This isn't how we should be celebrating the Super Bowl. It's not safe or smart. It's stupid. We're going to take a very close look at this, and it may end up costing someone a lot more than 50 cent. @TMZhttps://t.co/Vrvg8fTdBB
— Rick Kriseman (@Kriseman) February 6, 2021
The SuperBowl hosted 25,000 fans and staff at the game this year. The number was far below capacity of what Raymond James stadium in Tampa can hold, but many of us still question the logic of having that many people gathered together for a sporting event when so many are still unvaccinated. I also question the parties hosted by countless performers and DJs throughout the Tampa region. Artists such as Steve Aoki, 50 Cent, Diplo, Tory Lanez, French Montana and Migos all either hosted or performed at crowded functions throughout the area, with no masks in sight. They brazenly posted about it on social media as if there wasn’t anything wrong with partying in that way. The Mayor of St. Petersburg has blasted these parties, and we know the governor of Florida isn’t going to do anything about it.
Mayor Rick Kriseman shared his reaction about 50 Cent’s party during Super Bowl weekend.
On Saturday, the St. Petersburg politician slammed the rapper for performing at a crowded Super Bowl LV party in a hangar at Albert Whitted Airport on Friday night.
“This isn’t how we should be celebrating the Super Bowl. It’s not safe or smart. It’s stupid. We’re going to take a very close look at this, and it may end up costing someone a lot more than 50 cent[s],” Kriseman said on Twitter, sharing a TMZ report that featured photos of 50 Cent’s event, where no one appeared to be wearing a mask despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told the Tampa Bay Times that city officials are investigating the party. Further information will be released next week.
A rep for 50 Cent did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The event was supposed to be limited capacity with masks required, according to TMZ. However, photos from the event showed that was not the case.
Steve Aoki headlined a well-attended Friday night pool party at the WTR Pool & Grill at The Godfrey Hotel.
Other artists, including Diplo, French Montana and Migos, also performed at Super Bowl celebrations, despite many warnings from health officials against the gatherings.
50 Cent said he is also scheduled to host a Super Bowl LV watch party on Sunday at the Rox rooftop bar, according to his Instagram account.
The videos coming out of these events are criminal. Many were posted by the artists themselves, which tells you everything you need to know about how responsible they feel. A few people on social media are trying to defend those who played the events, saying they were just the performers – give me a break. At this point, we all share a responsibility for these gatherings. I am all for the establishment losing their liquor licenses and whatever else is being doled out, but I think those headlining need to start sharing some part of the blame. It would be one thing if they were standing on stage telling folks to stay distanced and put their masks on, but these guys were pouring champagne directly in the crowds mouths, reaching off stage for the crowd, hyping the hell out of an unsafe event and brazenly bragging about wildly unsafe parties. I really do hope Kriseman and others do something about it. But all these investigations, fines and penalties aren’t going to mean squat to those who get sick from the super spreader and mini super spreader events. And I’m not even talking about the fools who showed up to these events, I’m talking about the ones these COVIDiots bring the virus home to. Not to mention, Dr. Fauci asked us repeatedly not to participate in any kind of gathering before we even went into the weekend. I guess all we can do in two weeks when there’s a Super Bowl Spike is say “we told you so.”
*COVID PARTY ALERT* Steve Aoki throws pre-Super Bowl COVID party in Tampa ahead of the big game tomorrow. No mask in sight. At one point, Steve poured champagne into several people's mouths. Many more parties expected in Tampa in the lead up to the game on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/OLhJsgBQHV
— Def Noodles (@defnoodles) February 6, 2021
Photo credit: Twitter and Avalon
F all these people.
I don’t like to wish ill on people but I hope they all get sick and have the variant that gives them extra spicy diarrhea for weeks.
I’m with you. May all of these people suffer enough to learn a LESSON, but not pass it on to anyone else or take up a hospital bed.
My mom died- on lock down in her senior facility- in May of Covid. Her death was somewhere in the 60,000-65,000 range.
We are now above 240,000.
The majority of Americans don’t care unless their family is directly affected.
Also some of them are just painfully stupid.
I’m sorry for your loss Ariel. It must be infuriating to see how many people behave like Covid doesn’t exist or is none of their concern after you lost your mom to the virus.
F them all seriously.
I am so sorry for the loss of your mother.
People are proving to be so damn selfish; they can only empathize when it happens to them and then they are converts (often – too little, too late). Social media has made me think the “I, me, mine” syndrome is more the norm than the exception. I hope I am wrong.
Ariel, I’m so sorry. I’ve been lucky enough not to lose anyone so far, but my heart goes out to those who have, and whose grief is complicated by the fact that their loved ones passed without their families near. If I hear one more selfish idiot proclaim that COVID’s not really a problem because it’s largely “old people in long-term care” who die, I’ll scream. Those people meant the world to someone, and they suffered and died needlessly.
It just makes me even more depressed to be running on my own lonesome hamster wheel in my same average sized home (although to be clear, I am very grateful to have my home and job etc etc). when I watch celebs travel and party. Ugh. It has brought the have/have not so glaringly into the forefront for me. I WANT TO GO TO PARTIES AND SWIM IN POOLS AND HAVE FUN TOO! wah wah.
When greed and selfishness is the motivating factor nothing else matters. Most of these artists are rich and have access to resources that none of us would be able to have. I remember listening to an episode of Fresh Air this past summer where the guest talked about the concierge services the rich have. 50 cent has always been garbage so this is of no surprise. Florida has been wide open this whole time so I’m sure that corrupt governor will do nothing about this.
Heading to Florida tomorrow to see my mom and dad Finally- They are really responsible, and vaccinated. The rest of the state thinks it’s funny to wear a mask. Funny. I live in Santa Barbara. A month ago our ICU was full. So I’m hoping Darwin gets in on this and the stupid get Covid and don’t get vaccinated until after we do. Because you know these stupid f**ks will be elbowing people out of the way to get vaccinated
Fuming. These losers just keep spreading the virus. Most of us stay home, don’t see people, have upended our lives and then there’s a quarter of the country that’s just stupid af.
I hate selfish, irresponsible people like this. They are the reason we’re still neck deep in this mess, the reason hundreds of thousands have died.
The Aoki kids (Steve and his sister Devon) are entitled a-holes. They have always been, always will be.
F these people, they don’t care about the harm or death they cause
I can confirm from direct experience that Steve Aoki has been a self-centered asshole since the aughts.
Can also confirm.
they should send Tory Lamez back to Canada. oh wait, Canada isn’t letting in anyone from America. maybe something to do with the 500 thousand deaths here…
My stepmom is a school nurse in South Florida, and she is dreading what’s to come. Keeping the school open last fall was challenging, but they managed to make it, barely, by combining in person and virtual learning. So far there have only been two cases, both employees, but we’re placing bets on how long until the explosion of cases and exposure because of SB parties, and these ahole parents are always telling their kids to lie to the school: don’t tell them your aunt is coming from South America, don’t tell them you have sniffles and a sore throat. The sheer stupidity and entitlement of people.
I’ll check back in a couple of times and let you all know how it goes. I’m sure it’ll be great. /s
Why isn’t Tory Lanez in jail awaiting trial for shooting Meghan Thee Stallion in the feet? Wtf? It’s sick to me that he’s walking free right now.