The backlash to his use of earplugs was, in a word, silly. Ear protection is serious stuff—it’s not just for the babies of rock stars who look super duper cute wearing those extra large earmuffs! Especially for a man whose career is predicated on his ability to hear well, it’s the responsible thing to do to wear ear protection in a room with back-to-back-to-back live music performances. I’m honestly surprised we didn’t witness even more stars cramming little DayGlo-orange bits of foam into their ear canals.
I can only assume that the fans who were upset with Jack Antonoff, specifically, were looking for drama where none existed due to his close friendship with Taylor Swift, who famously participated in a six-year-long beef with Perry. All eyes were on Swift and Antonoff during Perry’s acceptance speech, where fans clocked a big reaction to the moment Perry thanked the LGBTQ+ community for teaching her that it’s okay to be both “kind and c-nt.” A fan video from inside the venue appeared to show Antonoff and Swift joking around after the comment, with Antonoff pointing a finger at the pop star. Honestly, it was kinda funny.
The moral of the story is: Protect your ears! Don’t be afraid to look a little silly wearing earplugs at a show. I promise, you’ll still be able to hear everything. (And if you’re really a nerd about it, you can buy fancy earplugs that look like jewelry and come in a cool case.) I’d shout this message from the rooftops if I could, but the people who need to hear it probably can’t. Tinnitus is no joke.
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