During a Jonas Brothers concert in Prague on Oct. 15, Nick Jonas unexpectedly left the stage — but he had a good reason.
Footage of the incident circulating on social media shows Nick running offstage in the middle of the show, while making a “time-out” gesture with his hands. In a statement to Variety, the venue, the O2 Arena, confirmed that Nick exited the stage “due to the use of a prohibited laser pointer.” The statement added, “After a few minutes, the band continued their performance.”
Laser pointers are a safety hazard if they’re aimed directly at performers in a dark arena: Not only are they distracting, they can cause eye damage.
Artists being concerned for their safety onstage has been an issue in recent years. Musicians like Bebe Rexha, Harry Styles, Drake, Kelsea Ballerini and Pink have all had things thrown at them onstage. In Bebe’s case, she was seriously injured when someone threw a cellphone at her. And of course, Taylor Swift was forced to cancel her show in Vienna after police foiled a terrorist plot.
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