I am a Maroon 5 fan but I would never jump on a stage in the middle of a pandemic to give Adam Levine a bear hug. That is what happened last weekend at the Maroon 5 We Can Survive concert at the Hollywood Bowl. During Adam’s performance of Sunday Morning a very enthusiastic masked fan jumped on the stage to hug Adam. Adam literally shook off the experience and walked away before starting to sing again. A video of the incident went viral on TikTok and a lot of folks called Adam’s conduct as arrogant and ungrateful to the fans. In response, Adam took to Instagram stories to explain his reaction. The video is below along with a few more details via Today:
In the comments that follow that video, some people seemed offended by the former “Voice” coach’s visceral reaction, suggesting he should “humble himself” and “remember the money in your pocket is from those fans.” Levine responded to those critics in clips he shared to his Instagram stories Tuesday.
“So I just wanted to address the Hollywood Bowl incident thing — a fan coming up to me onstage,” he said. “I have always been someone who loves, respects, worships our fans. Without our fans, we don’t a job. I say that all the time to our fans.”
He went on to explain that he found the way some people characterized his reaction at the show, which was referred to as “demeaning,” “arrogant” and “humiliating” by various commenters, hurtful.
“To think that anyone would believe that I thought that our fans were beneath us, or less than us, makes my stomach turn,” he continued. “That’s just not who I am. That’s not who I’ve ever been.”
“I just need you guys to know I was really startled, and sometimes when you’re startled, you have to shake it off and move on,” he noted. “Because I’m doing my job up there, and it’s what I pride myself on. So I need to let you guys know what my heart is, and my heart is that connection that exists between the band performing onstage and the fans.”He closed by adding, “I hope we can all understand that,” before blowing a kiss to the camera.
I will never understand people’s possessiveness towards public figures. The fact that people felt that Adam was being disrespectful because he was shocked that a fan made it on stage and hugged him without consent in the middle of a pandemic is absolutely absurd. We do not have the right to touch anyone, particularly public figures, because we (fans) “pay” for their lifestyle. Celebrities are providing a service to us and we choose to support it or not. I felt that Adam’s response was heartfelt and sweet. I felt bad that Adam had to even explain his response to something so invasive. I read some of the comments on the TikTok video and they were a reach. It was good to see fans and sensible people come to Adam’s defense as well. All I will say is, folks need to calm the hell down, respect people’s space and allow celebrities their own body autonomy. Hopefully, this incident was a very teachable moment for those who call themselves fans. I also hope those calling Adam’s response disrespectful learn that no matter how famous someone is, they do not have a right to invade a celebrity’s space. Also, we are in the middle of a damn pandemic.
@luispenaloza9525 Adam Levine was a whole mood yesterday💀 #Fyp #ForYou #Maroon5 #AdamLevine #Hollywood #HollywoodBowl ♬ Sunday Morning – Maroon 5
Adam’s response to criticism of his reaction:
Photos credit: Avalon.red and Backgrid
What entitlement from people who think he should be grateful. Firstly, he had no idea of the fan’s intentions. Do these people remember Christina Grimmie (who Adam actually knew, because he was her Voice coach)? She was literally murdered by a fan at a meet and greet. He had no idea if that fan intended to harm him, etc.
Secondly, that is the same stupid mentality that flows from “the customer is always right.” They think because they paid money, they are entitled to take whatever liberties they wish. You are paying for a concert and entertainment experience – not a personal encounter with a celebrity. He would have been justified if he had punched her in the face.
Sam I totally agree. Many years ago I was friends with musicians that gained some popularity, and it shocked me how often fans thought it was ok to grab, hug and touch them. It was constant. And then there was everyone they met (hotel staff, etc) calling at all hours to ask for tickets, passes and favors. There’s not a lot of consideration for the artist as a human being. But especially when it comes to body autonomy and safety, it is just unacceptable for fans to knowingly cross the line for a forced interaction with the artist.
Yup. I have a friend who is a musician of some note (probably more well known in the industry than to a lot of the general public) and it always amazes me that some fans feel entitled to touch, hug, kiss, etc., this man. I know for a fact he far more appreciates fans who treat him like a human being and actually talk to him over the grabbers.
Very well said, Juju.
