Larry Marano, Getty Images
Following last week's announcement that he shaved his longstanding beard and locks, Matisyahu is back in the news, for all the wrong reasons.
According to a Paper Magazine article, photographer Rebecca Smeyne was assigned to cover his 'Festival of Light' Hanukkah gig on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg. During the show, one of several he's playing at the venue, Matisyahu reportedly kicked Smeyne in the face and broke her camera flash. Eleven photos of the show accompany the article, one of which shows the artist looking less than pleased as he stares into the lens.
"Sorry about last night. I totally snapped," Matisyahu said at the start of a string of tweets this afternoon (Dec. 22), replying to both Smeyne and the magazine. "I wouldn't call it a kick, more like stepping into the crowd. And being that you've shot so many shows you should know how distracting a huge flash in your face is. Seemed like you were there everywhere I turned with that flash. Next time, be more sensitive to the performer."
"I wasn't even in the front row and as you can see in the photos I wasn't close to you at all most of the time," Smeyne quickly replied. Paper Magazine added no further comment aside from dubbing the incident "Matisyahu-gate" in a subsequent off-topic tweet.
Smeyne said that a photo pass was pre-arranged for the concert through the artist's publicists with "no mention of restrictions in terms of photography or flash." Halfway through the concert, Smeyne moved closer to take a picture of Matisyahu ,who was lighting a huge menorah. As he then moved towards center stage, Smeyne continued shooting with the flash. "And this is when
