HGTV's new show 'Zillow Gone Wild' brings the popular Instagram account to life and shows off the one-of-a-kind homeowners behind the listings

Host Jack McBrayer tours the "Pink Palace" of Palm Springs with its owner Tracy Turco.

Courtesy of HGTV

• HGTV's new show "Zillow Gone Wild" premieres May 3rd. 
• The founder of the popular Instagram account says the show brings listings to life in a new way. 
• One featured homeowner tells BI, "It's up to every owner to create their own magic." 

If you're prone to late night scrolls on home-buying website Zillow, lusting after drool-worthy mega-mansions or eye-popping geometric structures, you are not alone.

HGTV's new show "Zillow Gone Wild," — premiering tonight at 10:30 p.m. (EST), and also available to stream on Max — is here to unite all aspirational scrollers and take them behind the scenes of the most out-there houses. The show is based off the popular Instagram account of the same name that posts stunning, one-of-a-kind homes currently on the market.

Host Jack McBrayer takes viewers behind the scenes of the internet's favorite homes.

Courtesy of HGTV

Led by host Jack McBrayer, famous for playing the NBC page Kenneth on "30 Rock," the show takes viewers on-site to walk through the mind-boggling listings and meet the owners who made the structures feel like home.

Viewers have the added chance to win $25,000 by guessing online which home will be crowned the "wildest" after 8 weeks of episodes.

Host Jack McBrayer tours one "Zillow Gone Wild" home with its owner Tracy Turco.

Courtesy of HGTV

One man's hobby sparks a community of almost 2 million followers

Zillow Gone Wild first began as an Instagram account, started in December 2020 by content creator Samir Mezrahi. Initially, Mezrahi found himself perusing Zillow listings to entertain himself through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and had a hunch others were doing the same.

"It felt like there was nowhere to talk about these wild, newsworthy, interesting homes," he told Business Insider.

Mezrahi collected postings of homes with outrageous amenities like go-kart tracks and nightclubs or places that doubled down on aesthetics like futuristic desert dwellings or fantasy-like castles.

Zillow Gone Wild is now driven by mostly user submissions, its founder tells BI.

Dan Latu

The account blew up almost "instantly," Mezrahi says. Within a few weeks, "Saturday Night Live" featured a skit on Zillow scrolling, which Mezrahi saw as confirmation that he pierced the zeitgeist.

Four years later, Zillow Gone Wild boasts nearly 2 million followers on Instagram, where user submissions drive most of the posts, along with community-led traditions like "Castle Fridays" and "Mid-Century Modern Wednesdays."

Mezrahi is proud of the range of homes displayed, rather than just a singular focus on luxury. The account has shown off everything from a $210,000 60's-inspired trailer in North Carolina to a $36.5 million, 7-bedroom estate in California.

His hope is that the show brings the "wild" listings to life, allowing viewers to connect and dream further about the homes.

"Pictures don't always give you a sense of scale, or really do the property justice," he told BI.

A Pink Palace in Palm Springs preserves Hollywood history

One featured home on the new HGTV show is a desert oasis of Hollywood Regency design, an era in the early 20th century defined by the glamorous, over-the-top homes of newly minted movie stars.

Dubbed the "Pink Palace," the 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom Palm Springs home is wrapped in a bubblegum pink color on the outside and the inside features leopard-print walls, 1960's chandeliers, and an explosion of intricate mid-century patterns.

Homeowner and professional interior designer Tracy Turco said the opulence is intentional.

The "Pink Palace" is one home featured on HGTV's new show "Zillow Gone Wild."

Courtesy of HGTV

"I go for the gusto. I spark a lot of fun and joy in my decorating," she told Business Insider. The episode featuring her home will run next week, on May 10th.

The home once belonged to Magda Gabor, one of a trio of actress sisters some have compared to a 1950's socialite version of the Kardashians. Turco, a Hollywood Regency enthusiast, intended to keep Gabor's spirit alive from decor like a preserved portrait of Gabor hanging in the foyer to the lifestyle the home allowed.

"At our pool parties, we had people dancing in tuxedos and champagne flowing," she said.

On the show, host McBrayer points out that what makes the home "wild" is its fanatic attention to detail.

Original details horse posts and portraits remain in the Hollywood Regency home.

Courtesy of HGTV

"There is not a square inch of this home that doesn't spell glamor," McBrayer said in Turco's episode.

Turco ultimately sold the property to be closer to family in Florida, but is resting easy as she found a set of buyers who are enthusiastic about keeping the home's aesthetic alive. She says she won't be upset if they paint over the pink.

"It's up to every owner to create their own magic," she told BI.

"Zillow Gone Wild" airs 10:30 p.m. on Fridays on HGTV and is streaming on Max.

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My family loves the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta — and we pay for our trips with credit card rewards

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The author, Jason Steele (center) and his family.

