Taylor Swift once had the ultimate fangirl moment — thanks to Ellen DeGeneres' surprise guest
Taylor Swift established herself in the music industry at a very young age. Known for songs like 'Blank Space,' she often appears on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' where the curious host never passes up an opportunity to delve into her personal life. One particularly memorable instance occurred when DeGeneres planned a surprise for Swift, bringing her longtime musical idol, Justin Timberlake, onto the set, in November 2008. Swift was not prepared for this, and her priceless response proved once more why her followers adore her genuine charm. To pull off the surprise, Swift was kept backstage, completely unaware that Timberlake was waiting too.
DeGeneres said, "The last time you were here I forgot you told me your favorite musical crush." To this, Swift quickly replied, "Oh, Justin Timberlake." The host then said, "Well, I said I'd bring him next time you're here." When he was finally introduced, her face said it all. DeGeneres went on to explain, "He was already on. We've been hiding you so you didn't know that he was here." What followed was a genuine exchange of admiration between the two popular artists. Swift mentioned they had crossed paths before, but Timberlake playfully downplayed it as a blink-and-you-miss-it encounter, as reported by Billboard. As the conversation moved ahead, the host asked Timberlake, "Why are men such jerks?" Timberlake responded that women are smarter than men and said, "I've accepted that. I'm much more comfortable in my stupidity." While Swift just sat there adoring her musical crush and said, "That's the best surprise ever. This is the best day."
The unexpected moment took the internet by storm, with fans loving every second of it. One YouTube user commented, “It's funny seeing an already successful celebrity going crazy like a fangirl over another celebrity. Puts things into perspective.” Another person wrote, “I am fangirling so bad over it. Both of them truly mean SO MUCH to me. And the fact that they now are friends got me feeling some type of the way. I mean, he was her celebrity crush, and now they are hanging out together. GOALS.” A third user chimed in and wrote, “I love that she fangirlled on him and acted the way her fans act when they meet her, and she wasn't embarrassed by it, and he took it so well. Aw, they should fall in love.” Similarly, another YouTube user pointed out, “This has such a cool meaning to it; it just shows you that celebrities are regular humans like everyone else.”
The same user continued, “For someone as popular and famous in the music industry as Taylor Swift, to be crazy excited to meet Justin Timberlake and react the way everyone else does meeting a celebrity is so eye-opening. Yes, they have way more money, fame, and popularity than you and me, but they're just as human as everyone else, you know.” Swift and Timberlake became closer over time. One particular example of their growing friendship came in 2015 when Swift won an award for best songwriting at the iHeart Radio Awards. When she was declared the winner, Timberlake's over-the-top reaction hilariously dominated the event. He mimicked Swift's excitement, comically pretending it was his name being called, as reported by TIME Magazine.
Swift also proved her friendship when she made a surprise cameo in his pre-recorded acceptance speech for the iHeart Radio Innovator Award. Playfully, she declared, "I'm Justin Timberlake's biggest fan. I know all his songs." Their bond had been growing for years. In 2014, Timberlake was spotted at Swift’s Manhattan home alongside Jay-Z, sparking speculation of a business meeting. However, beyond industry talk, it was clear their friendship had only strengthened. Before that, the 'Trolls' actor was part of Swift’s star-studded 25th birthday bash, celebrating well into the night with her famous inner circle.