About this episode
The episode explores the influence of billionaires on the Met Gala and its implications for culture and philanthropy in America.
What happens when fashion’s biggest night starts to look like a billionaire branding exercise? This week, we examine the growing influence of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos on the Met Gala—and what it says about power, philanthropy, and who gets to shape culture in America. With Rebecca Sananes and Meredith Lynch, Akilah unpacks the contradictions at the center of the event: a fundraiser dependent on extreme wealth, a cultural institution tied to political influence, and a public that’s increasingly skeptical of both. Then designer Jonathan Hayden breaks down what’s happening behind the scenes—from labor realities to the economic pressures reshaping fashion from the ground up. Mint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier for three months of coverage at $45. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Akilah
Guests: Rebecca Sananes, Meredith Lynch, Jonathan Hayden
Topics covered
- Met Gala
- fashion
- billionaire influence
- power
- philanthropy
- cultural institutions
Keywords
- Met Gala
- fashion
- Jeff Bezos
- Lauren Sánchez Bezos
- philanthropy
- cultural influence
- economic pressures
- labor realities
Sponsors
Mint Mobile
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez Bezos
More episodes of How Is This Better?
- The Real Reason UFC at the White House Matters · June 12, 2026 · 49 min
- How Wrestling Ruined Politics Forever (BONUS) · June 5, 2026 · 40 min
- Voting Rights Were Gutted. I Went to Alabama to See What We Can Do About It. · May 22, 2026 · 20 min
- School’s Out. Campus Political Wars Are Just Beginning · May 15, 2026 · 30 min
- Erika Kirk's Rise to Power · May 8, 2026 · 40 min
- RFK, Beef Tallow, and the Collapse of American Healthcare · April 17, 2026 · 28 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the How Is This Better? podcast page.