Keke Palmer’s SXSW panel took an unexpected turn Friday when a stranger rushed the stage and knelt in front of her, ring box in hand, in front of a live audience.
Palmer was hosting a live recording of his podcast, Baby, this is Keke Palmerat his side I love boosters co-stars Demi Moore, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu and Eiza González, when the man appeared on stage, knelt down and smiled at her with an open ring box.
Palmer was speechless. Her co-stars reacted with a mixture of shock and laughter.
She handled it with as much grace as the situation allowed.
“I can’t marry you. I don’t know you. I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry, sir,” she told him, causing the crowd to laugh.
Assuming it must have been staged, she asked if everything had been planned in advance, but the staff and audience near the front quickly responded clearly that it had not.
Someone told her she needed security.
His security guard came out from backstage and a SXSW staff member stood up from the audience, both moving to escort the man.
He didn’t move easily.
Still on his knees, he insisted that she wanted to say yes. Several audience members responded that she absolutely did not. He was eventually led out of the event space, with Palmer visibly concerned for him and apologizing to his co-stars and the crowd.
Taylour Paige, always quick, leaned into the moment.
“Sorry about that man,” she said with a laugh, a nod to the iconic meme featuring Palmer herself.
After the dust settled, Palmer joked that she had taken on Ashton Kutcher’s hidden camera. Punk had to be restarted.
She then asked the room to take a collective breath, the audience responded with a round of applause, and the recording of the podcast resumed.
