Jack Antonoff Pokes Fun at Backlash over Earplug Use During Katy Perry at VMAs: 'Nothing Left to Do but Apologize'

Jack Antonoff has heard enough of the backlash.

On Thursday, Sept. 12, the Grammy-winning producer, 40, responded to internet-fueled frustration about his decision to use earplugs as an audience member at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards the day before. Specifically, outlets including TMZ reported that the Bleachers musician upset some fans when he protected his hearing and plugged his ears while watching Katy Perry's Video Vanguard Award performance on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

As the story continued to pick up, Antonoff directly responded to the earplug backlash on both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram — where he shared an image of his bulk bag of blue earplugs next to a lengthy statement, apparently featuring bits of sarcasm.

"i would like to tell you directly from me that i did in fact use earplugs the other night. 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 wrote on both platforms.

"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," he continued. "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."

Antonoff then concluded his earplug response by writing, "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," before adding: "the band and i have decided to keep all dates as scheduled."

During the VMAs this week, Antonoff was joined by his wife Margaret Qualley — with whom he tied the knot in August 2023 — as he was nominated for both song of the year and best collaboration (which he won) thanks to his work on Taylor Swift and Post Malone's "Fortnight." He and Qualley, 29, sat next to sat next to Swift, 34, at the show, and the trio could be seen singing and dancing to performances throughout the night at UBS Arena on Long Island.

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It's been a big year for the producer, who appeared on the Today show back in July to reflect on a few of his latest charting hits and perform songs with Bleachers. After releasing Bleachers' self-titled fourth studio album in March, Antonoff has also been responsible for Sabrina Carpenter's No. 1 smash "Please Please Please," and of course his work on Swift's The Tortured Poets Department.

"It’s wild," Antonoff said when asked about the success he's had with both pop stars.

"You don’t hear a lot of great songs about like, one’s lunch order. So the things you don’t really understand and cause you pain are usually things worth writing about," he added of his writing process.

Bleachers is currently on the road, with the pop group's next performance set for Sept. 19 in Berkeley, California. After that, Antonoff and crew will be playing in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Connecticut this month, before a sold-out gig at New York City's Madison Square Garden in October.