Taylor Swift is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year

ewwww.

This is a bit of a joke though. It's mostly US presidents, plus some Popes, Hitler, Stalin (twice!), Elon Muskrat, Mark Zuckerberg...

I forgot Putin. Nice company to be in.

Never listened to her once. I don’t get it.

Kelce likes his women darker and I can’t believe she would be interested in that mouthbreather but she sure is getting publicity

She's never looked more mannish, really unfortunate photo.

That photo reminds me of Brooke Shields

We were expecting it. It just shows dead magazines are.

Ugly, talentless, and mean-of course Americans love her.

She really is having an impact on a certain generation of women I guess. Politically, I’m sure the GQP is worried about her influence, she’s pro-abortion and women’s issues, and she has a lot of sway over her fans. I do actually like some of her music—the folk-like stuff rather than the pop stuff. R4, Kelce is actually not a mouth breather. He’s fairly liberal and erudite (especially for a football player) and, despite the MAGATs coming after him relentlessly, refused to take down the pro-vaccine ads he created.

Miss Ayran Union.

R9, just stop. And pro-abortion? Really?

I am not bothered by her selection but if Time thinks this is going to get millennials to run out and buy Time magazine they are going to be disappointed.

Cue the black writers screaming that she stole it from Beyoncé.

R7 It’s like what I gripe about on here about the award shows, it’s like they have to prop up these dying mediums with something so they pick the safest things possible.

Congratulations to the total package.

I mean it makes sense, she dominated the summer. She is the personification of an Barbie suffering from an existential crisis brought upon by whatever dick she is currently or formerly riding. In a year where Barbie and the Eras Tour (along with the Renaissance Tour) dominated the agenda, I think Taylor being person of the year makes sense.

Also, she even dresses like a human Barbie. It's perfect selection for 2023.

Organised labour would have made even more sense, after WGA's and SAG-AFTRA's and UAW's successes this year. And now Sweden's and Denmark's and Finland's unions banding together to stand up to Tesla as well.

This pick only serves to divide people.

Try as I might, I want to hate her music but even her corny shit can hook you in. I wanted to hate this song, but the bridge (0:33) is so damn good. That woman knows what she is doing and I'm done fighting it. We can all relate to young love we lost or wanted.

I think when you let her in, Swift's music can just be fun. She has a massive catelouge that it's hard to say anyone can hate 100% of her music.

Forgot the song. Simple yet effective.

Her eye surgeries did turn out quite well - not freakish.

… she still has the Napoleon Dynamite mouth, however.

R11, sorry if I wasn’t precise enough in my wording for you. She’s pro-choice. Are you happy? Damn did you miss your morning coffee? Because of all the things going on to be ornery about, that’s about 78th on the list.

UGH. MORE evidence of the complete dumbing down of America. I just don't get it. Especially THIS year.

O shit. I was wrong. Get em Tay. I really heart her. Musically she is no Queen Bey but tou have to really respect this woman’s grind. And she is a true ally.

I can't remember the last time I heard a new Beyonce song on the radio.

R4 They’re both each other beards. Well Tay is bisexual but is Kecle. Is not. He likes back/latino twink types. All his public women have been beards.

R25 Break My Soul? Cuff it?

Does Time's POTY really matter anymore?

Good for her. I like her

Rightly deserved.

It's meaningless, daddy bought this for her too.

MAGA's are having a meltdown over this.

Yawn. Artificial intelligence should have been person of the year. It's all everyone talked about this year.

R33 It’s been that way for the past 10 years. Get real.

Not really no, ChatGPT was only released to the public a year ago.

The glitter economy is coming. Buy stock in Lisa Frank!!

[quote] “If we have to speak stereotypically about the feminine and the masculine,” she says, “women have been fed the message that what we naturally gravitate toward—” She has a few examples: “Girlhood, feelings, love, breakups, analyzing those feelings, talking about them nonstop, glitter, sequins! We’ve been taught that those things are more frivolous than the things that stereotypically gendered men gravitate toward, right?” Right, I say. “And what has existed since the dawn of time? A patriarchal society. What fuels a patriarchal society? Money, flow of revenue, the economy. So actually, if we’re going to look at this in the most cynical way possible, feminine ideas becoming lucrative means that more female art will get made. It’s extremely heartening.”

Isn’t she a closeted lesbian? Sorry if I don’t jump for joy over this choice.

[...]

Christian Smalls? Fran Drescher? R38, explain yourself!

