3 Ways The Met Gala Resembled A Real Life Hunger Games
How did the Met Gala go from a glamorous Hollywood affair to a "Hunger Games" parody?
Tinseltown, DKSStyle | Shutterstock If you are familiar with “The Hunger Games” movie franchise, you most likely remember the scene in the first film where residents of the Capital city gather together ahead of the games to enjoy lavish parties with endless cocktails and food while wearing those almost ridiculous, over the top costumes.
At the same time, they mingled and laughed amongst one another — all while 23 children were preparing for their inevitable deaths, with many of their families starving and struggling to put even a slice of bread on the table back at home.
Most of us scoffed and were horrified by what we saw on screen, convincing ourselves that something like that is not even fathomable today.
We may not realize it, but it already has.
The Met Gala resembled a modern-day 'Hunger Games.' Here are 3 ways the upper class has become dangerously out of touch:
The annual Met Gala, short for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, was held on May 6, 2024, in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Every year, the event attracts big-name celebrities, fashion designers, models, and other prominent figures who dress according to a specific theme chosen for each year's event. The Met Gala is known for its extravagant red carpet looks and serves as a platform for showcasing high fashion and raising funds for the Costume Institute.
However, this year, viewers could not help but point out how the event resembled something straight out of “The Hunger Games” franchise for various reasons.
1. The outfits of most guests resembled 'Hunger Games' costumes
Some guests who took the red carpet at the 2024 Met Gala, celebrating the theme, "Garden of Time,” included Zendaya, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Chris Hemsworth, Doja Cat, and Serena Williams.
All of their looks consisted of deluxe ensembles, with shiny dresses that could nearly blind someone and fabric that could cover the cost of most college student’s tuition.
Many viewers could not help but compare the similarities between the luxurious garments and behaviors of Met Gala guests to those of the Capital citizens depicted in “The Hunger Games.”
2. The glamorization of starvation while many people go hungry
Kim Kardashian’s silver John Galliano corset-style dress that cinched her waist not only resembled something that Effie Trinket might wear but had many viewers questioning her comfort and safety.
The corset around her waist appeared to limit her movement and prevent air from getting into her lungs, giving her the appearance of someone who was not getting the essential nutrients needed to sustain themselves.
She rocked this look while millions worldwide have the same slender appearance, but not by choice.
Whether due to financial constraints or a lack of resources, people are starving even here in the United States. Meanwhile, red carpet looks are applauded for the emaciated bodies displaying them.
While many are facing food insecurity and worse, Met Gala attendees can sample or refuse to sample an array of meals — far too much for all of them to even consume. Their biggest concerns are a flattering red carpet photo and making the "Best Dressed" list.
Yet Palestinians are worried they may not even make it back alive to their families while they venture out to fetch a loaf of bread.
2.3 million people living in Gaza are currently experiencing the highest level of catastrophic hunger and are one step away from living in complete famine as a result of the Israel-Hamas War.
Remember how mortified we were while watching the Capital party scene in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire?” Party guests would drink a liquid, allowing them to eat more food despite being full, while people in the districts were starving. Now, it feels like we’re living it in real-time.
3. The silencing of protestors just outside the Met Gala entrance
As guests arrived at the Met Gala, with photographers entirely focused on how well their attire matched the theme of the event, dozens of Pro-Palestinian protestors were tackled to the ground and arrested by NYPD to prevent them from disrupting the event.
As Met Gala guests spent the day glamming themselves up for the event, the group “Within Our Lifetime,” which advocates for the rights of Palestinian people caught in the midst of violence, called for a "Day of Rage" demonstration that started at Hunter College, about 1.2 miles from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The purpose of the demonstration was to bring attention to the events unfolding in Palestine and to call on others to get involved by donating and raising awareness.
Since those who attended the Met Gala had the funds to afford the $75,000 ticket, many assumed they might also be inclined to donate.
However, no acknowledgment of the ongoing war was made by any of the Met Gala guests, and the protestors who attempted to raise awareness were labeled as “disruptive” and put in handcuffs.
On that very same day, the Israeli Occupation Forces ordered Palestinians to evacuate Eastern Rafah to move forward with their invasion. Rafah is one of the last places of refuge that civilians have in Gaza, with over 1.4 million Palestinians seeking safety there, including 600,000 children.
Ahead of issuing the evacuation orders, Israeli Occupation Forces heavily bombed Rafah, killing 22 people, including 8 children.
As the number of Palestinian deaths continues to climb each day, college campuses across the U.S. have become a hotspot for protests, with students urging their universities to divest in any investments connected to Israel’s government.
More than 2,400 students have been arrested across 51 campuses in connection to the protests, all while people are discussing who wore what better at the Met Gala.
The situation is strikingly similar to scenes depicted in “The Hunger Games,” where district civilians are tackled by Peacekeeper soldiers when they retaliate against the Capital's grotesque and murderous actions, all while Capital citizens gather and place bets on who they think will win the games.
Strangely enough, when Suzanne Collins, the author behind “The Hunger Games” trilogy, was brainstorming ideas for the story, she was inspired after flipping through TV channels between a reality show where contestants competed for prizes while raw footage of the invasion of Iraq was depicted on another channel.
“These two things began to fuse together in a very unsettling way, and that is the moment where I got the idea for Katniss's story,” Collins said in a video interview made for her publisher, Scholastic.
The flash of the cameras at the Met Gala and the smiling faces of guests while safe zones in Palestine are engulfed in flames while people cry out to their loved ones also seem to blur together in an extremely unsettling way.
The Met Gala is losing its glamourous luster in the face of our current realities.
We tend to view dystopian book and movie series like “The Hunger Games” as pure fiction designed for our entertainment.
However, if we take a look around what’s happening in our world today, we’ll realize that we’re not far off from the horrors we watch unfold on the big screen.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.