Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, former news anchor Lauren Sanchez, have found themselves at the centre of a social media storm after footage of their pre-New Year's Eve celebrations in St Barts sparked widespread criticism.
Celebrations Draw Online Scorn
The couple, who recently spent their first Christmas as a married pair, were seen letting loose with friends at the exclusive Nikki Beach club in St Barts. They were celebrating a friend's birthday ahead of the New Year's festivities. In a video originally shared by Page Six, 56-year-old Sanchez, dressed in a denim mini-skirt and a brown top, was filmed standing on her seat and dancing while recording the event on her phone.
Beside her, 61-year-old Bezos clapped animatedly, wearing a blue shirt and sunglasses. The clip showed staff entering the venue with a huge bottle of champagne topped with a sparkler, accompanied by women in bikinis holding sparklers and a man arriving on a motorbike.
Social Media Backlash Erupts
The online reaction was swift and largely unforgiving. Users on platforms like X were quick to label the display as 'tacky' and 'cringe'. One critic commented, "One of the richest men in the world parading around partying with his 56-year-old teenager wife like a University of Miami fraternity brother. Exhausting and cringe."
Another echoed a common sentiment of disapproval, stating, "These disgusting people could eradicate homelessness across the entire world with their cash and look what they do instead. So tacky and vile." Some questioned the couple's maturity, with a user posting, "Unpopular opinion but there does come a point when you're too old for this."
However, not all feedback was negative. A minority defended the pair's right to enjoy their wealth. "Why are people mad that 60-year-old Jeff Bezos is enjoying his life?" one user asked. Another suggested, "Truth is this s**t is pretty fun if you're with people you actually like."
A Year of Opulence and Celebration
The St Barts trip follows a year of significant personal milestones for Bezos and Sanchez. The pair tied the knot earlier this year in what was described as the 'wedding of the century' on San Giorgio Maggiore island in Venice. The lavish, multi-day event was attended by nearly 200 VIP guests, including high-profile names from Hollywood and business, and enforced a strict no-phone policy.
This wedding came two years after Bezos proposed to Sanchez in an 'extremely intimate' setting aboard his $500 million superyacht. Just last week, the couple were spotted in Aspen, Colorado, with Sanchez showcasing her toned physique in a stylish all-black outfit.
Despite the recent online mockery, the billionaire couple appear undeterred in their celebratory spirit as they ring in the New Year from one of the world's most luxurious holiday destinations.
