In light of Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia’s recent breakup with Zach Bryan, Dave Portnoy is stepping up to support her. On October 22, the 47-year-old businessman and podcaster shared a tribute on X (formerly Twitter), dedicating a song to his co-host. He included a clip of Taylor Swift’s “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” from her newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, in his post.
This display of solidarity followed Bryan’s announcement of their separation on Instagram. The 28-year-old country singer expressed deep feelings for LaPaglia in his Instagram Stories, stating, “Brianna and me have broken up, 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.”
In his Instagram Stories, Bryan acknowledged that although their relationship had ended, he deeply appreciated the unconditional love LaPaglia had shown him throughout their time together
Bryan also shared that this year had been particularly challenging for him and that it was best for them to part ways. The former couple initially met at the ACM Awards in May 2023 and began dating two months later.
Meanwhile, LaPaglia, 25, felt caught off guard by Bryan’s announcement. She took to Instagram to express her feelings, saying, “I’m feeling really blindsided right now,” before announcing her decision to step back from social media to focus on healing. She thanked her supporters for their kindness, reminding them that they are loved and everything will be okay.
Later, she shared an emotional three-minute video on her Plan Bri UnCut account, sitting on her bathroom floor as she detailed the situation. “I woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up, and I had no idea that post was going up,” she recounted. “This is so embarrassing. I don’t give a f—. How can you give every ounce of yourself to someone and then be discarded in a few days? It’s really, really heartbreaking.”
Many fans believe Portnoy’s musical reference is remarkable, as Swift’s track critiques a former lover for leading her on before ending things abruptly, leaving her heartbroken. The lyrics capture the purpose of betrayal, with lines reflecting the pain of feeling discarded after investing deeply in a relationship.
