VMAs 2019: Tana Mongeau Sparks Outrage With Live Snake on Red Carpet

YouTube personality Tana Mongeau enraged 2019 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet viewers Monday night by carrying a live snake. The 21-year-old wore small red-lensed classes and a outfit that matched the snake’s skin. Mongeau has more than 4.9 million YouTube subscribers and more than 650 million views for her videos.

While Britney Spears famously performed with a live snake in 2001 and Justin Bieber brought a snake in 2011, Mongeau’s decision to follow in their footsteps was not welcome by viewers.

“I’m disappointed in [Mongeau] and her decision to bring a snake with her to [VMA] . Animals aren’t props or costume pieces. It’s crowded, bright, and noisy,” one viewer wrote. “Not to mention all of the touching and flag photography. Snakes are wonderful animals! But they aren’t toys.”

“Britney wore it better,” another wrote.

“Someone kill it!! Protect the snake,” another added.

Some viewers noticed how there were few camera clicks when Mongeau walked by.

Mongeau was not the only celebrity to walk the red carpet. Singer H.E.R. had a green snake draped around her shoulders.

Unlike Mongeau, H.E.R. was nominated for moonmen. She is up for Best New Artist and Best R&B for “Could’ve Been.” She was also nominated for Push Artist of the Year, which went to Billie Eilish before the awards started.

Mongeau walked the red carpet by herself, without boyfriend and fellow YouTuber Jake Paul. PEOPLE notes she did wear a diamond eternity band on her left finger, which could have been a reference to her Las Vegas “wedding” to Paul.

In June, Mongeau and Paul staged a wedding, which was filled with controversial moments. Some accused them of having a fake celebration, but she insisted it was real at first.

“I’m feeling feisty: I don’t care if u think my wedding’s real,” she fired back on social media. “I don’t care if u think my marriage is real. I don’t care if u think Jake and I don’t love each other. I don’t care if u think getting married fast is a bad idea. I don’t care if you think it’s gonna last. OOPS!”

Eventually though, she did admit the wedding was not legal.

“I wanted to not do it legally — but any wedding I have … if I had three more fucking weddings I wouldn’t want to do it on paper because I think legally binding yourself to someone takes away the love,” she said in a video. “Like it’s unnecessary.”

Photo credit: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images