Bridgerton Ball controversy: Detroit event flops with pole dancer, Kool-Aid
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Video of Detroit's Bridgerton Ball on Sunday was posted to social media by the organizer. Guests dressed to the nines - dancing the night away - but some say this isn't the real story.
"This event just really lacked effort - it lacked class, and it lacked respect," said Nita Morton.
Nita Morton and her sister are huge Bridgerton fans of the hit Netflix show is set in 1800s London about high society and nobility. The two of them spent a lot of money - with Morton's sister flying in from Florida, and they had high expectations.
"This is very serious to us," she said. "We were beyond excited. Like I said - she was so excited that she got her dress custom-made.
"I put in some effort to my attire - I would expect you to put some effort into this event."
Event company Uncle & Me LLC had already postponed and changed the location once, before Sunday's ball at Harmonie Club.
Morton says there wasn't enough food - and it was served on plastic plates. The decorations were from a dollar store and the bar - was just blue Kool-Aid they had to pay for.
The first floor dining was too crowded and the other floors - were not.
FOX 2: "There's no chairs?"
"No chairs. There was a chair for the queen to sit in, but there were no chairs for anybody else to sit in, and again this is a ball," she said. "We're wearing heels - w're dressed up, we need to sit down."
Then - she says - there was the entertainment.
"The entertainment walks through the room and the first thing she does is throw up a high kick and we're seeing inappropriate things that we shouldn't be seeing at a ball," Morton said.
Many on social media found the pole dancing inappropriate for a ball. They say the only other live entertainment was a young violin player who had to play for four hours without a break.
Now there is a Facebook page threatening a lawsuit and everyone from the BBC to People magazine has picked up the story.
As for organizers Chelsea Beard and her uncle, Jeremy Scott - there has been only an Instagram post saying they're working to address all concerns.
"There is nothing to work on - it's just reverse the payment - send people their money back," Morton said.
FOX 2: "How much did you pay for your ticket?"
"I paid about $170," she said.
FOX 2: "How much did you spend on your outfit, your hair, and makeup?"
"My outfit was about $250 - my hair was $200," Morton said, reeling off a list of things she paid for in preparation.
Close to a thousand dollars - for a magical night - that didn't quite - meet expectations.
"At least I got to meet some beautiful people," she said. "Seeing these people roll through and stroll through the hallways - some with top hats - with canes - it was an absolute movie. And I just expected that from the event at least."