Labor didn't really win out like Taylor in 2023. The writer's union broke the ice on the strike. Once they were able to secure a deal, SAG and the studios quickly found their own deal. Union's fought hard but most of the year was just actors and writers turning tricks, taking on crap jobs, and falling deep into debt, not really something to celebrate.

[...]

She is the post Pandemic goddess. An icon for all.

[quote] Politically, I’m sure the GQP is worried about her influence, she’s pro-abortion and women’s issues, and she has a lot of sway over her fans.

Then they are stupid because she has almost no effect on voting. Voters like celebs but they also know that celebs live in a totally different world to them and therefore can't really understand their issues. There is no evidence that celebrity endorsements have any significant effect on voting. After all, ddn't Taylor endorse Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen to be elected to the Senate over Marsha Blackburn when she broke her silence on politics back in 2018 and yet he failed to be elected.

Could be worse. A lot worse. I'm not really a fan but there are things I like about her. I'm fine with this.

I admire how she fucked over those who tried to fuck her over by owning her master copies. She agrees she should have been more outspoken against Trump and his ilk. She apparently puts on a great show for her fans plus she likes hot men and their cocks. Don't mind her.

That said, Mariah has put up with much more than her while being just as successful.

R31 you know she's the first reported female billionaire from music alone, right? I think she's a lot richer than her daddy. But yeah, she was lucky to have parents who uprooted to support her as a kid and believed in her.

It's hard to think of the last time a popular entertainer so defined the American zeitgeist, for good or for ill. I think it's as good a choice as any.

Word for word with r47.

I was at Lambeau Field for the Packers Chiefs game Sunday night and even I found myself scanning the suites from my cold bench seat trying to see where she was.

Yeah, so? But, the only Swift song I’ve heard is Anti-Hero, and only because it come on my car radio.

Point is, I shouldn't give a rat’s ass about Swift, and I don’t but there she is.

Queen of Bland appeals to the masses, news at eleven.

I need my pop stars to have at least some degree of coolness. Aside from finding her music incredibly dull, I think she's naturally uncool on multiple levels: her music, the way she moves, the way she speaks, her looks, her fashions, her relentless fleecing of fans, parasocial media manipulation, her privileged origins, etc.

[quote]I think she's naturally uncool on multiple levels

So, she's a perfect emblem of the times. We are living through a deeply uncool period of history.

Her singing seems just generic. Pop singers these days seem lacking in distinctiveness. It reminds me of the way polkas seem to me.

Compare her to the most talented soloists of the past and there's no comparison. Ella Fitzgerald, Dionne Warwick in her Bacharach-David days, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson (not the awful screamer from "Heart"), Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins---so many better, more distinctive vocalists.

R43, I think her clout comes more on a national level by getting younger people who normally don’t vote to vote. And we know younger people lean more liberal.

Mean squint. Finds somebody to trash your house or car.

R52, I think her music is generally nice, but she shines when she slows it down. The album Folklore is really lovely, and Safe & Sound from the Hunger Games is excellent. But I don’t think that music sells well.

I think you under estimate Taylor. She has always been a good example for her followers. She brings big money to businesses wherever she has a concert. She stands up for her followers. You don't read negative things about her. I like a lot of her music and I'm old.

It should have been Beyonce!

R28 To answer your question no it does not. But Tay is probably brining them the most attention they’ve gotten in ages.

R57 Oh dear.

I don’t dislike her, but I’m BAFFLED at her success and how she somehow became one of the biggest acts/personas ever.

Word for word with R60.

r60 and r61

refer to post r56

The cover looks very Katharine Hepburn in her more glamorous days. Interesting inspiration given both (formerly and now) are such fans of lavender.

As one of the group of people on the short list, the following has been far more influential and important with a worldwide affect than this nauseating Swift choice:

TRUMP PROSECUTORS

Donald Trump became the first U.S. President to be indicted in the nation’s history, charged in four separate cases with more than 90 charges. Felony counts have been brought forward by prosecutors in Florida, Georgia, New York, and Washington, D.C., for election interference, illegally holding on to classified documents, and falsifying business records.

R62 I get the commercial enterprise she brings to town, but for that you still need buyers — it’s the sheer number of people buying her produce that amazes me.

Told you so

Nothing memorable about her brand of music except for its banality. Exactly what has she contributed to mankind?

Truly the lunatics have taken control of the asylum.

Who's next in 2024? Dylan whatever?

r52 her singing may be generic, but at this point I can not only instantly recognize her voice, I can probably recognize her songs. She's really reached some impressive heights, especially internationally where she used to be much weaker.

