Rachel Zegler Lashes Out at Barstool Sports’ ‘Pardon My Take’ Podcast Over Offensive Taylor Swift Sex Tape Remark

Rachel Zegler is urging the hosts of Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast to cease their targeting of Taylor Swift, expressing her displeasure at their "cruel" remarks regarding a potential intimate video involving the artist and Travis Kelce.

Zegler, 22, expressed the need for a critical assessment of the way men discuss women, their bodies, and their sexual lives. She emphasized that such treatment is rarely seen towards men and highlighted the disparity in examining their attitudes and relationships. This statement from Zegler came at a time when "Pardon My Take" podcast host Dan "Big Cat" Katz faced persistent criticism for his conditional approval of a romance between Swift, 33, and Kelce.

"If Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were to release a intimate video, I would acknowledge their relationship and deem it valid," he stated during his show on Monday, October 2nd. "I personally believe that until there is evidence of their physical intimacy, such as intercourse, I remain skeptical. In other words, it must involve the act itself, otherwise it lacks authenticity."

Katz and his cohost, Eric Sollenberger, also known as PFT Commenter, proceeded to share their opinions regarding what they see as acceptable.

BarstoolBigCat/X (formerly Twitter)

Katz expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating, "I'll be like, 'These two lovebirds, they can't keep their hands off each other.' It's completely acceptable," Katz added. "However, until that moment arrives, I believe it to be artificial and solely for the purpose of gaining attention, and I suspect that Taylor Swift is leveraging the NFL to amplify her stardom."

Kelce, 33, and Swift have become a hot topic in the world of sports and on the internet recently. Speculations about their romance began when Kelce, 33, mentioned in July that he wanted to give Swift his number. Swift has been seen attending two of his Kansas City Chiefs NFL games - the Chiefs v. Bears on September 24 and Chiefs v. Jets on October 1.

According to a source on October 3, "Taylor is really enjoying getting to know Travis. They are taking it one day at a time, but she has high hopes. She appreciates that he is a regular, kind guy. He is down-to-earth and unaffected by fame. She also finds him attractive."

Swift has not responded to Katz's comments. However, her loyal fans, known as Swifites, wasted no time in defending her and criticizing the podcast host. Notably, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also expressed his disapproval of Katz's "grotesque comments."

Taking advantage of her platform, Zegler initiated a broader discussion on the way women are discussed.

"Men are not the only ones who speak about us in this manner; women also contribute to this problem. It is disappointing," she expressed in her social media posts. Additionally, as the actress of West Side Story, Zegler received responses from certain individuals who argued that Katz was merely making a joke.

"Please comprehend that 'you can't take a joke' has always been an excuse for people to say derogatory things about women without facing any repercussions. We have had enough of this attitude and we are tired of it!" Zegler insisted. "It has never been amusing! Find something better to do with your life!"

In this article

Rachel Zegler

Taylor Swift