Saturday Night Live (SNL) has long used satire to poke fun at celebrities, but Taylor Swift was not amused in 2015. The superstar had become a household name after releasing her album 1989, which marked her transition from country music to pop. Her “girl squad” persona, featuring friends like Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid, attracted significant attention.
SNL’s Lorne Michaels contacted Swift for a cameo in a sketch suggesting her group was an apocalyptic cult. However, Swift refused, calling Michaels personally and insisting the video be dropped entirely. The show went ahead with the sketch anyway, featuring a narrator claiming “the entire world has joined” Taylor Swift’s squad by the end of her tour.
The controversy led to Swift sending flowers to Michaels’ office with a note saying “I hope there’s no bad blood.” This reference was likely a nod to her 2014 hit song “Bad Blood,” which featured a star-studded cast, including Selena Gomez and Lena Dunham.
Despite the backlash, Taylor Swift has had a long history with SNL. She made her debut as a musical guest in 2009 and later returned as a host. Her relationship with the show has endured despite controversies like this one.
As for Michaels, his response to Swift proved that no one was safe from parody on the show. Nevertheless, their partnership continued, with Swift appearing on SNL’s 40th anniversary special and introducing Ice Spice in her premiere episode of Season 49 in 2023.
Source: https://www.cbr.com/taylor-swift-saturday-night-live-lorne-michaels-cancel-sketch