According to an expert, Cardi B experienced “fear and shock” and reacted with a “fight or flight” response after getting hit by a fan’s drink. This incident has led to Cardi B being considered a suspect in a battery case after she threw a microphone at a member of the crowd during a performance in Las Vegas.
Experts from Express.co.uk suggest that in that moment, Cardi B would have felt “vulnerable” and experienced both “shock and fear”. Body language expert Judi James explains that her behavior needs to be understood in context.
Judi James further emphasizes the significance of the relationship between performers and their fans, which is typically based on love and trust. Some performers even crowd-surf as an act of vulnerability and trust. Commenting on the incident, James reveals that Cardi B’s body language, such as shaking her head and leaning towards the fans, can be seen as a reinforcement of trust. However, when the drink hits her, she becomes extremely vulnerable as she is close to the fans, lifting her mic, and with her mouth wide open to sing.
Judi James explains that the drink appears to hit Cardi B directly in her face and open mouth, and it is unclear if she knew what the liquid was. At that moment, she seems frozen in a pose of shock and fear, with contracted muscles and a rigid, splayed left arm and fingers. Her mouth opens in shock as she appears to look towards the person who threw the liquid.
This fear or shock can trigger a fight or flight response. Cardi B reels upward and slightly back, but then she raises her mic and leans forward with her other arm stretched out in front. Her clenched lips may indicate fury or a self-protective gesture to prevent more liquid from entering her mouth.
This immediate response may be different from her emotional response after reflecting on the situation, as fear can set in.