Look, but don’t touch! Sir Elton John, 70, was performing at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on March 1 when he furiously yelled at a fan before storming off the stage. But we’ve learned what really went down. In a statement given to HollywoodLife.com through Elton’s publicist, the singer said this about the incident:
Thursday night in Las Vegas, a fan put his hands on the piano keys while I was playing and continued to do so even after I asked him to stop. He then proceeded to reach over the piano and try to take pictures, completely disrupting the performance. I bring fans onstage every evening when we play ‘Saturday Night’ in the set, it was always a lovely part of the show where I get to meet them, shake their hands and have them right there with me while I play. They have always been very courteous to the fact we are in the middle of playing a song live. This guy was rude, disruptive and had no care or respect for our show and so I let him know how I felt, then left the stage until they had removed him.
Elton’s statement matches up with what we’d previously heard about the incident. “It’s all about boundaries and respect,” a source close to the “Crocodile Rock” singer told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. “Just because Elton is a public figure, and just because he invites fans up on stage with him doesn’t give them the license to manhandle him.”
While performing “Saturday Night’s Alright,” the singer invites fans onstage to dance along while he plays the piano. In a video obtained by TMZ, Elton became visibly annoyed when one guy kept getting too close to him during the performance of the track, appearing to ask for a high fives and trying to touch him. The music legend could also be seen mouthing “f**k off” to the fan in the moments leading to him leaving the stage. “For some reason the man was obsessed with touching Elton, despite being told to stop he kept reaching out to touch him, and that’s not OK, in addition to being more than a little creepy,” our insider continued. “Elton doesn’t like getting up close and personal with his fans at the best of times, let alone while he’s trying to perform a live concert in front of thousands.”
Our source continued: “Elton loves performing, but there’s no doubt he’s beginning to feel the strain of the Vegas residency, he will definitely be happy when it’s over and finished and he can return to his regular schedule and life.” In September, the performer will kick off his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, a three-year global curtain call that will send him off into retirement. “My priorities are my husband, my children and my family. I’ve been touring since I was 17…I’ve had a good run,” he explained in a press conference on Jan. 24 about his decision to end his career following the 300-date tour. Hopefully concertgoers seeing him on his farewell tour will be more respectful! Thankfully, he has a ton of fans who support his decision to need some space while performing:
Elton John losing his shit at a fan trying to touch him is exactly the sort of thing I want him to be doing.
— James (@james_1919) March 3, 2018
From my vantage point, @eltonofficial Elton John is one of the friendliest, most accessible Icons we've ever had… It's a shame people feel they have the liberties to abuse that access.
— Tallulah~River (@Tallulah_River) March 3, 2018
Sir Elton John is not going to put up with your shit. Knock it off. #sireltonjohn #knockitoff
— Susan Glandon (@Susan2grc) March 3, 2018
@eltonofficial I really don't understand why people can't RESPECT a legend like Sir Elton! You would think that getting invited on stage would be an HONOR? Shame to the people who "F**ked it up!"
— Jeff (@Jeffery0301) March 3, 2018
Don’t touch 😡 Sir Elton John! https://t.co/8ogZR756IP
— TarHeelBruin (@TarHeelBruin) March 3, 2018