Travis Kelce Liking Shane Gillis’ Controversial ‘SNL’ Monologue Puts Taylor Swift in Uncomfortable Position
People have been talking a lot about Shane Gillis’ controversial Saturday Night Live appearance. And now, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is facing criticism for liking an Instagram video featuring the comedian’s opening monologue, which included jokes calling women “w*****” for what they wear to the gym.
A source close to Kelce offered an explanation to Page Six, saying that he liked the clip of Gillis’ monologue simply because he has “always been a massive fan of the show and he was supporting a friend.” But now an expert is weighing in about how Kelce’s social media activity can affect his megastar wife, Taylor Swift.
Speaking on behalf of Casino.org, celebrity and entertainment PR expert Lynn Carratt told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Travis Kelce has discovered that when you’re married to the biggest pop star on the planet, even something as simple as liking an Instagram video can turn into a PR headache.
“On the surface, this probably looked like a harmless way of supporting his friend Shane Gillis, but the problem is that social media doesn’t distinguish between liking someone as a person and endorsing what they’re saying. When that person is making jokes that many women find misogynistic, suddenly a quick tap on Instagram becomes a much bigger conversation about your own values.”
Carrett then discussed how this could risk alienating some Swifties and damage Kelce’s own public image, explaining, “Travis has spent the past few years building a very likeable public image. He’s the fun, charismatic NFL star who’s not afraid to show his emotions, celebrates Taylor’s achievements and appears incredibly supportive of successful women. That has helped him win over a huge audience beyond American football, particularly Taylor’s predominantly female fanbase.
“This controversy doesn’t necessarily undo all that goodwill, but it does create an uncomfortable contradiction between the image people have of him and the content he has publicly engaged with. Taylor has built much of her career around female empowerment, standing up against sexism and challenging the way women are treated in the entertainment industry.”
She continued, “So when her husband appears to support comedy that some see as degrading towards women, it’s inevitable that people will question how those two things sit together. Of course, Taylor shouldn’t be held responsible for everything her husband likes on Instagram. But as one of the world’s most high-profile couples, their public images are increasingly intertwined, meaning controversy surrounding one can easily spill over onto the other.
“Swifties are fiercely protective of Taylor, but they’re also incredibly vocal when something doesn’t sit right with them. Some will undoubtedly defend Travis and see this as nothing more than a man supporting his friend. Others, particularly those who admire Taylor for speaking out about sexism, may find it disappointing.”
According to Carrett, while Kelce’s explaination didn’t specifically address the controversy, he shouldn’t apologize now.
“From a PR perspective, the explanation given by Travis’s team [to Page Six] was clearly designed to calm things down without turning it into a bigger story,” she noted. “By saying Travis was simply supporting a friend and has always loved SNL, his team has offered a perfectly plausible explanation without directly defending the controversial jokes. It’s a fairly sensible approach, but it doesn’t entirely solve the problem because it sidesteps why people were offended in the first place.
“The last thing his team should do is turn this into a huge public apology over an Instagram like, because that risks giving the story more oxygen. But equally, dismissing the criticism entirely could make Travis appear out of touch with the women who have embraced him over the past few years. My advice would be to let the explanation stand, avoid getting drawn into an online argument and be a little more mindful about what he’s publicly endorsing. Taylor certainly doesn’t need to release a statement or defend her husband.”
