Taylor Swift’s pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry’s performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

As someone who grew up in the golden age of pop music, I must say I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment expressed about Taylor Swift. To me, her music harks back to the greatness of Michael Jackson, and that’s no small praise.


After facing criticism from fans who noticed him covering his ears during Katy Perry’s VMAs performance on Wednesday, Taylor Swift’s friend Jack Antonoff has finally spoken up about the situation.

In response to criticism, the music producer, accompanied by his wife Margaret Qualley at the ceremony celebrating Taylor Swift’s seven wins, voiced his opinion via X (previously known as Twitter).

Antonoff admitted that, indeed, he wore earplugs during the entirety of the three-hour performance where Perry and 15 additional artists performed together. This was done as a safety measure.

Afterward, he made a playful excuse, letting fans in on the fact that he often uses earplugs. He also joked about how these earplugs, which were previously unknown to many, have now been revealed by internet critics.

Antonoff shared openly that he indeed wore earplugs the previous night, specifically from the Healos brand, which are blue. Interestingly, he confessed that he has been using them for quite some time and even buys them in large quantities.

Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

I’d also like to clarify that I don’t just rely on them for use in high decibel (100+ DB) situations. It can be embarrassing to confess that I use them not only on airplanes but also every evening during sleep.

He went on to say, “All that remains is for me to express my apologies and gratitude. While this situation brings shame upon my family and myself, I firmly believe it was a crucial and urgent matter that required attention, as it was vital to bring it into the light.

I apologize deeply to those whom I’ve disappointed. Today, I won’t be at work as I need some time for introspection. Specifically, I’ll be reflecting on my past actions regarding earplugs and their impact on others.

He concluded the humorous post by noting that despite the faux controversy, he and his band Bleachers ‘have decided to keep all dates as scheduled.’ 

On Wednesday, reactions began pouring in on X when a video emerged showing Antonoff with his arm around his wife Margaret, and later placing his hands over his ears during Perry’s extended performance that lasted for twenty minutes.

As I stood amongst the group, which included Taylor Swift, Tyla, and Suki Waterhouse, I found myself captivated by Katy Perry’s lively performance and couldn’t help but join in the dance as she belted out her tunes.

In a different video segment, both he and Qualley were stationary, with the music producer wrapped tightly around her waist. Meanwhile, Swift was nearby, passionately crooning along to Perry’s “California Gurls.

In another video, I found myself grooving alongside Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss to the rhythm of “Dark Horse”. Dakota Johnson was nearby, holding her purse, while Jack Antonoff was fiddling around behind them, standing up to put earplugs in.

As a lifestyle aficionado, I couldn’t help but notice an unusual spectacle unfolding during the performance. Some onlookers speculated that perhaps he was engrossed in his own playlist via AirPods instead of focusing on Katy Perry’s act.

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

The user expressed anger about that man who was incredibly disrespectful by preventing his wife from dancing and wearing AirPods during the performance, despite having an ongoing feud on one side which he’s never acknowledged either publicly or personally, as seen in this video clip of them in the audience.

Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

One user posted on a social media site, expressing that they felt she truly desired to dance given her rigid posture, when referring to Qualley’s stance.

People argued that the producer’s behavior was normal, explaining that it’s quite typical for music producers to use earplugs during loud gatherings to preserve 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 opting for earplugs to safeguard his hearing. This habit is quite prevalent, particularly in large, noisy concerts. It’s especially important when one’s job requires the protection of hearing.

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

Antonoff is often recognized by diehard Taylor Swift fans 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 and described the songs of Perry and Gaga as less significant or disposable in comparison.

At that moment, he expressed that Taylor Swift is incredibly stylish since her music reminds him strongly of Michael Jackson’s iconic pop tunes.

‘There’s a difference between her and Gaga and Katy Perry and Lily Allen and all that. It all feels throwaway, comparatively.

Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs
Taylor Swift's pal Jack Antonoff breaks silence on being SLAMMED for his behavior during Katy Perry's performance at 2024 MTV VMAs

At a ceremony honoring her significant artistic accomplishments spanning more than two decades, Perry was bestowed with the 2024 Video Vanguard Award last night.

Bruce Gillmer, head of music content for Paramount+ and President of Music, Talent, Programming, and Events at Paramount, stated that Katy is an unstoppable force in the world of music and a genuine symbol of pop culture, following her selection as the next Vanguard Award recipient, as reported by AP.

On Wednesday evening at the VMAs, Swift broke records by earning more solo awards than any other artist in the event’s history.

This year’s event saw the 34-year-old pop sensation take home an impressive seven awards, bringing her grand total of Video Music Awards trophies to thirty.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but boast about the incredible achievements of my idol, Beyoncé. With an impressive count of 30 VMAs trophies in her collection, it’s easy to assume she’s dominated as a solo artist. However, five of those victories were earned during her time with Destiny’s Child, making her official solo tally stand at a still-impressive 25!

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2024-09-13 05:50

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