The guest list for the annual Met Gala is closely guarded, but there's at least one name we know won't be on it: Jack Schlossberg. The outspoken Kennedy scion made it clear that he's boycotting the event through a series of social media posts yesterday.
In one video message, Schlossberg, who is the son of Caroline Kennedy and only grandson of the late President Kennedy spoke directly to Anna Wintour, the editor in chief of Vogue magazine and the longtime co-chair of the event, explaining his reasoning.
"Hey Anna Wintour! I am boycotting the Met Gala this year. With so much happening at home and around the world, it's not the time, it's not the time for a party like that—at least for me. So I a boycotting the Met Gala this year. I will not be going to the Met Gala. Thank you all so much," he said. "I will be boycotting the Met Gala and I think others should as well."
In other posts across his social media channels, Schlossberg announced that instead, he will be launching a live news program. "It's gonna be sick," he said. It's unclear if Schlossberg, who just last year served as Vogue's political correspondent during the election, was invited to this year's Gala, which will take place on May 5 in honor of the spring exhibit titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Schlossberg pointedly called out the magazine on X yesterday. "FASHION IS POLITICAL —So then why is VOGUE SO QUIET ?!" he wrote. "VOGUE shouldn’t be so scared of my boycott OF THE MET GALA they should focus on issues and use their platform to take a stand. corporate interests often succeed in making fashion less attractive and relevant BOYCOTT"
While the party has become a celebrity spectacle in recent years, at its core, the Met Gala is a fundraiser for the museum's Costume Institute, which must self-fund its entire budget. Per the New York Times, last year's event raised roughly $26 million.
Schlossberg has attended the Met Gala in the past. In 2017 he served as his mother's date to the event honoring designer Rei Kawakubo. In his posting frenzy, Schlossberg shared photos from that evening and wrote, "MET GALA 2017 — had the best time ever with the best date ever — simpler time. I WILL NOT GO TO THE MET GALA THIS YEAR @voguemagazine Instead I will produce something informative on my own news channel."
Schlossberg has become known for his eccentric if sometimes offensive approach to social media. Earlier this week, for example, he amplified internet rumors that JD Vance killed Pope Francis. In a recent interview with Jen Psaki, Schlossberg explained his strategy. "The internet is a place where it’s difficult to break through, and it’s difficult to break through especially if you’re not saying something that’s controversial, or at least, somehow unexpected,” he said, adding “The internet is a place to be weird…I use my judgment to make posts that I think are funny or silly but have a purpose.”
Caroline Hallemann is the Digital Director at Town & Country, where she covers culture, society, and entertainment, as well as the British royal family, among a variety of other topics. Prior to leading the digital team at T&C, she served as the brand's Senior News Editor and Digital News Director, and has previously held positions at Travel + Leisure, DailyCandy, and Parenting Magazine. Caroline is also currently writing a book about the Kennedy family and the British royals, and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and their son, Tommy. You can find her on Instagram at the handle @challemann and on TikTok at @carolinehallemann.
