It has been nearly three years since Taylor Swift performed at an awards show (the 2016 Grammys, where she performed "Out of the Woods" off 1989) so when the pop star took the stage to belt out her Reputation single "I Did Something Bad" at the American Music Awards, it was a killer comeback.
Armed with fire, her now-signature giant snake, and an army of black-clad backup dancers, Swift's performance was exactly the reason why she won the AMA for Tour of the Year. But the killer choreography and amazing stage mechanics wasn't the thing that all fans were talking about after the performance. Instead, some honed in on the fact that a key line in Swift's "I Did Something Bad" was censored.
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The song, which teases her many alleged feuds and dramatic breakups, is essentially telling off anyone who thought her so-called "bad" behavior over the past few years was unjustified.
One could argue that Swift was making a political statement of sorts with "I Did Something Bad." Glamour even notes that the song choice could be a pointed comment to Donald Trump and that the standing POTUS could possibly be the narcissist referred to.
Pointing at herself as she sang "They're burning all the witches even if you aren't one," it was hard not to wonder if Swift was winking at the camera, and sending a clear message to any man who dared call a woman a witch for using her voice. (If the Glamour theory is true, perhaps it's because Trump recently mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony against Brett Kavanaugh.)
But it was this lyric that fans noticed was censored — and couldn't help but see the irony.
"If a man talks shit then I owe him nothing."
The "shit" was censored, because the AMAs is on network, primetime television — no shits are to be given. Still, given that this song is literally about a woman exercising her right to talk how she wants, do what she wants, and be who she wants even if it's bad — it's a little ironic, no?
Fans certainly thought so.
Watch as Taylor Swift opens the #AMAs with the iconic “If a man talks shit, then I owe him nothing” line, which was censored on TV.
— TS? (aries) (@Catastrophe_TS) October 10, 2018
pic.twitter.com/4XAmty9jii
What she says: “I’m fine.”
— Ashley| 53 (@it_s_ashxx) October 10, 2018
What she means: “TAYLOR ALISON SWIFT ENDED EVERYONE AT THE AMAs AND GOT CENSORED ON NATIONAL TV.” #TaylorSwiftAMAs
Can we talk about the power move when @taylorswift13 GOT CENSORED BY NATIONAL TV FOR JUST SPEAKING HER MIND. if a man talks shit we owe him NOTHING!
— Kelly Procida (@kelly_procida) October 10, 2018
Taylor just outdid herself!
— Rebecca (@beckbeckboo) October 10, 2018
We LOVED it just as much as when we saw her perform live at #reptourstl!
My #TinySwiftie was singing when it was censored! ?
So proud!#TaylorSwiftAMAs #AMAs pic.twitter.com/V5lLxOcSsz
This performance comes just days after Swift posted a message on Instagram, endorsing Tennessee Democrats Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for the House of Representatives. It was her first overtly political message in her long career, and, apparently, caused a spike in voter registration.
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Basically? Just try to stop Reputation-era Swift from speaking up. A censored "shit" means very little when the woman has a lot to say.
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