Lily Allen Apologizes to Katy Perry for Criticizing Blue Origin Flight

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Lily Allen is walking her comments back down to earth.

Following his criticism of Katy Perry’s recent space voyage with Blue Origin, which was joined by crewmates Gayle King and Lauren Sanchez, Lily offered an apology.

She admitted on her April 28th podcast episode, as reported by Us Weekly, that she felt the need to apologize for being unkind towards Katy Perry last week. She acknowledged that there was no reason for her to involve Katy in that situation and it was a result of her own internalized misogyny.

As a devoted follower, I’d like to express that although I stand by my critique of the flight, I now realize it was unfair to single out the “Roar” vocalist for blame alone.

She reflected deeply on the matter and felt it was unjustified for them to heap more criticism onto her, she said. While she disagrees with their actions, she isn’t alone in making mistakes, and this particular individual is known for being divisive. For some reason, she became the target of her actions. To put it simply, she apologizes sincerely.

Although it’s likely that Katy doesn’t tune into the podcast, Lily still chose to speak directly to her.

She expressed that she would have felt upset if a colleague in her field had exploited her and her reputation, as she did. Apologies, Katy Perry.

Lily’s apology follows a conversation between her and podcast co-host Miquita Oliver, focusing on the April 14 flight. Besides Katy, Gayle, and Lauren, this flight also carried NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn.

In the April 17 episode, Lily expressed her concern, stating, “It seems so detached from reality.” She went on to say, “The economy is at a critical point, with many individuals barely managing to keep up with basic necessities like food.

As Miquita concurred, I found it appeared less than ideal to launch Katy Perry into space at that moment. Lily then chimed in, “Frankly, there’s no valid justification for it! It’s as if… We send individuals to space to uncover knowledge, such as scientific purposes.

However, although Lily admitted that she felt remorse about her critique, she was not alone in expressing concerns regarding the flight’s timing. Similarly, Olivia Munn also voiced doubts about the mission schedule.

She expressed on the show Today With Jenna & Friends on April 3rd, “It might not be trendy to say this, but there are numerous matters of great importance in the world currently that demand our attention. It seems excessive to me, given the scarcity of funds for many people who can’t even buy eggs, to spend so much money on space travel.

As an utterly smitten fan, I can’t help but wonder about Katy’s perspective on the critiques. On the enchanting evening of her April 23rd cosmic-themed performance in Mexico City, she posed a question that resonated deeply with me: “Has anyone ever called your dreams crazy?

For more on celebrities have said about going to space, keep reading.

On CBS Mornings, Gayle King expressed that it was difficult for her to express the feeling of being both terrified and thrilled at once. She likened this sensation to the emotions she had before delivering a baby, stating that it was similar to the anticipation she currently feels about the Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 crew launch on April 14.

The 70-year-old cohost expressed that she wanted to embark on fresh experiences and venture beyond her usual comforts. Before agreeing to take part, she sought advice from her sons and close friend Oprah Winfrey, who served as her ground control.

After Kirby, Will, and Oprah agreed, I felt comfortable too. I thought Oprah might say no, but she surprised me by saying, “If you don’t take the chance now, when they all return and you had an opportunity to do it, you’ll regret it.” And she’s right.

Katy Perry shared with Elle magazine her excitement before embarking on a Blue Origin flight alongside Lauren Sanchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn. When asked about what she’d be wearing, she jokingly remarked, “I was wondering that myself!” However, in all seriousness, Perry has dreamt of space travel for nearly two decades. She had been exploring commercial space travel options since they first became available. Even when Blue Origin announced commercial space travel, Katy was eagerly waiting to join the line.

Back in 2010, as reported by MTV News, Katy Perry had bought a $200,000 ticket for a ride aboard a Virgin Galactic suborbital spacecraft once they managed to launch it into space.

The “E.T.” singer expressed her fascination with the idea of extraterrestrials during that period, stating: “I can’t help but ponder our insignificance when I gaze at the stars at night. Our planet is just one among billions, and it feels incredibly small. Russell and I have a shared interest in anything related to extraterrestrial life. We’re even planning a trip to space.” (However, they parted ways in 2011.)

Approaching her Blue Origin trip in 2025, the woman, aged 40, expressed to Elle magazine, “I don’t have any moments for fear; I can’t afford to worry. I’ll likely feel something when they count down from ’10, 9, 8, 7…’, but until then, there’s work to be done. There are matters to attend to.

However, what stood out most was Perry’s comment: “Space is about to get quite stylish! Let me share a secret. If I could elevate its fashion, I would certainly do so. In space, we will truly make ‘chic’ an essential part of being an astronaut.

In 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner quickly made his way towards a window aboard a Blue Origin rocket, having been there earlier. This is a reference to his role as an actor in Star Trek.

