Brianna Chickenfry admitted dating a celebrity isn’t good for ‘mental’ health before Zach Bryan split

Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia admitted ahead of her split from Zach Bryan that dating a celebrity isn’t good for anyone’s “mental” health.

The Barstool Sports personality got candid about the struggles of dating the country singer on Tuesday’s episode of the “Talk Tuah with Haliey Welch” podcast, which was filmed days before Bryan announced their divorce.

“I think it’s better for the mental state not to date a celebrity,” she said. “It’s a lot.”

Earlier in the episode, LaPaglia explained that she once vowed to “never date a celebrity,” saying she “literally never wanted to and then it just happened.”

The 25-year-old media personality further said that she tries not to entertain the numerous online rumors about her then relationship.

“The internet is crazy and it’s full of stuff, and I never defend myself online,” she said. “So it just kind of snowballs, because I think it’s stupid to feed into it.”

LaPaglia met the 28-year-old “Pink Skies” singer at the 2023 ACM Awards in Dallas in May, but their relationship didn’t turn romantic until the influencer attended one of her now-ex’s concerts.

“I went to one of his shows and then we did a podcast episode about the show. And then he DMed me on Instagram,” she shared. “He slid into the DMs.”

The couple, who confirmed their romance in July 2023, announced their split on Tuesday.

In a statement shared to his Instagram Story, Bryan wrote that he has “respect and love” for LaPaglia.

He admitted that he had “had an incredibly difficult year personally and was struggling through some pretty serious things.”

“I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our separate ways,” the musician added. “I am not perfect and never will be.”

However, LaPaglia claimed she was “blindsided” by her ex’s announcement.

“I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we had broken up, and I had no idea that post was going up,” she said in a YouTube video uploaded on Tuesday. “He didn’t text me, he didn’t call me.”

LaPaglia said she “cried for five days straight” but doesn’t feel ready to share the details of their divorce.

A source told Page Six that the former couple were “crazy about each other, but their relationship has always been rocky” as Bryan’s “lifestyle is not conducive to a serious relationship.”