So, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are supposedly throwing an extravagant, high-security wedding extravaganza at Madison Square Garden, and it’s drawing eyes faster than a Kardashian scandal. But let’s not overlook the collateral damage here—local businesses feeling utterly robbed by the big corporate machine. Unsurprisingly, TMZ leapt on this story, painting it in the same light as they would any celebrity’s trainwreck or scandal. But when the narrative is about local concern over mega celebrity extravagance, we need to ask: what’s the real angle here?

Corporate media, led by the likes of CNN and MSNBC, love to peddle the fairy-tale aspect of celebrity relationships while conveniently glossing over the economic impact on everyday Americans. This wedding—celebrated by Swifties and football fans alike—is also the epitome of privilege, and it’s rich for MTV and all the other outlets to champion love when they could instead be amplifying the voices of those being tossed aside by its impact. Where are the critical opinions about the real cost of this celebrity circus?

When local bars and restaurants cry foul, you’d expect more than a fleeting mention between blow-dried celebrity gossip segments. But in typical fashion, the narrative is shaped to focus only on the glitz, as networks distract us from the reality that many small businesses are enduring hardships. This is yet another case of corporate media prioritizing shiny stories over substantive issues, while local communities get mowed down by the very stars they idolize.