It might be the only instance where someone called Taylor Swift a terrorist, but that’s exactly what happened ten years ago, when the creator of Saturday Night Live (SNL) did so.
A then 25-year-old Swift tried to persuade SNL producer Lorne Michaels to cancel a planned skit about her by saying, “Taylor, I do not negotiate with terrorists,” Michaels, who was 70 at the time, humorously remarked during their 2015 phone conversation, before catching a flake of popcorn he tossed in the air.
This scenario seems like a sketch on its own, yet it unfolded when the seasoned writer reached out to Swift to ask if she would participate in the skit.
Predictably, the ‘Shake it Off’ singer declined the invitation.
So, what did Michaels want her for?
He was planning a parody of Swift’s ‘Bad Blood’ music video. Despite her refusal, Michaels proceeded with the idea, handing the project to Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, who were promoting their film “Sisters” in 2015.
The sketch depicted Tina Fey and Amy Poehler introducing a reporter, portrayed by Aidy Bryant, to their squad, which humorously included nannies, a gynecologist, and Amy Schumer.
In contrast, Swift’s ‘Bad Blood’ video featured a squad of A-list celebrities, including Gigi Hadid, Ellie Goulding, Cara Delevingne, and Zendaya.
Following the show’s broadcast, Swift reportedly sent Michaels, now 80, a bouquet of flowers with a note reading, ‘I hope there’s no bad blood.’ Since then, she has appeared on the show three more times, in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
SNL fans took to the internet to express their enjoyment of the sketch. One fan commented on the YouTube video, “I’m reading Amy’s memoir and I love that Amy and Tina used the same alter ego names that they used in their improv days.”
Another shared, “That’s really their gynecologist who Dratch also uses. I was lucky enough to see all three of them talk about it at ASSSSCAT then they did a scene about it.”
A third added, “This looked familiar, then I realized it’s the SNL version of ‘Bad Blood’.”
One more fan commented, “Hahahaha I love this so much!! SNL is literally the best, always making new stuff to entertain all.”
However, some viewers scrutinized the script more closely.
One opinion stated, “1000x improvement on Bad Blood! I hated it for showing off social connections and pushing toxic ideas of power, influence, & social standing.”
They continued, “This is more of a celebration of the everyday we need to get by. A real squad — the nannies, the random kindness of strangers, gynecologists, all sorts.”
Another user remarked, “Those aren’t your squad or friends though….those are people you hired. If you needed someone to back you up, wouldn’t it be good to call your friends and not say your gynecologist, because every woman has one.”