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Lily Allen apologized for her comments about Katy Perry and the controversial Blue Origin New Shepard space launch.
On April 14, the “Firework” artist took part in the first all-female mission to the stars in the last 60 years alongside TV show host Gayle King, journalist Lauren Sanchez (wife of Jeff Bezos), civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn, and aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe.
Perry performed Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” and promoted her Life Times Tour in space. When she returned to earth, she was filmed kissing the ground and told a press representative she felt “super connected to love.”
The 11-minute flight, led by Bezos’ private aerospace technology company, garnered widespread criticism from various A-listers online, with many questioning the merit behind the supposedly feminist message.
However, Allen, 39, doubled back on her original judgment in the most recent episode of her podcast, Miss Me?.
“I would actually like to apologize for being mean about Katy Perry last week. There was actually no need for me to bring her name into it, and it was my own internalized misogyny,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and it was just completely unnecessary to pile on with her.
“I do disagree with what it was that they did, but she wasn’t the only person that did it,” Allen continued. “She was possibly the most famous and the one that divides people the most, and so, I don’t know, there was something in me that decided to choose her as the person that should… Anyway, I just, I’m really sorry.”
Allen first spoke out against the mission during the April 17 episode of her podcast.
“Do we want to talk about Katy Perry and her mates all going up to space for 12 minutes?” she said. “I mean, what the frickin’ hell was that all about? No, but in all seriousness, what? Why?”
She continued: “I just think it’s so out of touch. We’re on the brink of recession, people are really fucking struggling to make ends meet and get food on their table.”
Allen’s co-host, Miquita Oliver, added: “And not really the most appropriate time to send Katy Perry into space.”
The “Smile” singer responded: “For absolutely no f***ing reason! It’s like… We send people to space to discover things, like scientific reason.
“And the fact that they have made it some sort of feminist thing,” she continued.
The Independent has contacted Perry’s representatives for comment.
English (US) ·