Jason Steele

• I love going to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta with my family — but it's expensive.
• Instead of paying high prices for my hotel and travel, I use credit card rewards points.
• Going to the event and checking out some of the local museums is a highlight of my year.

Watching a hot air balloon lift off at the crack of dawn on a cool clear day can make you smile — standing in the middle of a field of hundreds talking fight can make you completely giddy.

Each October for the past five years (other than in 2020, when the event was canceled during the COVID-19 outbreak), my family has traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the annual hot air Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to witness this colorful spectacle.

Visiting the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is an unforgettable experience, but it can also be a costly one. But instead of spending thousands of dollars on flights and hotels, we've always paid for our travel with our rewards credit card points and miles.

About Albuquerque and the Balloon Fiesta

New Mexico is called The Land of Enchantment, and for good reason. From Albuquerque, you can take in the scenic vistas of deserts and mountains, while enjoying its unique Southwestern cuisine featuring its famous red and green chili peppers found on its license plates.

I've visited Albuquerque at various times of the year; it normally appears to be a sleepy town and a very inexpensive one at that. I like to joke that the Balloon Fiesta isn't just the largest event going on in Albuquerque, it seems to be the only one.

During the nine-day-long event in early October, flight and hotel prices soar as spectators and aviators saturate the town. While each of the 600 hot air balloons might hold just a handful of people, it takes a larger ground crew to launch and recover each airship. In 2023, the event recorded nearly a million visitors, an average of over 100,000 per day. Although some attendees are local, there's no doubt that it's quite a lot of visitors for a city of just 562,000.

How we visit with points and miles

Perhaps the biggest challenge of attending the Balloon Fiesta is finding affordable lodging. Thankfully, there are several hotel loyalty programs that offer free night stays for somewhat fixed amounts of points and miles. Last year, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Albuquerque Uptown. Our family of five stayed in two rooms for two nights. At a cost of 40,000 Hilton Honors points per night, that set us back 160,000 points.

This hotel is located next to a large shopping mall, and conveniently, there's a shuttle bus departing to the Balloon Fiesta each morning. We've already made similar reservations for this year's event for the same number of points. Based on prices when I booked the rooms, I received a phenomenal 1.1 cents in value per point redeemed, roughly three times what you'd normally expect from redeeming Hilton points.

In past years, I've found that rooms in Albuquerque often become available for award stays within 30 days of the event, so keep checking if your preferred hotel doesn't have a vacancy.

As for flights, we typically take Southwest Airlines, which offers the most service to Albuquerque, by far. Thanks to the laws of supply and demand, even the one-hour flight from my hometown of Denver isn't cheap during the Balloon Fiesta.

However, that cost is mitigated by the fact that my wife and I both hold the Southwest Companion Pass. Therefore, we only need to redeem the points needed for three of us, as the other two are added as companions for a mere $11.20 round-trip. Over the years, we've learned that the key to getting the lowest fares is to book our tickets as far in advance as possible, which you'll want to do for big events like this, regardless of whether you fly Southwest or one of its competitors.

I earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points and get Companion Pass through the company's personal and small business cards from Chase. You can also transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest.

Other tips for visiting the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

Once you have your airline and hotel reservations, you'll almost certainly need to reserve a rental car. Do this in advance, and be sure to use any discounts you have from an employer or a warehouse store membership.

When going to the event, be sure to wake up early, dress warm, and catch a shuttle bus from one of the four satellite parking lots. Not only will the shuttle buses save you at least $20 in parking, they also have their own dedicated lanes to the event, bypassing the gridlock surrounding Balloon Fiesta park.

Unfortunately, food prices during the show are outrageous, the lines are long, and the quality is poor. But there's no restriction on bringing your own food, so pack some snacks and perhaps even an insulated bottle of coffee, hot cocoa, or tea.

And after the balloons have launched by mid-morning, be sure to check out other local sites such as Sandia Peak, the Explora children's museum, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. For food, you can't go wrong with breakfast at Weck's, or any meal at Frontier or Cocina Azul, which are all Albuquerque staples with reasonable prices.

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Trump says RFK Jr. is 'not a serious candidate,' refuses to debate him because his numbers are 'too low'

Former President Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s long-shot presidential campaign.

Getty

• Donald Trump dismissed the notion that he should debate RFK Jr.
• The former president said Kennedy "not a serious candidate."
• Trump claimed to know little about Kennedy, despite stepping up his attacks on the long-shot rival.

Donald Trump on Thursday scoffed at the notion that he would debate long shot presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. even as the former president's allies show more concern about Kennedy's campaign.

"I don't know anything about him," Trump told reporters as he left his criminal trial in Manhattan. "Look, RFK is falling very low."

Trump repeatedly attacked Kennedy over social media this past weekend, despite the former president's claim that he knows little about Kennedy.

"He's, uh, not a serious candidate," Trump said on Thursday. "They say he hurts Biden. I don't know who he hurts, he might hurt me. I don't know. He has very low numbers, certainly not numbers that he can debate with. He's got to get his numbers a lot higher before he's credible."

