Here are some photos of Lenny Kravitz at the opening of the Paris Opera Ballet last week. Lenny is apparently living in Paris these days, as one does, because art and creativity and THE VIBE, man. He’s working on a new album, but he took a night off – and came straight from the studio – specifically to see the season’s opening performance of the Paris Opera Ballet. Most people were in tuxedos and fancy suits. Lenny was in black leather. And within his leather ensemble, he hid some chocolate, for a snack. And that hidden chocolate caused some issues:
Lenny Kravitz got into a heated altercation with a patron at the ultra-upscale opening of the Paris Opera Ballet on Thursday night, sources exclusively tell Page Six. Spies said that Kravitz — who’s recording a new album in Paris — arrived at the glittering Palais Garnier for the black-tie opening-night gala straight from the studio in black leather pants and a leather jacket, shades and an unbuttoned black shirt with polka dots.
Minutes after the lights went down, Kravitz pulled out a piece of chocolate to nibble on, apparently to fend off low blood sugar from his late-night recording sessions. But as he unwrapped the candy, a tuxedoed French VIP sitting in front of him made several attempts to quiet Kravitz.
“Shhhh!” shushed the unidentified male, adding, “Stop eating! Stop eating!” That’s when, our source says, “Kravitz got out of his seat and confronted the guy.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” yelled the star, only to be reprimanded by the miffed man who yelled back, “This is France!” Kravitz was then grabbed by a woman nearby, who exclaimed, “You don’t know who that is!” in reference to the peeved patron. “I don’t care — don’t tell me what to do,” Kravitz shot back. A source says, “It was really uncomfortable. It looked like Lenny was going to punch out this guy’s lights in the City of Light.”
Instead, Kravitz took his seat, stayed for several minutes and stormed out before returning 15 minutes later. He saw the rest of the breathtaking show with an audience that included designers Haider Ackermann, Rick Owens, Pierre Hardy, Giambattista Valli and Isabel Marant, actress Mélanie Laurent and model Marisa Berenson. Kravitz, “clearly moved by the dancing,” was later seen with the same man who’d complained, but the two were “apologizing and hugging it out, making amends for their misunderstanding,” we hear. Kravitz then attended a fancy dinner and wild afterparty by André Saraiva and Alexandre de Betak. A pal of Kravitz’s said of the commotion, “He was coming from the studio, he had a piece of chocolate and this guy got annoyed. He really does live by the words ‘Let love rule.’ ”
“This is France!” What the sh-t? Do people not eat chocolate in France? Do French people really freak out to this extent because some guy makes some muffled crinkle-crinkle sounds as he unwraps his delicious chocolate? Won’t anyone think of the chocolate?!? It sounds like Lenny was just minding his business, quietly eating his leather-chocolate and this rando threw an absolute tantrum. I actually think “This is France!” was the guy’s way of saying Lenny was a “rude American.” To which I say… Lenny Kravitz is not a rude American. He’s one of our national treasures, and you should be honored that he’s staying there, France.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid.
It’s been a long week already, and I thank the gossip gods for this MadLibs of a story.
Yes! Finally some gossip worth sinking your teeth into…
Lmao….this story is so funny. When it comes to stiff upper lips, French people are far worse than Brits, they just disguise it better. I don’t blame the guy at all to be honest. I can’t STAND the sound of chewing, slurping, smacking, crunching, sucking etc…..any sounds that give me a mental image of what is happening in the mouth makes me see red. I would have felt like knocking him out actually.
Its good to see neither party resorted to violence. 😀
Though I wouldn’t jump to criticise the Frenchman for complaining – honestly, when you go to something like this, you don’t pull out snacks. When I’ve been in the Palais Garnier, the only accepted thing to do once the performance starts is “sit quietly and as motionless as possible”. You don’t open a chocolate bar when the curtain goes down on the opera or ballet, or a bag of chips or something. You don’t slouch around in your seat or – HORRORS – text or try to take photos.
It’s not cheap to go and French people like to treat it as a special event. You certainly will hear the French make remarks about Les Americains ou Les Anglaises wearing jeans, sloppy clothes, talking through the set, etc… but then some people do think it’s nice to retain formality. And in a building like that I don’t disagree.
Yup I’m with you. If he wants to eat, fine (even though in my view that is just not done), but for heaven’s sake be quiet about it, so your noise doesn’t ruin the show for others. This is not a move, this is the Paris Opera Ballet, you know?