I’ve got some friends who are musicians and while they’re always glad to give fans hugs during meet and greets (pre pandemic anyway) it’s a different story when they’re onstage doing their job. I mean, you wouldn’t hop the counter at McDonald’s and give a cashier a hug, or hug you’re lawyer while they’re taking your testimony, why would you do it while a musician is performing?
I have a friend who works in the professional wrestling world and told me how most promotions now had to institute a “no touching” rule during meet and greets because fans (of both sexes) were getting very handsy with the performers. Many have the mentality of “I paid X dollars to see you, so you’re gonna give me the picture I want.” It is very pervasive and a real problem – especially for the female performers, but it crosses gender lines.
Remember several years ago when I fan grabbed Tim McGraw? I doubt this will serve as a lesson to anyone. Entitled people feel entitled. Not like they’re gonna respect body autonomy. Have some freaking respect! He also has a small child at home who can’t be vaccinated. Touching someone against their will wasn’t okay pre-pandemic. It’s certainly not okay now.
I do! And I remember it because the fan actually reached up and grabbed his crotch! I remember that Faith Hill actually stopped performing and chastised the woman who did it too. It was portrayed as a funny thing in the media – almost nobody used the term sexual assault for it, even though that’s what it was.
Exactly. I just think of Christina grimmie.
That is super scary. What if the fan had a knife? It doesn’t take but a moment to really hurt someone.
@Sam (very first comment, in case my reply threads itself incorrectly) – From the headline I just assumed he HAD punched a fan — since that is what I would do (instinctively/accidentally) if a stranger hugged me during a pandemic. And to your point about the real danger posed by obsessed fans, yes, absolutely: If I were famous and someone ran toward me, I’d probably think I was about to die. I don’t think that’s particularly neurotic, either; it’s just self-preservation kicking in.
Don’t touch people without consent, pandemic or not, douchebag or not. It’s really not difficult. I can’t even do handshakes now.
I totally agree. One of my close friends told me once that the reason they knew I was trustworthy was I always asked if they felt like a hug when we were acquaintances. And I never personalised it when they said no. (For context, we met through a student occupation at an art school so sometimes we both stressed and we both needed a hug).
It’s really easy to consistently practice consent around touch and it’s really important.
Especially with kids. I get sick of adults who force hugs on kids when they’re not in the mood. There’s another ways to show affection like fetching someone a glass of water or something.
Agreed. Even my family knows – you touch my body like a creep, you will get a reaction like a creep. (Meaning whatever it occurs to my hands or feet to do in that moment).
That lady was completely out of line and she’s lucky all she got was removed by security.
Non-consensual contact is non-consensual contact.
Just because someone makes their living performing on stage in public doesn’t mean every person on the planet gets to physically touch them without warning or permission. And it is not okay to invade someone’s workplace and hug them.
Fan entitlement is obnoxious behavior. And treating other human beings as objects there for your use and pleasure is a no-go, always.
That woman was a major security threat to him. She could have stabbed, shot, bit him in an instant. I don’t think people would say the same thing if a man jumped on stage and hugged a woman. It would be rightly seen as a violation, and likely a sexual violation at that.
Or even if a man had hugged Adam. Or a less attractive women. Or a less feminine woman. Also, she is for sure a pretty young lady, would his wife want him to act all excited about it?
The fan that jumped on stage — violating someone’s personal space and interrupting a concert — is arrogant. And lucky security didn’t intervene. Adam shaking it off is a good outcome.
And if Adam had hugged her back it’s just going to encourage other people to try it. His reaction was completely understandable and the right way to handle it. It’s unbelievable that he has to defend that from his own fans.
You’re very right about it setting a precedent that could endanger him in the future.
“Without our fans, we don’t have a job”…I wish politicians felt that way.
I am not a fan of him or his band, but he shouldn’t even have to issue a statement about this incident. People do not have a right to enter your personal space.
However much I agree she should not have grabbed him at all, his reaction to me was very off.
Security intervened straight away ands she barely had a chance to make contact. He then proceeded to mock-shake like he had been in contact with something foul.
It looked really ‘mean guy’ to me. She was wrong but he was a bit of a jerk about it.
I don’t know…he was shook up. I don’t think there’s a perfect way to react. His “shaking it off” gesture seems reasonable as he was in the middle of performing and had to keep going and it sent a message that it’s not cool to do that. I don’t think he was condemning the fans, just condemning the action.
