Jimmy Kimmel had to edit his interview with Taylor Swift after she made a 'certain hand gesture'
Pop star Taylor Swift has always been a fan-favorite guest on late-night talk shows, whether it’s Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, or Jimmy Kimmel. However, back in 2020, her appearance on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ ignited unexpected controversy when fans noticed that her interview was briefly removed from YouTube and later re-uploaded with an edited version that excluded a specific hand gesture made during her conversation with Fallon. This led to a frenzy among fans.
As per TheThings, a viewer noted, “It seems like Jimmy Kimmel's YouTube page had to remove and re-upload the interview. There was a certain...hand gesture from Taylor Swift which was basically signaling for help. Fans showed...concern and the interview was re-uploaded with a zoom that didn't show her hands.” Chiming in, another argued, "SHE IS ALRIGHT. Her publicist liked a tweet saying she is. They also re-uploaded this video cropping her hand out because they want to shut down this rumor plus the hand gesture is supposed to be done in private conversations and not on national television, that defeats the whole purpose. Please stop spreading false information, it could really affect her relationship and mental health." Despite the reassurances from her team, the rumors continued to circulate.
A comment read, "She is FINE, guys. Her team confirmed it...Please, stop with these assumptions. She has ALWAYS done such gestures with her arms, it’s just how she talks...Watch her interviews from 2015." Another echoed, "Yeah I was also confused when they re-uploaded the video. Her team must have told them to take it down and re-upload it without that gesture. I knew from the start it had to be false information. People are crazy!!" Interestingly, Swift has not appeared on the talk show since the incident.
Taylor Swift stopped by "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" for a chat about the new, 10-minute cut of "All Too Well." #BillboardNews pic.twitter.com/1O4jnDBEW4
— billboard (@billboard) November 12, 2021
The ordeal emphasized the intense scrutiny Swift faces, even over something as simple as a hand movement. This wasn’t the first time a Swift hand gesture sent fans into a frenzy. More recently, during her Eras Tour in Canada, she ignited speculation when she counted down with her fingers during her performance of the ‘Midnight Rain,’ leading many to believe she was teasing a major announcement, possibly regarding the release of ‘Reputation (Taylor’s Version).’
As per Newsweek, Swift has always been known for her strategic Easter eggs and symbolic gestures, which lead to innocent hand movements being blown out of proportion. On TikTok, a fan wrote, "Taylor is making a countdown to something for the last show of the tour." Another Swiftie agreed, "SHE DOES THIS WHEN SHE SAYS 'TV'. What if TV means Taylor's version? Let me dream please." In a similar vein, a netizen penned, "Oh my God, I AM 10000000000% CONVINCED REP TV IS COMING."