I saw this on Graham Norton’s show last night and was impressed with Taylor Swift’s deft ‘warning’ to comedian John Cleese … to not engage in comic misogyny – not even as a joke. Good on her.
Here’s a short clip of the show. Watch as Taylor Swift considers her response to Cleese’s sexist tease. The ‘moment’ is very nice, in my opinion. The other guest is cricketer Kevin Pietersen explaining how he doesn’t like cats.
As a dad of teenagers, I like this young woman’s role modelling.
– P
Sorry, Peter, but this video clip doesn’t seem to be working.
Gee, sorry to hear that.
Try navigating to http://www.thepaepae.com/wp-uploads/2014/10/clip-Taylor-Swift-John-Cleese-Graham-Norton.mp4
Thanks, Peter, that worked. Great clip!
I love how she doesn’t hit back, doesn’t go into a diatribe – just a simple acknowledgement of the statement and a simple response. Class.
I’ve always regarded Swift as a female version of a misogynist (if such a thing can be categorised…) … she has a demonstrable (in established fact) habit of singing nasty post coital songs about her unsuspecting Ex Boyfriends … well documented.
I mean – if she is a prize bit.h thats entirely her concern … but “class..” eeerggh .. not likely …
class is not a descriptor or otherwise i would apply to her
What is great about a 2 bit singer not liking a great Brit Comedians humour …
Plenty of male songwriters write “oh that gal done me wrong”, “your cheatin’ heart ” etc etc
Ed Sheeran is one of the latest to vent his heartbreak about a cheating girlfriend through a song. I heard she’s suing him. (My teenage daughter is scandalised.)
II agree with Sarah. Swift does demonstrate class. Look closely at the end of the clip—John Cleese says something like that to her.
well your opinion vs my opinion … any person who uses their art in that manner is guilty of the same issue (that makes swift acceptable .. like a brand or copyright “prior usage” claim) … is that your point …
Swifts lack of class in the past … far outweighs her “class” in this instance (my opinion) … i’m deeply troubled your daughter is scandalised … OMG … WTF and other such popular acronyms.. ( i would use emoticons but am very technically challenged…)
Sheeran is musically superior to swift … but i cant comment on his failings which i am sure … are many (and you are bound to point out at some stage complete with cross references enough to make a ferrets ass pucker up and eyes go crossed from the effort.
The good thing about the clip was Cleese … as ever …. erudite, witty and excellent …
Your viewpoint … my viewpoint … i happen to disagree with yours … in my view mate you came away with a very PC viewpoint. Swift doesnt deserve that dignifying of herself …
Sure, Ivan. It’s all about opinions.
Yours are just as valid as mine whether I agree with them or not.
Personally, I rate Ed Sheeran too.
But I do feel that Taylor Swift cops a bit of a sexist double-standard. I think she is unfairly demeaned and an easy target.
Broken relationships, heartache and woe seem to me to have always been the fodder of musicians and writers.
Mate .. im not trying to be provocative .. i believe what i’m saying passionately … too much of this PC rubbish is wrongly applied to only one of the sexes. I am a keen watcher and follower of all genres of music … and the cult of celebrity in the more populist forms of the art … swift doesnt warrant any sympathy at all in my view .. she is a practitioner of the art of manipulative feminine wiles (often colloquially termed the “tits and ass” factor). Women (gods bless them) have great power … and good on them for exercising it. Remember mate .. there are probably just as many battered men out there (i’ve personally met a few) … men who are victims of their own respect for the feminine gender. The sexist issue applies to both sides.
On the subject of Sheeran .. very very fine musician with a most unusual approach to his art .. i rate him with young Matt Corby … truly musical artists are few and far between. Swift had the opportunity to establish herself as a serious artist .. instead her thuggish use of the artform to denigrate and discredit stands against her (in my opinion).
Appreciate the dialogue … as always and nice to hear from you again
“Thuggish” ???
Consider this work of emotionaal hooliganism …
Greensleeves
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.
Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Alas, my love, that you should own
A heart of wanton vanity,
So must I meditate alone
Upon your insincerity.
(Chorus)
Your vows you’ve broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.
(Chorus)
If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.
(Chorus)
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.
(Chorus)
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
But still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
(Chorus)
I bought thee kerchiefs for thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly;
I kept thee at both board and bed,
Which cost my purse well-favoredly.
(Chorus)
I bought thee petticoats of the best,
The cloth so fine as it might be;
I gave thee jewels for thy chest,
And all this cost I spent on thee.
(Chorus)
Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroidered gorgeously;
Thy petticoat of sendal right,
And these I bought thee gladly.
(Chorus)
My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
(Chorus)
They set thee up, they took thee down,
They served thee with humility;
Thy foot might not once touch the ground,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
(Chorus)
‘Tis, I will pray to God on high,
That thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
(Chorus)
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Hey, Ivan, look:
I would like to contribute to this debate, but I actually have no idea who this lady is. Should I?
On this theme, here’s an article about the twin terrorists Geldof and Bono, and their latest neo-Nazi appeal:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11236278/Why-Adele-was-right-to-ignore-Bob-Geldof-and-Band-Aid.html
“I have so many problems with the latest Band Aid single that I don’t really know where to begin, but begin we must so let’s get going with the fact that two-thirds of the line-up are unrecognisable to anyone over the age of 30…”
By the way, I should warn anyone who wants to watch the new Band Aid video that it does contain a (token) black man (actually Seal). This is terrible form and I am at a loss to explain how he sneaked into the video. Consider yourselves warned.
Rgds,
*p*