Yes, Jack Antonoff Wore Earplugs For Katy Perry's VMAs Performance

Jack Antonoff is clearing up the rumors. After the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 11, viewers noticed that Antonoff took something out of his ears after Katy Perry finished performing. Critics on X (formerly called Twitter) accused Antonoff of being “disrespectful,” assuming he wore AirPods to block out Perry’s singing. But the truth isn’t nearly as shady.

Antonoff addressed the speculation on X, and he went heavy on the sarcasm. “i would like to tell you directly from me that i did in fact use earplugs the other night,” he wrote on Sept. 12. “they were blue ‘hearos’ brand and im mortified to admit that i’ve been using them for a long time as well as buying them in bulk.”

Antonoff continued, “i would also like to be honest and get ahead of that fact that i do not only use them when in 100 plus DB environments. it is humiliating to admit that i use them on planes and every night while sleep.” (Reminder: Earplugs are a popular choice for concertgoers who want to protect their hearing, which would be particularly important for a music producer like Antonoff.)

“There is nothing left to do but apologize and thank those who have covered this story because although it’s an embarrassment to my family and i, i do believe that this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be exposed,” he wrote. “i’m sorry to those i let down and today i will not being going to work and instead thinking about my earplug use and everyone that has been affected by it.”

Antonoff jokingly confirmed that despite the drama, he’d still be on tour with his band Bleachers: “the band and i have decided to keep all dates as scheduled.”

Antonoff shared the same statement on IG Stories, alongside a photo of his earplugs.

Fans were happy that Antonoff clapped back against the rumors. “Jack you are an ICON,” one wrote after he addressed the speculation. “jack antonoff once again ate u b*tches alive,” another wrote.