Normally I would agree but if it’s a small piece of chocolate then this was an overreaction. The guy arguing was probably a million times more disruptive.
I try not to eat during performances but I suffer from low blood sugar and fluctuating iron levels. Sometimes I need to suck on a piece of candy to get through something without fainting.
“Minutes after the lights went down…” though?
And at something like this it isn’t viewed as an overreaction.
Not to mention, ‘THIS IS FRANCE!’ was clearly an abbreviated version of ‘THIS IS FRANCE! CHOCOLATE IS A FUCKING HOUSEHOLD STAPLE HERE!’ It’d be like pulling out a block of cheese to chomp on. Although, with it being France, that would probably have been more acceptable. Culture, people! Enjoy.
When I lived in Houston and attended The Alley Theatre, they used to announce as the light dimmed that if you thought you might need a hard candy you should unwrap it now. I always loved that! I have sat near people who chat or eat or unwrap things and it can be very disturbing as you are trying to take in the performance.
Really don’t like his “you can’t tell me what to do” attitude. Hope their reconciliation came about because Lenny apologized.
I bet the man’s yelling was more disruptive than the candy wrapper, then Lenny responding just snowballed the thing. So what could have been 1 or 2 minutes of candy wrapper distraction becomes several minutes of raised voices.
#LetThemEatCandy says Lenny. Ha!
An affront over chocolate at the Paris Ballet with Lenny Kravitz. Why is this not my life? Somewhere I took a very wrong turn.
Right? All i have for everyone in this story is Intense Envy.
I get you… lenny and chocolate…
Btw he has been living in paris for years now. Paris is still great place for artists
LOL. I know what you mean. My life is nothing like this.
Lenny just wanted his edible before the show started. 👍🏻
Sigh. He’s still a dish. That’s all I’ve got.
Low blood sugar my ass. Probably more like the munchies. 😀
I love Lenny but that sh*t is rude at a fancy ballet. Hell, it’s rude AF to be snacking at your local theater production. Wait until intermission. That said, if it was just a small piece of candy and nothing crunchy/loud people should have let it go imo.
Finally! An actual completely valid reason to have beef over. How dare someone shhh something anything remotely chocolate related.
Maybe the real offense was that it was *Belgian* chocolate, lol.
Haha I think you are right!
I don’t know… I have been to symphonies where cough drops were being handed out before performances, so I’m not surprised that a patron was irritated by some crinkling. It really is bad form to make unnecessary sound at a performance like that, but I’ll give LK the benefit of the doubt and assume he was unaware, rather than being an entitled asshat.
I presume the “This is France!” comment was an insult to the “ugly American” stereotype.
Eh. Eat your chocolate before you sit down.
Americans are very casual, even in formal situations, compared to other cultures. We tend to forget that when we travel outside the US.
You don’t eat noisy snacks at the ballet. Save that for the latest Jackass movie at the cinema. Team other dude 1000%
Same. There is nothing “muffled” about eating anything in a wrapper. It’s loud as hell even in a movie theatre. I would want punch a face too.
And I did yell at some old guy eating some sour patch kids in the movie theatre once .. the wrapping was super loud… it really ruined the movie. I told my dad I was never seeing a movie with him ever again after he pulled that stunt and to leave the snacks at home.
Lol! Your dad was the offending noisemaker?
Totally something my dad would do. Lenny should probably eat his chocolate before the performance. But nice that they hugged it out after.
Mmm… Yeah. This is France and there are rules you have to follow when you are in a foreign country. Just like I would follow your rules in the United States. Love Lenny K but manners are to be followed.
I like him with shorter hair, but I’ll let Lenny, the most beautifully sexy person in the world, eat anything anywhere he wants. I’ve been many places where you should be quiet, but there people on their phones, talking, texting, and taking pictures. Eating a piece of candy doesn’t seem quite as bad
He really is one of the sexiest men alive.
He is my forever boyfriend. He gets sexier every day.
Sexy?? You probably loved the video pics of his split trousers & flapping junk then during a show. I think he’s an self-entitled a**.
I’ve been to performances at the Palais Garnier, which is a very intimate setting and much smaller than you might think. Lenny should have eaten his candy on the way in or to his seat. If he’s really been living in Paris, or even visited more than briefly, he knows this & doesn’t care. When disturbing others at a performance event in any country, the proper response is “Excuse me”or “Sorry.”
