Taylor Swift’s fame has reached frightening new heights, as demonstrated by an incident at the recent wedding of her friend and producer Jack Antonoff. Antonoff married actor Margaret Qualley this past weekend in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. However, their rehearsal dinner on Friday was disrupted by crowds of Swift’s most obsessive fans who had gotten word of her attendance.
Viral videos show Swift emerging from the supposedly private event to screams from masses gathered outside. Some onlookers decried this display as “disgusting,” “disrespectful” and unacceptable” intrusion into a personal occasion. Though one local resident noted the fans were “orderly” and “nothing out of control.”
Nonetheless, this latest example highlights the relentless devotion of Swift’s most intense followers, nicknamed “Swifties.” Their fixation on tracking her every move evokes the unchecked fanaticism of online groups like QAnon. While sometimes using their powers for good, Swifties more often zealously police public esteem for their idol.
Does Swift herself bear any blame for fans crashing a friend’s wedding events? The pop visionary has proved she can disappear from public sight when desired. Yet it seems unreasonable to expect her to go to such extremes just to attend a loved one’s nuptials. Most celebrities accept some fan attention as part of their job, but there are still reasonable limits.
Swift’s current Midnights album and Eras tour have rocketed her fame into the stratosphere. As Billy Joel commented, the hysteria surrounding Swift echoes Beatlemania. This phenomenon ripples outwards, stoking excitement even in casual listeners. In the Philippines, an impersonator’s own rendition of Swift’s tour drew crowds. A popular TikTok lookalike caused a mall mob scene just by showing up with security guards. The mere possibility of a Swift appearance whips her fans into a frenzy.
While extreme fandom has always existed, the severity seems amplified today. The Beatles and Jesus Christ drew obsessed followers, but neither dealt with social media tracking or camera phones to the head. Swift’s treatment echoes Princess Diana’s dangerous hounding by paparazzi before her 1997 death. Swift herself has lobbied for anti-stalking laws out of safety concerns. It’s easy to see how any crowd around Swift could feel threatening, no matter the actual size.
Perhaps this degree of adulation is an intrinsic human tendency fans can’t control. Maybe Antonoff and Qualley should have secured a more isolated wedding venue if hosting Swift, making allowances for the predictable chaos. Yet it also feels reasonable to expect fans to moderate mob mentality and not intrude on Swift’s rightful privacy. How can this entitlement be corrected before it turns dangerous? The solution won’t be simple, but learning to see stars as real people is a start. With Taylor Swift’s fame at unprecedented levels, it’s time her most devoted followers take a long look in the mirror.
