The illustrious ton of English society would never even set foot in that mortifying charade of a ball– Lady Whistledown, probably.
We all know about the absolutely horrendous “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” held in Glasgow, Scotland last February 2024. Well, apparently, there’s one that beats that whole “experience” this time.
Last September 22, 2024, a supposedly Bridgerton-themed Ball was held in Detroit, where fans had expected to be transported back to the Regency period in Great Britain, complete with decorations you thought you’d only see on the popular Netflix series.
The invitation of the event was styled much like the “Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers” we’d see on the “Bridgerton” series on Netflix, giving much excitement to the fans of the show that readily paid from a range of $150 to $1,000.
Instead, attendees were greeted with what Lady Whistledown could only describe as a “wanton attempt of a soirée.”
According to the report by The Hollywood Reporter, the event was described as “disorganized and bare boned” that left fans and appropriately costumed guests sitting on the floor, looking around the venue and decorations like they were in a Dollar Tree Store.
One attendee who posted their experience in the unofficial Bridgerton ball show on TikTok showed how she and the other attendees were “scammed” by the event organizers Uncle n Me LLC. Her TikTok video caption read, “Dearesr gentle readers, Enjoy my POV on unclenme Bridgerton ball…YIKES.”
@kiimberyly Dearesr gentle readers, Enjoy my POV on unclenme bridgerton ball… YIKES #bridgertonball #unclenme #scammers #detroitbridgerton ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER sped up – Lilly 🎃
And “yikes” is just one way to put it.
Other attendees recounted their experience on social media, with one specific thread on X (formerly Twitter) reaching over 43 million views, 271 thousand likes, and 23 thousand reposts and quote retweets.
Thread about the Bridgerton Ball SCAM in Detroit that I (and hundreds of others) spent $300 on pic.twitter.com/EUgX482w8j
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
For starters, NEVER go to an event that’s being run by Uncle & Me LLC. Disorganized, dishonest, and will take your money guilt free pic.twitter.com/zUaEEUhubf
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
The event was originally planned for August. It was cancelled and rescheduled for September 22nd, and I ended up getting sick and couldn’t go. They did not provide refunds, nor did they respond to anyone’s email asking for one. At that point I knew I got scammed lol pic.twitter.com/JTso3EyO0S
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
The company lied saying the original venue wouldn’t accommodate their guests pic.twitter.com/TQVGcPQP0Q
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
These pics are from the channel 7 news story about it since I didn’t actually go (glad I didn’t!) People waited outside in the rain to get into an overcrowded first floor pic.twitter.com/X2S85nN7Fw
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
Well into the event, there was nothing to do. People were bored and just sat on their phones pic.twitter.com/XxR8NjFndm
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
The “live music” advertised was this poor lone violin player 😭 pic.twitter.com/Yt6zEOrXxV
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
Backdrops and decor on party city/dollar general level. They didn’t even pay the photographer and the pictures were a hassle to get if you didn’t have airdrop 😭 pic.twitter.com/iAneWhmofz
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
Food apparently ran out after an hour, and some was raw. No one was there to pick up plates, so you had to deal with strangers’ leftovers yourself pic.twitter.com/VpbZqHZxwS
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
https://twitter.com/rayleearts/status/1838588300178620810
Besides the lackluster event itself, they promised a cash prize to the best dressed (didn’t happen), that they’d choose a diamond of the season like they do in the show/other bridgerton inspired balls (didn’t happen), and had an itinerary with contradicting information
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
Really hope this ends in a lawsuit because I want my $300 back 🥲 I have medical bills to pay and that could’ve gone toward something that wasn’t….this LMAO
Before y’all call me gullible, I know I am. Still not my fault! Don’t scam people!
— Rachel Eaton @ Realta (@rayleearts) September 24, 2024
To make things short—it was a disaster on a whole different level. Attendees that spent hundreds of dollars left to kind-of loiter around the barely decorated venue, food running out almost an hour into the ball, attendees being served raw chicken, the “promised” live music was a sole violinist, and the entertainment was a pole dancer.
Have you ever seen a pole dancer in the Netflix series? Of course, you haven’t. The mere presence of one would probably run over the entire ton like the plague.
Also, the event organizers also promised to crown the “Diamond of the Season”, like how Lady Whistledown or Queen Charlotte did in the show. But that too, did not happen.
The reactions on the Internet were golden, to say the least.
One more and the Four Horsemen will be complete https://t.co/3kc6gvyTFI pic.twitter.com/dDbjS0k9zy
— Millicent Bystander (@bisantian) September 25, 2024
https://t.co/0ZhK2JdUcr pic.twitter.com/oW7QD8fQ5x
— Chris McFeely (@chrismcfeely) September 25, 2024
https://t.co/C9gxkmnRcK pic.twitter.com/tc4C1nWQww
— bea (@narrowstairs) September 24, 2024
When one supreme fades away, another rises 😂 #Bridgertonball https://t.co/LQjzqUb22L pic.twitter.com/Iw78nPWqxR
— TS (@tennisbagz) September 25, 2024
https://t.co/eP14BKbcmZ pic.twitter.com/9gwr9mD5v9
— a.🦄 (@xcowboygeniusx) September 25, 2024
evil doesn’t die it reinvents itself https://t.co/RXexjGFAkN pic.twitter.com/8Wm8SZoJuy
— amir! (@groovisphere) September 24, 2024
https://t.co/zeqvuPFVo4 pic.twitter.com/DP9PcB5TcT
— the pink opaque pony club (@shonenyuri) September 24, 2024
Not now sweetie, I’m reading all the posts about the dumpster fire that was the Detroit Bridgerton Ball. pic.twitter.com/EQ5nhjlggU
— Gabriella Patti-Meadows (@GabriMaria2) September 23, 2024
A Bridgerton-themed ball in Detroit left people scammed over the weekend after it turned out to be an unofficial event
• Tickets: $150-$1000
• Classical music, Dinner, Dancing, ContestsInstead, attendees got: A lone violinist, an exotic dancer, and an undercooked meal pic.twitter.com/qCQMmbEnMv
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) September 25, 2024
The people being interviewed about the Bridgerton ball in Detroit is the funniest shit I’ve seen all week. Imagine complaining to the local news on live television about being scammed while wearing a floor length Regency Era ball gown on the sidewalk of Detroit 💀
— Villanelle (@vigilante_wine) September 25, 2024
This isn’t the Detroit Bridgerton Ball, this is Mary Cosby’s house #RHOSLC pic.twitter.com/FH8Dz9QClk
— Matt (@matteomcnamara) September 25, 2024
Bridgerton Ball Detroit guests went all out with dresses, hair, makeup, etc.
only to be scammed with Temu decorations & raw chicken dinner (?!) pic.twitter.com/PJdKfRBUWi
— Danielle Vermeer (@DLVermeer) September 25, 2024
Oh, did we mention that it was an unofficial event? Well, we just have to put it out there to remind people that it really was UNOFFICIAL and in no way related to Netflix or Shondaland.
Could you ever imagine inviting Queen Charlotte to this so-called ball? My dearest gentle readers, that would just be a scandal waiting in the wings.
Other POP! stories you might like:
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee’s new ‘Panels’ app gets unsavory reviews
90s pop duo ‘M2M’ launches official Instagram account
Sabrina Carpenter slams haters who claim she doesn’t sing live at her shows
Arshie Larga reminds fellow content creators about wielding influence during election season
Man goes viral after smashing a Taylor Swift-signed guitar he bid US$4,000 for
