Nicolas Malvagna says he was influenced by TikTok in Bebe Rexha phone attack
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This guy needs his head examined.
The man who hurled his cell phone at pop star Bebe Rexha’s face while she performed in Manhattan on Sunday night told cops he was just trying to take part in a TikTok trend.
“It’s a TikTok trend where you throw your phone onto the stage, and a celebrity passes it and takes a selfie,'” Nicholas Malvagna, 27, told arresting officers, according to Manhattan prosecutor Stephan Millan at the man’s arraignment Monday night.
“‘I thought she was looking in my direction. I was about two rows back, but instead of my phone landing right next to her, my phone hit her in the face,'” Malvagna told cops.
But according to a criminal complaint, Malvagna said, “I was trying to see if I could hit her with the phone at the end of the show because it would be funny.”
The suspect’s comments surfaced as he was arraigned on assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment raps in Manhattan Criminal Court over the incident, which left the Brooklyn-born singer hospitalized and with stitches.
A lawyer for Malvagna grabbed onto the TikTok claim to explain his client’s actions, saying during the hearing that it was due to the “unfortunate trend” that his client pelted Rexha, 33, in the face with his phone as she performed at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport.
“As a fan, Mr. Malvagna’s sole intention was to have Ms. Rexha take photos with his phone and return it as a keepsake. It was never his intention to injure Ms. Rehxa,” said the lawyer, Todd Spodek, later in a statement.
Malvagna of Manalapan, NJ, was freed without bail ahead of a July 31 court date and ordered to stay away from the recording artist and songwriter.
“Although the parties appear to be strangers, the defendant’s actions are serious,” Millan told Judge Valentina Morales, who granted a restraining order.
“The defendant was attending the victim’s concert. He decided it would be funny to throw his phone at her while she was performing. The phone struck her in the face which caused her swelling, redness and a laceration to her face,” he continued.
“For these reasons, we believe a full and temporary order of protection at this time.”
Rexha, who was born Bleta Rexha in Brooklyn to Albanian immigrants and raised on Staten Island, took to Instagram to show off her bandaged puffy red eye and cheek after undergoing three stitches.
“Im [sic] good,” she posted Monday, while flashing a coy smile and giving fans a thumb’s-up sign.
Other pop stars have had different reactions to fans throwing their phones onstage, according to TikTok posts.
Billie Eilish was seen recording a selfie video of her performing with a fan’s phone, while Harry Styles apparently looked annoyed and mouthed, “Let’s not” at a fan who tossed their cell on stage mid-concert.
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