Zach Bryan condemned “couch warriors,” “internet sleuths” and “little bullies on the internet” in a lengthy statement written across several slides of his Instagram story on Thursday (January 9).

The singer-songwriter called out social media trolls for “attacking and belittling my friends on the internet because you’re assuming I have a girlfriend,” he wrote on one slide, in part. Rumors Bryan appears to be referring to about his dating life take place months after his breakup with ex-girlfriend Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia. Bryan publicly confirmed the breakup in October, stating at that time, in part, that he’d had “an incredibly hard year,” and “thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways.” LaPaglia, who attended the 82nd Golden Globes earlier this week, said at the time she felt “blindsided.”

Bryan, 28, said people are “calling my friends ugly and harassing them” in comments online. “Apparently I’ve (had) four different girlfriends in like two weeks. Meanwhile my friends and me are just laughing and hanging out like we always have. I don’t have a girlfriend and don’t plan on having a girlfriend; however, I do have normal friends that I love very much and would go to the ends of the earth for. …You do not know me. You never will know me. Stop acting like you do.

“No matter how bad of a person you think I am, go ahead and come for me. I can take all the hatred because I’m not a child. But do not come for my friends who do nothing but love and care for me,” Bryan continued on another slide. “Everyone wants you to have fun and make great music but you guys are making it really hard to do that with my friends getting insulted and death threats every day. Every day I lose a little more faith in humanity and every day I get closer to never being in the public’s eye again which is incredibly sad because I truly do really love humans and being happy and joking around and laughing a lot.”

Bryan, who also urged “childish” commenters to turn their attention to the ongoing wildfires in California, added on one of the final slides: “I don’t need people telling me to hang in there, sympathizing with me, or giving me advice on how to handle something or things they’ve never coped with. I lost my mother, I’ve been in war zones and I’ve battled this whole fame thing for five years. Respectfully I don’t need your unsolicited advice. I am a grown man. I promise I can get through some little bullies on the internet hahahah.”

Bryan said he’s “so terrifyingly (unfazed)” by rumors on social media, but “coming for people I love and care for is my line and final straw.” He ended the lengthy statement writing: “I’ve said what I need to say. My chest is still out and heads are still held high. Hopping off here for a bit.”

Tim Palmer

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