Jeff Bezos faced backlash at the 2026 Met Gala, where he served as an honorary chair, as protesters criticized his involvement with Amazon and its labor practices.
Actress Lisa Ann Walter, known for her role in Abbott Elementary, slammed Bezos, calling him “Temu Lex Luthor” during a “Labor Is Art” demonstration outside the event.
Walter accused Bezos of prioritizing profits over workers’ welfare, saying, “How did an event meant to celebrate creativity and artistry end up revolving around this ‘Temu Lex Luthor’ who profits off pushing working people to their limits?”
The protest highlighted concerns about billionaire influence in cultural spaces and wealth inequality.
Bezos’s involvement with the Met Gala has sparked controversy, with some boycotting the event. Meanwhile, a lookalike, Cagdas Halicilar, has been impersonating Bezos, even fooling Amazon employees, and has been jokingly referred to as “Jeff Bezos from Temu”.
For unversed “Temu Lex Luthor” is a nickname given to Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, by actress Lisa Ann Walter during a protest at the 2026 Met Gala.
Walter compared Bezos to Lex Luthor, Superman’s arch-nemesis, implying that Bezos is using his wealth and influence to exploit workers and prioritize profits over people.
The term “Temu” likely refers to the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu, which has been criticized for its business practices and labor conditions.
The protest, organized under the “Labor Is Art” banner, highlighted concerns about billionaire influence, wealth inequality, and labor conditions in industries represented at the Met Gala.