In his book, “Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder” (co-authored with Josh Brandon), Shatner recounted the cold, pitch-black emptiness he encountered upon returning. This darkness was unlike any encountered on Earth, it was profound, enveloping, all-consuming. As he turned towards the light of home, he could see the curvature of Earth, the beige of deserts, the white of clouds, and the blue of the sky. It represented life – nurturing, sustaining, life. He referred to it as Mother Earth or Gaia, and as he left her behind, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of separation.

“Everything I had thought was wrong. Everything I had expected to see was wrong.”

His experience further solidified for him the profound beauty and mystery of our shared humanity, and ultimately, it restored a sense of optimism within him.

Expressing well wishes for the King’s upcoming Blue Origin voyage, Shatner stated in a video, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Something entirely new and unique that you’ll never encounter twice. Let the journey captivate you.

In the year 2002, Lance Bass underwent training for a space voyage. He synchronized his physical fitness with a Russian team, as a Dutch-based space tourism company, MirCorp, had arranged for a $20 million seat on a Soyuz flight to the International Space Station for the former boy band member. This was all captured by a documentary crew.

But there was an insurance issue a week before launch, and Bass didn’t get to go.

In 2023, he mused to Space.com, “Without a documentary, there’s no flight, which left me extremely disappointed, but I was still thrilled to complete the training.

Former member of the band ‘NSYNC‘ expressed his desire to visit the International Space Station someday, but he’s not keen on taking a brief trip with Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic in their suborbital flights.

As an over-the-moon fan, I can’t help but express how Michael Strahan’s journey to the cosmos on board Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket last December felt like a transcendent, almost otherworldly encounter for me – as if I was floating alongside him!

He shared with his ABC News colleague, Amy Robach, at the time that it was almost unimaginable that the event actually took place. He likened the sensation to weightlessness, similar to when the booster and rocket lift off, detaching from the ground, leaving you unsure of which way is up or down. Your body instinctively moves in response, and you unbuckle your seatbelt, yet it all feels surprisingly normal.

In March 2022, Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend at the time, Pete Davidson, agreed to a complimentary invitation to join five paying passengers on a flight with New Shepard. However, after the flight was postponed, the Saturday Night Live star had to withdraw from the trip.

The representative from Blue Origin stated that Pete Davidson won’t be part of the NS-20 team for this particular mission. They mentioned they’ll reveal the sixth crew member soon.

Initially, Kardashian confessed that he had been apprehensive when it came time for him to depart, as his memories of witnessing his parents cry during the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger explosion resurfaced.

Or, in another way:
Kardashian admitted that he was initially scared when it was time for him to leave, as the sight of his parents crying during the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986 came back to him.

Jeff Bezos extended an invitation for Pete to travel into space, a fact she shared on “The Kardashians”. She expressed her disbelief, stating that it was hard for her to imagine him going, as the idea seemed so extraordinary to her.

After talking to Bezos, she found comfort in learning about the safety measures, testing, and other precautions they take. This made her feel confident about Pete going ahead.

And, Kardashian added, “If I didn’t have four kids, I would absolutely go.”

Elon Musk, the visionary behind SpaceX, has not personally taken a flight aboard one of his company’s spacecraft thus far. However, during the International Astronautical Conference in 2016, he expressed his aspiration for SpaceX to start transporting humans to Mars as early as 2024. At that time, he acknowledged this timeline was considered optimistic.

More pessimistically, Musk stated earlier that “The initial trips to Mars will likely be extremely perilous. The likelihood of fatalities is significant; unfortunately, there’s no escaping this reality.

In September 2024, he revised his aim, expressing that SpaceX planned to send an unmanned Starship to Mars by the close of 2026. The ultimate goal was to follow this up with a human expedition to Mars about two years later.

During a White House discussion in October 2016 between President Barack Obama and climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, actor Leonardo DiCaprio playfully suggested his support for the idea of colonizing Mars.

In essence, given that the vast majority of us are Earth-dwellers, Dr. Hayhoe underscored the significance of electing leaders who acknowledge climate change. Until we’ve secured our tickets to Mars, let’s agree that denying climate change is rather… unconventional.

To which DiCaprio interjected, “I did.”

Quipped Obama, “I think he’ll acknowledge he’s crazy.”

Despite DiCaprio never clarifying whether he would indeed embark on this space voyage, it was known that he had expressed interest in traveling aboard a Virgin Galactic spacecraft at one point. In fact, a seat on the same spacecraft, when eventually launched, was auctioned off for $1.5 million at an amfAR Cinema Against AIDS charity event—which DiCaprio attended—during the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

However, with the passage of time, Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Galactic, expressed uncertainty about whether Leonardo DiCaprio would participate in the inaugural official flight.

