Rihanna got some heat for a concert video that shows her whacking an overzealous fan on the head with her microphone, but Kathie Lee and Hoda think the singer’s bodyguard should be the one getting all the flak.
“The person she should have been most upset about was the man who wasn’t doing his job,” KLG said Thursday.
Rihanna was performing “We Found Love” during a concert in England when she left the stage to mingle with her screaming fans. One overly eager individual, however, refused to let go of the singer's arm, so Rihanna hit the person with her microphone, according to video of the scene.
Kathie Lee said she loves performing in crowds but realizes not everyone feels as comfortable with that.
“A lot of people don’t do it anymore because the world has changed and it can be a scary place,” she said. “Never thought about it once in my life while I was performing like that.”
But, she joked, “I almost died once, but it was in Sun City, Ariz.”
At the time, KLG and Regis Philbin had taken their former talk show on the road to the retirement community and met up with a group of enthusiastic admirers.
“Our fans loved us. Really loved us. They were in walkers and chairs and canes and I think this was the most terrified I had been in my life!” she said. “They couldn’t give it to you enough, and when they hug you, honey, they get you in their clinch and they won’t let go.”
KLG said it’s always a performer’s dream to have such avid fans, but fans sometimes don't realize their own strength when showing their excitement.
Hoda agreed, but said Rihanna probably could have handled the situation differently.
“She looked like she was being held and she couldn’t get away, but I don’t know about the clocking with the microphone,” she said. “I don’t know if that’s’ the option.”