Katy Perry is reportedly upset by a shady joke made by fast food chain Wendy’s on X (formerly Twitter) following the pop star’s Blue Origin space flight.
As Katy returned after being launched into the air like a firework on Tuesday (local time) for 11 minutes, pop culture X account Pop Crave wrote a Tweet to honour the momentous occasion.
“Katy Perry has returned from space,” the Tweet read, alongside a photo of Katy in her yassified space suit.
The official Wendy’s account replied to Pop Crave’s Tweet, writing: “Can we send her back?”
Can we send her back
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) April 15, 2025
Off the back of Wendy’s viral tweet, it appeared that fellow pop star Kesha shaded the “Teenage Dream” singer by posting a selfie enjoying a cheeky Wendy’s meal later that day.
— kesha (@KeshaRose) April 15, 2025
According to a source close to Perry and the space team, Wendy’s public dig really hurt the “I Kissed A Girl” singer’s feelings.
“We understand the internet loves a joke, but there’s a clear difference between humour and targeted hostility and this wasn’t harmless banter,” the insider said, per Page Six.
The source called for an apology from Wendy’s.
“This was a billion-dollar brand using its platform to publicly demean a woman,” the source continued.
“Wendy’s didn’t make a joke — they made a choice. Their recent posts were not only disrespectful but blatantly inappropriate.”
In response, Wendy’s said they have a lot of respect for Katy Perry but stopped short of an apology.
“We always bring a little spice to our socials, but Wendy’s has a ton of respect for Katy Perry and her out-of-this-world talent,” a spokesperson for the company told PEOPLE.
Wendy’s is known for its spicy social media presence. With more than 3.6 million followers, the company has made a mark with its signature spicy tone of voice.
“We like our tweets the way we like our fries: hot, crispy and better than anyone expects from a fast food restaurant,” the company’s X bio says.
Katy and her fellow space adventurers — TV presenter Gayle King, rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen and journalist Lauren Sanchez (Jeff Bezos’ fiancée, billionaire and owner of Blue Origin) — faced a significant amount of backlash after going on their 11-minute joyride 100km into the atmosphere.
The group, Bezos and Blue Origin faced significant criticism for the spectacle. From critiques on the exorbitant cost, the carbon emissions created and the group’s pseudo-feminist message, they have been widely slammed by the public and their celebrity peers, including Olivia Munn, Emily Ratajowski and Olivia Wilde.
Despite ultimately being a big, out-of-touch advertising campaign for space tourism, we have gained a series of short-enducing memes and for that, I am thankful.
