Taylor Swift once shut down a sexist comment with one simple sentence — but not many noticed it
Taylor Swift is super protective about her cats, and this was evident when she had a playful but tense moment with John Cleese over her pet, Olivia Benson, during an episode of 'The Graham Norton Show' that aired in October 2014. The interview is mostly remembered for Cleese jokingly questioning whether Swift’s cat was "a proper cat" or if she was "damaged," which clearly did not amuse the singer. Yeah, talk about foot in mouth, situation. However, there was another moment in their conversation that deserves attention, especially in light of Swift’s later admission that she had a feminist awakening as an adult.
Toward the end of the segment, Cleese expressed his preference for cats over dogs, saying, "I much prefer cats. They’re unpredictable and cussed, like women." For a brief moment, Swift’s smile faded before she responded with a polite but firm, "We don’t want to do that." With one simple statement, she subtly shut down the sexist remark without making the situation uncomfortable or even bringing in much attention. This moment is similar to when Emma Stone called out Andrew Garfield for a sexist comment during their promotional tour for 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2', Elle reported. Like Stone, Swift did not raise her voice or get angry. Instead, she used a calm and lighthearted approach to challenge the remark, avoiding the stereotype of the "angry feminist."
Many fans rushed to the Youtube video's comments section to support Swift with one of them saying, ""Oh we don't wanna do that" - The voice is just right." Another added, "Cleese was giving her the old “she’s a dumb blonde, let’s see if she can keep up” treatment and you could see how much he enjoyed it when she gave it right back haha. And she was initially looking at him like he was just a sweet innocent old man They clearly underestimated each other." "I just love her comeback! As others have said, I'm not her demographic and don't know many of her songs, but I really do enjoy seeing her on TGNS - she comes across really well," replied another. One fan wrote, "Taylor Swift's comeback was sharp, witty and beautifully timed."
During the episode, which featured John Cleese, Kevin Pietersen, and Neil Diamond, Swift discussed her upcoming album 1989. She shared anecdotes about hosting secret listening sessions for fans at her home, humorously recalling how some fans exclaimed they were "dying" from excitement—sparking laughter from the audience, according to PopCrush. However, in recent news, Swift is reportedly entangled in a legal dispute involving her close friend, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni.
Baldoni's legal team suggests that Swift may possess pertinent information regarding a meeting at Lively's penthouse, where Lively allegedly attempted to intimidate Baldoni by leveraging her connections with Swift and her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Despite the potential involvement, Swift remains silent and continues to enjoy private time with her partner, NFL player Travis Kelce. Sources indicate that while Swift might feel caught between her friendships, she maintains a low profile, focusing on her personal life after a demanding year, Page Six reported.