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Simone Biles is no stranger to making bold statements about fashion. The 29-year-old Olympian has drawn mixed reactions in the past — from her dress at the 2025 MET Gala to her choice of jacket at an NFL game. However, her latest red-carpet appearance led to an angry TikTok post from the gymnast, and it hasn’t gone down well. So much so that one reporter has called her out on live television.

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 Batya Ungar-Sargon, the host of Batya! on NewsNation, hit out at Biles on air over her social media video.

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“We’ve let Simone Biles down,” the reporter said in a video on X. “The Olympic gymnast, worth an estimated $25 million, is outraged that it costs so much to glam yourself up these days.”

She added, “How dare those makeup artists and hairstylists try to make a living? How dare they charge Simone Biles so much money? Don’t they know who she is?”

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For the unversed, Biles posted a TikTok a few days ago where she questioned the price of walking the red carpet. And she clearly wasn’t thrilled as the figure baffled her.

“We need to have a discussion… I just need to know if this is normal,” Biles said. “I know going outside is expensive as f–k these days, but like is it this expensive, ok?”

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While she never revealed which event it was, her last red carpet appearance was at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid. Marc Desir styled her; she wore a gold minidress by Cong Tri and had a team for makeup and hair. And the cost caught her off guard as she revealed that she spent, “Yeah, $22,000. Actually $23,000.”

Simone Biles was so stunned by the figure that she thought they had overcharged her. It’s why she put out her queries on TikTok, hoping a fellow athlete or celebrity could help her. And a few did come out in support, including Mikaela Shiffrin and Alysha Newman. Both Olympians admitted the cost is indeed that high, further upsetting Biles.

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However, the way Biles phrased things did not go down well with fans. Some called her tone-deaf while others questioned whether she was actually in touch with the real world. They weren’t the only ones, as Ungar-Sargon echoed the same sentiment continuing her monologue.

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Ungar-Sargon sarcastically questioned why glam teams should expect to be paid at all by someone of Biles’ wealth. She also suggested that they should consider it a privilege to work with her rather than charge a market rate. And unfortunately for Simone Biles, the reporter wasn’t done.

“The real outrage here, of course, is not that it costs so much to make her look good, but that Biles both paid it and then complained about it,” the reporter added. “If there’s one thing worse than a clueless, out-of-touch gazillionaire, it’s a cheap one.”

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If Simone Biles was indeed talking about the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, then the 29-year-old has bigger problems. After all, she only narrowly avoided a serious wardrobe malfunction just before the event.

Simone Biles narrowly avoids a wardrobe malfunction

Simone Biles walked the red carpet at the Laureus Sports Awards in a gold feathered dress with a trail to one side. And the night ended up being exactly what Biles may have dreamed of. She handed Nadia Comaneci a Lifetime Achievement Award, walked a red carpet and met a host of celebrities.

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However, things didn’t start out well as the Olympic superstar nearly suffered a major wardrobe malfunction. “Nearly” is the keyword there, as Biles and her team managed to avoid the incident by sewing her dress to her body. The 29-year-old later shared the story with her fans via Instagram, saying, “Getting sewn into my dress because it busted.”

The video, posted on her Instagram Story, showed Biles holding the camera above her head. In it, a woman appeared to be sewing a dress onto her body. The fix worked perfectly, and the Olympian managed to enjoy her night as a special guest for Laureus.

“Basically the Oscars… but make it sports🤏🏾🤍,” Biles wrote on Instagram. “First @laureussport World Sports Awards as an ambassador and I’m feeling inspired by every story in the room✨.”

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In the end, what began as a simple question about red carpet costs quickly became a much bigger conversation about what it means to be Simone Biles in 2026. And while Biles handled a near wardrobe mishap with ease, the scrutiny surrounding her comments may prove harder to deal with. 

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Siddhant Lazar

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Siddhant Lazar is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports, combining his background in media and communications with a diverse body of work that bridges sports and entertainment journalism. A graduate in BBA Media and Communications, Siddhant began his career during a period of unprecedented change in global sport, covering events such as the postponed Euro 2021 and the Covid-19 impacted European football season. His professional journey spans roles as an intern, editor, and head writer across leading digital platforms, building a foundation rooted in research-driven storytelling and editorial precision. Drawing from years spent in dynamic newsroom environments, Siddhant’s writing reflects a balance of insight, structure, and accessibility, aimed at engaging readers while capturing the evolving intersection of sport and culture.

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Siddid Dey Purkayastha

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