It’s the way he did the jokey face- and then turned to the crowd and joke-shook. I thought it looked quite mean.
To be honest I am not surprised thought his reaction was demeaning- that was my first take when I saw the video.
I get that he was shook up/annoyed and he wanted to express it though.
I hear you. His default reaction was revulsion but I’m not sure if that’s mean or just a natural response to being grabbed like that onstage. Maybe someone else might have been able to suppress that reaction and just happily move on, who knows.
I agree to consensual touch only. However, his rolling his eyes and then shaking was what was demeaning to anyone that bought their concert tickets. That is jmo.
I’m a normal person who works with college students in a normal job, and if one of them ran into my office unannounced and hugged/touched me, I’d make a much nastier face than that. It IS foul when people invade your space uninvited. It doesn’t matter that his security had it handled, he is a person who was CLEARLY surprised and taken aback by a sudden intrusion.
Sorry, no. It’s weird and creepy and stupid to attack a performer on stage. When a person acts badly toward another, it’s not the other’s responsibility to make her feel better.
See this is exactly right @Eurydice. “When a person acts badly toward another, it’s not the other’s responsibility to make her feel better.”
This is what I desperately want white people to learn. It is not Indigenous peoples responsibility to make the church, the government, the BRF, white settlers feel better about their rape and pillage of Indigenous persons, culture, lands, etc. It is not a black person’s responsibility to educate a white person about racism (yet they do, and I’m grateful for every single person who ever pointed out when I was busy being wrong-minded). Once aware though, it’s MY responsibility to educate myself further and understand why trying to insert a white point of view into a black person’s (or Asian’s or Indigenous person’s) experience is racist. And it’s not Adam’s responsibility to make a woman who has invaded his workspace and touched him inappropriately feel ‘better’. She was in the wrong. 100%
Well your reaction to someone’s space being violated and trying to excuse it, tells me a lot more about you as a person then anything about Adam Levine.
He didn’t owe his “fans” an apology for his reaction to a fan who overstepped. He didn’t owe it to this fan to be gracious or understanding either in the moment when he was assaulted. Because that’s what that was.
No one should have been attempting to touch him. That’s what was inappropriate. That was what was entitled. That was what was wrong. The “fan” was wrong.
Adam Levine was assaulted by a fan, but shook the interaction off to go on with the set. Because he wanted to continue his job. That’s how this really needs to be framed.
A total stranger jumping up on stage to try to hug you is essentially assault. People have tried to harm performers like that before. How was he to know her intentions? It’s disrespectful to feel like you own someone like that.
He would have been right to end the show right there. That was not okay.
But imagine for a minute if someone came to your place of employment and did that to you when you were working. How would you react?
He can make all the stank faces he wants to. He doesn’t owe anyone a nice reaction. He can react any way he wants to.
No one has the right to grab another person without permission. Period. And Adam doesn’t “owe” his fans anything other than a good performance. That’s all they paid for.
He seems to be very happily married. Perhaps he was grossed out by some random person groping him. I would be.
He is entitled to whatever reaction he chooses to have. Point blank. Do not invade someone else’s space and do not violate boundaries. Again, if it had been a man jumping onstage and touching a woman without consent, it would be a big deal and people who be more upset at the violator rather than at the reaction of the violated.
Gawd, I’m actually defending Adam Levine. What’s next? Lambs lying down with lions? Pig in space?
I agree with your mean guy assessment. It was a very off moment in that she interrupted what she was apparently worshipping him for. That said his response was disgust. It’s okay to have that response but let’s not pretend it’s something else. Should she jump on stage? I mean apparently that’s a foul and horrible thing to do now. Would I do it? No. But I have been going to concerts for 30 years and sometimes people get overwhelmed with love. It’s not right but c’mon….she’s not a violator. Someone jumped on stage and gave Patti Smith a bunch of flowers in Brooklyn (very tiny concert). She was very fluffed. It was not cool but we have become societies that execute people instead of saying….hey don’t do that.
You’ve been going to concerts for 30 years, but how many shows were during a pandemic? People’s “space bubbles” for lack of a better phrase are not what they used to be. Someone rushing to press their body against you is a threat that it didn’t used to be. These are different times.
