Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Matty Healy was on stage with The 1975 in Los Angeles on Monday night when he gave the latest of his apologies that are left open to interpretation. Healy, who caused offense earlier this year when he appeared on an episode of The Adam Friedland Show that featured a number of racist jokes, said he was sorry to “have hurt some people” before reading out a therapy advert while performing at The Hollywood Bowl.
Acknowledging the podcast appearance, in which host Friedland mocked the rapper Ice Spice while Healy laughed along, Healy told the crowd that he had “performed exaggerated versions” of himself on “other stages be in print or in one podcast.” He claimed that he did so in a “character role of the 21st century rockstar.”
Matty Healy just spoke for about 3 minutes about self-help and apologies and the pratfalls of playing the cliche rock star and it ended as a Better Help therapy bit. #The1975 #HollywoodBowl @the1975 pic.twitter.com/zxf4rwzWP9
— Rock Cellar Magazine (@RockCellarMag) October 3, 2023
“I think it is important to take inventory of yourself," Healy said in a break between songs. "So you become aware when your intentions and your actions don’t align. So, because some of my actions have hurt some people, I apologize those people and I pledge to be better moving forward."
Healy continued: "But I think it’s also important I express my intentions, so everybody knows that there is no ill will coming from me. You see, as an artist, I want to create an environment for myself to perform where not everything that I do is taken, literally.”
"You can probably also say that men would rather do offensive impressions for attention than go to therapy." He then read an advert for the online therapy service BetterHelp from cue cards that were handed to him from a member of the band's crew.
Healy's apology tour has become a piece of theater in itself, with Ice Spice claiming she received an apology and Healy offering a blanket apology during a live show held in the summer. The 1975's latest tour also began with Healy claiming it would be their last for a period while the band goes on an indefinite hiatus from playing live.
