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Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia’s memorable name is one you may not have been familiar with until last year.
The Barstool Sports personality has long enjoyed a large following on social media, but she 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 to hear Ms Chickenry tell it, the country star wasn’t nice about it when he cut her loose.

The Painful Years of Brianna LaPaglia
In fact, she claims Byran brutally blindsided her.
“I just woke up to Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up and I had no idea that post was going up,” ins LaPaglia said in a YouTube video (via Page Six ).
“He didn’t write me, he didn’t call me.”
Obviously, it’s more than tough, and Bryan deservedly took a ton of flak for the way he handled the situation.
Brianna later accused Zach of emotional abuse, and she says she’s still not completely over their split. But for all her suffering, there’s no doubt that Bri came out victorious in this breakup.
A new chapter
Yes, as she announced on Instagram today, Brianna has been chosen as the cover model for the 2025 digital edit Sports Illustrated swimsuit problem.
“It’s a lot more than me looking quote-unquote hot in a bathing suit — it’s me reclaiming who I am as a woman, reclaiming my body and my decisions and my choices,” LaPaglia said of the shoot.
“This cover is me being me again and taking control of my life. This is my body; my body is not that experience, and even though I’m not 100% in it right now, it is me. This has not something to do with anyone else,” she continued.
“[The photo shoot] is just, on a petty level, my favorite f–k you. It’s 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 on the rise these days, but she’s not sugarcoating the pain she endured last year.
Fortunately, it seems she was able to find solace in a healthy coping mechanism that has worked for millions of other victims of heartbreak
Yes, elsewhere in her SI interview, LaPaglia explains that the split from Bryan gave her a new appreciation for Taylor Swift’s music.


“It’s unfortunate that it took this circumstance to become a Swiftie,” Brianna said, adding that she’s “very thankful that I found Taylor”
She explained that she even has the lyrics from the Taylor song “I Hate It Here” tattooed on her arm.
It could have been an extra “eff you” to her ex as Bryan incurred the wrath of Swifties when he posted negative tweets about the pop icon last year.
As editors of SI Note, Bri accepted a lucrative non-disclosure agreement so she could maintain the freedom to tell her story to the world:


“Notably, LaPaglia was offered $12 million and an apartment in New York by her ex, in exchange for her silence about everything that happened during their time together,” reports the magazine.
“She refused to accept it and instead started 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 her future holds.