DIY VIRAL
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Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia's memorable name is one you might not have known until last year.
The Barstool Sports personality has long enjoyed huge success on social media, but she has reached a new level of fame in 2024 thanks to increased scrutiny of her personal life.
In a sad turn of events, Brianna was dumped by Zach Bryan after just over a year of dating.
And from what Ms. Chickenry says, the country star wasn't nice when he dumped her.
Brianna LaPaglia's Painful Year
In fact, she claims Byran brutally blinded her.
“I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up, and I didn't know that post was going to go up,” LaPaglia said in a YouTube video (via Page Six).
“He didn’t text me, he didn’t call me.”
Obviously, this is beyond harsh, and Bryan has rightfully been criticized for the way he handled the situation.
Brianna later accused Zach of emotional abuse and says she's still not completely over their split. But despite all her suffering, there is no doubt that Bri emerged victorious from this breakup.
A new chapter
Yes, as she announced on Instagram today Brianna was selected as the cover model for the 2025 digital edition Sports Illustrated swimsuit problem.
“It’s so much more than me looking sexy in a swimsuit – it’s me reclaiming who I am as a woman, reclaiming my body, my decisions and my choices,” LaPaglia said of the filming.
“This cover is about me being myself again and taking control of my life. This is my body; my body is not this experience, and even though I'm not 100% there right now, it is me. It has nothing to do with anyone else,” she continued.
“(The photoshoot) is just, on a petty level, my favorite, fk you. This is me, and I wanted to do this, and now I'm on the digital cover.
The birth of a Swiftie
Brianna's mental health may be improving these days, but she's not hiding the pain she's endured over the last year.
Fortunately, it seems she was able to find comfort in a healthy coping mechanism that has worked for millions of other grief victims.
Yes, elsewhere inside her AND interview, LaPaglia explains that the split from Bryan gave her a new appreciation for Taylor Swift's music.
“It's a shame that it took these circumstances to become a Swiftie,” Brianna said, adding that she was “very grateful to have found Taylor.”
She explained that she even has the lyrics to Taylor's song “I Hate It Here” tattooed on her arm.
This could have been an extra 'eff you' for his ex, as Bryan drew the ire of Swifties when he posted negative tweets about the pop icon last year.
Like the editors of AND Note that Bri passed up a lucrative non-disclosure agreement so she could maintain the freedom to tell her story to the world:
“Our ex offered LaPaglia $12 million and an apartment in New York, in exchange for her silence about everything that happened during their time together,” the magazine reports.
“She refused to accept it and instead began talking about the relationship, which she says was controlling and emotionally abusive.”
As her star continues to rise, it's clear that Brianna made the right decision.
And a growing army of fans can't wait to see what his future holds.
DIY VIRAL
