Gala. But he was nowhere to be seen on the event’s famous red carpet on Monday evening. 

The Amazon founder did not pose for photographers outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art ahead of the Costume Institute fundraiser. Instead, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos flew solo in a custom Schiaparelli gown. The dress was a nod to John Singer’s Sargent’s famous painting “Madame X” and in keeping with the gala’s theme, “Costume Art.” Bezos was later spotted inside with his sister-in-law, Elena Sánchez Blair. 

Bezos’ under-the-radar arrival at the splashy party might have been a way for him to avoid the crowd of protestors who’d gathered outside the famous NYC museum. The Amazon founder’s involvement with this year’s Met Gala has been met with outcry in some quarters, including from the social media account “Everyone Hates Elon.” 

On May 2, the account shared a video of people placing small bottles of fake urine (a mix of water and foot coloring) around the museum. The “piss bottles” are a reference to reports that Amazon delivery drivers are forced to urinate into bottles in order to meet the company’s productivity goals for its workers. 

Meanwhile, some notable figures have decided to skip the Met Gala rather than risk being associated with Bezos. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declined to attend, while celebs such as Zendaya, Bella Hadid, and Meryl Streep are staying home, noted Page Six. 

Taraji P. Henson directly called out stars who had accepted their invites. 

“I am so confused by some ppl that are going,” she wrote in response to an Instagram post criticizing Bezos’ role in this year’s Met Gala. “I am just like WTF ARE WE DOING!?!?!?!”

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