If you were a fan of Gossip Girl — and I’m talking about the deliciously scandalous 2007 series on The CW, not the critically panned reboot — you know who Taylor Momsen is. She played Jenny Humphrey, the younger sister of “Lonely Boy” Dan and all-around repulsive human being (in a series that was chock-full of those). Jenny didn’t stick around for all six seasons, and if you have ever wondered what she’s been up to for the past decade or so, we’ve got quite the update for you, as she recently got bit by a bat during a concert with her band The Pretty Reckless.
The whole incident was caught on video during The Pretty Reckless’ show in Seville, Spain, as Taylor Momsen explained in an Instagram post. Check out the wild moment below:
What’s crazy is that the bat attack happened while Taylor Momsen was singing “Witches Burn,” she said in the caption that accompanied the video. She must have been pretty into her performance, too, because she didn’t realize anything was amiss until she noticed people in the crowd pointing at the bat on her leg. In the video, she can be heard saying:
You guys are pointing at something, but I don’t know what you’re saying… Oh my God! There is a fucking flying bat on my leg right now. Can someone help me please? Eee! I must really be a witch.
Honestly, I’m impressed that the bat knew it was the perfect moment to make its appearance. That’s real star quality right there! With the help of some of the crew, it was removed from Taylor Momsen’s leg, with the singer confirming the winged creature was fine and “going to be my new friend.”
I’m not sure how long that sentiment lasted, however, as it turns out the bat did get a bite of her, and the last part of the above video showed Taylor Momsen at the hospital getting a rabies shot.
It’s been a long time since Taylor Momsen was associated with her last acting role. Jenny Humphrey started out as a sweet and innocent character on Gossip Girl (a series that’s totally worth the hype), but Little J was quickly corrupted by the mean girls and bad boys of New York’s Upper East Side.
Taylor Momsen’s persona off-camera was changing even faster than that of her character, as her band The Pretty Reckless formed in 2009. Following Season 4 of The CW show, Taylor Momsen left Hollywood behind to focus on music, and she’s been doing it ever since. The Pretty Reckless has put out four studio albums, most recently Death by Rock and Roll in 2021, and they’re currently opening for AC/DC on their European tour.
If you want to relive the 2000s teen drama that boasted a stellar cast of up-and-comers — including but not limited to Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford — all six seasons can be streamed with a Max subscription. Both seasons of the reboot are available there as well.