It appears the ongoing spectacle of our times continues, with all its glitz, glam, and a facade as thick as a Hollywood smile. The much-touted space escapade featuring an all-female crew, including the famed Katy Perry and Gayle King alongside Jeff Bezos’s girlfriend, Lauren Sánchez, has captured headlines. But was this journey anything more than a high-flying publicity stunt? Despite the breathless media coverage, one can’t help but wonder if this trip was truly deserving of such initial fanfare or if it was merely a thinly veiled joyride masquerading as a historical feat.
The ensemble of pop stars and television personalities found themselves briefly beyond Earth’s atmosphere, mimicking a path once cruised by the great Alan Shepard. However, equating their short eleven-minute sojourn to Shepard’s groundbreaking journey feels akin to comparing a trampoline jump to an Olympic high dive. Space tourism, after all, has less to do with scientific exploration and everything to do with those who have the means—or the connections—to claim a seat. And let’s face it, having Jeff Bezos as an acquaintance certainly opens a few portals, or in this case, rocket compartments.
Gayle King, with earnest intensity, shared her awe and personal reflections on the experience. The outcry for louder applause suggests a disconnect—a belief that perhaps the world owed them accolades simply because they stepped where only a few have tread before. Yet, this entitlement misses the core of true achievement, which isn’t about gliding in the wake of someone else’s innovations but breaking new ground through personal triumph and adversity.
Critics, those ever-pesky purveyors of reason, have used the term “ride” to describe this escapade. Certainly, the snazzy suits and strategic social media poses don’t help obscure the fact that they were passengers, not pilots pioneering the unknown. The insistence on mislabeling what distinctly looks like a carnival ride as a “mission” echoes a broader cultural trend of elevating mediocrity to monumental status, provided it fits a certain narrative checklist.
While one could argue that these short jaunts have potential to inspire—and indeed for some, they will—the overt focus on the symbolism rather than substance leaves more discerning observers unsatisfied. The real pioneers, whether male or female, are those who blaze trails for humankind’s progress, driven by purpose and vision, not merely the thrill of being seen. Until those sacrifices are genuinely mirrored, it’s time to orbit back to what’s real and meaningful. Let’s reserve our applause for those pushing boundaries beyond the vanity of celebrity.
