Bebe Rexha, the American singer, suffered a facial injury during a concert in New York on Sunday when a fan threw a cell phone at her. Local media reported that the fan claimed it would be fun to throw the phone at the artist. Videos of the incident show Rexha on stage when the object hit her in the face, causing her to fall to her knees in pain. She had to be escorted out of the event.
Rexha was taken to a hospital where she received stitches in one eyebrow. She later shared a photo on Instagram showing her purple eyelid but assured her fans that she was fine. The fan responsible for the incident, Nicolas Malvagna, 27, was arrested and appeared in court on Monday. He was charged with harassment and assault, to which he pleaded not guilty. The judge imposed a restraining order on him from the artist, but he was released without bail.
According to the NBC channel, the accusation document mentioned a witness who heard Malvagna say that he threw the phone at the end of the show because it would be fun. However, the defendant also claimed that he was attempting to participate in a TikTok challenge where the celebrity takes a selfie with the thrown phone. He admitted to having poor aim, according to the New York Post.
Malvagna’s lawyer, Todd Spodek, described the TikTok challenge as “unfortunate” and emphasized that his client’s intention was for Bebe Rexha to take pictures with her phone, not to harm her.
This incident is not the first time an artist has been targeted by objects thrown by fans. Spanish singer Rosalía complained last year when she was hit in the face with a bouquet of roses, and British singer Harry Styles had candy pills thrown into his eye.
The incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers artists face during live performances and the need for increased security measures to protect them from such incidents.
What are some examples of other incidents where artists have been targeted by objects thrown by fans during live performances
Bebe Rexha, the talented American singer, endured a shocking incident during her concert in New York on Sunday. A fan, seemingly motivated by a desire for amusement, hurled a cell phone at her, resulting in a facial injury. Disturbing videos of the incident captured the moment the object struck Rexha’s face, causing her to collapse in pain on stage. Consequently, she had to be escorted out of the event.
Following the incident, Rexha sought medical attention at a hospital, where she received stitches on one of her eyebrows. She later took to Instagram to share a photo displaying her bruised eyelid, reassuring her devoted fans that she was alright. The individual responsible, Nicolas Malvagna, aged 27, was apprehended and brought to court the following day. He faced charges of harassment and assault, to which he pleaded not guilty. Although the judge imposed a restraining order against him on behalf of the artist, he was released without bail.
According to reports from the NBC channel, the court document contained a statement from a witness who heard Malvagna confess that he had thrown the phone for the sake of amusement. However, the defendant also claimed that he was attempting to partake in a TikTok challenge where celebrities take selfies with thrown phones. He admitted to having poor aim, as reported by the New York Post.
Malvagna’s lawyer, Todd Spodek, acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the TikTok challenge and stressed that his client’s intention was for Bebe Rexha to take pictures with her phone, not to cause her harm.
Sadly, this incident is not the first time artists have become victims of objects thrown by misguided fans. Spanish singer Rosalía expressed her displeasure last year after being struck in the face with a bouquet of roses, while British singer Harry Styles had candy pills thrown into his eye.
This incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers artists face during live performances and highlights the necessity for enhanced security measures to protect them from such occurrences.
“Unfortunate incident. Hoping for a speedy recovery for Bebe. Concert-goers, please remember to respect the boundaries and safety of artists.”
It’s truly disappointing that some fans can’t respect their favorite artists enough to not endanger them. Bebe Rexha deserves better than this kind of behavior. Wishing her a speedy recovery. #RespectfulFansOnly