Early polling has also shown that Kennedy's inclusion hurts Trump.

An NBC News national poll found that Trump led Biden by two points, but when Kennedy and other third-party hopefuls were added, Biden ended up with a two-point lead. It should be noted both outcomes are within the margin of error and illustrate the extremely close margin of the race entering the summer. According to FiveThirtyEight's weighted national polling average, Kennedy is polling at 10% while Trump and Biden are at 41.4% and 40.8% respectively.

The former president's barrage of criticism comes after Kennedy showed genuine efforts to appeal to Trump voters.

The noted vaccine skeptic has refused to rule out recalling the Moderna COVID-19 shot, a position held by his running mate, Nicole Shanahan. Kennedy has also expressed sympathy for some Americans convicted of charges related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

As Politico reported, Kennedy has repeatedly appeared on more MAGA-aligned podcasts and shows. Kennedy rose to initial fame as an environmentalist in line with his family's well-known liberal views, but in recent years, he has found much more in common with the right-wing. He abandoned his primary challenge to President Joe Biden in favor of an independent run.

Trump's refusal to debate Kennedy may not be entirely in his hands.

The nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates, created by both major US parties, has hosted every presidential debate since 1988. The commission has faced intense criticism over its treatment of third-party candidates. It allowed Texas businessman Ross Perot to participate in all three debates in 1992 but blocked him four years later. No third-party candidate has come close to surpassing Perot's mark of nearly 19% of the popular vote he received in 1992. Since 2000, the commission has imposed a 15% threshold in major national polls, which no third-party challenger has met.

But Trump and his allies have been harshly critical of the debate commission. The Republican National Committee voted in 2022 to leave the commission. On Wednesday, Trump's campaign managers threatened to hold a debate without the commission if they refused the former president's request to move up the first debate, which is set for September 16 at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

Biden recently told radio host Howard Stern that he would like to debate Trump, but there is rampant speculation such a debate will never occur. The pair's first debate in 2020 was an objective disaster. The second debate was canceled after Trump refused to accept a virtual format after the then-president tested positive for COVID-19.

While millions of Americans vote before Election Day, the debates hold a powerful place in the political calendar. In an era where Americans watch little live TV besides sports and the Oscars, the debates are frequently one of the highest-rated telecasts of an election year.

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A doctor says looking after your gut will take care of your brain and immune system, too. Here are 3 things he does himself, including 'gut gardening.'

Dr. Monty Lyman makes his own fermented foods.

Getty Images/ Monty Lyman

• The evidence that gut health affects our overall health is growing. 
• Dr. Monty Lyman explained that growing evidence suggests the brain, gut, and immune system are linked.
• He shared what he does to nurture his gut health, including making his own sauerkraut.

Growing research on the trillions of microbes that make up what's known as our gut microbiome is changing the way we think about our bodies.

The brain, immune system, and gut appear to be interconnected — suggesting taking care of our gut health is key to both physical and mental health.

In his latest book, "The Immune Mind," Dr. Monty Lyman, a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry and a research fellow at the University of Oxford, argues that "we're part of a loop of mind, body, and microbe."

For instance, the gut microbiome helps to "train" our immune system to distinguish friend from foe to prevent chronic inflammation, Lyman told Business Insider. Chronic inflammation is linked to symptoms including fatigue, pain, and persistent infections, as well as longer-term health concerns including dementia, depression, and diabetes.

And in the early 2010s, scientists discovered that lymphatic vessels — the veins and arteries of the immune system — exist in the meninges — the protective membranes that surround the brain — proving the immune system and brain are linked, Lyman writes in the book.

"In the last 10 or so years, we've discovered new anatomy that links the immune system to the brain and discovered immune cells in the brain that we previously thought weren't in there," he told Business Insider.

He hopes this knowledge will provide a new, more holistic framework for the way we look at our health.

"There's no mental health condition that isn't also physical. And there's no physical health condition that doesn't have a mental aspect to it," Lyman said.

With this in mind, it may be tempting to reach for products that promise to boost our gut health: the US digestive health market is forecast to continue to grow over the next five years, making up to $7.2 billion by 2028, according to Mintel. But most experts, Lyman included, emphasize that there's no quick fix to health and that eating a healthy diet is the best way to achieve good gut health.

"Instead of thinking about it as trying to look for a silver bullet pill, the idea of caring for the community within you, realizing that you are a community, and every time you have a meal, even if there are no other humans around you, you are partaking in a communal meal," Lyman said.

Lyman shared three things he does to cultivate a healthy gut microbiome for his mind and body with BI.

Gut gardening

Lyman finds it helpful to think of his gut microbiome as a garden that needs tending to. He calls this "gut gardening," and makes sure he eats enough of the right foods to feed his microbial community.

"So providing them [the microbes] with the right fertilizer, which is the fiber, and also the right seeds, which is the fermented foods," he said.

