Celebrities like Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Doja Cat will be attending the Met Gala on Monday night, and as a human being who loves beautiful things, I can’t wait to see what glamorous outfits they’ll wear.
But I’m more interested in seeing TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who hasn’t made a public appearance or interview since the “ban TikTok” law was passed about two weeks ago.
TikTok has said it will challenge this law in court, and it’s likely that could stall things for a while. (So don’t expect it to disappear from your phone anytime soon.)
TikTok happens to be one of the main sponsors of this year’s Met Gala, which is why Chew should be there. This won’t be his first appearance at the gala — he attended in 2022. Other tech leaders were also in attendance, like Jeff Bezos (who is expected to be there this year with his fianceeLauren Sanchez), Adam Mosseri and Elon Musk.
The Met Gala is a much-loved, fun event with intellectual flare. This can be a way for celebrities to build a defining image. It’s the perfect place for the head of a company accused of being a national security risk to look charming and dapper in a tuxedo.
Unlike Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, Chew is not a household name and the general public does not seem to have a strong opinion about him. (Even U.S. senators questioned him about his nationality.)
It will be interesting to see whether Chew’s footage from Monday’s gala will affect the public’s current understanding of him and TikTok.
The Met Gala isn’t exactly a place where a struggling tech leader expects to get grilled, and it’s unclear whether Chew will do any red carpet interviews that go far beyond who he’s wearing . (According to the New York Times, he should wear Ralph Lauren.)
businessinsider
