If you follow tennis, you likely know that Wimbledon has one of the strictest dress codes in the sport. Players are only permitted to wear white on the court, with outfits being inspected by tournament officials to ensure compliance. Even a colorful logo or sneaker sole can be flagged.
While the same rules do not apply to spectators watching the matches from the stands at the All England Club, there are some protocols that are expected to be followed. That is especially true of those who snag a seat in the invitation-only Royal Box, which Jennifer Lopez did for the men’s final on Sunday.
The pop star, who wore a very modest ensemble by her standards, was accused by many of an etiquette breach due to the comically large hat she accessorized with. On Tuesday’s show, Megyn was joined by Lopez’s former publicist Rob Shuter to discuss the fashion faux pas.
Hat Attack
Front and center in the Royal Box to watch Jannik Sinner top Alexander Zverev on Centre Court was literal royalty. Prince William and Princess Catherine were joined by two of their three children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, but there was plenty of Hollywood royalty represented as well.
Lopez was seated next to actor Tom Hiddleston who likely had a fine view of the action on the court. However, the same could not be said for those seated behind the “Jenny From the Block” singer. JLo topped off a khaki-colored sleeveless Ralph Lauren frock with an exceptionally wide-brimmed straw hat, which she showed off in a photo shoot on Instagram.
Per Wimbledon’s website, “ladies are asked not to wear hats, as they tend to obscure the vision of those seated behind them.” Fox News Digital reported that while hats are not expressly prohibited in the Royal Box, guests are generally expected to remove large headpieces while seated to avoid blocking others’ sightlines.
That usual etiquette was reportedly eased even further though due to concerns over the heatwave torching the U.K. Wimbledon provided branded fedoras for guests to wear on the premises and Princess Catherine was seen sporting a sunhat of her own at one point during the match. They all paled in comparison, however, to Lopez’s oversized topper.
PR Play?
Photos appear to show Lopez removed her hat as the sun moved across the sky over the course of the match, but Megyn said the fact that she even wore something that size suggests she probably isn’t the biggest fan of the sport.
“We watch a lot of tennis, and my family plays a lot of tennis… and we were watching Wimbledon and who do we see paraded right down in the Royal Box but JLo, who doesn’t know anything about tennis,” Megyn noted. “She is not into tennis. Trust me, I’ve been on a lot of these big tennis events. She is never there.”
So, what was her incentive for showing up? “She just figured out that this would be yet another vehicle for her to use for PR,” she theorized. “She shows up in this enormous hat… which is a violation of all the protocols of Wimbledon and of tennis-watching in general because one wrong move and you are blocking half the people behind you from seeing the ball as it travels across the court.”
‘Dirty Little Secret’
Megyn said it was reminiscent of the celebrities who packed into Madison Square Garden during the Knicks championship run despite questionable fandom credentials (here’s looking at you, Taylor Swift). And even true fans like Ben Stiller were forced to acknowledge that they get in for free.
Shuter, who worked as Lopez’s publicist about 20 years ago, confirmed that Megyn hit on the “dirty little secret of Hollywood” as it relates to celebrities showing up at events.
“This is how celebrity works, and JLo knows that. She knows exactly what she’s doing,” he explained. “Jennifer enjoys being a celebrity. Of all the people I’ve worked with or I’ve met, JLo loves being JLo, and so any opportunity for a camera, a thirsty moment, she is going to be there.”
But as Megyn suspected, Shuter does not believe the Maid in Manhattan star was deeply engrossed in the goings on on the court. “I guarantee you, she has no idea what she’s watching. She doesn’t know where the ball goes. She knows nothing about the rules of tennis,” he posited.
For real tennis fans feeling salty about missing out on a Wimbledon invite, maybe this will provide some solace. “I am actually quite sure that she was probably miserable because, if you don’t understand the sport, it can be a little bit boring and nobody around her is going to tell her,” Shuter concluded. “The only silver lining is it was a really long match, and the thought of her having to sit there in that particular spot for two three hours gives you a little bit of joy.”
You can check out Megyn’s full interview with Shuter by tuning in to episode 1,359 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Channel (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.