The 'Bridgerton Ball' promised elegance, but delivered undercooked food, empty rooms and an exotic dancer: 'It was chaos'

Dear gentle reader, prepare to clutch your pearls.

What had been billed as a dreamy, high-society “Bridgerton Ball” in Detroit on Sunday night quickly turned into a Regency-era-themed disaster, leaving hundreds of Netflix fans furious and disappointed.

With tickets reportedly From $150 to $1,000 for exclusive packages, the event promised a BridgertonThe ball was a themed party with prizes and a chance to win $2,000 for the best-dressed “Diamond of the Season.” What attendees got instead, according to ticket holders, was a basic room, fluorescent lighting and room-temperature drinks. The event drew comparisons to the disappointing Willy Wonka-themed event from earlier this year.

“It was chaos,” Alison Germain, 36, who attended the event with her mother, told Yahoo Entertainment. “There were no chairs or floating snacks or a table with refreshments. Attendees were sitting on the floor off to the side, including me, in our beautiful dresses that we spent money on.”

The event's organizer, a company called Uncle & Me, had sold 1,500 tickets throughout the summer before the ball took place. rescheduled from August 25 to September 22 due to the venue being withdrawn at the last minute, according to ABC7 DetroitIt was finally held at the historic Harmonie Club in Detroit.

Videos and photos This week, social media was flooded with people showing guests standing awkwardly, looking more confused than entertained. Some even decided to sit on the floor eating Kit Kats sold by vendors, an improvement on what was once the event. described like undercooked chicken.

“There was a complete lack of organization throughout the entire night,” Alexis Dallas told Yahoo Entertainment. “People were extremely upset, even leaving within the first 30 minutes of arriving.”

Dallas said she and her date had each paid $170 for an upgraded ticket, about $500 for their outfits and another $90 for professional photos they never received.

Since Sunday's event, attendees have filed numerous police complaints, according to a Facebook Group managed by victims. One of the group's administrators, Ashlyn Cook, said approximately 150-200 People have signed up for a possible class-action lawsuit against the event organizer.

Yahoo Entertainment reached out to Uncle & Me and the event's main organizer, Chelsea Beardbut received no immediate response. However, Beard acknowledged the complaints in a post shared on Instagram on Tuesday.

“Our goal was to create a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges and unforeseen changes, including a last-minute change of venue and date, impacted the experience for some guests,” he wrote. “However, we take full responsibility for these shortcomings.” The company’s website has also been disabled.

Netflix also did not respond when asked for comment, although it is reportedly not affiliated with the event, not related to similar events The streamer performs throughout the country.

Despite the shortcomings and the cost, Germain said she and the other attendees were “determined to have a good time no matter what,” though she said Beard got off scot-free.

Rakisha Johnson, who was credited as the event's main decorator, is facing a wave of backlash that she says she doesn't deserve.

Johnson said her contributions were limited to a few centerpieces, stands and linens. The larger items, such as the floral backdrop for the photos and the room where “the Queen” sat, had nothing to do with her company, Designs by Rakisha.

However, Johnson says she has been bombarded by more than 11,000 hateful comments on social media since Sunday.

“It was all under my name, but it wasn’t mine,” the decorator told Yahoo Entertainment. “I’m too good a person to have my name dragged down like this.”

Johnson explained that she was hired by Beard's cousin, with whom she had worked previously. When she arrived at the venue, she said it became clear that things were getting out of hand. For starters, there was no one at the entrance checking in, and as guests grew increasingly frustrated with the lack of food and drink, Johnson said she became the face of the event's failures.

At one point, she sent her nephew to buy cases of water in a desperate attempt to calm the crowd, though, she said, “that wasn’t my job.” She and others later served as intermediaries between the absent organizer and the caterer, handing out plates, donning gloves and serving food.

Another strange twist in the event was the last minute addition of a exotic dancerwho was hired just three hours before the show.

“They accepted my rates and it was a very easy hiring process,” the dancer said. C. “Tink” Youngwho told Yahoo Entertainment that she was paid $800 for three five-minute pole dancing sets.

“I was only there for an hour, doing my job,” he explained. “I had no idea that the event was a disaster for the guests. I found out the next morning, but personally, the company treated me very well.”

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all attendees.

Juanita Morton said she spent a total of $800 on tickets, clothing, hair and makeup, only to discover that event organizers had made a mistake.

“Everything was terrible,” she told Yahoo Entertainment. “There was no effort. There were no chairs beyond the first floor. The backdrops looked like they were from a Dollar Tree store. Nothing was as promised.”

“There was a promise of ballroom dancing lessons,” Germain said. “But those dance lessons instead consisted of the Cupid Shuffle.”

Germain and Dallas said they had repeatedly tried to contact the organizers but had received no response. They have since filed complaints with police, while Morton has joined the potential class action lawsuit.

How to spot potential scams

These debacles are becoming all too familiar. According to one Federal Trade Commission According to a report released in February, U.S. consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, marking a 14% increase from the previous year.

Kay DeanA former federal criminal investigator who runs Fake Review Watch, an organization that holds businesses accountable for online scams, said a significant part of the problem lies in the images used to promote events, which paint a misleading picture of what attendees should expect.

“Websites with attractive photos and content can be created quickly, and fake testimonials add a touch of authenticity,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. Additionally, “people should never rely on online reviews, whether to evaluate a company’s level of service, the quality of a product, or the legitimacy and value of an event.”

For Dallas, the warning signs were already there.

“Before the event, there was a lack of communication,” he explained. “I sent two emails to the organizers for clarification and never received a response. I just assumed it was an oversight on their part.”

Unfortunately for many ticket holders, their experience now serves as a warning.

“I hope this gets resolved,” Dallas said. “I really do.”

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