How Lizzo deals with fans who get too close amid COVID-19 - Los Angeles Times
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This is your final warning: Give Lizzo 6 feet of space during the pandemic or get Lysoled

A woman smiling and waving in a white dress
Lizzo arrives at the 2020 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lizzo is feeling good as hell, and she intends to keep it that way.

On Monday, the chart-topping singer, flutist and rapper made a “public service announcement” on Instagram Live requesting that fans keep a six-foot distance from her as coronavirus cases continue to rise, particularly among unvaccinated individuals.

“I’m just putting this out here right now,” the “Truth Hurts” hitmaker said.

“I don’t care who you are. You could be the nicest person. You could be vaccinated. You could be quadruple-vaccinated. If you see me, please give me six feet. [COVID-19] is coming back ... and people are being real sloppy with personal space.”

Two years ago, she nearly quit music. Today, Lizzo is nominated for eight Grammy awards and twerks for the soul of America at sold-out arenas.

Dec. 11, 2019

To prove she’s not messing around, the “Juice” artist jokingly warned anyone who broke the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended six-feet rule that she would shower them with Lysol disinfectant spray upon approach. She then demonstrated by spraying the camera, saying, “I don’t even trust this motherf— Live.”

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“I’m not trying to catch nothing,” she continued. “I don’t even want to catch feelings, b—. You think I’m trying to catch COVID? So at this point, I’m going to be slightly rude about it.

“Don’t think, ‘Ah, she a celebrity. She think she all that.’ It’s not that, boo boo. You know what I think I am? Healthy. You know what I think I am? COVID-free. You know what I think I am? Full of vitamin D and vitamin C. You know what I think I am? Safe for my friends and family to be around.”

Lizzo is clapping back at critics who judged her smoothie cleanse. “I’m beautiful and I’m still fat,” she wrote, and it wasn’t about losing weight.

Dec. 16, 2020

The Grammy winner also urged her nearly 11 million Instagram followers to protect themselves and “double-mask up” by wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask, to be extra safe. She pointed out that breakthrough infections are possible among vaccinated people.

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Though, to be clear, vaccinations remain consistently effective when it comes to shielding people from severe illness and hospitalization.

“If y’all see me in the street [and] come up on me — you want a hug, you want to shake my hand, you want to kiss me on the cheek” — don’t do it, she said, recounting a “way too motherf— close” call she had recently with the coronavirus.

“I’m nice, but this virus gonna have me acting up.”

The highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread in Los Angeles County as officials caution of a new surge.

July 24, 2021

Lizzo’s announcement comes as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to spread in California. Earlier this month, Los Angeles County once again began requiring residents to wear face coverings indoors as cases spiked significantly among the unvaccinated.

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“Stay safe, my friends,” she said. “I love y’all. I’m just putting this out there. I’m very passionate about it. ... Don’t get offended. But I’m about to be rude about it.”

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