As many had hoped, but few truly believed, Eminem showed up in person at the New York premiere of Stans.
Signs started surfacing the day before, when longtime photographer Jeremy Deputat posted about flying to NY, followed by Stan video star Devon Sawa shouting out the city on X. Then came Em’s team, and finally a black SUV with tinted windows pulled directly into the venue’s garage at Pier 17.
Once inside, Eminem took the mic and gave a heartfelt thank you to the crowd. Here is his full speech:
Let me tell you why this shit is so crazy to me. When I was writing the song “Stan”, I never understood… I think I’ve just started to understand the impact my music has on people. It is so crazy to me to look at over my career. Just the fact that I was able to impact people.
(Marshall, I love you! – I love you too. ‘The venue erupts in enthusiasm’ – I’m trying to think of what the fuck I want to say here!)
This film… I just wanted to say that when I was writing this song
(Marshall, I love you! – I love you too, goddamn!!!)
When I was writing this song, I didn’t understand the impact that my music was having on people at the time. And it was really surreal to me. And it is still surreal to this day to look out here and see all of you. And the fact that my music has inspired you. This film is a thank to all of you. This is a thank you to all of you for sticking by me for this whole fucking time. To all my shit, to all my bullshit, or my fucking mediocre shit. The good shit, the bad shit, all of it. This film is dedicated to y’all. And I just wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart. And all the people, the cast, this is a thank you to them. This is a thank you to y’all. I just wanted to say thank you. I hope y’all enjoy the film, and at the end, stick around because we’re premiering the video, the first time, for “FACK”. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. But stick around after the film. We’re doing the panel, there’s Q&A, Paul told me to tell y’all, they are doing a panel. I hope y’all enjoy it. Thank you so much for coming out.
It was classic Marshall: raw, real, funny, even pausing mid-speech to return every “I love you” yelled from the crowd, as if he did not want any love confession to go unnoticed, as if he was compelled to respond, not to let this ultimate act of human connection go without acknowledgement. This is a person who treasures love and respects the vulnerability of coming forward with your heart bare.
That kind of sincere connection is rare, and Stans is all about exactly that.
The documentary opens in theatres worldwide today, August 7.
