things are happening in august

taylor swift, AI, chappell roan, dnc convention, and more

Well, folks, we're having a week that gives us the sort of fractured news only late August is capable of providing. It's the end of summer and no one really knows what's going on because half the world is on vacation and the other half wishes they were.

However: things, unfortunately, are happening. Let us discuss. 

Listen. I told you I can’t stop myself from logging into Canva and disassociating for an hour to make these. Forgive me. (Chappell Roan photo by Lucienne for W Magazine and quote from Billboard; La Chimera photo courtesy of NEON; headlines bottom left to right from BBC and NPR, respectively.)

Taylor Swift, AI, and Donald Trump 

If Taylor Swift ends up causing Donald Trump's downfall, I am prepared to significantly pare back on my criticism of the pop star.

On Sunday, Trump went on TruthSocial, a website I still don't believe is real, to share images — several boasting the inescapable ugliness of artificial intelligence — depicting Swift and her fans as Trump supporters.

Which is interesting, because if I were a candidate who needed to win states like Wisconsin, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, I would simply not commit the unforced error of alienating Taylor Alison Swift, a celebrity who (respectfully!!) loves neutrality unless her image is being threatened. 

From last year's Eras Tour coverage, which was ample:

Pennsylvania (Taylor’s Version) has benefited from her Midas touch over the past year, sponsors say. The frenzy for tickets to her tour prompted legislative action in the state — and elsewhere, albeit slowly — to address Ticketmaster’s shortcomings. Swift buoyed the local economy on her tour stops in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and donated proceeds to hunger relief organizations as she blazed through. (Associated Press)

And a wee screenshot of Trump's current standing in Swift's home (swing) state of Pennsylvania:

Courtesy of 538. I could not for the life of me get the needle to hover over a more recent date.

Cle-ver! 

Now, I know Swift is busy releasing a million and one acoustic/instrumental/voice memo versions of The Tortured Poets Department to remain at the top of the charts, but if she could take a super quick break to meet with her legal and PR teams to discuss the potential legal ramifications of Trump falsely alleging her endorsement, I think we'd all be grateful. Like, imagine having to deal with Tree Paine and JD Vance's capacity to score own goals.