Drew Barrymore Rushed Offstage at New York’s 92nd Street Y Following an Unsettling Crowd Disruption

Abbey White and Caitlin Huston
·3 min read
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Drew Barrymore was escorted off the stage during a special event Monday night in New York, following a crowd disruption.

The talk show host and Santa Clarita Diet star appeared at the 92nd Street Y as part of the Recanati-Kaplan Talks series for a conversation and performance supporting the release of singer-songwriter and actress Reneé Rapp’s new LP Snow Angel.

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Just a few minutes into their conversation, a man in the crowd interrupted their discussion at the Upper East Side event space, briskly walking down the aisle toward the stage after shouting Barrymore’s name. The man identified himself before speaking to the actress by a name that sounded like Chad Michael Busto, according to a Hollywood Reporter writer who was present, as well as other outlets who reported on the disruption captured by an attendee and posted to TikTok.

In response to hearing her name, Barrymore looked out into the crowd and shouted, “Oh my God, yes, hi!” The man then responded, “You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while I’m in New York.”

Rapp, who was seated in an armchair next to Barrymore, stood and walked over to the actress, putting her arm around Barrymore and escorting her off the stage. A member of the venue’s security team then removed the individual, who was at that point in the front row of the auditorium, from the theater.

When the two returned to the stage a few minutes later and resumed their conversation, Rapp shared that Barrymore confirmed she was “good.” Barrymore then praised and joked with Rapp about her protective skills as a cheering crowd shouted, “We love you, Drew!”

Drew Barrymore and Renee Rapp
Drew Barrymore and Renée Rapp at the 92Y in New York on Aug. 21.

“I have a new definition of your sexiness. It’s that level of protectiveness,” Barrymore told Rapp in response to the singer’s swift action. “OK, so what were we talking about?”

The rest of the event continued uninterrupted, with Barrymore interviewing Rapp about her new album and renewed focus on music after appearing in the Mean Girls musical on Broadway (Rapp is also set to star in the film version of the musical) and in Mindy Kaling’s television series Sex Lives of College Girls.

As the event concluded, Barrymore exited the stage as planned, leaving Rapp to perform three songs, including two from her new LP. Rapp also thanked the audience for remaining calm and staying safe during the earlier incident.

A representative from the NYPD told THR that there were no reports on file in relation to this incident. THR has reached out to reps for Barrymore and the 92Y for comment.

Last year, New York saw a different kind of stage disruption when a drunken audience member approached the stage during a performance of Death of a Salesman and began shouting at actors. The performance was paused and actors exited, except for star Wendell Pierce, who remained on the Hudson Theatre stage to address the disruptive crowd member. The NYPD was called to the theater and removed the disorderly attendee.

The music industry has also faced a spate of audience disruptions, with a number of stars including Pink, Harry Styles, Bebe Rexha and Cardi B facing down bottles, water, bags of human ashes and more tossed on the stage by fans — some of which has made contact with the performing artists.

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