Victoria Beckham appeared visibly uncomfortable after comedian Nikki Glaser told her to 'smile' during a joke at the Time100 Gala in New York City on Thursday night. The former Spice Girl, now a luxury fashion designer, was being honoured as one of the most influential people of the year by the publication.
Glaser, known for her edgy humour, made the remark in her opening speech: 'What’s it going to take to get you to smile? I mean, really. Please – smile! You’re one of the only British people who should.' The camera caught Victoria leaning forward with an intense glimmer in her eyes and a flicker of an uncomfortable smile, while her husband David Beckham grinned gamely.
The moment sparked debate on social media, with many fans criticising the joke as 'lazy' and 'offensive'. One Instagram user commented: 'Don’t tell women to smile.' Others praised Victoria for not forcing a smile, with one fan saying: 'I LOVE the fact she didn’t force herself to smile!!'
Victoria has previously spoken about her reluctance to smile in photos, linking it to struggling with body image during her Spice Girls days. She told The Telegraph: 'I probably did look stern in a lot of pictures, but I was so uncomfortable.'
The incident comes amid a reported family feud with eldest son Brooklyn, which Victoria addressed last week, saying: 'We love our children so much. We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be.'
