TikTok’s favourite boyfriend and master of backflips Benson Boone, has the internet buzzing once again. But this time, it has nothing to do with the singer’s freakishly good looks, stunning vocals, or goofy and relatable home videos. During his highly-anticipated Grammy performance that featured supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian Nikki Glaser literally ripping the clothes off his body, Boone was captured grabbing his crotch to adjust his jumpsuit. The move, interpreted as machoistic by many, left netizens unimpressed and was followed by a public mea culpa.
@bensonboone ♬ original sound - Benson
If Golden Retriever men are your type, it is likely that you’ve heard of American singer and songwriter Benson Boone. The ‘Beautiful Things’ songster has been dominating TikTok and Instagram For You Pages for months, with his glittery costumes and dazzling dance moves. Among the most popular clips is his performance from the 2024 Video Music Awards (VMA’s) which left Sabrina Carpenter and Lil Nas X with their jaws permanently attached to the floor.
@bensonboonedaily Sabrina Carpenter is all of us 😅#bensonboone #vmas2024 #mtvmusicvideoawards2024 #mtvvmas #bensonboonevmas #mtv #CapCut
♬ Beautiful Things - Benson Boone
So, needless to say that the internet was extra hyped for his Grammy performance this year. And it began with Boone’s suit literally being ripped from his body to reveal a glittery jumpsuit in baby blue beneath.
Benson Boone full performance of “beautiful things” at the #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/bLnURGpOmI
— Keyv’ (@Kvn_bjx) February 3, 2025
As his performance came to a close and the singer bowed down to a round of applause, he notably grabbed his crotch, leaving one Miss SZA visibly unamused.
Of course, the internet erupted with heated discourse about the gesture following the award show.
One post on X read: “I will be thinking about Benson Boone’s crotch grab for…a WHILE.” Another user posted: “Benson Boone fully adjusting his crotch on live TV,” alongside a shocked GIF.
Someone else simply asked for people to: “put me in a room with Benson Boone and give me 5 minutes…”
Others felt less mesmerised by Boone doing a backflip of a piano and viewed the gesture as machoistic and uncalled for.
SZA’s reaction, for instance, was credited for embodying this sentiment.
sza’s face after benson boone was done 😭 pic.twitter.com/wMbmYp4tHN
— z (@workinonit) February 3, 2025
That benson Boone guy pisses me off soo much sza’s reaction was valid
— peachesandrosé¹ (@peaches31166459) February 3, 2025
The ‘Blind’ singer looked quite displeased as Boone left the stage, and many thought it was in reaction to the controversial crotch grab.
In response to the intense discourse about his nether regions, the performer himself finally weighed in on the conversation.
To set the record straight, he took to his Instagram story and wrote: “Sorry for adjusting my jumpsuit so aggressively on stage tonight that thing was extremely restricting in certain areas.”
Benson Boone jokingly apologizes for adjusting his crotch onstage at the #GRAMMYs:
“that thing was extremely restricting in certain areas” pic.twitter.com/q9nRcLRYNM
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 3, 2025
And that seems to be the tea. Case closed. Now let’s go back to watching him do the backflips, it just doesn’t get old.