Dietary fiber, which comes from plants including fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, is prebiotic, meaning it feeds the microbes that live in the gut lining. There's strong evidence to suggest that a diverse microbial community is a healthier one, and eating a wide range of plants helps to create this biodiversity, Lyman said.

Meanwhile, fermented foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha, are probiotics, meaning they contain live bacteria that can help populate the gut microbiome, he said.

Making his own sauerkraut

Fermented foods are beneficial for gut health.

Kinga Krzeminska/Getty Images

A 2021 study from Stanford University found that people who ate a diet high in fermented foods for 10 weeks had even more diverse microbiomes than those who ate a high-fiber diet. They also had reduced inflammation biomarkers.

"There was evidence that basically people didn't have enough bacteria to break down all of the fiber," Lyman said of the study. The daily recommended intake of fiber is 30 grams in the US, but most Americans eat around 15g a day, he said. So while eating more fiber is good, you should introduce it slowly and eat probiotic-rich foods at the same time.

After reading the findings, Lyman started experimenting with fermentation himself, and he eats fermented foods every day, he said. His favorite fermented food is sauerkraut made with cabbage, salt, and thyme.

Making more time for rest

Lyman has also started to be more intentional about what he commits to so he can ensure he has time to rest. "I've tried to be more proactive and ruthless in cutting out potential sources of stress, even if it's at the expense of various ambitions and plans," he said.

This is because chronic stress can cause chronic inflammation.

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Supreme Court rejected military chaplains' lawsuit saying their careers were ruined after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine

A Master Sergeant administers COVID-19 vaccine to Army National Guard member at Stratton Air National Guard base in Scotia, New York.

US Air National Guard photo by MSgt Christine Wood

• The Supreme Court denied military chaplains' lawsuit claiming retaliation for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
• They accused the Defense Department of denying religious exemptions and ruining their careers.
• In 2023, an appellate court deemed the case moot since the military's vaccine mandate was rescinded.

The US Supreme Court has decided not to hear a case involving 39 military chaplains who say they continue to face recrimination for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons.

In an announcement Monday of the cases the court has selected to hear next year, the justices denied the chaplains' petition to review last year's dismissal of the case by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

The appellate court ruled that the Defense Department's decision in January 2023 to rescind the vaccine mandate rendered the chaplains' case moot.

In their petition, the chaplains said they needed the court to consider the case to protect them and their First Amendment rights. They argued that many continue to have bad marks in their fitness reports that influence assignments and promotions.

"These chaplains' careers are dead men walking, direct consequences of filing [religious accommodation requests]," the petition stated.

Airmen received COVID-19 vaccines at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

US Air Force photo by Mauricio Campino

According to court documents, the chaplains filed the lawsuit "when it became obvious" that the Defense Department was denying religious accommodation requests. They claimed that since the mandate was dropped, the Defense Department has made false claims that all adverse actions have been removed from the personnel files of those who had asked for a religious exemption.

With the Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stands, an affirmation of the lower court's finding that renders the case, Israel Alvarado et. al. v. Austin, moot.

At least 50 service members previously sued the Defense Department over its vaccine mandate, alleging that the services and the Pentagon had violated their right to religious freedom for "categorically denying" their request for religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine.

In one case involving several Navy SEALs, a district court judge quashed the Navy's ability to punish the sailors for refusing the vaccine order, a ruling which was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals but later rejected by the US Supreme Court.

The Defense Department was later ordered to pay $1.8 million in legal fees as settlement for two lawsuits over the mandate.

An aeromedical technician fills a syringe with the COVID-19 vaccine at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in Pennsylvania.

US Air Force photo by Joshua J. Seybert

The Defense Department began requiring service members to get the COVID-19 vaccine in August 2021. More than 2 million troops and nearly 350,000 Defense Department civilian employees received the vaccines, two of which used emerging technology — messenger RNA — to teach a recipient's immune system to replicate the spike protein found on the COVID-19 virus and destroy it.

More than 17,000 service members refused to take the vaccine, with some citing concerns over the new technology and others saying they objected on religious grounds, noting that the widely available vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson were tested using cell lines derived from fetal tissue obtained from abortions decades ago.

Roughly 8,400 troops were discharged, including 3,717 Marines, 2,041 Navy sailors, 1,841 Army soldiers, and 834 Air Force and Space Force members, and more than 1,000 service members received religious exemptions before the mandate was dropped.

A total of 690 service members, dependents and civilian Defense Department employees died from COVID-19 between the start of the pandemic in early 2020 and Dec. 8, 2022, the date the DoD stopped publishing updates of its COVID-related deaths.

Nearly 1.2 million Americans have died and more than 7 million deaths have occurred worldwide as a result of the virus, first detected in China in late 2019.

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Past Met Gala hosts, co-chairs: A list of every celebrity enlisted by Anna Wintour since 1995

The 2024 Met Gala will be co-chaired by Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, and Chris Hemsworth, along with Anna Wintour.

Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency; Gotham/GC Images; Gilbert Flores/Variety; Shy McGrath/WireImage

• The Met Gala takes place on the first Monday in May each year.
• Anna Wintour has tapped celebrities to co-chair since taking over the Costume Institute in 1995.
• Co-chairs help promote the event and plan its theme, dinner, and performances.

Being invited to the Met Gala is one thing. But being named a co-chair of the annual event is an even bigger honor.

In 1995, Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour began co-hosting the event alongside fellow editors, socialites, and even European royalty.

She then began passing the job on to designers, actors, musicians, and even athletes in recent years.

But what do the Met Gala co-chairs do, and who's held the title in the past?

While Wintour has never revealed their exact role, it's rumored that co-chairs help plan the event's theme, dinner, and performances.

They're also some of the first stars to arrive on the red carpet each year — helping to exemplify the night's dress code — and their names are used to promote the annual event in the months leading to it.

The 2024 Met Gala co-chairs are Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Hemsworth.

Here's a look back at who's held the honor in the past.

2023: Dua Lipa, Roger Federer, Penélope Cruz, and Michaela Coel, alongside Wintour

Met Gala themes sometimes honor iconic fashion designers, and 2023's event was dedicated to Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue; Noam Galai/FilmMagic/Getty Images; Theo Wargo/WireImage/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The theme honored Chanel icon Karl Lagerfeld, with "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty."

2022: Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Regina King

The 2022 Met Gala theme was "In America: An Anthology of Fashion."

John Shearer/Getty Images; Mike Coppola/Getty Images; Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

The 2021/2022 Met Gala was a two-part event, with the first part held in September of 2021 and the second in May of 2022. In 2022, the Met Gala returned for the culmination of the American-themed two-part celebration.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who missed out on the chance to co-chair in 2020, helmed the event alongside husband-and-wife duo Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and overall icon Regina King, who didn't walk the carpet at the big event. King's son died in January 2022, so she was likely still mourning the loss.

2021: Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, Timothée Chalamet, and Naomi Osaka

The Met Gala returned from its pandemic hiatus in September of 2021.

Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Part one of the two-part Met Gala, which was held in September 2021, was sponsored by Instagram and themed in "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."

2020: Meryl Streep, Nicolas Ghesquière, Emma Stone, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

The 2020 Met Gala was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then returned in September 2021 for the first of a two-part event.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The 2020 Met Gala was, of course, canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But had it taken place as scheduled on May 4, the theme would've been "About Time: Fashion and Duration," sponsored by Ghesquière's Louis Vuitton.

2019: Serena Williams, Harry Styles, then-Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, and Lady Gaga

The 2019 Met Gala's dress code was "camp."

Kevin Mazur/MG19/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

2019's theme was "Camp: Notes on Fashion," and it was sponsored by Gucci.

2018: Donatella Versace, Amal Clooney, and Rihanna

The dress code for the 2018 Met Gala was "Sunday best," prompting celebrities to don Catholic-themed attire.

Dimitrios Kambouris/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Rihanna's Met Gala looks had long earned her the title of "Queen of the Met Gala," and in 2018 she added the title of co-chair. The year's theme was a bold one: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." It was sponsored by Versace and Christine and Stephen Schwarzman, who also served as co-chairs.

Stephen Schwarzman is a co-founder and CEO of The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm that has a stake in Versace.

2017: Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen, Pharrell, and Katy Perry

As the theme was based on her designs, Rei Kawakubo was an obvious choice for honorary chair, along with Caroline Kennedy.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images; Karwai Tang/WireImage

The 2017 theme was "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between," celebrating the Japanese brand, and was a joint sponsorship between Apple, Condé Nast, Farfetch, H&M, and Maison Valentino.

2016: Idris Elba and Taylor Swift

The evening's third host was Apple Chief Development Officer Jonathan Ives.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; Larry Busacca/Getty Images

The event was fittingly sponsored by Apple and themed "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology."

The evening's honorary hosts were returnees Nicolas Ghesquière, Karl Lagerfeld, and Miuccia Prada.

It's believed that Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn met at the 2016 Met Gala. A lyric in Swift's song "Dress" describes each of their looks from the event. Swift and Alwyn's relationship would last for six years.

2015: Jennifer Lawrence and Gong Li

The 2015 Met Gala theme was "China: Through the Looking Glass," and it was sponsored by Yahoo.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic; Larry Busacca/Getty Images

In addition to the actresses, then-CEO of Yahoo Marissa Mayer and entrepreneur/movie producer/third wife of Rupert Murdoch, Wendi Murdoch, also hosted the event, plus honorary chair and Hong Kong billionaire Silas Chou.

2014: Bradley Cooper and Sarah Jessica Parker

The 2014 Met Gala was sponsored by Aerin Lauder's lifestyle brand, AERIN.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Larry Busacca/Getty Images

The other hosts for the "Charles James: Beyond Fashion"-themed night were Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, Aerin Lauder, and Oscar de la Renta.

