At a traditional White House Thanksgiving ceremony, President Joe Biden, while pardoning two turkeys named Liberty and Bell, attempted to include a pop culture reference in his speech. However, this effort went awry when he mistakenly mixed up pop icons Taylor Swift and Britney Spears.
Biden’s Botched Reference
The president intended to compare the tough competition for being chosen as this year’s turkey to securing tickets for Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour or Taylor Swift’s Eras World Tour. Instead, Biden ended up referencing Britney Spears, who is not currently on tour, and made a misplaced comment about the warm weather in Brazil, relating it to Swift’s recent gig in Rio de Janeiro that was postponed due to high temperatures.
Swift and Spears Fans React
Swifties and fans of Britney Spears quickly took to social media to express their surprise and amusement over Biden’s mix-up. While some were shocked and even teased the president for the error, others were more forgiving, acknowledging the harmless nature of the mistake. The incident quickly went viral, with many pointing out the humour in confusing two of the world’s most famous pop stars.
White House Response and Broader Implications
The White House has not commented on the mix-up, which comes amidst ongoing discussions about Biden’s age as he approaches the next year’s election. Despite this, the incident mostly garnered lighthearted reactions from the public, with many recognizing the challenges of staying up-to-date with current pop culture trends, especially for someone with the responsibilities of the President of the United States.