Country Star Zach Bryan’s Heated Exchange Caught on Camera in NYC Bar

Grammy-winning country singer Zach Bryan’s casual night of pool in New York City’s West Village turned confrontational after discovering he was being recorded by another patron’s smart glasses. The Monday night incident, captured on Ray-Ban Meta glasses, showed the “I Remember Everything” singer becoming increasingly agitated despite initially participating in friendly games.

According to witnesses at the scene speaking to TMZ, Bryan’s demeanor “changed on the drop of a dime” after losing three rounds of pool around midnight. The situation escalated when Bryan realized he was being filmed, despite reportedly asking the group to stop recording “more than half a dozen times.”

The 28-year-old artist even tried on the recording glasses himself at one point, warning, “You’re gonna see some terrible things tonight.” When confronted about his behavior, the patron told Bryan, “I’m not trying to record your ass. I’m trying to record my s— with my friends, for memories, to have fun, and you’re just being a douche.” Bryan responded with a homophobic slur, adding while making a fist, “I wanna rip them off your face so bad, ’cause we’re at a bar.”

Multiple witnesses confirmed to TMZ that Bryan and his companions had repeatedly requested the group stop filming them throughout the night but claim the other party continued recording “in a very secretive and coy way.” The situation was ultimately defused when Bryan’s friends intervened, quickly paying their tab and escorting him from the establishment.

The incident adds to a series of recent controversies surrounding the country star, including his highly publicized breakup with Barstool personality Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia and subsequent social media drama. In January, Bryan addressed his fans’ behavior on Instagram, writing, “All of you f—in weird couch warriors attacking and belittling my friends on the internet because you’re assuming I have a girlfriend are weird as hell and should be studied for science.”

Ironically, the confrontation took place beneath a “Taylor Swift 2024” banner, notable given Bryan’s reported tension with Swift after LaPaglia turned to the pop star’s music following their late 2024 breakup. The singer’s representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment about the bar incident.

This latest controversy comes just weeks after Bryan declared on Instagram, “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.”