Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“I totally screwed up by not getting contact lenses,” Roan joked after having trouble reading the teleprompter.
Chappell Roan Accidentally Curses While Honoring Cyndi Lauper at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Chappell Roan’s attempt to keep things clean onstage took an unexpected turn during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
While introducing Cyndi Lauper as one of the newest inductees on Saturday, November 8, the “Pink Pony Club” singer stumbled over the teleprompter — leading to an unplanned slip of the tongue.
“I think we can all agree that the most powerful art comes from the most genuine people,” Roan, 27, said as she began her speech, dressed in a recreation of the iconic skirt Lauper, 72, wore in her True Colors music video. “When artists stay true to who they are — even when others call them too much, too loud, or too eccentric — that honesty becomes their superpower.”
As she squinted at the screen, Roan accidentally blurted out, “I f—,” before quickly covering her mouth, prompting laughter and applause from the crowd. “I really messed up by not getting contacts. Holy cow,” she joked.
Once the laughter subsided, Roan continued, praising Lauper’s lasting influence: “That kind of courage doesn’t just create great art — it gives others the freedom to be themselves. It opens hearts, changes minds, and that’s what makes it so powerful. Tonight, we celebrate a woman who redefined what it means to be a pop star — how she looked, sounded, and expressed herself. A true legend whose authenticity has inspired us for over forty years: the incredible Cyndi Lauper.”
Lauper then took the stage to accept her honor, performing a medley of her biggest hits — including “True Colors,” “Time After Time,” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” — with special guests Avril Lavigne and Salt-n-Pepa joining her for parts of the performance.
In her acceptance speech, Lauper reflected on her journey and the women who inspired her: “I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me, and my shoulders are strong enough for the next generation to stand on mine,” she said. “The kid inside me still believes that rock and roll can save the world.”
She concluded with a heartfelt message: “Now more than ever, we need to come together and do good in the world — because the world truly needs us.”
When asked earlier this year how she felt about being inducted, the two-time Grammy winner told Rolling Stone that the news caught her off guard. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to think,” she admitted in May. “You know me — I just focus on whatever I’m doing in the moment. If recognition comes, it comes. But I’ve always believed that rock and roll can change the world, and that’s why I keep moving forward, trying to help however I can.”
