Chappell Roan demands apology from ‘rude’ photographer on red carpet
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Chappell Roan has addressed the photographer who allegedly shouted at her during their encounter at the MTV Music Video Awards last month.
The 26-year-old artist known for "Pink Pony Club," who has recently gained worldwide recognition with her first album, *The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess*, found herself in a tense confrontation with a paparazzo during the VMAs in September. In the moment, she responded sharply, saying, “You need to be quiet. Not me, you!”
The same photographer seemed to be on duty as Roan, whose real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, made her way down the red carpet for the premiere of Olivia Rodrigo's tour film, GUTS, on Friday night, October 25th.
In a video that’s been posted online, Roan can be spotted striking a pose on the red carpet. She then singles out a photographer, gets closer, and confronts them, saying, “You were really disrespectful to me at the VMAs.”
"You shouted at me during the VMAs. I haven't forgotten. You were really disrespectful, and I think I deserve an apology for it. You owe me one," Roan stated.
The video does not make it clear if the photographer said sorry to Roan, but towards the end of the clip, someone else was visible trying to step in.
The event on Friday happened just a month after Roan decided to cancel her planned performances at festivals in New York and Columbia in September, explaining to her fans that dealing with her rise to fame had become too much for her.
When discussing the reason she reacted strongly to the photographer back in September, Roan shared with Entertainment Tonight: “For someone who feels a lot of anxiety when people are shouting at them, the red carpet can be really overwhelming, and I ended up raising my voice in response. It's not okay for someone to talk to me like that.”
She mentioned that she feels the atmosphere at red carpet events is intense and a bit frightening.
In August, the singer expressed her discomfort with fan culture and addressed troubling behavior from fans in a statement: “I kindly ask that you stop touching me. Please refrain from acting strangely towards my family and friends. Please don’t make assumptions about my life.”
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In an interview with The Guardian just a few weeks after her shows were canceled, Roan opened up about how her life had dramatically changed because of the challenges that come with being a public figure.
"I have therapy sessions twice a week. Just last week, I visited a psychiatrist because I was feeling really confused about what was happening with me. She diagnosed me with severe depression, which surprised me since I don't feel particularly sad," she shared.
"But I exhibit all the signs of someone who is deeply depressed," she explained, highlighting issues like mental cloudiness, difficulty concentrating, and a rather dim outlook on life.
Roan shared that she believes her mental health has been affected due to the significant changes in her life.
"I'm really put off by all the glitz and glamour," Roan explained. "Some women have been in this for so long that they've grown comfortable with it, but that's not me. I'm not going to be nice to a guy who tells me to be quiet."
She mentioned that industry insiders had told her that achieving fame is akin to experiencing puberty all over again.
She went on to say, “My body has changed. It’s experiencing stress in a whole new way, and I'm overwhelmed by all these new feelings. It reminds me of being 12 years old. When I see stars like Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and Lana Del Rey out in public, I can't help but think about the amount of effort they must put in to get ready for it.”