In 2016, when I shared with Vulture, I had approximately 700 dedicated individuals who had joined our program and remained committed. Some of these enthusiastic participants have been a part of this journey for as long as ten years since we initiated the program. However, I believe our time together isn’t far now.

In 2018, the VSS Unity successfully completed its initial suborbital space voyage for the company, with Leonardo DiCaprio not on board.

In February 2013, Justin Bieber tweeted, “I wanna do a concert in space.”

NASA replied, “Maybe we can help you  with that.”

In June, Branson posted on Twitter that Bieber and their manager Scooter Braun had booked flights with Virgin Galactic for suborbital space travel. He also wrote, “Congratulations, I’ll see you there!

To which Bieber replied, “Let’s shoot a music video in SPACTopMob!”

None of this has happened yet. 

Since Tom Hanks witnessed Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” in 1968 at the age of 12, his fascination with space has been deeply rooted.

In a conversation with The Guardian in 2023, the Apollo 13 star expressed that the film portrayed a charming idea of a human presence in an otherwise lifeless location. He had followed the space program beforehand, but it wasn’t until he watched that movie that he found himself captivated by its artistic and romantic appeal.

About a month following an extraordinary movie outing, he tuned into a festive television broadcast showing Apollo 8 circling the moon. “I was watching the entire Earth on my screen,” he reminisced. “That’s where I come from – the planet depicted!

His most recent space-related endeavor is titled “Moonwalkers: An Adventure Narrated by Tom Hanks“, a captivating cinematic experience centered around the Apollo missions that is being screened at Space Center Houston, which he co-wrote and narrates.

Tom Hanks is also rumored to be on the Virgin Galactic waiting list, although he declined a space flight offer from Blue Origin in 2021, citing a simple yet grounded reason as shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Hanks joked about the price being around 28 million dollars, saying, ‘I’m not shelling out that kind of money.’ But he assured Jimmy, ‘I’m doing fine, Jimmy. I’m doing fine, but I’m not paying 28 million.’

Ashton Kutcher initially reserved a spot for space travel with Virgin Galactic, however, he decided to cancel the booking following a deep conversation with Mila Kunis.

He explained to Cheddar News in July 2021 that his wife suggested it wasn’t wise for our family to embark on space travel with young kids since we were married and had children.

Prince William won’t be accused of trying to colonize Mars, thank you very much.

He emphasized to the BBC’s Newscast in 2021 that it’s essential for us to concentrate on mending our planet. In other words, we should prioritize fixing our Earth instead of abandoning it and searching for answers in space.

And, the father of three noted, he admittedly preferred to measure altitude in feet, not miles.

William expressed that he has no desire whatsoever to fly very high. As a pilot, he usually keeps his flights close to the earth. He’s only been as high as 65,000 feet one time in an aircraft, and that experience was incredibly frightening for him.

In 2014, Cameron Diaz expressed her enthusiasm for space travel, stating that it represents the next major frontier. She emphasized that as a species, humans are natural explorers and eventually need to expand beyond our current planet.

Reflecting on a blue moon over St. Barts’ shoreline, the actress mused, “I know nothing at all. What I do know is that there are things much greater than myself. I yield to these larger forces, whatever they may be.

Michael Fassbender’s role in Ridley Scott’s prequel to Alien, titled Prometheus, did not deter him from seriously considering a journey to space, despite the fact that no one would be able to hear your screams should they occur in such a setting.

Back in 2012, I shared with W that if the opportunity to journey into space presented itself, I would seize it without hesitation. However, it’s worth noting that exploring the cosmos hasn’t been something I’ve actively pursued or prioritized.

Fassbender’s Prometheus costar Charlize Theron, however, was a little haunted.

In response to a question by W magazine, Theron expressed that if space isn’t the universe crafted by Ridley Scott, she wouldn’t venture there. She revealed that during a screening of ‘Prometheus’, she was so frightened that she accidentally elbowed the metal chair beside her, leaving a small scar as a reminder. Even knowing the outcome, she admitted, “That indicates how feeble I am.” Theron humorously added, “I don’t believe I possess the necessary resilience for space travel.

Following the news leaks in 2008 about Paris Hilton reserving a spot with Virgin Galactic (a decade prior to any actual flight), she admitted in an interview that she, in fact, felt quite fearful.

Hilton pondered, “Suppose I don’t return? In the context of traveling through light-years, if I come back 10,000 years from now, everyone I know might be gone. I might find myself in a situation where I have to begin anew.

Despite not taking the journey herself, during an interview with Branson on “This Is Paris” in 2021, she disclosed that her current spouse, Carter Reum, had mentioned to her that he had purchased a plane ticket.

Branson stated that our ultimate goal is to make it possible for a large number of individuals tuning in to this broadcast to experience space travel someday, while simultaneously reducing costs. However, he emphasized that achieving this may require some patience as space exploration comes with significant expenses.

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2025-04-28 17:48