Taylor Swift's Security Guards Have Become Stars In Their Own Right
By Taylor Hodgkins on August 25, 2023 at 8:00 PM EDT
Taylor Swift's massively successful 'Eras Tour' has made several headlines since fans found out about its existence last winter.
From headline-generating ticket sales resulting lawsuits, stylish fan looks, and the gripping excitement around surprise songs in the set list that clocks over three hours, there is no shortage of love stories about the record-breaking spectacle!
Even the details some 'Swifties' and music devotees may think are mundane have generated great attention! Even the "Out Of The Woods" singer's security detail has found its way into the spotlight. From singing security personnel who have gone on to become viral sensations to a security situation that may have inspired some 'bad blood' in the Swiftie community, Swift's security guards have become stars in their own right.
This Guy Can Carry A Tune!
ℹ️ | Davis Perrigo, the security guard who went viral after singing along to Taylor Swift at #TSTheErasTour, applied for the job after being unable to secure tickets!
"My wife jokes that I sing Taylor Swift songs with such passion, considering I've never been broken up with,"… pic.twitter.com/VGw5j9W4OH
— Taylor Swift Museum (@theswiftmuseum) May 19, 2023
Earlier this spring, we looked at a security guard who would go viral for his "passionate" renditions of Swift's catalog.
Nashville native Davis Perrigo caught the attention of the Swiftie community after footage of Perrigo singing while on the job surfaced on TikTok. Perrigo's evident dedication to livening up his long shift by lip-synching Swift's lyrics would result in Perrigo also receiving local and worldwide media coverage!
Before Perrigo joined Swift's security personnel, he was just a 'regular' Eras Tour attendee. He detailed to Nashville's News Channel 5 how he had been called out for "going too hard" by security!
"I got reprimanded by Taylor's security," Perrigo recalled. "saying I was 'going too hard' and needed to take it down a notch." Behind the scenes, Perrigo had initially applied to be a security guard so he could see Swift live! He would later say it was a "blessing" he could not score tickets because his security guard application would be approved, and he would be a mainstay at Swift's show.
Another security guard working for Swift would go viral- but for different reasons.
Perrigo noted in his interview there is a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to whipping your phone out while working.
"If you take your phone out [on duty] like, we will kick you out of here so quickly," Perrigo had said. (per The Blast)
A Security Guard Who Is Reportedly A 'Major Fan' Was Ousted
Calvin Denker initially went viral for the same reason as Perrigo. According to Variety, he wanted to find a crafty way to attend Swift's concerts continuously, so he applied to work security.
Denker would attract attention after he was caught lip-synching Swift's sleeper hit "Cruel Summer," the outlet also reported.
He would later share more details about being fired for asking a fan to preserve a moment of Swift getting close to him.
Denker detailed in a TikTok how he sent a message on paper to some fans close to him, filling them in on the situation; he wanted a photo taken and texted to him if Swift were to get close.
He also shared that the company who fired him would "[take] issue" with the situation, citing "a rule prohibiting staffers from taking photos with performers."
Denker would argue his innocence, stressing he was following protocol. He feared he kept his job's ultimate priority at the forefront of his intention: safety.
"...And above all else, I ensured that Taylor Swift was safe, and all the fans had a good time. As long as I was at that concert, I was doing my job," he stressed in an "updated" TikTok from this month.
Swift Once Intervened With A Security Guard Encounter
Three months ago, the "Daylight" songstress had to break from performing the "1989" track "Bad Blood" to intervene when a security guard and a fan had reportedly been in a "dispute," CBS News reported.
The fan would later tell her story on TikTok, claiming the security guard had allegedly been "harassing" her party "all night."
Swift would tell the security guard, "She's not doing anything!" after previously proclaiming the attendee had been "fine." She then had to say to the guard to "stop" their actions twice more.
In her TikTok, Kelly Inglis continued, "Every time we did anything, [the security guard] was like, on top of us. We're dancing and having fun, and he didn't like it."
Inglis and her friends were reportedly given tickets for the next night, and the offending security guard was "escorted out" of the venue.
Cheers to lots of safety AND singing on one of the most extensive tours ever!