KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 ― Love may not cost a thing for Jennifer Lopez but the Latina superstar paid dearly for her attempts to start a viral challenge that has angered fans.
In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of her 2000 hit song Love Don’t Cost a Thing, the 51-year-old singer and actress called on fans and followers to take part in a challenge that recreates a scene from the song’s iconic music video.
The clip famously sees Lopez tossing her clothes, expensive jewellery and sunglasses onto a beach, which she reenacted for the challenge on her social media platforms.
“The #LoveDontCostAThingChallenge STARTS NOW!!!!,” Lopez wrote on Twitter.
“Can’t wait to see your renditions.”
The #LoveDontCostAThingChallenge STARTS NOW !!!! Can’t wait to see your renditions. ✨😎✨ pic.twitter.com/z1YQRS2gjx
Advertisement— jlo (@JLo) January 24, 2021
Unfortunately, fans were far from excited and left puzzled by Lopez’s possessions-discarding challenge during a global economic downturn and a raging pandemic.
Please stop, just be rich in private and leave us regular people ALONE. pic.twitter.com/BBSRAmgdTi
— Jacqueline Christina (@goblin_mami) January 24, 2021
“Jlo we supposed to throw our valuables on the beach? Is the challenge to find it after we throw it bc we can’t afford to replace it?!? What are the instructions?!?!?????” asked one fan.
“We are in a [pandemic], still haven’t gotten our second [stimulus package] & you want us to go out & throw our s*** away in the sand?!?” commented another.
Some asked the singer, who performed at US President Joe Biden’s inauguration last week, what the challenge was about while others pointed out the inappropriateness of the clip during Covid-19.
At first, I thought you were saying that SHE was tone deaf ...the laugh I laughed echoed pic.twitter.com/MZHUT0ukSn
— Charla Ya Mane, The Gawd (@HersheysChriss) January 24, 2021
gurlll we aren’t all rich throwing a multi thousand dollar coat on the sand?! is you gonna pay for the repairs, dry cleaning and/or replacements?!?? pic.twitter.com/K7CQ60TOU1
— cdee90x (@cdeexxo) January 24, 2021
Ok I’m confused on the challenge lol, are you going to lend me the expensive things to throw on the beach? pic.twitter.com/BL7fyp9P6e
— Ali ⚡️ (@JadoreAlii) January 24, 2021
I don’t have a private beach upon which to throw my diamonds. 🤷🏽♀️
— Tara (@Lastate_ofmind) January 24, 2021
Lopez’s challenge which was posted on Sunday has been viewed 3.2 million times, receiving 12,500 quote tweets.
Launched on December 2, 2000, Love Don’t Cost a Thing was Lopez’s lead single from her sophomore album J.Lo, named after her now-famous nickname.
The song’s lyrics are about a woman who is unhappy with her materialistic lover.