Two Arrested in Connection with Alleged Bomb Threat at Lady Gaga's Rio de Janeiro Concert
Last night, May 3, Lady Gaga played a massive free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Now, Rio's state police have shared that, just hours prior to her performance, a man in the southern state of Rio Grande du Sol was arrested for illegal firearm possession and a teenager in Rio de Jainero was taken into custody on child pornography charges, both in connection with an alleged plot to detonate homemade explosive devices at the show.
Brazil's Justice Ministry identified the older male as the leader of an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group that, according to Reuters, 'recruited individuals, including minors, to carry out co-ordinated attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails.' This was reportedly accomplished by impersonating fans of Lady Gaga, known as Little Monsters, in online forums and on social media. Local authorities state that they conducted additional raids and seizures in the homes of 15 suspects across the country. The concert itself was not cancelled and proceeded without disruption. In a report from the Associated Press, the police claim that they did not contact the event's organizers at the time to 'avoid panic' and 'the distortion of information'
'We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning,' representatives for Lady Gaga shared in a statement to Pitchfork. 'Prior to and during the show, there were no known safety concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding any potential risks. Her team worked closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert and all parties were confident in the safety measures in place.'
Billed as 'Mayhem on the Beach,' Lady Gaga's first Brazilian performance since 2012 drew an audience of 2.5 million, making for the highest-attended concert of all time by a female artist. The record was previously held by the Copacabana Beach stop on Madonna's Celebration Tour in 2024. In a message posted to her Instagram earlier today, which does not mention the alleged bomb threat, Lady Gaga wrote: 'Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night's show—the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil. The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away.' Read the whole thing below.
Lady Gaga shared Mayhem, her seventh official studio album, in March. She was one of the headliners at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where she gave many songs from the record their live debut. This year, Lady Gaga has also performed at the Grammy Awards—where she won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her Bruno Mars duet 'Die With a Smile'—the 2025 Super Bowl, and Saturday Night Live. The next stop on her international Mayhem Ball Tour will be four nights at Singapore's National Stadium, beginning May 18.
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
21 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Sandwich Trivia Quiz — BuzzFeed Quizzes
I love me a good sandwich — What's better than a packed sammy after a long day of swimming? I swear, that's an unmatched feeling. I'll always feel accomplished after stacking an extravagant sandwich and finishing it off with a perfect parchment paper wrap. 🥪🥪 Fun fact: the word "sandwich" was first coined way back in 1762! Since then, sandwiches have become a universal staple — from Western classics to international delicacies everyone must try at least once in their life (bánh mì will change your life, I swear). So now I have to ask, how well do you know your sandwiches? I'll show you a photo of a sandwich, and you'll have to guess its name. Let's get into it! So, how'd it go? Be sure to share your score in the comments, and throw in your go-to sandwich for an extra point! 🍞🥖 Want more fun food trivia? Take a look at BuzzFeed Canada's TikTok and Instagram socials!
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Comedian Matt Rife's new e.l.f make-up ad becomes latest celebrity ad generating outrage online
Comedian Matt Rife's new ad campaign for cosmetics brand e.l.f. is the latest celebrity-starring commercial that has caused social media users to melt down. The make-up brand published their ad online on Tuesday, featuring Rife and drag queen "Heidi N Closet" portraying lawyers in a spoof legal commercial promoting inexpensive e.l.f cosmetic products. A slew of comments on the post took issue with Rife being in the ad, with many pointing to a domestic violence joke he told in 2023 as the reason he should've never been chosen for the ad campaign. "You didn't have the budget for a comedian who doesn't joke about abuse?" one user asked on the Instagram post. Make-up influencer account "kristians_makeup" wrote, "ELF IMMA HOLD UR HAND WHEN I SAY THIS…just cuz u got a drag QUEEN in the mix DOES NOT MEAN ITS A GREEN LIGHT FOR MATT RIFEEEGEE??!?" The comment received over 8,600 likes in less than a day. Another said, "I thought you guys were cruelty free?!" These and similar comments reflected a renewed backlash against the comedian for joking about a woman who had a black eye during his 2023 special, "Natural Selection." In the set, Rife told the story of eating at a Baltimore restaurant with a friend when they noticed their female server had a black eye. They questioned why the restaurant owners wouldn't have the employee work in the kitchen to avoid customers asking questions. "Yeah, but I feel like if she could cook, she wouldn't have a black eye," Rife joked. In response to the backlash he received from the joke, Rife doubled down, putting out a statement that directed social media users to a link offering an "apology" if they had ever been offended by a joke he told. The link brought users to a website where they could purchase special-needs helmets. On e.l.f.'s TikTok page, bitterness towards Rife's domestic abuse joke was on full display, with more users demanding the makeup brand drop him from the campaign. "Nikkietutorials," a cosmetics influencer with almost 9 million followers commented, "aaaaaaandddd you lost me... Matt Rife out of ALL people? 😟 so disappointed." Maddy Lucy Dan, a TikTok user with 1.4 million followers, rehashed the Rife controversy in the comments section, writing, "In Matt Rife's Netflix stand-up special Natural Selection he opened with a domestic violence joke, implying a woman wouldn't have a black eye if she could cook." Another user added, "So y'all saw American Eagle and said… hold up, I can do that." The comment referenced actress Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad campaign that took heat online in recent days for its tagline, "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans." Social media users and legacy media outlets alleged the tagline had a link to the "eugenics" movement. Yet another celebrity-starring ad has also taken heat in recent weeks. Dunkin' Donuts released a short spot for its new summer Refresher drinks on Tuesday featuring "The Summer I Turned Pretty" star Gavin Casalegno. During the 35-second ad, the actor credited his summer tan to his "genetics." TikTok users hammered the ad on the platform for mentioning genetics, with many linking it to Sweeney's ad. Rife and e.l.f. did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'The Office' Star, 58, Stuns with Ageless Beauty While Teasing Exciting News
'The Office' Star, 58, Stuns with Ageless Beauty While Teasing Exciting News originally appeared on Parade. Actress Melora Hardin has never looked better. The 58-year-old Hollywood veteran is best known for her breakout role as Michael Scott's dysfunctional boss and girlfriend Jan Levinson on The Office. Now the stunner is teasing a new project while showing off her ageless a social media post shared to Instagram on July 26, Hardin shared a stunning photo of herself wearing a white blazer with a deep V, coupled with a pair of skinny black pants. The actress's blonde locks glow in the photo as she beams her megawatt smile for the camera. The photo is captioned, 'Got to work on something exciting yesterday. Can't wait to causing fans to speculate Hardin might be making an appearance in The Office spinoff titled Paper. While fans will have to patiently await details on Hardin's latest project, they rushed to the comment section to discuss her effortless looks and talent.'Simply stunning! 🤩 Incandescent 🕯️🔥😍,' wrote one fan. Another added, 'Mamma mia! 'Growing old gracefully' doesn't begin to cover it!' 'Forever stunning and beautiful!' shared another fan. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 'The Office' Star, 58, Stuns with Ageless Beauty While Teasing Exciting News first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
