Joe Biden Confuses Taylor Swift with Britney Spears During 2023 Turkey Pardon Speech

Joe Biden, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears. Getty Images (3)

President Joe Biden appeared to confuse blonde pop stars Taylor Swift and Britney Spears during the White House's annual turkey pardon ceremony. In the midst of pardoning turkeys Liberty and Bell on November 20th, Biden, 81, made a speech addressing the crowd. In an attempt to make a joke about the exclusivity of the honor bestowed upon the turkeys, Biden may have unintentionally mixed up the names of the two famous singers. The ceremony serves as a means to save the turkeys from being served as someone's holiday meal.

"Liberty and Bell faced formidable odds and fierce competition to reach this point. They had to display unwavering determination, exercise patience, and endure a journey spanning over 1,000 miles," he stated during his speech, as reported by NBC News. "One could argue that it's an even more arduous task than securing tickets to the Renaissance tour or Britney's tour...Currently, she is in Brazil, where the climate is quite warm.”

Despite his initial mistake in mentioning Spears' name, Biden was actually alluding to the impressive tours of both Beyoncé and Swift. At 33 years old, Swift is presently captivating audiences on the South American leg of her Eras Tour, which commenced earlier this month.

Swift first made a stop in Argentina, where her boyfriend Travis Kelce joined her to witness her performance during the Kansas City Chiefs' bye week. In Buenos Aires, the pop star had to reschedule one of her shows, which is a seldom event for the singer, owing to a "chaotic" rainstorm.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

During the following week, Swift traveled to Brazil where she encountered an unprecedented weather event - a major heatwave. While performing in Rio de Janeiro, Swift demonstrated her care by distributing water bottles to fans from the stage, as captured in concert footage shared on social media. It was after the show that Swift shared the heartbreaking news of the passing of a 23-year-old fan named Ana Clara Benevides Machado, before Swift took the stage. In an Instagram Story, Swift expressed her deep sorrow, stating, "I can't believe I'm writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can't even tell you how devastated I am by this." (The cause of Machado's death has not been disclosed yet.)

Swift expressed her decision not to discuss Machado's passing during her performance due to the overwhelming grief she experienced whenever she attempted to broach the topic. She conveyed her profound sense of loss and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and friends. Additionally, she conveyed her surprise and disbelief at the unfortunate turn of events in Brazil, where they had initially decided to bring the tour.

Swift announced on the next day that her concert scheduled for Saturday, November 18, was postponed due to severe weather conditions. In a statement released on Instagram, Brazilian concert promoter Time For Fun confirmed that the Saturday concert would be rescheduled for Monday, November 20. Swift emphasized the priority she places on the safety and well-being of her fans, fellow performers, and crew through an Instagram Story post.

Swift returned to the stage in Brazil on Sunday, November 19, after rescheduling the show. As a tribute to Machado, she performed the heartfelt ballad "Bigger Than the Whole Sky" from her upcoming album Midnights, which is set to release in 2022.