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Skip Bayless has never been one to shy away from a bold opinion, and his latest target? Taylor Swift.
On the Monday, December 2 episode of The Skip Bayless Show, the 73-year-old sports commentator and his wife, Ernestine Sclafani Bayless, dove into a discussion about the pop superstar, 34, and it didn’t take long for things to heat up.
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“I know I’m un-American, but I am not a Taylor Swift fan,” Ernestine, 62, admitted. Skip didn’t hold back either, adding, “I don’t get her.”
The PR guru clarified her stance, noting that Swift “seems like she’s a nice person” and does “wonderful things for kids,” but her music isn’t a fit. “I’d rather listen to Bonnie Raitt,” she said, even suggesting the “Cruel Summer” singer’s sound takes cues from the 75-year-old legendary singer.
The conversation took a turn when Skip boiled it down to his infamous “hot or not hot” scale. “Taylor Swift to me? Not hot,” he declared, before backpedaling slightly with, “But that’s just me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
This isn’t the first time the retired ESPN star has taken aim at Swift. Back in December 2023, he took to X (formerly Twitter) during a Kansas City Chiefs game, suggesting it might be time to label Swift, who was watching from a suite with Brittany Mahomes, “a distraction” to her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. The comments drew almost instant backlash from fans.
Feels like it’s about time to call Taylor Swift a distraction. What do you think, Patrick? Andy? How about you, Travis?
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 25, 2023
“Shut up Skip. This is misogyny. It’s not anyones fault but the players,” one person said at the time.
“No, the team just isn’t good. Nothing to do with Swift. Watch the play on the field. Every play is a struggle to execute on offense,” another pointed out.
“Ridiculous take. Did the Cowboys lose because their wives or gf are a distraction,” chimed in a third.
“They let her on the field? I missed it!” quipped another.
Skip’s former First Take co-host Stephen Smith has taken a much more supportive view of the Grammy winner. In January, the 57-year-old sports analyst came to Swift’s defense on ESPN amid criticism over her NFL appearances.
“She did her job! That Eras Tour? Off the chain. Generated billions,” Smith said. “To show up at a football game and the cameras are on her — that ain’t her fault! And excuse me, by the way, she went to the games after the concerts. It’s not like she used the games to bump up the concerts. Oh no. Those kids were going to her concerts whether the NFL was promoting her or not.”