2013: Former Givenchy creative director Riccardo Tisci, Rooney Mara, and Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo

The evening was sponsored by Modus Operandi, which Santo Domingo co-founded.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images; Karwai Tang/FilmMagic

This year's theme, "Punk: Chaos to Couture," remains one of the most iconic Met Gala themes.

2012: Carey Mulligan

As Amazon was the sponsor of the 2012 Met Gala, Jeff Bezos was an honorary chair.

Randy Brooke/WireImage; Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic

"Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" was the theme of 2012's Met Gala, which was also chaired by Miuccia Prada.

2011: Colin Firth and Stella McCartney

Also in 2011, Salma Hayek got to join her husband, François-Henri Pinault, as an honorary chair.

Dimitrios Kambouris/FilmMagic; Larry Busacca/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage

That year's theme was "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" to honor McQueen after his death in February 2010.

2010: Former Gap Vice President Patrick Robinson and Oprah Winfrey

In honor of the "American Woman" theme, many of the outfits for the 2010 Met Gala incorporated reds, whites, and blues.

BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The night, which was sponsored by Gap, was themed "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity."

2009: Justin Timberlake and Kate Moss

Marc Jacobs served as honorary chair, and also sponsored the 2009 Met Gala.

BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The 2009 Met Ball was themed "The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion."

2008: Julia Roberts and George Clooney

The 2008 Met Gala was sponsored by Giorgio Armani, who also served as honorary chair.

BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The gala's theme was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy."

2007: Cate Blanchett and Nicolas Ghesquière, Balenciaga's creative director

Balenciaga sponsored the 2007 event.

BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

The evening was themed "Poiret: King of Fashion," dedicated to legendary designer Paul Poiret.

2006: Burberry design legend Christopher Bailey and Sienna Miller

The honorary chairs were former Burberry CEO Rose Marie Bravo and Peregrine Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire. Burberry sponsored the 2006 Met Gala.

Billy Farrell/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Fittingly, the Burberry and British-heavy night was themed "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion."

2005: Nicole Kidman and Karl Lagerfeld

In addition to Lagerfeld, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, was also an honorary chair.

Billy Farrell/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Of course, as the night's theme was "House of Chanel," no one but Lagerfeld could've been a chair.

2004: No co-chairs

Anna Wintour hosted the 2004 Met Gala on her own.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

The 2004 Met Gala had no co-chairs beyond Wintour. The year's theme was "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century."

2003: Tom Ford and Nicole Kidman

At the time, Ford was the creative director of Gucci, which sponsored the 2003 Met Gala.

Gucci via Getty Images

The evening's theme was "Goddess: The Classical Mode."

2001: Oscar de la Renta and his wife Annette, and designer Carolina Herrera

As the 2001 Met Gala was centered around her Jacqueline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy and her husband, Edwin A. Schlossberg, were honorary chairs.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images; Evan Agostini/Getty Images; George De Sota/Newsmakers

L'Oréal CEO Lindsay Owen-Jones and his wife, Cristina, also chaired the "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years"-themed event, as L'Oréal was the night's sponsor.

The Met Gala was cancelled in 2002 in the wake of 9/11, and next occurred in 2003.

1999: Estée Lauder's style-and-image director Aerin Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger is flanked by Aerin Lauder (left) and Vogue editor Anna Wintour at the Costume Institute Gala "Rock Style."

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

The last Met Gala of the 20th century was themed "Rock Style." There was no Met Gala in 2000, so the first Met Gala of the 21st century wasn't held until 2001.

1998: Designer Miuccia Prada and socialite Pia Getty.

They also shared chairing duties with actress and socialite Paula Cussi.

Rose Hartman/Archive Photos/Getty Images; Jim Spellman/WireImage; Steve Eichner/Getty Images

The theme was "Cubism and Fashion," and it was sponsored by the Prada brand.

1997: Socialite Julia Koch, and W and Women's Wear Daily editorial director Patrick McCarthy

Wintour resumed Met Gala co-chairing duties in 1997, after skipping 1996.

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images; Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

That year's theme was "Gianni Versace," dedicated to the designer after his death in July 1997.

1996: Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Elizabeth Tilberis, Marie-Chantal, the Crown Princess of Greece, and philanthropist and socialite Helene David-Weill

David-Weill is the wife of powerful New York investment banker Michel David-Weill.

Evan Agostini/Liaison/Getty Images; Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images; THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images

The theme of the 1996 Met Gala was simply "Christian Dior."

1995: Annette de la Renta and Clarissa Bronfman

1995 was the year Wintour became the chairwoman of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

The first Met Gala chaired by Anna Wintour occurred on December 4, 1995. Legendary designers Gianni Versace and Karl Lagerfeld were honorary chairs that year, and the theme was "Haute Couture."

