Dave Portnoy Responds toBFFCo-Host Brianna Chickenfry's Breakup from Zach Bryan with Pointed Taylor Swift Song

Mar. 15, 2025

Dave Portnoy; Taylor Swift; Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia.Photo:Slaven Vlasic/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Michael Buckner/WWD via Getty

Slaven Vlasic/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Michael Buckner/WWD via Getty

Dave Portnoyis defending hisBFFco-hostBrianna “Chickenfry” LaPagliafollowing her split fromZach Bryanwith a pointedTaylor Swiftsong.

“Dedicating this to @BChickenfry,” the businessman and podcaster, 47,posted on X(formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday, Oct. 22. His short, but pointed tweet included an audio file of Swift’s “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” from her latest album,The Tortured Poets Department.

Dave Portnoy; Brianna Chickenfry.Johnny Louis/Getty; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Johnny Louis/Getty; Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

Portnoy’s post came afterBryan announced his and LaPaglia’s separationon Instagram.

“Addressing something: Brianna and me have broken up with [each other] and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart. She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I’ll always thank her,” the country singer, 28, wrote on hisInstagram Storieson Tuesday.

Adding that he’s “had an incredibly hard year” and “struggled through some pretty severe things,” he said: “I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways."

The former couple met at the ACM Awards in May 2023 and started dating in July 2023.

Zach Bryan and Bri LaPaglia aka ‘Brianna Chickenfry’ at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards.Gilbert Flores/Getty

Gilbert Flores/Getty

“Hey guys, I’m feeling really blindsided right now,” she began the post. “Gonna hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately, when I’m ready I’ll be back and ready to talk," the podcast host wrote on her Instagram Stories. “I love you guys so much thank you for all of your kind words. Remember you are so loved and everything’s always gonna be okay.”

Hours later, she uploaded an emotional three-minute video to herPlan Bri UnCutaccount in which she sat on a bathroom floor, sharing more details about their breakup.

“I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up. He didn’t text me, he didn’t call me. I just woke up to a bunch of texts, like, ‘Are you okay?’ ” she said.

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“This is so embarrassing. I don’t give a f—,” LaPaglia continued. “How can you give every ounce of yourself to someone and then be discarded of in a few days? It’s really, really heartbreaking.”

As for Portnoy’s music reference, manySwifties believe“The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” was about Swift’s relationship with singerMatty Healy.

In the track, the pop star, 34, slams a former lover for making her believe they were in love, and then abruptly ending things and ruining her summer.

source: people.com