Katy Perry Performs for Israeli Company Wiz in Thailand, Sparks Online Outrage
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz flew its employees to a luxury vacation in Thailand, where pop star Katy Perry performed for them. The event, costing millions of dollars, has drawn criticism online, echoing past protests against Perry's private performances. Wiz has a history of hosting extravagant employee events, including parties in Israel and abroad, even during wartime.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Katy Perry performed for Israeli tech company Wiz's employees during a luxury vacation in Thailand.
- The private concert for Wiz employees reportedly cost $3-4 million.
- Perry's performance has sparked online criticism, similar to past controversies.
- Wiz, acquired by Google for $32 billion, has a history of lavish employee events.
- The company held events in Las Vegas and Israel, even during the ongoing war.
Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz, recently acquired by Google for $32 billion, hosted its employees for a five-day luxury vacation in Khao Lak, Thailand. The highlight of the trip was a surprise performance by international pop star Katy Perry. The cost of the vacation is estimated in the tens of millions of shekels, with Perry's private performance, including artist fees and production costs, reportedly costing between $3-4 million.
The lavish event included stays at a luxury resort and parties for employees. Perry performed a selection of her hits, such as "I Kissed a Girl." This is not Perry's first high-profile private performance; in February 2024, she performed for Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt in Melbourne, an event attended by the Australian Prime Minister and other dignitaries. Australian media reported Perry received approximately A$1.5 million (about 3.3 million shekels) for that performance, with estimates for her fee ranging from A$2-3 million (about 4.4-6.6 million shekels).
Perry's Australian performance previously drew pro-Palestinian protests, with demonstrators outside Pratt's mansion protesting the attendees and calling for the liberation of Palestine. Protesters argued that while the wealthy and famous celebrated, Gaza residents suffered from bombing and starvation. Similarly, Perry's performance for Wiz employees has now ignited criticism online. Discussions on international music forums saw users attacking her decision to participate, with one user noting complaints from Thai citizens about "Zionist tourists" bringing Perry with them. Another user expressed disappointment, while a third criticized pop stars who advocate for social causes yet accept lucrative private performances for wealthy individuals and corporations.
Wiz, co-founded by Assaf Rappaport, has a history of investing heavily in employee events. In February, the company held its Purim party, "Wizcotec," inspired by ABBA, at Expo Tel Aviv, costing an estimated 10 million shekels and featuring over 20 Israeli artists including Ninette Tayeb, Shiri Maimon, Sarait Haddad, Eden Ben Zaken, and Paz Tasi. Previous years saw Wiz flying dozens of employees to Mauritius for a private version of "Survivor." In March 2022, they held a Disney-themed company night with performances by Sarait Haddad, Bri Saharof, Noa Kirel, and Maoz Cohen, and a reunion of Ninette Tayeb and Ran Danker. In March of this year, Wiz held its annual sales event in Las Vegas, attended by dozens of employees from Israel despite the ongoing war, featuring a performance by American rapper Pitbull and a production themed around a fictional airline, "WizAir."
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