Annette de la Renta was the wife of the late designer Oscar de La Renta, while Bronfman is the wife of Edgar Bronfman Jr., a legendary businessman, producer, and former CEO of Warner Music Group.

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Travis Kelce is now the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. See how he makes and spends his millions.

Travis Kelce warms up before the AFC Championship in January 2024.

Perry Knotts/Contributor/Getty Images

• Travis Kelce has dominated pop-culture conversations since he started dating Taylor Swift in 2023.
• But NFL fans have long known the Kansas City Chiefs star as one of the top tight ends in the league.
• He's built a multimillion-dollar career through his football prowess and engaging personality.

On Monday, April 29, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce signed a two-year contract worth $34.25 million, making him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL, CNN reported, citing his representatives at Milk & Honey Sports.

But while Kelce, 34, is widely known for his talent on the football field (and, of course, his relationship with Taylor Swift), he's also built an impressive resume of endorsement deals, investments, and side hustles, like his popular podcast, "New Heights," that contribute to his multimillion-dollar net worth.

Get to know the three-time Super Bowl champion — and how he makes and spends his millions.

Travis Kelce is known as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

Travis Kelce motions to the crowd.

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Kelce has been an impact player since his early days in the league. After a successful but somewhat tumultuous college career with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Kelce slipped to the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft, where the Chiefs were waiting with the 63rd overall pick.

He barely played in his rookie season thanks to a series of lower-body injuries, but once he consistently saw the field in 2014, Kelce was off to the races. He led Kansas City with 862 receiving yards on 67 receptions, and he added five touchdowns on the impressive season.

Kelce's star kept rising from there. In 2016, the blossoming tight end recorded his first season with 1000+ receiving yards; his 1,125-yard total was a league-high for players at his position that season.

But it was the introduction of Patrick Mahomes — a generational quarterback with a remarkable connection to Kelce — to the Chiefs that brought the Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native from great to indomitable.

In 2020, Kelce broke the NFL single-season receiving record for tight ends with 1,416 yards, and in 2022, he set the record for most receptions by a Chiefs tight end in a single-season with 110 catches.

Together, Mahomes and Kelce have recorded over 50 touchdown connections, making them one of the most threatening duos in NFL history. And they show no signs of stopping.

After news of Kelce's record contract broke, Mahomes wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy!"

Altogether, the nine-time Pro Bowler has already written himself a resume that contends with the all-time great tight ends. He's the only player at the position to finish seven seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards, and he did so in consecutive years.

Kelce is one of four tight ends in NFL history with 10,000 or more receiving yards, per StatMuse, but perhaps, most notably, Kelce has won three Super Bowls and contributed significantly to the dynasty the franchise has built in Kansas City.

During his 11-year career, Kelce has earned tens of millions of dollars in the NFL. For the last several years, he's been earning around $14 million a year.

Travis Kelce runs the ball during Super Bowl LVIII.

Ryan Kang/Contributor/Getty Images

Like the majority of rookies in the NFL — aside from those drafted in the first round — Kelce began his professional football career with a relatively humble salary. He received a four-year, $3.12 million rookie contract with a $703,304 signing bonus, per Sportrac.

But in 2016, after proving himself over his first few seasons with the Chiefs, Kelce signed a massive contract extension to stay in Kansas City. He earned $46,842,000 for five years — plus a $10 million signing bonus — to average nearly eight figures in annual salary.

Those numbers ballooned come 2020, when he agreed to a four-year contract worth $57,250,000, or $14,312,500 per year.

And now, Kelce's signed a two-year contract extension worth $34.25 million to make him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

In an episode of "New Heights" released on May 1, Kelce said, "I'm so excited and so thankful to this organization for getting it done, making me feel appreciated and compensated the right way, and on top of that I got to move the needle for the tight-end room."

"I'm not a guy that sits out. I'm not a guy that holds out. I'm a guy that loves coming into the building, and the Chiefs know that," he added. "So, for them to want to, first of all, want to be able to get this done for me knowing how much blood, sweat, and tears I put into this thing for them, I'm extremely grateful and extremely thankful for everybody involved, man, I love Kansas City for it."

Kelce also has a number of lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Papa John's.

Travis Kelce poses in front of a Papa John's tent.

Kyle Rivas/Getty Images

With remarkable abilities on the gridiron and a bright and goofy disposition, Kelce has been an attractive candidate for endorsements with a wide variety of companies.

He's signed deals with Dick's Sporting Goods, LG, McDonald's, Nike, Old Spice, Papa John's, Pfizer, State Farm, and more.

In all, Kelce is thought to have made $5 million per year from these sponsors, according to a 2023 estimate from Profluence's Andrew Petcash.

He's used the money to invest in several companies and start his own ventures, including a clothing brand and his award-winning podcast.

Travis Kelce.

