As GC states if she was so upset about Mayer she would have just skipped the red carpet. More than likely she really is sick or the reason she stayed away had nothing to do with Mayer/BP.
Exactly. She's never skipped an event like that because of anything so trivial. Back in 2005 right after she and Pitt announced their separation she was given an award in Vegas and went, accepted it and did press - and that would have to have been a much more difficult time personally then simply her 3+ years ago ex
maybe writing a nice song about having a hard time getting over her and the possibility of being asked about it (a possibility I would think was fairly remote given what the event was for - to honor programs for showcasing social issues - and the outlets that would have been on the press line: it's not like In Touch would have been there!). Plus, back in the fall after her ex mouthed off to Parade, she never shied away from the Five premiere or red carpet. And most sensible outlets never mentioned it to her, but even when she was pressed, she had a great response. Again, I would think responding to that issues would be trickier than responding to any potential question about Mayer's new song.
It's absurd to think that she skipped the event because of Mayer or being fearful of red carpet questions. She's a seasoned pro, who's faced greater challenges in the past in terms of handling press, and she would never skip an event honoring a project she cares so much about for such a silly reason. She's sick - it happens. No big deal, just unfortunate timing. Hopefully she makes a speedy recovery.