Donald Trump & Other Celebs You Won't Catch At The Met Gala Anytime Soon
For many, the annual Met Gala is an exciting time. The rich and famous guests who receive invitations to the fundraiser and pay the ticket price arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art ready to rock the red carpet. The rest of the world watches from home, fawning over their faves or unafraid to tweet their brutal opinions on the event's worst-dressed stars.
Like any high-profile event, the Met Gala requires a certain level of decorum. Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, is a longstanding chairwoman of the gala and has certain expectations. It's not a night of no-holds-barred debauchery — in fact, there are strict rules every Met Gala attendee must follow. If you don't follow the rules, you may not be allowed back.
There are some celebrities that you won't catch at the Met Gala anytime soon. While some of them landed on Wintour's bad side, others simply don't want to go and plan to stay far, far away.
Wintour will never send Donald Trump another invite
Former President Donald Trump went to the Met Gala many, many times since he began attending in the '80s. Donald first brought Melania Trump (then Melania Knavs) as a guest in 2003. In 2004, Donald proposed to Melania at the event. They attended together for many years after then, but haven't gone since 2012. The truth is Donald won't grace the Met Gala red carpet ever again — he's forever banned from the event.
In 2017, Anna Wintour shared the news in the "Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts" segment on James Corden's talk show. The segment operates like Truth or Dare: Corden and his guests take turns asking tough questions. Anyone who refuses to answer must eat or drink interesting foods.
Corden asked, "So my question is, who would you never invite back to the Met Gala?" Wintour laughed and the crowd cheered, likely dying to know the answer. She paused before answering: "Donald Trump." The crowd cheered even louder. She never explained why, but based on all the scandals and controversy in Donald's life, Wintour's choice is unsurprising.
Tim Gunn told an anecdote that had Wintour seeing red
Tim Gunn of "Project Runway" fame knows fashion. However, he's on Anna Wintour's bad side and is banned from the Met Gala. Page Six reported in 2014 that Gunn's memoir "Gunn's Golden Rules" included a story about seeing Wintour get carried down the steps of the Metropolitan Pavilion and to her car by bodyguards instead of taking the elevator. Gunn told the outlet, "All hell broke loose ... her office was insisting I print a retraction."
On "The Meredith Vieira Show" in 2015, Gunn said he shared the story about Wintour and her bodyguards with the New York Post after being asked, "What is the most unforgettable moment you've ever seen in fashion?" Gunn refused to retract his statement since it was true. He claimed Wintour probably got carried away to rush to another fashion show and wasn't trying to insult her. Gunn called his relationship with Wintour "hostile" and didn't hold back on his opinions of Vogue. "There is so much that happens at that unique publication that is so of another world and another planet, I'm happy to have a bad relationship with it because I wouldn't want to have a good one!" he said.
In a 2016 interview with "Fashion Police" from E! News, Gunn told the story again and said, "It was insane, so we've had an open war ever since." As a joke, the "Fashion Police" hosts had two security guards swoop in and carry Gunn away.
Demi Lovato didn't enjoy the Met Gala
Not everyone who's invited to the Met Gala has a good time. You won't see Demi Lovato return to the event — and it's her own choice, not an Anna Wintour decision. After attending in 2016, Lovato shared a photo of herself, Nicki Minaj, and fashion designer Jeremy Scott on the red carpet in a now-deleted Instagram post. Both Lovato and Minaj wore dresses by Scott but didn't look too happy. In the caption of the post, Lovato reportedly said, "This picture pretty much summed up my first and probably last Met" (via Glam). She included many hashtags, one being "#notforme." Lovato confirmed there was no ill-will toward Minaj with her post when she replied to Perez Hilton on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a 2018 Billboard interview, Lovato opened up about how uncomfortable the 2016 gala made her. "I had a terrible experience. This one celebrity was a complete b***h and was miserable to be around," Lovato said. "It was very cliquey. I remember being so uncomfortable that I wanted to drink."
Lovato was sober in 2016, so she went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting after the gala, still wearing her diamond jewelry from the event but in a more casual outfit. Lovato continued, "And I related more to the homeless people in that meeting who struggled with the same struggles that I deal with than the people at the Met Gala — fake and sucking the fashion industry's d***."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Zayn Malik has no interest in flashy red carpet looks and attention
Like Demi Lovato, Zayn Malik didn't enjoy himself at the 2016 Met Gala. He hasn't gone back since. In a GQ interview from 2018, Malik explained his attendance in 2016. "I did go, but I didn't go there to be like, 'Yo, take me serious.' I was taking the piss!" he claimed. "I went there as my favorite 'Mortal Kombat' character, Jax." The metal on the arms of Malik's tuxedo represented the character in question and honored the theme of 2016's Met Gala, "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" (via PureWow).
In his GQ interview, Malik also said that his former stylist convinced him to attend the Met Gala, even though he didn't want to. He was firm that it wasn't an event he'd attend again. Malik added, "I'd rather be sitting at my house, doing something productive, than dressing up in really expensive clothes and being photographed on a red carpet ... To do the self-indulgent 'Look at me, I'm amazing' thing on the red carpet, it's not me."
However, Malik didn't completely bash red carpets and the Met Gala, due to his relationship with Gigi Hadid. "I get it, and I understand that people gain enjoyment from it," he said, before complimenting Hadid's look at the 2018 gala. Some wonder if Malik's comments got him forever banned, with a fan on X asking, "Is zayn malik on the met gala blacklist yet?" in 2021.
Tina Fey had harsh words for Met Gala attendees
Comedian Tina Fey went to the 2010 Met Gala, and she has no plans whatsoever to return. In a candid interview on "Late Show with David Letterman," Fey expressed disdain for not being busy enough to get out of things, including fancy events. She advised Letterman to "drink dish soap" or something similar to become too sick to host or attend any galas.
When Letterman brought up never being invited to the Met Gala, Fey was convinced he'd get invited the following year due to his retirement from the "Late Show." Fey explained that she went to the glamorous event one time. "I have gone to it once, and it is such a jerk parade," she said. The crowd laughed and applauded before Fey talked more about the experience and didn't shy away from criticizing her fellow gala guests. "But you go and it's this beautiful space," Fey said, "and it's just every jerk from every walk of life is there wearing like, some stupid thing."
Fey's husband Jeff Richmond was her plus-one, "Which I'm still in trouble for." She also said, "It's just everybody. It's everybody. If you had a million arms and all the people you would punch in the whole world. They're all there." Of all the people there, the person Fey felt she wanted to spend time with was journalist Barbara Walters. Needless to say, Fey was adamant that she wouldn't return to the Met Gala.