4 Times Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Bodyguards Have Caused A Stir
Jay-Z and Beyoncé are two of the biggest stars on the planet, so it only makes sense that they would have a pretty intense security detail. However, on more than one occasion, their antics while on the job have led to some raised eyebrows. From causing injuries to inconveniencing others who happen to be in the same space as the Carters, and even some incredibly unsavory deeds, to say some of the couple's bodyguards have caused a stir on a few occasions would be an understatement.
Starting with injury, let's throw it back to 2004 when athen-23-year-old Beyoncé was out and about in New York City. Naturally, she turned heads, sparking a frenzy that had her bodyguard, Richard Alexander (a.k.a. Big Shorty), jumping into action. But his hero moment turned into a nightmare when he, focused on the crowd, stepped right on Beyoncé's toe, breaking it in the process. Amid the chaos, his misstep didn't just crush her toe; it also unleashed a scream from the diva. "Beyoncé let out a shriek and hobbled back to her car, wincing in pain," they told the outlet, as reported by Glamour.
The same sources added that while she seemed frustrated initially, Beyonce laughed it off soon after when she saw how horrified the bodyguard was. At least, no one can say he wasn't trying to do his job.
The security surrounding Blue Ivy's birth caused a ruckus
Fast forward from the toe debacle, Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcomed their firstborn, Blue Ivy Carter, into the world. Understandably, security for the birth was tight. However, many other new parents weren't exactly thrilled by the fact that Lenox Hill Hospital was essentially on lockdown.
Speaking to CBS News at the time, one father shared that bodyguards had prevented him from going in to see his daughter. "I was arguing with the security guards to go see my baby. 'Why not? We can't, we can't.' I couldn't see my baby until three hours later because of the security," he claimed. Another complained that security wouldn't let his family through because the Carters' guests were in the hallway.
However, it's worth noting that the hospital denied that the Carters' security stopped anyone getting in or out — and an investigation done by the New York Health Department proved that to be the case. As was reported by Billboard, the complaints made to the department came from people who weren't even in the hospital but had made the reports based on what they'd read in the press. As for the hospital, Billboard revealed that they'd done an investigation of their own and that none of the patients they asked said they'd been hindered by the bodyguards. It seems that this drama may have been manufactured.
One of their bodyguards smacked Seth Rogen
Though the buzz about the Carters' fortress-like security at Lenox Hill Hospital might have been a bit exaggerated, there's no denying their bodyguards take a no-nonsense stance on safety. They're not taking chances, even with fellow celebs. Just ask Seth Rogen, who discovered in 2011 that being famous doesn't exempt you from being seen as a potential threat to Beyoncé and Jay-Z's bubble.
As Rogen revealed in his 2021 memoir, "Yearbook," a decade prior, he'd planned to introduce himself to Beyoncé and longtime friend, Gwyneth Paltrow, at the Grammys. However, he approached a little too fast for Beyoncé's security team's liking and Rogen was taken down. Mid-introduction, he wrote, "A giant arm SWUNG out like a baseball bat and smacked me across the chest so f**king hard I stumbled back and spilled my screwdriver all over myself." Making matters worse, before there could be any sort of reconciliation between the stars, Rogen was whisked away to present an award, stained suit and all.
TBH, hitting a well-known comedian at such a high-profile event is definitely an overreaction on the bodyguard's end. Even so, it's safe to say Rogen took it all in stride. He joked in the book that it was probably a wise choice. What's more, he was pictured joking with Beyoncé and Paltrow backstage at the same event, so there's a chance they smoothed things over later that night. Either way, the two have gone on to work together since, so we'll assume they're good.
The Carters fired one bodyguard for shady activities
Unfortunately, not all of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's bodyguards' missteps have to do with trying to protect their clients. Au contraire, in 2013, reports emerged that one of the couple's bodyguards, Norman Oosterbroek, had been fired for some seriously disturbing behavior.
Allegedly, a Vegas trip saw Oosterbroek hire an escort while on duty. A camera was involved, which could have been damning enough, but things took an even more serious turn when the Carters realized the recorded sexual acts of their bodyguard included their passports. "They really thought Norman was now a danger to Blue Ivy," a source told Daily News. Despite his immediate dismissal, the couple managed to kill the full story, and for a while, everything was kept under wraps. As for what prompted it coming out, not long after he was fired, Oosterbroek was killed in a scuffle with police. He allegedly broke into his neighbor's house while nude and after one of the homeowners came across him, he attacked her husband.
Other than Oosterbroek, it's safe to say that most of the time, Beyoncé and Jay-Z's security are over-enthusiastic, more than anything else. Then again, when you have two of the biggest names under your care, perhaps you have to be.