There’s no such thing as having a personal life when you’re a celebrity.
At the very least, it’s more difficult for people like Zach Bryan to have a night out with friends. The country music star was out in New York City’s West Village earlier this week trying to play pool with some friends when another group at the bar started filming everything that was happening. The owner of the videos used Ray-Ban Meta glasses (tech-infused eyeglasses) to “discretely” capture the footage.
That being said, the bar patron did disclose to the country singer that he was wearing Meta glasses that could record. In the footage, you can hear the man telling Bryan that the glasses belong to his friend and that they have recording capabilities. Zach, with a beer in hand, looked straight at the glasses-wearing guy and told him this:
“I want to rip them off your face so bad… because we’re at a bar.”
And that might sound a little harsh, but part of me understands where Zach is coming from there, you know? He’s just trying to have a night out playing pool with his friends, and now there’s technology like Meta glasses that can record someone’s each and every move without them even knowing it. And while there is no expectation of privacy in public, it sure feels like an invasion of privacy if you ask me.
However, Bryan flip-flopped back and forth on his feelings towards the glasses, even putting them on at one point and joking with his own friends that were there with him. At that point, you’d assume that the “Revival” singer was cool with the presence of the Meta glasses. But that apparently changed later in the night…
TMZ reports that sources within the bar say (the annoying guy with the glasses who sold the video to TMZ?) Bryan’s attitude and demeanor changed after he lost a few pool matches, and suddenly he wasn’t so cool with the Meta glasses recording his night out. Following a break in the footage (that’s linked below), it picks up with Bryan having a more serious conversation with what one could assume is the owner of the glasses. Zach and the “Meta Glasses Guy” were locked into a back-and-forth, and the bar patron can be heard saying this to the country singer:
“I’m taking videos of my friends, I don’t care about you. I don’t care about you and your f***ing friends, ok? I’m taking videos of me and my friends so we can cherish those memories, ok? I’m not trying to record your a**. I’m trying to record my sh*t with my friends, for memories, to have fun, it has nothing to do with you. And you’re just being a douche. You’re seriously just being a d*ck.”
To which it sounds like Zach responded:
“That’s the gayest thing I ever heard, bro.”
Check it out:
#ZachBryan was at a bar Monday night in NYC's West Village, where he was invited to play pool with some other patrons … but things got heated, and it was all captured on Ray-Ban Meta glasses 👀 Full story here: https://t.co/pQrVwEgg2v pic.twitter.com/BfjJP6uMlB
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 19, 2025
I certainly wouldn’t call the situation “heated” liked TMZ did, and a number of people commenting on the video seemed to agree that the footage was a big bunch nothing:
Guy tries to bait Zach Bryan into argument after filming him all night using Meta Ray Ban glasses in a dark NYC bar, ? of course TMZ bought the footage. While using “gay” as a negative insult is outdated & lazy, the real question is why is this considered acceptable behavior? https://t.co/U6wOMYueLY
— My Country Music (@My_CountryMusic) February 19, 2025
Ah yes, the same @zachbryanL that publicly disavowed transphobia and took heat for it is now a homophone. TMZ y’all suck so bad. This man just wants to get a buzz, shoot pool, and say stupid shit w/ the boys without some dude sereptisously recording it all with some glasses.
— Big D (@hairlinevalid) February 19, 2025
Heated? Maybe TMZ should look that word up before reporting it next time
— TRUMP CHANGE 2025 🫡🇺🇸𝕏 (@Shadeville313) February 19, 2025
So… who is in the wrong? If anyone?
The Meta Glasses Guy was allegedly just trying to record some memories of himself and his friends, and Zach Bryan just so happened to be at the same bar. Though the country music star has the right to request that the camera not be on him… as he’s also attempting to have a night out with the boys. It’s a real conundrum if you ask me, though I don’t think things got to a boiling point by any means.
Of course, the only side of the story we have is from the guy walking around recording everything while claiming he’s “just taking videos of his friends,” and then he conveniently ran to TMZ to share the heavily-edited footage… he’s the trusted source here.
Conclusion: I can’t wait for everyone to be wearing Meta glasses, that way we’re all being watched all of the time… NOT. I mean, are no places sacred anymore? Is there anywhere we can go where we can have a few beers with the boys, shoot some pool, listen to some good music and not have to worry about who is recording stuff? Most people go to a dive bar specifically because it’s the kind of place where you can disconnect. There’s not 47 big screen TVs, obnoxious techno music blasting, decor that’s conveniently placed to promote the most Instagram-able photo opportunities. It’s just you and your buddies, living in the moment.