Ewwww. No. She wasn’t entitled to love bomb him or have any positive reaction from him. I’m sure he was disgusted. He’s entitled to have his space respected and not have people assault him at work due to their issues.
It was something foul- you don’t approach someone like that in their personal space where they’re doing a JOB when you could be any kind of person with ill intents. That’s foul. He should have been mean.
This person was FOUL. It’s a disgusting thing to jump up on a stage at a performer. She does not care about his feeling of safety. She does not care that she approached him in a aggressive manner, that was out of bounds, and thus by nature appeared threatening to him.
If you’re younger and part of this whole new “stan” culture and don’t get why this is so egregious, please google- Christina Grimmie, Selena, Rebecca Shaeffer, John Lennon, the stabbing of George Harrison, Dimebag Darrell, Gianni Versace, the stabbing of Andy Warhol, the stabbing of Theresa Saldana.
This isn’t an f’n joke and celebrities should not and have zero responsibility to coddle fans who are too myopic and selfish that they don’t care they’re crossing huge red lines.
Those aren’t even fans, to be real. Fans care about their favorites. These are obsessives.
I try not to be too misanthropic but it’s stuff like this that makes me just shake my head and think, people are monsters.
I use to think they were the exceptions and now I’m almost entirely convinced the decents out there are. Yeesh.
I’ll never understand the possessiveness toward celebs either. And yes I’m here on a gossip site. Unless they’re saying or doing something heinous, they’re humans too. They’re not perfect. But in this case, he reacted just like anyone else would if a stranger approached them like that.
This will be the one time in life I defend Adam Levine. He was 100% right and doesn’t owe any explanations or apologies. Aside from the fact that we are still in a pandemic and close contact is risky, and the fact that he’s allowed body autonomy, you never know who is nuts and means you harm. The fam could’ve had a weapon. That’s how Dimebag Darrell was murdered during a Pantera concert.
Entitled fans are not well.
I’m with you there. His band’s music makes me want to tear out my hair, but people do not get to jump into someone else’s personal space ever, but especially during a pandemic. No, no, no.
Yes, yes, yes. YES! No one ever learned from Dimebag. Nor Christina Grimmie. Nor Rebecca Schaeffer. Not all “fans” are healthy and non-violent.
Haha, SAME. Was going to post exactly this about Levine. 😛
Showing my age, I guess, but while obviously there have always been obsessive fans, it seems like social media has really heightened the entitlement level. It feels like particularly with younger artists/fans, there’s this concept of access that goes way out of bounds beyond what is ok. My kiddo (12 yr old) and I have gotten into a couple of younger artists in the last couple of years and I’ve been SO weirded out by their fanbases.
Maybe it’s the introvert in me, but the way I see fans behaving toward artists is VERY yikes on bikes. I just cannot imagine touching a stranger without their consent. You want to hug your favorite artist? That’s what cons and meet and greets are for. You are not friends! Fame does not entitle anyone to access, and there’s a point where people (and that feels lost in the shuffle, the fact that celebs are people with feelings and body autonomy) are just treated like animals in a zoo and it’s really creepy.
Great points. Dimebag was murdered on stage. It’s not some magical safe place where no one can harm you.
I would have reacted the same way, maybe reacted in a more negative way. For one-you have no idea what her intentions are. What if she was a crazed fan who jumped up on stage to hug him but also stab/shoot him? In this day and age, you can’t too careful. Plus we are in the middle of a pandemic! If some unknown ran up and tried to hug me, I’d probably end up punching that person.
I never thought I’d say this but-team Adam.
Years ago, I saw the band in concert and Adam was very social and did invite audience members on stage to jam. It was nice.
But you know what wasn’t going on at the time, a viral pandemic that has killed 700k people. Read the room, the pandemic isn’t over just because you’re tired of it.
Plus there’s all the violent crazy people letting it all out these days. Sometimes armed. Thx former guy.
You are absolutely right, Southern Fired.
There is that as well. The last few years have emboldened the entitled for sure.
Just shows that common courtesy was hanging on by a thread, always.
God, stan culture is so gross and toxic and the sense of entitlement gets worse every day.