I’ve managed to avoid her music for the most part. The only song I know of hers is "Shake It Off." I suppose I've heard others incidentally in shopping malls or whatever...but I have never once been inclined to listen out of curiosity. Bland, bland, bland.

Well, it's better than Barbie. I guess.

R21 I think she does that mouth-breathing thing because her lips are naturally thin and, unlike her eye work, plumped up lips are more noticeable. She's trying to make her mouth look bigger.

Her best song is I knew You were trouble.

R16 It doesn’t make sense. She’s the first celebrity / singer to be Person of the Year. It was always reserved for political leaders and figures or innovators.

She’s embarrassing next to everyone else - even Greta Thunberg.

Good. Now can she endorse Biden?

r72 why is it bad. Taylor has brought happiness, positivity, and classy pop music to the masses since the start of the summer. She is completely harmless, always acting appropriately, doesn't display any hate or anger, gets along with other artists, and uses her power for generally good things (like $100k bonus for her truckers, dancers, and crew). Looking back on 2023, I'd say Taylor brought more good to the world and had economic and physical (caused a small Earthquake from the song "Shake it Off") impact.

I think it's okay for folks to just have a fun time and she delivered. I went to the Renaissance tour twice. Outstanding fun for me and my friends, especially in a world filled with death, drama, Republicans, and anxiety.

R74 Oh give me a break.

r75 I'm responding to someone's statement. Why is that bad? The thread is about TS after all.

Bangs really suit her.

I don't understand why so many of you bitches are upset by this.

Slip into a clean caftan, put on your Judy at Carnegie Hall LP, light a Virgnia Slim, and lighten up!

[quote] We were expecting it. It just shows dead magazines are.

It will be the best-selling Time cover of the last 25 years.

[quote] [R4] They’re both each other beards. Well Tay is bisexual but is Kecle. Is not. He likes back/latino twink types. All his public women have been beards.

He likes mixed-race Black girls. He's dating Swift to raise his profile beyond the sport. So in a way she is his beard because he is hiding his true preference to enhance his mass appeal and win the favor of red state women. By now, his celebrity has eclipsed that of Mahomes. His past girlfriends do not have good things to say about him.

She is excruciatingly mediocre.

What happened to nominating activists and politicians? Taylor Swift? Are you kidding me? Is this like the Hitler issue? The (Worst) Person of the Year?

R80, if he wanted to appeal to red state women, he wouldn’t have done the pro-vaxxine public service ads that he was hammered for by the right wing loons. And he refused to take them down. I’ve said this before, I don’t know him at all, but I know a few people who know the Kelce family. Travis is straight and definitely has some bro tendencies. He is also ambitious and planning his career once he’s done football. Yes he could definitely be using this relationship to raise his profile. But he’s generally a good guy.

It should have been a trans..

I think I've seen Travis on ads for three different products/services today. He doesn't need to raise his profile anymore.

R69 - I, too, only know “Shake It Off”, which is seriously catchy, and only because of the excellent Supernatural parody (if you know the show and the behind-the-scenes lore, you’ll appreciate their attention to detail).

I agree with you, R74… she’s inoffensive and has done good things. Bland as she is, I can’t hate this 🤷🏻

Of course, “Shake It Off” was apparently produced by Max Martin and Shellback, so they obviously had a generous hand in its success!

In the Time article, she talks about the people who maligned her and tried to hurt her- Kayne, Kim, & Scooter Braun

[quote] “I had all the hyenas climb on and take their shots,” she says. (Kayne) West wrote a song with vulgar lyrics about her, and claimed that Swift had consented to it, which Swift denied; West’s then wife, Kim Kardashian, released a video of a conversation between West and Swift that seemed to indicate that Swift had been on board with the song. The scandal was tabloid catnip; it made Swift look like a snake, which is what people called her. She felt it was “a career death,” she says. “Make no mistake—my career was taken away from me.”

[clip]

[quote] There is one thing I’ve learned: My response to anything that happens, good or bad, is to keep making things. Keep making art.” She considers. “But I’ve also learned there’s no point in actively trying to quote unquote defeat your enemies,” she says.

[quote] “Trash takes itself out every single time.”

[mic drop]

Her mother has a piggy face, Tay Tay needs to watch her weight

I think she's named because she stood up to her record label and her rerecorded albums were, contrary to predictions, a huge success. She fucked over those who tried to fuck her over. That also comes with the narrative she's struck a huge blow for the rights of artists against corporate greed, and for woman in general. She also started to thrash back again about being slut-shamed

The poor thing just cannot take a good photo, can she? I assume she's filtered and polished best they can but it's true. She only ever seemed like a whole person when she was with her girlfriend Karlie Kloss.

