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Pop icon Katy Perry’s latest milestone — a journey into space — turned into an unexpected source of internet humor after fast-food giant Wendy’s took a series of public jabs at the singer on social media.
On Monday morning, Perry joined an all-female crew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket for a suborbital flight that lasted just over 10 minutes. The mission, launched from Blue Origin’s base in West Texas at 9:30 a.m. local time, was significant as it marked the first all-female space crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo orbit in 1963.
The historic crew included CBS News host Gayle King, Jeff Bezos’ fiancée and aviation enthusiast Lauren Sánchez, bioastronautics researcher Amanda Nguyen, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. Together, they made headlines for championing women’s representation in aerospace and STEM fields, with each of their spacesuits featuring symbols personal to their careers. Perry’s suit displayed a firework, a nod to her chart-topping 2010 single “Firework,” and she carried a daisy flower in honor of her 4-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, whom she shares with actor Orlando Bloom.
Social Media Takes a Snarky Turn
However, shortly after the NS-13 mission successfully landed and Perry was photographed kissing the ground in relief, Wendy’s official X account sparked controversy by posting a snarky remark. In response to a post reading, “Katy Perry has returned from space,” Wendy’s fired back with, “Can we send her back?”
Can we send her back
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) April 15, 2025
The cheeky comment quickly went viral, gathering thousands of likes, retweets, and mixed reactions from fans. Wendy’s, known for its Gen Z-centric, sarcastic, and often irreverent social media strategy, didn’t stop there.
They reposted images of Perry’s emotional moment upon landing, adding, “I kissed the ground and I liked it,” cleverly referencing Perry’s breakout 2008 hit “I Kissed a Girl.”
When a user pointed out that the crew had only spent about 10 minutes in space, Wendy’s responded with typical deadpan humor: “Don’t short change her — it was 11 minutes.”
Continuing their roast, the chain referenced another of Perry’s hits, tweeting, “Now she knows what it’s like to be a plastic bag floating in the wind,” echoing the opening line of “Firework.”
The official account closed its string of jabs with a final, loaded quip: “When we said women in STEM, this isn’t what we meant.”
Celebrity and Fan Reactions
The Wendy’s posts instantly ignited conversations across social media. While some users applauded the humor, others criticized the fast-food chain for taking unnecessary digs at a celebratory moment for women in aerospace.
Pop star Kesha also subtly weighed in. Amid her long-standing legal feud involving Perry’s former producer, Dr. Luke, Kesha posted a selfie sipping a Wendy’s shake and smiling, widely interpreted as a sly nod to the situation. This comes in the wake of a contentious history: Kesha and Dr. Luke settled a nearly decade-long legal battle in 2023, one in which Perry had drawn criticism for maintaining professional ties with the producer.
Meanwhile, celebrities like Amy Schumer, Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Munn, and Olivia Wilde voiced broader disapproval of the space mission itself, questioning its purpose and timing. Critics argued that such celebrity-led space tourism missions distract from pressing social, environmental, and economic issues on Earth.
Despite the online backlash, the Blue Origin flight aimed to spotlight female representation in the aerospace and tech industries. Each member of the crew brought distinct expertise and personal symbolism to the mission — from King representing journalism, to Bowe championing women of color in STEM, and Sánchez highlighting female pilots and entrepreneurs.
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