If this were a female singer and some guy had jumped onstage and grabbed her, would people still think she was being arrogant and that she owed something because she was a performer? No, because it would have immediately been called out as the creepy and invasive act that it was. It’s not different because the gender roles are reversed.
The only person here who needs to apologize is the person who jumped onstage and put their hands on someone without permission.
She should have been arrested for assault. Seriously. As a deterrent to anyone else who would do something like that. It could have gone so, so horrifically wrong. A crazy person is going to do crazy things, but an average fan who does something impulsive in the moment might think twice if they see that touching someone could have major consequences. No, pretty girls shouldn’t “get away with it.” Pretty girls have killed people.
Never been a fan, but I completely sympathize with him on this. Also OT but he is starting to look a lot like Travis Barker and I tend to look at pix before I read and felt confused who this was about at first.
I went to a lot of concerts in the 80’s and 90’s and those performers had huge, burly bodyguards that would have literally thrown someone to the ground if they pulled a stunt like that. But now the entitled crowd think they should be thanked mid-concert for this kind of stunt. Unbelievable.
Uhm, you don’t get to touch strangers because you want to. EVER. Especially in a pandemic. This person is lucky they weren’t tackled by security. You don’t own someone because you’re a “fan”. What is wrong with people?
I love his love of bright colors.
@grabbyhands – totally agree. The only person here who needs to apologize is the person who jumped onstage and put their hands on someone without permission.
100% not a fan of Maroon 5 or Adam, but his response was perfectly fine. Having someone unexpectedly come up to you on stage without knowing their intentions would be terrifying, and invading someone’s personal space without permission is never, ever okay, especially during a pandemic.
Definitely not cool to crash someone’s stage midsong and grab them. Stalkerish and potentially dangerous. I thought Adam’s response was perfect.
Remember what happen to that rapper Akon.
A girl come up the stage and dance sexy with Acon. The girl was 14 and he didnt know. He took a lots of flak because of that.
Fans need to be screen first if they want or be allowed to be on stage with consent from the artist.
I will say this, his response is 100% valid especially with Covid. But his ew face flashed me back to when I saw him at LAX one time. He stood out on the sidewalk outside one of the terminal entrances and literally STOOD there waiting for people to notice him. We made eye contact and I just looked at him (I had to have been around 16 so this was a while ago) and when excited fans started coming up to him he made this same face! Seeing it gave me a flashback. He humored them and smiled and signed autographs but that initial face never left me lol
It’s always been my initial response to ignore celebrities which happen to be near lol. I tend to do the opposite of what’s expected, my mom hated it. It’s a character flaw, but one I embrace around narcissists.
He wasn’t very gracious but also, no one is obligated to be gracious when a stranger grabs them, male or not, famous or not.
He was doing his job, singing, and into the moment so much that his eyes were closed when the assaulter grabbed him. He is more than allowed to mouth what the f and shake it off, it was a literal assault during a pandemic.
If you’re invited on the stage, that’s one thing but this person invaded the stage and Adam’s personal space at a time when he was very vulnerable. It’s not okay, and he can react how he feels like reacting.
I always wonder with so much security there, how did she even make it to the stage?
Not a fan, the tats are revolting, but that guy could have had a knife and Adam is quite right not to embrace him.
My own mother asks for a hug first. I ask my children for a hug. I honestly can’t imagine some random person coming at me with a hug – it seems like that would be scary. I’m hoping this was a young person who learned a much-needed lesson
He looked so grossed out LMFAO
Honestly, these entitled little twunts. They keep forgetting that to celebrities, THEY ARE LITERAL STRANGERS. If some random ran up to them and grabbed them in a bear hug, would they be OK with it? Yeah, that’s what I thought…
All of the THIS and I have never heard the term “twunts” but please allow me to steal it LOL
I worked with a woman security guard who referred to them as “bippy twats” which was a perfect term I have cherished ever after
Putting uninvited hands on someone, I’m sorry to say, is assault. How hard is it to keep your damn hands to yourself? The only apology should come from the fan.
I am a lowly bartender (well, bartenders are extra important these days plus I’m the assistant manager at my bar), and people still try to grab and grope me and tell me “You’re a bartender. Getting groped comes with the territory.”
Nope. Even those whose jobs DO involve physical touch (sex workers and doctors come to mind off hand) still get to set perimeters. Don’t touch people without consent!