During a recent stop on her Eras Tour, pop superstar Taylor Swift seemed to poke fun at rapper Kanye West’s infamous onstage interruption at the 2009 MTV VMAs.
At a concert in Mexico City, fans interrupted Swift mid-song by loudly chanting her name. After the cheers died down, Swift quipped that “it’s the best way to be interrupted, by the way…I would know.”
The comment references when West rushed the stage as Swift accepted the Best Female Video award at the 2009 VMAs, a shocking moment that sparked their years-long feud.
As a stunned Swift began her acceptance speech, West grabbed the mic and declared that Beyonce should have won for “one of the best videos of all time.” His bizarre protest left Swift mortified before a live audience.
By joking about the awkward incident from her past, Swift got subtle revenge on West through her lyricism and self-deprecating humor. She reframed the hurtful memory as a punchline exposing West’s rude behavior.
It’s not the first time Swift has seemingly referenced West on her Eras Tour. Earlier this summer, she broke into hysterical laughter while performing her song “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” which fans believe partly addresses West.
Swift and West’s beef dates back to the VMAs confrontation. They briefly reconciled before West’s song “Famous” reignited tensions by name-dropping Swift.
She slammed West in a Grammys speech, inspiring him to hit back against her “playing the victim.” The bad blood has persisted in ensuing years through lyrical digs.
By alluding to this history lightly, Swift demonstrates moving past drama toward the happiness she’s found lately with boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Her cheeky asides show she can now smile about old feuds.
The Eras Tour’s personalized storytelling setup, guiding fans through her musical eras, allows Swift to casually reclaim control of her narrative. Dropping subtle West references lets her frame the saga on her own terms.
It also provides overdue catharsis for devoted Swifties who despised watching their idol face humiliation at West’s hands. Her veiled jabs twist the knife that had been unjustly pointed at her.
Most importantly, joking about the VMAs debacle reveals Swift’s growth into an artist in command of her legacy. Where West staged an embarrassing spectacle, she’s now scoring points through artful allusion.
By having the last word woven subtly into her shows, Swift asserts her power as a songwriter. It’s the most cutting comeback: crafting indelible pop moments that far outlive cheap stunts.
Thirteen years later, Swift’s music remains center stage while West’s outbursts become cultural footnotes. With creative flourishes, she underscores who emerged the real winner from their rocky past.