Meet ‘Pink Pony Pawpaw,’ one of Chappell Roan’s oldest fans

Most of Chappell Roan’s fanbase may be Gen Z, but that doesn’t mean there’s an age limit on loving her music. 

An older fan of Roan has gone viral after being filmed at a recent concert in South Carolina. The video sees him dancing and lip syncing every word to her hit song “Pink Pony Club” — so, naturally, the internet has dubbed him “Pink Pony Pawpaw.” Folks are obsessed with everything about him, from his on-theme pink polo shirt, to his mastery of the lyrics, to the sheer fact of someone in their old age still loving and appreciating Roan as much as the rest of us.

Roan took notice of Pink Pony Pawpaw, too. In a second video from the concert, she seemed to look right at him while singing.

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Those videos’ comments are full of folks saying they can’t help but cry when they see Pink Pony Pawpaw, but why is he such a tearjerker? He reminds folks of all the elder LGBTQ+ people who left us too soon — be they relatives, friends, beloved celebrities, or all those lost to the AIDS crisis — who never got to experience the visibility and joy of a queer superstar like Roan and no doubt would have loved her music.

“I get very emotional every time I see Pink Pony Pawpaw,” one TikToker wrote in a viral video. “I’m just constantly reminded why I don’t see very many elderly gay men and how many people like him would’ve loved to be at that concert but can’t.”

“I’m so happy Chappell acknowledged him and I hope that was a really special time for him because it was special for me just to watch it on a TikTok,” they continued.

“This audio alone makes me want to cry cuz imagine how many old gay men would RIDE for Chappell if they were here with us?!” another TikToker wrote. “I love you Pink Pony Pawpaw I hope you’re having an amazing day.”

“Older gay men who lived through the plague and lost ALL of their friends deserve this moment in gay pop,” wrote a third. “Someone find Pink Pony Paw Paw and tell him we love him!”

Though more details about Pink Pony PawPaw haven’t come out, his euphoric moment at the concert is enough to warm fans’ hearts. Wherever he is, we hope he’s bumping The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and feeling all the love.

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