Fast-Food Chain Wendy’s Stirs Controversy with Katy Perry Space Return Jab
The immersive world of pop culture recently witnessed an unanticipated twist in the tale, where the American fast food chain, Wendy’s, took a harsh shot at pop star Katy Perry. Garnering massive public attention, Wendy’s comment on Perry’s return from her Blue Origin space mission has left the internet both amused and bemused.
Katy Perry, globally renowned as the ‘Firework’ singer, embarked on a historic journey, being part of the first all-female space mission in over six decades. On Monday, 14th April, Perry and an all-women crew, which included notable figures like Jeff Bezos’s fiancée Lauren Sanchez, CBS News host Gayle King, and former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, among others, launched into space. In a rocket manufactured by Bezos’s space firm, Blue Origin, they experienced a short four-minute traverse through space before descending back to Earth. The entire voyage lasted just over ten minutes.
Following her return from space, Perry was immediately targeted by the official Wendy’s Twitter account. The fast-food chain responded to an image of Perry in her space suit with a cutting remark: “Can we send her back?”. The bold yet playful nature of the comment left netizens divided. Not long after, the Wendy’s account retweeted images of Perry kissing the ground upon her return, with the caption, “I kissed the ground and I liked it”, alluding to Perry’s 2008 hit song, “I Kissed a Girl”.
Adding to the online banter, Wendy’s continued their jest by saying: “Now she knows what it’s like to be a plastic bag floating in the wind.” This was a witty poke at Perry’s lyrics from her 2010 chartbuster song ‘Firework’. Further, Wendy’s added: “When we said women in stem this isn’t what we meant,” further stirring the pot.
The saga didn’t end there. Pop singer Kesha, known for her long-standing legal battle with music producer Dr Luke, added fuel to the fire by posting a selfie with a Wendy’s shake. This move was interpreted by many as a slight towards Perry, who had collaborated with the controversial producer.
Gayle King, post the safe landing, revealed that Perry had sung “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong during their journey in space. Perry confirmed her song choice later, saying, “I’ve covered that song in the past and obviously my higher self is always steering the ship because I had no idea that one day I’d be singing that song in space.”
Before the expedition, Perry had expressed that her selection to board the rocket on 14th April was divinely ordained. She recollected that her mother had always compared her to a feather, and the rocket’s shape, which resembled a feather, was a confirmation of her celestial calling. Perry also shared that the capsule’s name being ‘Tortoise’, another nickname given to her by her mother, was a serendipitous coincidence, further affirming that she was meant to undertake this voyage.
In a world where fast-food chains are not just about cheeseburgers and fries anymore, Wendy’s snarky remarks on Perry’s space expedition have certainly grabbed eyeballs. At the same time, the roasting session has also opened a dialogue about the fine line between humor and offense in the social media space.