Listen man, when you have to eat, you have to eat. The man in front of him was probably jealous and hangry that he did not think to bring a snack with him.
Lenny pulling out a piece of chocolate is not bad at all. I have pulled out full meals when I go to the movies because I refuse to purchase any food from the concession stan. No regrets.
*slow clap* I have brought a full Chick Fila meal (with drink) in a movie theater and I gave zero da*ns for doing it. As much money I have spent in a theater with two kids who never ate all of the overpriced popcorn and candy, I think we are even. And btw…Lenny is than a fire tornado.
Stay in your own country and do that then you grub. If you eat hot food in a cinema the stench is absolutely gross. You are a garbage human
That adults think they cant go two hours without shoving food in their face is a sad state of affairs. Dont “medical condition” me.
Good on the guy for saying something. For all he knew Lenny had a whole packet and would keep going back for more throughout. Best to nip it in the butt!
OOOOOKKKKAAAAAYYYYYY
Excessively strong language for such a benign comment, don’t you think?
There’s a huge difference between being in a movie theatre and being at the ballet, the orchestra or an actual theatre though!
If you’re watching a movie, the actors on the tape won’t be distracted by the noise you make, the smells from your food and all that stuff. During live performances, you can bet that this will be disturbing and annoying AF! If you have to snack on something, you do it while the lights are on (grown ups don’t suddenly feel super hungry if they didn’t 5min before) or wait for the intermission (just like you wait for the bathroom or won’t be admitted back). The sound of unwrapping can be disruptive to the orchestra (those guys have great ears) and the dancers. It’s a total lack of respect to act like this (the yelling is of course even worst!).
Those pants, tho.
Ummm..people should not be eating at the ballet. Ever. It is not a movie (even then it is annoying but we expect it there). The crinkling IS very distracting. It IS rude and very, very annoying. I would have lost my temper too. Perhaps the way the patron handled it was a bit over the top, but Kravitz doesn’t get a pass for distracting, self-important behavior –or at best clueless behavior –because he is famous.
I think the response “this is France” was in reference to “rude American” behavior. First the wrapper noise, then yelling “don’t tell me what to do” (in English, in France) for just being shh-ed. It’s not like the guy tried to take the chocolate out of his hands. And getting aggressive over being shh-ed, yeah I don’t think his policy is “let love rule” but “let lenny rule”.
Aggressive?
The story says Kravitz got out of his seat and went and yelled ‘don’t tell me what to do’ at the guy. That’s a really aggressive response to being told not to eat in a place you obviously shouldn’t be eating.
Low blood sugar is no joke. It can make the most laid back person act nutty. I am glad he apologized.
I would love to hang out with Lenny. I think it would be amazing and i bet the sex would be amazing too. Mmmmm
Wait your turn! I’ve watched his Again video every morning for 15 years. It looks like sex with him would be the most amazing thing ever. Love his bare butt!
Gonna watch right now
I find his behavior incredibly rude as he could have eaten the chocolate before the performance or waited for the next break. I live in Vienna and we also have a famous Opera house and I honestly can’t imagine snacking during an performance as it would be incredibly disrespectful towards the place, the artists, other guests. It’s not like going to the movies, FFS. Tickets are super expensive and being there is something special. He comes off as quite arrogant, IMO.
The Ballet is not a flipping movie theatre. It’s rude as all get-out to eat in there and we shouldn’t be giving someone a pass just because they’re famous. Eat beforehand, eat during the intermission, or eat afterwards. If you can’t do one of those three options, don’t go. Heck, I have a sister who has blood sugar problems and even she can abide by those simple rules.
I mean, it sounds like he was the dick here, no doubt about that, but cannot deny he looks ballin’ in that outfit.
I hate shushers because they’re just contributing to the noise, but it’s tacky to bring noisy snacks to a theater and then jump up and make an even bigger scene by saying “don’t tell me what to do.” Team no one.
Also this isn’t like, the local multiplex. It’s the bloody Paris Opera House.
‘Lenny was in black leather. And within his leather ensemble, he hid some chocolate, for a snack.”
I’d eat the chocolate he has packed away in those leather pants everyday and twice on Sunday.
I love you.
The YouTube video with his pierced packed away chocolate being exposed when the crotch of his leather pants ripped at a concert has been deleted 😢 It looked like delicious chocolate
LMFAO! I love this thread!
I don’t get how the shushing was supposed to quiet things down, even if the chocolate wrapper was making a bit of noise. I mean, people can also hear “shhhh!”
