Bebe Rexha, Harry Styles, Why Are People Throwing Things At Artists?
Lately, there has been an unbelievable number of people throwing things at artists on stage. On July 8th, Harry Styles was hit in the eye by an item thrown at the stage while performing in Vienna, the latest instance in a string of similar incidents in recent weeks.
TikToks from the show depict the singer walking on stage when an object hits him directly in the eye during a Love on Tour performance.
When the object hits him, he cringes in pain and bends over, raising his hands to his head to compose himself before continuing to walk on.
Incidents At Concerns Are Becoming Common
This isn’t the first time Styles has been hit by a flying object while performing on stage. Styles was hit with Skittles thrown at him during a Los Angeles concert in 2022. He has also been hit with flowers, teddy bears, and even a tampon.
Harry Styles is just one of a string of celebrities who have been victims of similar situations. Nicolas Malvagna was arraigned in New York last month on misdemeanour assault and harassment charges after reportedly throwing a phone at Bebe Rexha, striking her near her eye. Rexha fell on stage, surrounded by crew members. Malvagna allegedly stated in the criminal complaint, “I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny.”
In what is undoubtedly the weirdest of these kinds of incidents, P!nk was performing in London last month when she discovered a little sachet of powder onstage. “Is this your mother?” P!nk asked the fan as she picked up the bag, which was said to contain cremated ashes. “I don’t know how I feel about this.”
@uproxxpop While Skittles definitely shouldn’t be thrown on stage, is there anything that fans throw on stage that’s acceptable? [credit: Twitter / Popline] #harrystyles #skittles #fans #concert ♬ original sound - UPROXX Pop Life
Why are people throwing things at concerts?
These attacks come at a time when it is easier than ever to have a viral moment. With the TikTok algorithm pushing out videos creators do not even have to put that much work into getting on the for you page. This has created a small faction of TikTok users who will stop at nothing to cling to the small amount of fame these viral clips will bring to them.
TikTok prankster Secret Mizzy is an example of the negative side of chasing viral moments; he became an immediate sensation for all the wrong reasons. The aggressive practical jokes of the UK-based content maker prompted widespread fury. The Met Police arrested the 18-year-old, but he was released on conditional bail.
In the clip that got him arrested, Mizzy and friends stroll inside an unsuspecting family’s home in Hackney, north London. In the video, the homeowner who was in the front garden tries to stop them, but they continue to barge in.
The woman asks her partner for assistance. She informs them that there are children inside who are afraid. The kids could be heard yelling for their father. However, none of this seemed to bother Mizzy, who proceeded with this horrible joke.
So in this new age of people who are chronically online and measure their self-worth off of TikTok views, it seems almost impossible to escape the ‘all publicity is good publicity mindset’.
What Could The Consequences For These People Be?
While the people who carry out this trend may think that it is simply a silly prank, they could face serious consequences, as we have heard that some of the perpetrators of these attacks have been faced with assault and harassment charges.
They may also face a ban from future events after singer Ava Max was slapped by a fan while on stage she tweeted that “He slapped me so hard that he scratched the inside of my eye. He’s never coming to a show again”
It goes without saying that these individuals will also face major online pushback. I wonder if they will still think that their actions were justified when they see such an outcry. Is the life of choosing to do things to get a reaction from people, no matter what that reaction is a sustainable one?
What are your thoughts on people throwing things at artists on stage?