There seem to be a troubling trend of people throwing things at celebrities when they are out and about.
Singer SZA became the most recent victim when she was hi in the face by a bracelet while doing and meet-and-greet in Phoenix. SZA, who is on the Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar this summer, was in Phoenix as the tour wound its way to the Sunshine State.
Celebrities like Drake, Lady Gaga, and Harry Styles have all been struck by objects while performing or while just out in public. People have thrown everything from bottles to sex toys to even ashes.
In a video of the incident posted to TikTok, a fan threw a bracelet at her, hitting her in the face. She responded by ending the interaction with all her fans without a word and walking away.
People were not pleased with whomever threw the bracelet.
SZA later posted on Instagram about the incident. Although she seemed pretty peeved off when she walked away from the incident, she insisted in her Story that she was fine and that everything was okay.
She said she hadn’t realize the bracelet hit her until she viewed footage later.
"I realized he didn't even know he hit me…So everything was alright. I'm not mad, and I didn't even have a mark. God is good all the time."
@SZA/Instagram
From her Story, it looked like the object was a beaded bracelet with the letters “SZA” on it—a small token presented in a really bad way. And SZA’s response taught the lesson it was supposed to teach: if one person is rude, everyone gets punished.
It was an effective strategy to cope with the trend.
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Billie Eilish was struck by a necklace thrown during a performance, also in Arizona.
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Tyler the Creator’s traveling 18-wheeler art installation-slash-fanbase-interaction project last year was graffitied while visiting Arizona.
There is a better way to deliver gifts! "Fans giving stuff to celebrities” is practically part of the job of a star’s entourage.
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People in the comments were worried.
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Maybe SZA has shown other celebrities an effective way to deal with this affront.
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The Grand National Tour will next stop in the Midwest for early June concerts, where hopefully people will be more polite.