With almost 14 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and more than 271,000 deaths, people have been advised to wear masks, social distance, avoid large gatherings and stay home. But not all celebrities have been heeding those warnings, and many stars faced backlash for violating COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Kim Kardashian came under fire in October 2020 for her lavish 40th birthday celebration. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star flew her family and closest friends to a private island.
Though the KKW Beauty mogul said her guests underwent “2 weeks of multiple health screens” and quarantined before traveling, critics voiced their concerns across social media and criticized the extravagance at a time when thousands are struggling after losing their jobs. Kardashian’s sister Khloé Kardashian was among those who later came to her defense.
“This year is a frustrating year, I get it. I think there’s so many frustrations going on for everybody,” the Good American cofounder said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show shortly after the incident. “But also, it’s her 40th and this is something that she wanted to do for us, it was such a nice thing.”
Like her big sister, Kendall Jenner also made headlines for the way she commemorated her 25th birthday in October 2020. The Victoria’s Secret stunner’s Halloween-themed bash was attended by stars like The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and Jaden Smith. Jenner’s guests were temperature checked before being allowed into the party at Harriet’s Rooftop at 1 Hotel in West Hollywood.
Kris Jenner defended her daughter on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live: “All we can do is live our lives the best way we know how and be responsible and do the right thing.”
While stars like Keith Urban and John Legend performed intimate concerts for fans from the safety of their respective homes, Chase Rice put on a jam-packed in-person show in Tennessee in June 2020. In now-expired videos posted on his Instagram Story, the audience was crammed together and mask-less.
Fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini was among those who slammed Rice’s event. “Imagine being selfish enough to put thousands of people’s health at risk, not to mention the potential ripple effect, and play a NORMAL country concert right now,” she tweeted at the time. “@ChaseRiceMusic, we all want (and need) to tour. We just care about our fans and their families enough to wait. 🤷🏼♀️.”
Scroll down to see how stars have stirred up trouble amid the coronavirus pandemic.