Mariah Carey fans still noticed her alarmingly stiff appearance during 2025 MTV Video Music Awards despite the good lighting, a glam squad, and a reported $10 million worth of diamonds dancing on her neck and ears.
The pop icon was honored at the Sept. 7 ceremony with the Vanguard Award, recognizing her 35-year career and marking her first VMA win. Carey, 56, performed a medley of her hits like “Fantasy,” “Honey,” and “Obsessed,” to name a few, in a sparkly gold, short bodysuit and matching knee-high heeled boots.
Her signature blond hair was styled in loose waves as she belted out the chart-topping singles and accepted one of the night’s most prestigious awards. Social media erupted with praise for her appearance and the accolade.
That chatter was largely drowned out by others who expressed concern for Carey when footage of her exiting the stage raised red flags.
The revered songwriter appeared to have some physical struggles, mainly that she shuffled her feet and required the assistance of multiple people to walk and descend eight stairs.
“Something isn’t right. This isn’t normal,” said one observer. A second person asked, “Why does she walk like she’s 107 years old?” A third individual remarked, “Why is she walking like that? Do you think something happened?”
Larger speculation was ignited when others shared their theories the “Glitter” star’s health. Carey’s sobriety was also questioned when someone asked, “Is she drunk?”
The speculation comes 12 years after Carey was hospitalized after taking a tumble in high heels on the set of a video shoot. She suffered from a dislocated shoulder, inured ribs, and nerve damage as a result of the “very serious” incident. In her defense, Lambs, her loyal fan base, argued, “She’s literally 56 y’all, let her move slow” and that “Mariah has never played about those stairs.”
Regardless of the comments about her slow movements, Carey and MTV shared the big night on social media. The queen of Christmas is also moving full steam ahead and promoting her latest single, “Type Dangerous,” and forthcoming album, “Here For It All,” due out on Sept. 26.
