This month, it was reported that pop superstar Taylor Swift attended a party at a cannabis club in New York City. The story went viral, with everyone from Yahoo to MSN latching on.
Swifties on social media also had a field day, with many expressing a wide variety of emotions regarding the singer’s alleged penchant for pot, from excitement to disdain.
The only problem? The “news” wasn’t actually true.
It all started when rapper Bun B posted this on social media:
The post immediately spurred headlines suggesting that T-Swift visited a private cannabis club. It’s understandable why: Bun B had made reference to a high-end members-only consumption lounge, The Astor Club, in the caption of the photo.
If you weren’t reading carefully, the information could easily be misconstrued. The mention of a well-known cannabis chef furthered fanned the flames of the rumor.
But here’s what actually happened:
Questlove held an UNO-themed party at an event space called Mi Casa. Bun B was invited by “Matt from The Astor Club.” Chef Nikki Steward, known for her cannabis-infused dishes, was serving food. Taylor Swift was there, exchanging pleasantries with Bun B and others in attendance.
Several articles that originally said Swift went to a weed club have since been deleted. Others, despite being inaccurate, remain online. GreenState reached out to Swift’s publicist but has yet to get a response.
While cannabis-infused foods may have been available at the gathering, Questlove stated emphatically in an Instagram post that the event was not plant-centric, saying:
“readin ‘lot of gossip
Of what transpired
Was not a ‘weed party’
They all liars!!!”
View this post on Instagram
It’s interesting to note that there were plenty of other celebrities at the event, but it seemed as though people only cared about Swift’s presence. Speculation around whether the star consumes cannabis reignited online, leading many to wonder, “Does it really matter?”
Does she or doesn’t she? And why it shouldn’t matter
The bigger conversation here is about why this story went viral, despite it being so-called fake news. Let’s say Swift had gone to a cannabis club—or even partaken in the infused foods available at Questlove’s UNO game—would it really be that problematic?
Would she endure a boycott from parents or prohibitionists? Or would there (more likely) be a bit of a media firestorm and then everything would more or less return to status quo?
Other well-known celebrities consume cannabis and may even reference it in their work, including mainstream pop stars like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Kacey Musgraves.
But it rarely makes for tabloid fodder, nor is there widespread pushback. Times have changed, and no one really seems to care if celebs partake—seemingly unless it’s Tay Tay.
Swift previously said in a 2011 interview with 60 Minutes that she does not smoke marijuana, specifically calling out concerns for her vocal cords. The statement left open the possibility that she eats an edible or enjoys a tincture from time to time. Swift’s song Lavender Haze has also led to speculation about her attitudes toward cannabis.
But again: if Taylor Swift wants to enjoy the plant in places like New York where it’s legal, shouldn’t she have the right to do so without fear of retribution? How long will be before the media is willing to eschew the shock and stigmas associated with cannabis consumption?
If Taylor Swift visited a bar or was photographed sipping a glass of champagne, no one would say a word.
Cannabis continues to be normalized in our society and seeing pro-pot celebs is certainly part of that, but rumors about pop stars setting foot in a plant-centric location continue to ignite a firestorm. Apparently, it will take a bit more normalization before stories like these aren’t “news” at all.
