Adam Levine is explaining his viral reaction to a fan suddenly jumping on stage and grabbing him during a recent performance.
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"I have always been someone that loves, respects, worships our fans. Without our fans, we don't have a job. I say that all the time — to our fans," he said on his Instagram Story on Oct. 26. "To think that anyone would believe that I thought that our fans were beneath us or less than us makes my stomach turn. That's just not who I am. That's not who I've ever been."
Over the weekend, Maroon 5 was performing at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. While mid song (and with his eyes closed,) a woman rushed the stage and clung to Adam's arm briefly. He reacted oddly, as he dropped on F-bomb and seemed to physically shake off the interaction. Many Twitter users began ripping him for his reaction.
"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 ’cause I'm doing my job up there. It's what I pride myself on," he said. "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. I hope that we can all understand that."
This explanation came after social media users labeled Adam a "d——–," among other things. Fans told him to "humble" himself and shamed him. However, Adam's defenders came out in force this week.
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"His reaction was totally normal and valid for someone who was nonconsensually touched by a stranger that broke both venue rules and personal boundaries during a set. Consent matters in ALL situations," one person said.
Others had similar sentiments
Said another, "Are we really shaming @adamlevine for his reaction? If it was reversed and a man jumped up on stage and grabbed a woman y'all would trying to cut off his head. You. Do. Not. Get. To. Touch. People. Without. Consent. Period."
"Entertainers are not petting zoos," another person said.
