How Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Feather’ video resulted in a priest’s downfall

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Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” music video didn’t just break the internet — it also unraveled a priest’s career.

On Monday, November 18, Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, who oversaw Brooklyn’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel, was stripped of his duties just over a year after allowing the 25-year-old pop star’s team to film in the historic church in September 2023.

The music video in question — a darkly satirical take on men who treat women inappropriately — depicts Carpenter navigating dramatic scenes of revenge and funerals in the 19th-century church. While fans pushed the video to over 102 million views, it sparked a broader administrative review of the parish, led by external firms.

“I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols,” said Bishop Robert J. Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn in a statement obtained by USA Today on Tuesday, November 19. “In order to safeguard the public trust, and to protect church funds, I have appointed Bishop Witold Mroziewski as administrator of the Parish.”

The diocese alleged that from 2019 to 2021, Gigantiello had transferred nearly $2 million in church funds to accounts linked to a former staffer of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Amid a series of legal challenges, Adams was indicted on multiple charges, including bribery and wire fraud, leading to several high-profile resignations within his administration.

Unfortunately, the fallout didn’t stop there — the aftermath of the music video shoot revealed more than just financial discrepancies. It turned out Gigantiello had been secretly recording conversations within the parish walls. One such recording caught Deacon Dean Dobbins, Gigantiello’s temporary replacement, using language that the bishop described as “racist and other offensive.” This revelation swiftly resulted in Dobbins also being relieved of his duties.

“It was wrong to secretly record Deacon Dobbins, but the use of such language by any church employee is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Brennan added.

As for Gigantiello, he defended his decision to permit Carpenter’s team to film at the church in an apology letter posted to the church’s Facebook page. He wrote: “The parish staff and I were not aware that anything provocative was occurring in the church nor were we aware that faux coffins and other funeral items would be placed in the sanctuary. Most of the video was supposed to be filmed outside, near the church, which it was.”

Meanwhile, Carpenter stood by her team, saying they had the greenlight for the shoot. “We got approval in advance,” she told Variety in November 2023. “And Jesus was a Carpenter” — a line she proudly wore on a T-shirt during her Coachella set earlier this year.