Emily Smith

Emily Smith

Celebrity News

Chopard PR girl offends photogs by calling them “jokers”

Posh jewelers Chopard managed to upset all of the photographers waiting outside the Mark Hotel for the Met Ball stars by snootily branding them “jokers.”

Prerna Balani, senior public relations manager for the Swiss watch and fine jewelry maker, posted an Instagram picture of the snappers calmly waiting outside the Upper East Side hotel, with the tag line, “These jokers #metgala.”

Her post was met with considerable paparazzi pushback.

Entertainment news photographer Fernando Salas responded, “Your caption . . . reeks of #arrogance and #elitism . . . You think you are better than the #media #photographers standing outside the #markhotel? . . . It seems the last time a Swiss company had a problem was when @Oprah had her #TroisPommes incident [when a store clerk refused to sell her a $35K bag].”

Balani’s comment seems all the more of a public relations gaffe considering Chopard puts a lot of effort into showing off its gems on the red carpet, relying on photographers to capture the moments and make them iconic.

Balani, who deleted the offending post after she was deluged by angry commentators, didn’t get back to us last night.