Taylor Swift’s friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry’s performance at the VMAs

Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs

As a seasoned concert-goer and music enthusiast with years of attending live performances under my belt, I can confidently say that Jack Antonoff’s behavior during Katy Perry’s VMAs performance was neither disrespectful nor unusual.


Critics on the internet have criticized Jack Antonoff following a sighting of him inserting an object into his ears during Katy Perry’s VMAs performance.

A recently posted video on X (previously known as Twitter) shows Antonoff, aged 40, in a snapshot with his arm around his wife, Margaret Qualley, who is 29 years old.

Amidst everyone else in the crowd, such as Taylor Swift, Tyla, and Suki Waterhouse, grooving to Katy Perry’s show, Antonoff is noticeably observed with his hands over his ears instead of dancing.

In a different scene, both he and Qualley were standing motionless, with the music producer holding onto Qualley by her waist. Meanwhile, Swift was nearby, singing passionately as Perry’s “California Gurls” played.

In a different video, Swift and Waterhouse were grooving to the song “Dark Horse,” with Qualley standing nearby, holding her purse, as Antonoff searched through items behind him and put earbuds in.

Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs

People quickly pointed out his unusual actions and voiced their speculations on the internet, with some implying that he might have been tuned into music from his AirPods instead of paying attention to Katy Perry’s performance.

Perry was celebrating her legacy and accepted the Video Vanguard award. 

The user angrily expressed that ‘The man was incredibly disrespectful by preventing your wife from dancing and wearing AirPods during the performance, all while holding a grudge against the performers without ever acknowledging them either privately or publicly.’ They shared a video clip of the group in the audience as well.

One person commented that she really seemed eager to dance, based on her rigid posture,” (referring to Qualley) on the social media site.

People justified the producer’s behavior by explaining that it’s quite normal for music producers to use earplugs during loud events to safeguard their hearing.

‘Uhhhhh he had earplugs (looks like loop earplugs) in to protect his hearing (as you should if you produce music, or are even at a loud concert in general),’ one eagle-eyed user pointed out.

They added: ‘And he was holding his wife like that all night. It’s not that deep.’

It seems surprising that he isn’t using AirPods; instead, he’s inserting earplugs for hearing protection. This habit is quite prevalent at large, noisy concerts, particularly for those whose jobs require them to safeguard their hearing.

Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs
Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs
Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs
Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs
Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs
Taylor Swift's friend Jack Antonoff SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at the VMAs

‘Isn’t it more likely he’s just wearing hearing protection and hugging his wife,’ another argued.

To devoted fans of Taylor Swift, Antonoff is recognized as the mastermind behind many of her most celebrated songs, such as Anti-Hero, Cruel Summer, August, Bejeweled, and I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.

While there is no active feud, some fans pointed out Antonoff slammed Perry’s music in the past. 

During an interview with GQ, Antonoff commended Taylor Swift’s songwriting skills, noting that the tunes from Perry and Gaga were somewhat less substantial in comparison.

Taylor Swift is impressive, as she embodies a contemporary feel similar to Michael Jackson’s iconic pop style,” he stated earlier.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but notice a distinct gap among these popular artists – Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Lily Allen, and the rest. Compared to them, it seems almost fleeting, insubstantial.

At the awards ceremony, Perry was honored with the 2024 Video Vanguard Award, recognizing her significant artistic accomplishments throughout her more than two-decade-long career.

In his statement, Bruce Gillmer, head of music content for Paramount+ and president of music, talent, programming, and events at Paramount, praised Katy as an extraordinary musical force and a significant figure in pop culture, following her selection to receive the Vanguard Award, as reported by AP.

On Wednesday night at the VMAs, Swift broke records as the most honored single artist in the event’s history.

This year’s event saw the 34-year-old pop superstar sweep an impressive seven awards, bringing her grand total of Video Music Awards trophies up to 30.

Beyoncé has accumulated 30 Video Music Awards (VMAs), however, 25 of these are in her individual career. The remaining 5 awards were earned during her time as a member of Destiny’s Child.

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2024-09-12 23:51

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