Bridgerton Fans Taken In By Complete Scam?
Fans of the hit Netflix show Bridgerton love to bask in the show’s stylish recreations of the early 19th century. It’s no wonder, then, that fans in Detroit jumped at the chance to participate in a lavish ball that was meant to recreate some vibes so elegant that even Lady Whistledown would have no complaints.
However, the “Bridgerton Ball” ended up being a major bust, and fans have declared that the whole thing was a scam on the level of the disastrous Willy Wonka Experience held in Scotland back in March.
Based on the description provided by the organizers, attendees of the Bridgerton Ball had no reason to expect a scam. The event was described as a chance to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency-era … for an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm.”
What attendees discovered was a space with allegedly no place to sit, vendors hawking anachronistic treats such as Kit-Kats, and even a stripper for entertainment.
Before this Bridgerton event was revealed to be an apparent scam, what was it supposed to entail, exactly? One attendee claimed that the event was supposed to “have classical music, a good dinner…a play, and they were going to pick diamonds the season,” the latter a reference to Queen Charlotte picking out the most eligible woman of the season.
Attendees were also promised cool prize giveaways, but in the words of that same attendee, “We went in, and it’s completely empty in there.”
Attendees were also promised cool prize giveaways, but in the words of that same attendee, “We went in, and it’s completely empty in there.”
Other Bridgerton fans had similar reports of the event, which made it sound like a scam (or at least scam-adjacent), including that there was allegedly no place for attendees to sit.
Another attendee (who described the event as “complete chaos”) claimed that organizers “never even scanned our tickets” and that “there were random people all throughout the venue.”
Another attendee acknowledged that “the venue was nice” but claimed that “the decor was sparse and extremely tacky,” noting how they “spent $400 on tickets” for something that “wasn’t even Bridgerton themed.”
The Bridgerton Ball ball didn’t have some of the advertised experiences, including giving away a cash prize to the best-dressed attendees or choosing the aforementioned diamond.
Additionally, the ball didn’t have some of the advertised experiences, including giving away a cash prize to the best-dressed attendees or choosing the aforementioned diamond.
Adding insult to injury is the fact that vendors were comprised of local sellers selling standard festival supplies and that a dancer at the event (the only dancer) was described by an attendee as a stripper.
It may go without saying, but this was not an official event, though some attendees may have confused it with The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.
The organizers of this Bridgerton Ball maintain that this was not a scam. They later released a statement to ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV that mentioned how “organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests” and that “We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings.”
The statement ended with a promise that they are “doing everything in our power to make this right,” though it’s not yet clear what form (like refunds for the tickets, which ranged from $150-$1,000) that would take.
A Bridgerton event that turned out to be a disappointing scam obviously makes the show itself look bad, but so far, Netflix hasn’t commented on this wild scandal. That’s probably for the best…Lady Whistledown might remind us all that the surest way to make a story you hate spread is to talk about it.
That makes the streamer’s silence on the matter rather wise, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the ton won’t be gossiping about this while we wait for the next season to drop.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
