Telling his side of the story.
A security guard quickly turned into a hero recently after video showed him quitting on the spot during a Jelly Roll concert – all because of what he (and the rest of the internet) saw as a pretty unreasonable request from his boss.
I think pretty much everybody’s had to deal with overzealous security at a concert before, and it really kills the energy and can ruin your experience. This guy, however, helped make the experience extra special for one fan, and ended up losing his job over it.
In the original TikTok posted from the North Dakota State fair last month, a fan in a wheelchair had moved in front of the barricade at the front of the stage in order to…you know, actually be able to see the show. But unfortunately, a supervisor came over and told the security guard standing near the man that he would have to make him move behind the barricade, where he wouldn’t be able to see the stage.
And look, I get it. It’s all about safety, for both the fans and the artist. But the guy was just there to see Jelly Roll, wasn’t hurting anybody, and it wasn’t like he was blocking an exit at the outdoor venue. Let him hang out and watch the show.
Well the security guard wasn’t having it. When he refused to tell the man in the wheelchair to move, the boss reportedly told him that he would be fired. But the supervisor never got the chance to actually fire him, because the security guard told his boss that he was quitting, taking off his vest on the spot and tossing it back to the supervisor.
“This security guard with his hand up ended up quitting shortly after I stopped recording because his boss told him he needed to have the young man in the wheelchair back behind the gate where he couldn’t see. The security guard told him no and his boss said he was fired so he took off his vest and threw it at him, and told him he quit. Was the coolest thing besides getting to actually see Jelly again! He deserves so much more than that!”
@michellemulligan13 @Jelly Roll this security guard with his hand up ended up quiting shortly after I stopped recording because his boss told him he needed to have the young man in the wheelchair back behind the gate where he couldn’t see. the security guard told him no and his boss said he was fired so he took off his vest and threw it at him, and told him he quit. was the coolest thing besides getting to actually see Jelly again! he deserves so much more than that! #jellyroll #ndsf2025 #justiceforthesecurityguard #standupforwhatsright #equality #music #jellyandbunnie #love #heavenhasasmokingsection #madethatkidsnight #heaven #cometogether @Jelly Roll @Jelly Roll
A video posted by another concertgoer shows the interaction between the security guard and his supervisor, with the guard taking off his orange vest and handing it (or more accurately, tossing it) to his boss, getting his belongings, and walking off the job.
@pretty717poison_leigh Not all hero’s wear capes but this man here made a difference; he may not have changed the world but he changed Jacob’s by letting him past the barrier to see Mr. @Jelly Roll on stage. He made Jacob’s birthday he said “best birthday ever”. I don’t think it’s fair at all that this kind hearted man lost his job for being conciderate of Jacob being in a wheel chair. If you were there you could see exactly how much of a change it was for Jacob because he can see and fully enjoy himself without a worry of bumping into someone. It brought not only myself but surrounding people tears of joy seeing him being able to enjoy himself. I HUGE HEART FELT THANK YOU TO THIS MAN. @Bunnie Xo 🪄 #NDSF2025 #ND #cerebralpalsy #awareness #notallheroswearcapes #thankyou #blessed #bestconcertever
As the caption says, not all heroes wear capes.
Well the videos caught the attention of Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie Xo, who commented on the original video seeking to get in touch with the security guard. And thanks to the power of social media, he was identified as Tony Demaree, so it sounds like Bunnie and Jelly should be able to track him down soon.
But in the meantime, Demeree is speaking out and telling his side of the now-viral interaction.
According to an interview with KMOT, Demeree says he was originally working security in the pit but was eventually moved to the front of the stage after being told he no longer had to keep people away from the barricade. And when he spotted the man in the wheelchair, he decided to help him get a better view:
“If they don’t mind if people are there, this fella needs to be where he can see.”
Demeree says he was just trying to do the right thing, but his supervisor didn’t see it that way:
“My boss came up to me and he said I wasn’t doing my job and that I was incompetent.”
And…well, we all saw what happened next.
The state fair’s general manager said the fan being in front of the barricade violated protocol that requires them to have a barrier between the stage and fans, and seemingly put the blame on the artists.
