Drew Barrymore Guided Off Stage As Man Interrupts Interview—The ...
Drew Barrymore was rushed offstage during an interview with actress and singer Reneé Rapp after a man quickly approached both women and said he needed to see Barrymore at “some point” while he was in New York City, marking another fraught celebrity-fan interaction that recently gained buzz on social media.
Every inch a Barrymore: Drew Barrymore was interviewing Reneé Rapp when the incident took place.
John Lamparski/Getty Images for Advertising Week New York Key FactsThe man, who identified himself as Chad Michael Busto, claimed Barrymore knew who he was and demanded to see Barrymore at a later time before being escorted away by security.
Rapp reacted quickly to the man as he approached and guided Barrymore offstage.
A video of the incident went viral online Monday, with some users on social media identifying Busto as an alleged stalker of Amber Heard.
Both women returned to the stage a short time later, with Barrymore saying Rapp “went full Bodyguard,” and telling her, “You are my Kevin Costner.”
Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, speculated on Busto’s behavior, tagging multiple accounts that allegedly belonged to the man. Court filings including Busto’s full name and “C.M. Busto” as petitioners include separate claims against the U.S., Google and one lawsuit accusing “everything, existence, reality, life” and more for identity fraud and other charges.
Key BackgroundBarrymore and Rapp held their interview at a nonprofit community center in New York to talk about an upcoming album from Rapp. The viral incident is one of several celebrity and fan interactions to gain attention on social media in recent months. In late July, Cardi B threw a microphone at a concert attendee after someone from the crowd hurled a drink at the rapper. A fan attending a Pink concert in June threw her mother’s ashes onstage. Bebe Rexha was also the subject of a fan interaction gone awry in June, when a concertgoer threw a phone onstage that hit Rexha in the face. The singer needed three stitches above her eye while the attendee, Nicolas Malvagna, was arrested and charged with assault.
Further ReadingReneé Rapp heroically protected Drew Barrymore when a man jumped on stage and crashed their interview (Los Angeles Times)
Drew Barrymore Ushered Away As Man Rushes Stage At New York Panel Event (Deadline)
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