I’m getting a Sideshow Bob vibe off of him in the main pic……
Eating in a theatre during a live performance – candy or otherwise, for medical purposes or not – is unacceptable behavior.
LOL ive been sayin that all morning – w/ great woe – no me gusta…
As for the shushing… people typically don’t let out a ‘shush’ until they’ve finally just had ENOUGH of your noise! I am so embarrassed if/when I make noise in a theatre. BECAUSE ITS RUDE.
Terrible behaviour at any ballet, but yes, especially in France. It’s slowly become a bit more lax in the US (though still not to the extent that pulling out snacks at say, a Met performance would be remotely acceptable), but in France it’s still treated as a very, very formal night out. You get dressed to the nines, you take your seat quickly and quietly, and then you do absolutely nothing but watch the ballet. When there’s a pause in the music, you should be able to hear a pin drop.
I love it. It shows respect for everyone involved in the production, and your fellow patrons.
Lenny sounds like a nightmare here honestly. It’s incredibly clear that that is not a place to bring food, but even if he somehow missed all the signs of that, starting a confrontation because someone told him to stop being disruptive is ridiculous and incredibly disrespectful. If he weren’t famous he’d have been escorted out. The eating alone would usually do it.
He got up and started an argument while professionals were dancing?! Because someone told him not to make noise with his 🍫 unwrapping and chewing?
Lenny…. tss tsss
I’ll say to you what I tell my husband when he annoys me: you’re lucky you’re sexy as hell and nothing can make me not want to bang you.
most excellent! congrats, btw
Great googly moogly it’s not like he was gnawing on a popcorn ball. I would let him eat spray cheese from a can in bed. Such a talented, delicious man.
The behavior is rude, self-centered, childish. Really a borderless phenom—so not rude American behavior–more like another narcissist in action with no awareness other than his or her own needs and the impulse to instantly gratify them .
Ouch!
With all the crazy, depressing news going on in the world, this put a smile on my face.
Thank you.
I’m French, but even if you’re not French you’re not supposed to noisily unwrap candy at the opera OR ballet. You unwrap it when you sit down, so you don’t annoy other people nearby. If people in other rows can hear what you’re doing, whatever it is, you need to not be doing that thing. Does nobody know how to go to live entertainment anymore?
Thank you, good Lord. Its super cool that he reconciled it all in the end, at least.
Im lucky enough to have gone to Paris a few times (and elsewhere) and touristic behaviors are truly cringe-inducing. The American stereotype is real, y’all. 🙁
Maybe Kravitz just wanted to experience the intoxicating combination of chocolate and beautiful dancing.
Lenny Kravitz has been spending lots of times in Paris for years.
I have from good sources in Paris he liked them clearly underage, that was a few years back already.
Find him sexy or a national hero if you want.
Yes, Lenny said on David Letterman about 3 or 4 years ago that he owned a residence in Paris. Loved the story’s happy ending!
Lenny was wrong and should have eaten in the car. Palais Garnier feels like traveling back in time when you enter. It was built during the Second Empire and I imagine ladies in bustles and capes. It is dreamy to me and I would get angry if someone interrupted the moment of anticipation right before the ballet starts. I have no idea why he didn’t know this.
The “This is France!” seems eye roll worthy but Parisians get sick and tired of English speakers expecting them to speak English, and they will pretend not to understand you. It cracks me up because once you switch to French, they are friendly. Their language is a source of pride and is regulated by the Académie française so that it doesn’t become Anglicized and take preservation of the language very seriously.
The noise and the English were probably just too much to bear. lol
I went to Paris a few years ago. I remember thinking I needed to be very careful and not assume people there spoke English. Anyway, what I found, even though I only know English, was that a lot of Parisians spoke English and everyone I personally dealt with was very polite and kind. That stereotype of the snobby French could not be further from the truth, at least for me.
I would love to see the Palais Garnier. ❤️
It isn’t true at all. I agree with you. It is a city, so people are busy, but it is one of my favorite cities in the world.
You should go and dress up; it is fun to have a reason to since it isn’t often in life. It is indulgent in a way, but it is lovely.
Paris is a romantic city, and at night it is magical. When I was a kid, I didn’t appreciate it, but when I lived there for a few years I loved it, but that was years ago before the world went crazy. It is worth it to go off the tourist route and discover what the locals do and where they go because it is a different experience and you avoid tourist traps.
