Spectacle vs Substance
Evan Werner ’27
I'm no fan of Taylor Swift, but recently, I had the rare chance to see her on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. My friend’s dad, who works as the executive producer, thought it would be a good opportunity for us to see both the behind-the-scenes and the cultural juggernaut. As someone who is particularly critical of Taylor Swift, (some reasons but not limited to: her lack of opinion on social issues, failure to stand for much, and the general way she carries herself), I couldn't pass up the chance to get a close look at some of her behavior.
When Taylor Swift walked onto the stage, I felt as though I was watching her Madame Tussauds figure come to life. She was perfectly airbrushed, meticulously poised, and her every move radiated control. I exaggerate none, saying her presence and energy mirrored that of a cult leader. The moment she appeared, the audience (a crowd I admittedly fit into demographically: young, white, female) erupted into applause, their eyes glued on her in a submissive daze.
I had come to the interview hoping that my preconceived notions about her would shift. I thought, maybe, she’d reveal some unexpected edge or candor during the interview. To my dismay (but not surprise), I left with my perception of another celebrity lacking depth and edge confirmed, but only this time, I’d experienced it firsthand.
What I Noticed
Throughout the interview, Swift displayed an almost compulsive need to loop every question back to herself. When asked why she wouldn’t perform at the Super Bowl, she launched into a long explanation about not wanting to take away from Travis Kelce’s “moment,” while still managing to make the entire response about herself. In a segment of “Rumors” Fallon asked whether she’d once, in a speech at Selena Gomez's wedding, said she “beat her to the altar” and announced her engagement. Instead of answering, Swift went on a rambling ten-minute tangent about her and Gomez’s early-2010s fashion choices, only to circle back and emphasize—again—that she “didn’t want to take away Selena’s moment.” The irony was hard to miss: she spent most of the interview proving, with almost rehearsed precision, that she doesn’t take the spotlight, while never once stepping out of it.
Why I Have An Issue With Talking About Yourself During Your Own Interview
Everything she said was perfectly poised and calculated. And I can understand why. After years of being in the public eye and experiencing intense scrutiny, you start to monitor your words. I don't blame her for precision. But this wasn’t the kind of conversation designed to cleverly sidestep scandal; it was dull and formulaic, ultimately serving one purpose: to reinforce her brand. Taylor Swift does not want to lose her title of the all perfect public figure, epitome of perfection. She is addicted to admiration and obsessed with control. She wants more and more: money, power, validation. And she gets it through every reprocessed tour documentary, easter-egg-coded album drop, and each parasocial performance of intimacy that keeps her followers hooked. It’s not just marketing anymore, but devotion disguised as fandom. She is her biggest fan.
Is it an issue to talk about yourself during an interview about you? No. But when it is the same washed up conversation pieces—a ring, a football player, and Selena Gomez—it only reinforces the shallowness I had previously perceived her as. Throughout the entire interview, she never once said anything I did not expect her to, or shocked me with a funny bit or an interesting story. I’m not exaggerating when I say you could stitch this entire interview together from clips of past ones word for word. The entire night was a recycled washed up piece.
The strangest and most bizarre moment came during the rumors game, where the task was simple: press a button to either confirm or deny the rumor. Yet, Swift spent nearly twenty-five minutes misunderstanding, re-explaining, and fumbling over the concept. I genuinely thought she was having a seizure. It wasn't cute or comedic, but rather concerning and hard to watch. I’m not sure how much of that made it to air, as they had to cut out thirty minutes of the interview because it ended up being the longest recorded interview in Fallon history. From my seat behind the producers, I could see their subtle looks of panic as the whole segment fell apart. Fallon covered for her, playing it off as a funny moment, but to me, it felt pathetic. The bit fell completely flat.
Diagnosis
From my place of having absolutely no business doing this, I want to diagnose her, as a way to wrap my head around the concerning behavior I witnessed that night. First, I think Taylor Swift has an extreme case of self infatuation and idolization. Never have I encountered another celebrity so meticulously invested in curating their own myth and brand. Every public appearance and word she utters feels less like spontaneous expression and more like narrative management. Taylor Swift doesn’t just promote music—she promotes herself, relentlessly, as a quasi-mythical figure. She elevates herself up before the public, pushing the “savior of pop,” “a misunderstood genius,” and “patron saint of female friendship” narrative. Even her interactions with other artists often have this transactional, almost feudal undertone: she anoints them with attention, and in return, they owe her allegiance. It’s classic brand-centered self-mythologizing, narcissism wrapped in the language of empowerment. She is constructed.
The Larger Issue I Have With Taylor Swift
Her biggest fault is her failure to speak out. An Instagram post endorsing a presidential candidate isn’t good enough. Silence when shit actually hits the fan—during ICE raids (happening right now in NYC), the genocide in Palestine, basic human rights being trampled—is complicity. Her platform has the potential to be genuinely empowering, and morally grounded. Instead, she promotes her faulty moral image when she can’t even speak out about children being torn away from their families. She stays quiet, and shines nowhere else. The idolization of her vapidess is concerning and shows that the people we put up on a pedestal as a role model or icon in this country are dangerous.
Taylor Swift is an active participant in perpetuating the status quo, the kind of person corrupt governments want in the public eye. The truth is, her image thrives precisely because it is depthless, perfectly marketable, and overwhelmingly universally palatable. That’s why brands love her, and millions follow her without question.
I demand more from celebrities and the people we idolize. Why elevate them if they’re unremarkable and unaccountable? Especially when they are uninteresting and quasi-talented. And yes, I realize the irony. I am spending time writing this criticism, giving her the breath I otherwise want to avoid. But still, I had to process what I witnessed. To ignore it would be to pretend that influence this expansive, when wielded so vacuously, isn’t worth dissecting. Cultural leaders must lead. Not just when it’s convenient, or when it's on-brand. So, as receivers of art and pop culture, we must stop confusing spectacle with substance.