In the celebrity world, even the smallest of actions can be mired in controversy. Global icon Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s new relationship has made ripples in sports and even politics.
Since the relationship’s debut on Sept. 24, 2023, it has garnered attention from media outlets across the country. Newspapers, television programs, and online platforms have extensively covered this unfolding story.
“It’s in the news because they’re two famous people. When two famous people become a power couple, then that occupies a kind of another stratosphere of interest. It’s like Jay-Z and Beyonce – when they’re together, that’s two different groups of people following this new alliance” said Social Studies Teacher Chris Murphy.
Ever since Swift went to see Kelce’s first game as his girlfriend on Sept. 24, she has single-handedly added an additional $331.5 million in brand value for the Chiefs and NFL.
“People make a huge deal out of it, and I think this would happen if any celebrity of this magnitude dated an NFL player,” said Aarav Kakad (‘24).
But recently, this relationship has caught the attention of a very different crowd. As the 2024 election draws near, Swift and Kelce have been at the center of a storm of political speculation. Conspiracy theories range from Swift’s role as a key asset in the Pentagon psychological operations, to the idea that her romance is just a gimmick to get Biden reelected.
“The Pentagon psy-op unit pitched NATO on turning Taylor Swift into an asset for combating misinformation online,” claimed Fox News Host Jesse Watters.
This controversy stems from Swift’s endorsement of Biden in the 2020 election. Her popularity has only increased over the years, and her influence on America’s voter demographic shouldn’t be underestimated. In 2023, a single video featuring Swift resulted in the registration of more than 35,000 new voters on vote.org.
“Media exposure and endorsements are huge in politics. Getting two people who are now more famous than they ever were to endorse you can definitely bring strong support in a political sense,” said Kakad.
The theories have become so widespread that they prompted a response from Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh.
“As for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off,” said Singh.
Pop culture has historically had a substantial impact on the political scene. But, experts claim that the political standings of celebrities does not imply an intentional effort to sway the public. Sometimes, it’s merely a symptom of the non-uniform political landscape.
“Most cultural trendsetters and the geographic regions where those trends are set are located in these coastal big cities. Making TV shows, movies, radio, television, and Broadway shows and music, they tend to come from those coastal centers. Those geographic regions tend to be more liberal and progressive, so the content they turn out tends to celebrate that a little bit more,” said Murphy.