This thread made me laugh so hard. Thanks guys 😀
So incredibly rude and entitled to make noise during a performance. I am at a loss for why this article is taking his side.
Right? It’s the ultimate irony that this type of behavior IS a perfect example for “rude American”.
I don’t get it either, sounds like some obnoxious rude american in a foreign country behaviour to me too. Even so, not a big deal – funny story!
Ps – Unless you were joking with this part I am majorly eye-rolling you.
“To which I say… Lenny Kravitz is not a rude American. He’s one of our national treasures, and you should be honored that he’s staying there, France.”
I love Lenny. Nay, I adore him. I’d forgive him a lot.
The reason the paron felt the need to utter an apparently ridicule “This is France” is stated loud and clear in the post :”and you should be honored that he’s staying there, France.”
Well, all is said here. Too often wealthy and/or famous US citizens, whenever confronted with some questionable behavior, react exactly like this . Apparently, we’re only authorized to feel honored that some national treasure deigns to grace us with its presence.
So preemptive sentence before the anticipated and usual “But I’m American” .
And yes, I’m sure some French have probably displayed insufferable attitudes abroad too.
+1
oh, laws! Peak Lenmy has occurred!
I admit I’d do anything to see a video of the altercation! And also the hug off and then afterparty. Beautiful people problems, yay!
Babu what say you?! I just googled lenny kravitz likes young girls and got nothing. Please universe,2017 has sucked donkey dong. If I have to cancel Lenny, there is not enough sea salt caramel chocolate in Wonka Land to heal my ears, eyes and loins:(
Sorry to say, CharlieB, but I heard it from 2 sources.
One of whom regularly clubbed with him in Paris, the other was a trendy hairdresser, so it seemed quite in the open with the ‘in’ set.
I will never cancel Lenny
Rude. It’s disrespectful towards the other patrons and the performers and the orchestra. And since Lenny lives there and had a ticket or invitation to the opening night, he should have conformed to the expected etiquette. He cannot plead ignorance, he’s clearly more worldly than that.
I’ve been the annoyed opera patron next to noisy neighbours and I can assure you it’s infuriating. Live ballet or opera are immersive experiences and you don’t want to be distracted from following every instant.
@Esmeralda I agree. Although having read the whole story both men involved were just irritated/hangry in this moment, understood their wrongdoings and made up. So i am not going to make any generalized judgments on this one event. If Lenny repeats this behaviour its a different story :p
I know I get so excited like I am a child. I take my two oldest to ballets and performances, and they know to be quiet. Lol It is fun we dress up, and it is adorable to see my son in his suit. Little man, I call him, and he takes it seriously.
Lenny reminds me of a little kid and his indignation sounds like a scene from a madcap comedy.
I’m with the dude. Incredibly gauche.
It wasn’t a ricola.
Or a box of chocolates.
But a morsel of chocolate?
Let him eat in peace.
Sorry but that dreaded wiglet just won’t do
Lol — if he wasn’t wearing it, noone (there) would recognize him.
(except me – and I AM a fan, btw)
Peak Ugly American.
Sorry ’bout it.
Yeah, sorry Lenny, but sneaking snacks into an opera ballet is uncouth. It doesn’t matter what country you are in!
First of all there is a dress code when gping to a premiere at the opera. And second of all – eating chocolate at the opera is rude. We, Europeans take our Opera experience very seriously. Of course sine I am not Frensh and live in a country of less heated, nordic type of people, everyone around him would just roll their eyes in silence.
Like, I live in France, and I dig that this is a country where ppl generally respect- and EXPECT to be respected- a certain level of decorum at events like that. I find crandy wrappers, popcorn, sniffing/snorting, coughing, etc. annoying as hell even in a movie, and in an atmosphere like that, I don’t at all blame the Other Guy (WHO was it?? probably someone important here) for shhh-ing and I don’t dig Lenny’s apparent ‘I’m a Huge Rock Star/ American, you can’t tell me what to do !!” crap. A “shh!” sounds like it was wholly warranted. I would have been pissed if I was there, even seated next to Lenny freakin’ The Hotness Kravitz (cuz I always have kinda loved him) if dude started making eating noises during the opening of a gorgeous ballet, I don’t even care who he is or how special he’s supposed to be.
I don’t even like to eat at the movies but damn this story made me understand why my husband never wanted us to live in his home country. I’ve never been so happy and grateful to be in Canada.