Trevor Noah's Defense Of Taylor Swift At The 2024 Grammys Isn't As Nice As You Think
The jury is still out on whether Taylor Swift will be at the 2024 Super Bowl to cheer on her boyfriend Travis Kelce, but she was very much in the spotlight at the 66th annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Looking stunningly classic in a flowing white gown and black opera gloves, Swift was there in hopes of collecting the coveted gramophone in the three biggest categories: Record of the Year, Song of the Year (both for "Anti-Hero") and Album of the Year (for "Midnights").
Folks hoping to see Kelce on the red carpet were denied their dream: With the Super Bowl just a week away, the Kansas City Chiefs star had to focus on training. That doesn't mean he was entirely absent from the awards show, however. In his opening monologue, Grammys host Trevor Noah addressed the controversy over the attention Swift gets at games when she's spotted in the stands. "I think it is so unfair how NFL fans have been complaining about the cameras cutting to Taylor Swift? Right?" he said. "Like she's controlling the cameras at the games" (per People).
Noah's defense of the superstar singer got plenty of attention on X (formerly Twitter): "He spilled. A male comedian who doesn't try to crack a joke at Taylor's expense!" praised one commenter. But was this really a noble gesture? We're not so sure.
Was Trevor Noah just going for the headlines?
At first glance, it seems like Trevor Noah was playing knight in shining armor at the 2024 Grammys. He came to Taylor Swift's defense by rightly pointing out she has no say in the coverage she gets from the NFL just for sitting in the bleachers at Chiefs games. Noah even followed up by joking, "I'm gonna get revenge. Every time someone says 'Taylor Swift,' I'm going to cut the cameras to someone who plays football" (via People). True to his word, the cameras cut to actor and former football player Terry Crews.
Funny, sure. Praiseworthy? That's debatable. As the former host of "The Daily Show," Noah is well aware of what makes a juicy news item, and he knew a Taylor Swift mention would be an easy way to land on the top of Google lists and entertainment home pages (ahem). Positioning himself as the singer's protector also implied Swift needs a man to come to her rescue. Um, shouldn't we be over the whole damsel-in-distress thing by now? Most of all, referencing the relationship (TayTrav? SwElcie?) was an unnecessary attention-grabber. Instead of being honored as a major artist, Noah's joke reduced her to mere "girlfriend of" status.
It's bad enough Taylor Swift is being positioned as Donald Trump's rival through bizarre right-wing conspiracy theories. She deserved at least one special night just to be acknowledged for her work and one of her best albums yet.