While voters in New Hampshire were voting in the first primary of the 2024 presidential election season, a massive number of listeners to our show were more passionate about who is sexier: Jessica Simpson or Taylor Swift?
The pressing question took over the show after I promoted a blog I wrote titled: “Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce Love Story: Sweet or Sickening?” In attempting to address the criticism of Taylor Swift getting so much TV coverage during Kansas City Chiefs games, I brought up the point that the love connection between Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift in the suite at the games is part of the NFL’s goal of making games more compelling. The Swift/Kelce Love Story is a human interest story and is essentially no different than the NFL pregame shows presenting features on certain players that have overcome obstacles or have done something off the field that lends to their character. Those features on players humanize the players and bring a human element to the brutal game. There have been times that I had no favorite in a game, but after seeing a feature on a player that releases human insight into the player I find myself pulling for the team that player plays for.
After I mentioned the subject of the blog on the show, a listener texted in to remind us that Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo was dating singer/actress Jessica Simpson. Now, when Tony Romo dated Jessica Simpson, Jessica was a minor celebrity compared to the global icon Taylor Swift has become, but there is a general similarity between the two situations where players dated celebrities.
With Jessica Simpson now part of the conversation, I happened to mention that I don’t think she is as sexy as so many others. Technically, she has a nice bod, but I’m not impressed with Jessica’s intellect. At least, from what I can tell from afar. Text messages began pouring in about my comment that Jessica Simpson bashing was not sexy.
We conducted a brief “text-off” on the air: Who is sexier: Jessica Simpson or Taylor Swift?
The text response was off the charts and Jessica Simpson was the overwhelming winner. Many of the texts supporting Jessica Simpson included condescending remarks about Taylor Swift. We know that many instinctively bash Taylor Swift because she’s so popular, but also because she is not a poster girl for the conservative movement. Perceived as an Aryan Goddess early in her career, Taylor Swift broke her political silence by endorsing 2 Democrats running for office and has not supported Trump. Criticism of Taylor Swift, from booing in the stands when she is shown on the jumbotron in the stadium, to proclaiming that she is sexier than Taylor Swift by such a wide margin, always includes talk of her politics.
What I found most interesting about the explosion of talk about who is sexier is that idea that it took over the show. That tells me that the growing prospect that America will face a repeat of the choices of Biden or Trump in the general election in November has infected many Americans with abject apathy.
I understand that apathy runs deep and talking all-politics all the time is not the best way to entertain an audience. And isn’t our goal in talk radio to entertain?
Listen to all those saying they are over the sight of Taylor Swift at an NFL game, but the reality is that a lot of people are interested - even if it’s just because it provides a distraction from the political beatdown Americans as exposed to every day in the beginning of this long election year.