I think part of her appeal to young girls is that she's relatable, not a great beauty or particularly sexy, but still has a body most young girls might aspire to and lands lots of hot guys. Present company excluded perhaps

[quote] Present company excluded perhaps

To each his own so I'm not going to argue, but I have a different reaction to Travis Kelce

He's hot.

As goofy as his personality is in his ad promotions and his podcast, still, he's got that masculine, homely-hot thing going, and he seems to be an adult man compared to the boys she's had.

I get a fun kick out of our resident DLers insisting Swift a lesbian. And, who knows?

The only sexual orientation I can be sure of is my own, but I don't buy it that Swift is bi or a lesbian.

I'd bet Kelce is hot in bed. He is in that certain way a heterosexual, fully grown, mature man can be rendering her blissfully helpless with a slow, warm gentle tongue that knows its way around a clitoris and then he bangs the daylights out of her.

Swift is tongue and dickmatized by Kelce and I think she's seriously in love with him.

Seriously, I hate to resort to cliche (not that I already haven't) but still, it can't be denied- Living Well is the Best Revenge.

Here's what I mean. I've nothing against Kim Kardashian or her family. She made an honest billion dollars rooking her marks and that's their fault.

But I am tickled that Swift revealed something that I didn't know in the Time article- Kim Kardashian edited the taped phone call before releasing it.

Nothing will ever bring Kim Kardashian down except those two undefeated foes- age and gravity.

Still, I'm tickled believing she's taken note of this current tsunami of positive coverage of Swift, her name is a negative part of it, and she's left holding the designer bag.

That's gotta annoy Kardashian.

They should have picked someone one more intune with important issues. Someone more connected with DL. Maybe someone who represents the gay community as well as woman but has absolutely nothing to do with football .

Always with the gaping mouth. She's goofy, like Napolean Dynamite in a wig.

R93 I believe Kim claimed she'd never edited it after the full recording leaked, trying to defend herself. Taylor's publicist then schooled her on what 'editing' actually is.

r80, black person chiming in, there are many white men that will date black women but easily marry a white woman. Don't confuse a preference or acceptance of black partners for a lack of attraction with his fellow white women. These men are just more open to other races, but that does not mean they won't let a Becky or Taylor secure the ring and have their children, to share in their wealth.

Travis has been nothing if not an attention whore. Dating black women set him apart from the pack, beyond his talent on the field. He got noticed by many people outside of sports for his interracial relationships. Taylor Swift has been yet another re-brand to help as his career was quickly elevated. So he's dropped the black girlfriends, changed his style from when he was dating his previous girlfriend, to his current style iterration for the endorsements/Taylor era. He's like Taylor, calculating and calibrating.

I don't know if there relationship is a showmance or real, but it's certainly good PR and Travis is this era's Gronk.

The accolade is somewhat meaningless, but I’m simply delighted that the MAGAts are losing their minds over Taylor’s selection. These nitwits see a dark conspiracy around every corner and somehow feel that Taylor is part of a grand plan to defeat their “Orange Jesus.”

[R69]

"The only song I know of hers is "Shake It Off."

" Bland, bland, bland"

How do you know it's bland if you haven't heard her music? I read a lot of people saying that. Sounds like you're jealous?

Just going by the millions who bought her recorded album when they likely had the original, Swift subtly encouraging her mob to vote democrat would be a decent surge against republicans. And yes, she should have done it in 2016 but better late than never

R26 Yeah, cause bi women need beards. Every other female in Hollywood/pop world today is openly bi.

[QUOTE]Sounds like you're jealous?

This sounds like something a teen would say.

She's owning the MAGAts.

R103

So the DL haters and the MAGA haters have a lot in common their hate for Swift being one?

A surprise to absolutely no one.

I think she's tremendous

I like that she sticks it to MAGATs and may help motivate the vote for Dems, but she’s like lukewarm vanilla oatmeal.

R20, that's a big difference, what kind of eye surgery does that?

I haven’t had any conversations about her this year aside from I don’t get it. I really don’t. Her melodies are 3 chord banality, her lyrics meaningful to Hallmark and so more girls, and she can barely carry a song at pitch. She’s got a great sense of herself, her brand and social responsibility She is in no way a great singer songwriter poet or lyricist . Who hums her melodies? Who will remember her lyrics. She is Leslie Gore as an artist and Vlive Davis as a music promoter. She is the poster pip star of the current age of mediocrity along with Bryonce. Almost any show in Vegas is as entertaining as are the holiday shows at radio city.

sophomore girls