AP Photo/Jason Behnken

After blowing through the vast majority of his paychecks from the Chiefs his rookie year, per Petcash, Kelce buckled down and became more serious about how he handled his money. In addition to saving more and building a growing endorsement portfolio, he began making shrewd investments in several different businesses.

Following the advice of Warren Buffett, Kelce has bought into what he knows. Some of his investments include Cholula, a hot sauce brand; Hydrow, a rowing machine company; INDOCHINO, a men's fashion house; RealTruck, a truck accessory company; and ThePlayersTV, an athlete-owned media network.

Some of those moves have paid off in major ways, such as when McCormick bought Cholula for $800 million in 2020.

But the tight end didn't stop there; he dove into business ownership, too. A fashion enthusiast, Kelce started his own clothing brand called Tru Kolors in 2019.

He also helped launch Hilo Nutrition, a brand that sells gummies promising various health benefits, as its "chief of performance" in 2019.

Additionally, Kelce co-owns Club Car Wash and founded a music festival called "Kelce Jam." And he and his older brother, Jason, co-host the incredibly popular "New Heights" podcast, which won a 2024 Webby Award and brings in millions in annual revenue.

As of fall 2023, Kelce's estimated net worth had grown to $40 million, Forbes reported.

Kelce is also building an impressive portfolio in entertainment, with new gigs in hosting and executive producing.

SNL host Travis Kelce during his monologue in March 2023.

Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images

In April 2024, The Guardian reported that Kelce will host Amazon Prime Video's newest game show "Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?," a spin-off of Fox's "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"

"I grew up loving gameshows, and I'm excited to be following in the footsteps of so many TV icons by hosting my very first one," Kelce told The Guardian in a statement.

"The original show is a great success, so to be bringing a new format with everyone's favorite celebrities to the screen, will definitely be entertaining," he added.

Kelce isn't stopping at the small screen. He's making moves in movies, too, as executive producer of upcoming war dramedy, "My Dead Friend Zoe," which premiered at the SXSW festival in March.

Kelce's relationship with Swift has been beneficial for business, too.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Coachella in April 2024.

Gilbert Flores/Contributor/WWD via Getty Images

Swift's huge economic impact is undeniable, and her significant other has benefitted from her stardom, too.

In November 2023, Bloomberg's Screentime Newsletter reported that Kelce's podcast grew by 350,000 subscribers on YouTube in the month following initial dating rumors. During the week Swift appeared at her first Chiefs game in September 2023, the show saw a 50% boost to viewership.

Her appearance also increased the Chiefs' fandom, with TV viewership soaring and Kelce's jersey sales increasing by nearly 400%.

He founded his charity, Eighty-Seven & Running, in 2015.

Travis Kelce signs merchandise at a JC Penney Holiday Event with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Kansas City.

Fernando Leon/Getty Images for JCPenney

Kelce founded Eighty-Seven & Running in 2015 with a goal of helping underprivileged youth stay motivated to achieve great things in life "through fundraising, athletic programs, mentoring, and outreach initiatives," according to the organization's website.

According to Julianna Johnston Senturia, the executive director of Heights Schools Foundation, a local organization connecting alumni of Kelce's hometown with community leaders, the Chiefs superstar and his philanthropy helped provide thousands of young students with support, enrichment activities, and tutoring during the remote learning days of the pandemic.

Mary Esselman, the president and CEO of a Kansas City-based children's organization called Operation Breakthrough, said Kelce is more than "just an NFL star to our children."

"He has spent time with them, learning their names, showing them that they matter to him," Esselman said. "They don't realize that he was the first person to call and offer aid to our families back in March when COVID-19 hit. They just know that he has let them see him as a real person who cares about them."

"To me, THAT is the biggest gift Travis has given our children and, I think, it sets him apart," she added.

Kelce has also splurged on fashion, cars, and real estate. Earlier this year, he bought a $6 million mansion.

Travis Kelce at the 2023 ESPY Awards.

Kevin Mazur/Contributor/Getty Images

First of all, Kelce attended his first Era's Tour concert in July 2023 — before reports emerged of his relationship with Swift — and we all know tickets for the concerts cost a pretty penny. He and Swift were also some of the many celebrities spotted in Indio, California, for Coachella in April 2024.

But beyond concert tickets, the tight end seemingly spends some of his millions on an opulent lifestyle fit for an NFL superstar. Kelce loves fashion, and he regularly wears designer clothes, expensive jewelry, rare collectors' sneakers, and luxury accessories.

He also likes cars, and owns more than a garage's worth of them. In addition to a relatively tame GMC Terrain, Carsforsale.com reports that Kelce also has an Aston Martin Vanquish, a Mercedes-AMG G 63, a custom Land Rover, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS convertible.

In February 2024, Hello! magazine reported that Kelce purchased a $6 million mansion in Kansas City complete with six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a pool, an outdoor kitchen, and over 3 acres of land.

His previous home now has an estimated worth of about $1 million. He also co-owns a small condo in Orlando, Florida, with his brother and his parents.

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