# Can someone explain the Taylor Swift phenomenon to me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 19, 2023, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339 "2023-03-19T02:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/622 "2023-12-06T13:25:53Z")
TIME Magazine can. [Person of the Year 2023: Taylor Swift](https://time.com/6342806/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift/) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/623 "2023-12-06T14:57:23Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > TIME Magazine can. Admittedly I only scanned the article, but I’d say TIME naming Swift ‘Person of the Year’ is less an _explanation_ of the Taylor Swift phenomenon than it is a _reaction_ to it. Interestingly, Swift is the first entertainer named since ‘Person of the Year’ began in 1927. I had thought Elvis got it in the 50s, but no. > **[Time Person of the Year](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Person_of_the_Year)** > > Person of the Year (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999) is an annual issue of the American news magazine and website Time featuring a person, a group, idea, or object that "for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the year". The editors select the featured subject, though the Time website also runs an annual reader's poll that has no effect on the selection. > The tradition of selecting a "Man of the Year" began in 1927, with Time editors contem... ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/624 "2023-12-06T15:02:13Z")
Yay! That’s great. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/625 "2023-12-06T16:34:52Z")
Why did they pick a photo that makes it look like she has no neck? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/626 "2023-12-06T16:51:17Z")
Okay, I meant the b&w header image for the article, I see there are more photos down-page. Including one that looks like someone asked an AI for an image of Taylor Swift and a cat and it generated a terrifying Swift/cat hybrid with a cat growing from the sides of her neck. [![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/SWIFT.FINAL_.COVER3_.jpg?quality=75&w=1080) ](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/SWIFT.FINAL_.COVER3_.jpg?quality=75&w=1080) The hand even looks a little off. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/627 "2023-12-06T18:37:02Z")
Yeah, she looks deformed in that picture. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/628 "2023-12-06T18:39:17Z")
If you’re going to photoshop an arm, at least do both arms consistently. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/629 "2023-12-06T19:25:32Z")
I’m sure her knees are pointy, too… ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/630 "2023-12-06T20:39:35Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > it generated a terrifying Swift/cat hybrid More terrifying than this Swift/cat hybrid? [![](https://i.insider.com/5dfbe081954bda14996e2ca8?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp) ](https://i.insider.com/5dfbe081954bda14996e2ca8?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/631 "2023-12-06T20:41:47Z")
I don’t think anyone is implying that Swift is deformed; the question is about the weird staging/photo/editing choices that turned an attractive woman into that odd photo. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/632 "2023-12-06T20:59:38Z")
Yeah, that cover looks like this guy [![](https://i.etsystatic.com/36645317/r/il/1d9df4/4061363021/il_570xN.4061363021_pvq8.jpg) ](https://i.etsystatic.com/36645317/r/il/1d9df4/4061363021/il_570xN.4061363021_pvq8.jpg) with a cat ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/633 "2023-12-06T21:14:35Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I don’t think anyone is implying that Swift is deformed; the question is about the weird staging/photo/editing choices that turned an attractive woman into that odd photo. Yes. The photo is odd. Not Swift. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/634 "2023-12-06T22:04:29Z")
Yes, something went wrong either in composition or in post-processing with that picture. > [@solost](#): > > More terrifying than this Swift/cat hybrid Everything about THAT was terrifying… ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/635 "2023-12-06T22:26:53Z")
She looks great to me. The down arm is bent back. It’s a tough look. Fierce. I bet that’s her cat, too. She loves her cat. Her look in the _Cats_ movie? Ehhh. Not so much. The whole movie has bad make-up. In my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/636 "2023-12-06T23:54:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I bet that’s her cat, too. That is Benjamin Buttons. No word on what direction he ages. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/637 "2023-12-06T23:59:36Z")
Man, cleaning all that cat hair off that black suit is gonna be a bitch. She probably has people for that. Maybe just one person even. That’s the sole job, take care of the cat hair and probably the box too. sigh, It must be good to be Taylor Swift. I’m quite jealous. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/638 "2023-12-07T00:03:39Z")
I’m loving the fact that the RW is losing its collective shit over this. Apparently it’s a Precursor To Global Debauchery, Licentiousness and Necking or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/639 "2023-12-07T00:06:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I’m loving the fact that the RW is losing its collective shit over this And they usually _like_ billionaires. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/640 "2023-12-07T00:07:50Z")
Time’s Person of the Year is always controversial. Even though I’m certainly no Swiftie, why not have something unquestionably positive for a change? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339/641 "2023-12-07T00:17:06Z")
They don’t think she is unquestionably positive. But these are absolute loons we’re dealing with. > What does this even mean? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-taylor-swift-phenomenon-to-me/981339.md?page=33)