Jack Antonoff Claps Back at Accusations That He Plugged His Ears During Katy Perry’s VMAs Set

Did Jack Antonoff shade Katy Perry by plugging his ears during her VMAs set this week?

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Eagle-eyed viewers appeared to spot the producer putting in a pair of AirPods during Perry’s performance at the award show Wednesday , where she accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Fans immediately began to speculate that Antonoff was using the earbuds to block out Perry’s singing, going as far as to suggest that the producer was taking frequent collaborator Taylor Swift’s side (Swift famously had a rumored beef with Perry during her Reputation era, though it should be noted that she was seen dancing along to the “Dark Horse” singer’s greatest hits medley on Wednesday night).

In a new tweet, Antonoff responded to the controversy, saying that he was simply using earplugs to help protect his hearing. “I would like to tell you directly from me that I did in fact use earplugs the other night,” he wrote on Thursday. “They were blue ‘hearos’ brand,” he added, joking that “I’m mortified to admit that I’ve been using them for a long time as well as buying them in bulk.”

ANTONOFF APPROVED

HEAROS Xtreme Foam Earplugs

Antonoff’s earplugs of choice are available now on Amazon, with the retailer selling a bulk pack that’s as great to have on hand for award shows as they are for festivals and concerts, as well as travel.

Hearos’ earplugs use a soft and gentle hypoallergenic foam, while the unique tapered shape help the plugs fit more comfortably in your ears. Hearos says their earplugs have a noise reduction rating of up to 33 decibels — the highest rating for a pair of foam earplugs.

Antonoff tweeted that he has been purchasing the earplugs for multiple uses: “I do not only use them when in 100 plus DB environments,” he wrote. “It is humiliating to admit that I [also] use them on planes and every night while sleeping.” Adds the songwriter and producer sarcastically: “I do believe that this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be exposed.”

Antonoff attended this year’s VMAs to support friend and frequent collaborator Taylor Swift, who went home with seven awards on the night , including Video of the Year for “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone, which Antonoff helped to write.

You can shop Antonoff’s earplugs here and see his full Twitter response below