Simu Liu Assures No Disparagement Towards Taylor Swift as He Takes on Hosting Duties for the 2024 People's Choice Awards
Simu Liu assures fans that the upcoming 2024 People's Choice Awards will be a Taylor Swift-friendly event, as he personally guarantees a slander-free evening Get ready for an unforgettable show in February!
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Simu Liu won’t be creating any bad blood with Taylor Swift when hosting the People’s Choice Awards next month.
The 34-year-old actor assured fans, "No Taylor Swift bashing at the 2024 PCAs" in a tweet on January 11, via X (formerly Twitter). He made the pledge shortly after it was revealed that he will host the awards show on February 18 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. The event will be broadcast live on NBC, Peacock and E!.
In a statement on Thursday, Liu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the 2024 People's Choice Awards and looks forward to celebrating the year in pop culture with fans. With experience hosting the Juno Awards and SciTech Awards, Liu is well-prepared for the role.
In a Thursday statement, Jen Neal, executive vice president of live events and specials at NBCUniversal, expressed her excitement about Simu Liu hosting the 2024 People's Choice Awards. She described Liu as a beloved figure in Hollywood, citing his charisma and strong connection with fans as the perfect embodiment of the awards show's spirit.
Before accepting the hosting role, Liu was a previous recipient of the Action Movie Star award at the PCAs for his role in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This year, his portrayal of one of the Kens in Barbie earned him a nomination for Movie Performance of the Year, putting him in competition against co-star America Ferrera and other talented actors.
Barbie is nominated for Movie of the Year and Comedy Movie of the Year, and Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie are in the running for Male Movie Star of the Year and Female Movie Star of the Year, respectively.
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Liu's recent remarks regarding the boundaries of his jokes at the PCAs stage have sparked conversation, especially in the wake of Jo Koy's controversial opening monologue at the 2024 Golden Globes. Koy's comments about various celebrities, including Taylor Swift, received strong criticism from viewers. One particular quip about Swift's visibility at the Golden Globes compared to NFL games struck a nerve with the audience.
After the joke received no response, the camera switched to Swift, who appeared unimpressed and was shown in the audience sipping her champagne with a blank expression. Koy, 52, spoke about the uncomfortable moment during his appearance on GMA3: What You Need to Know the next day, admitting that it was the joke at the Globes that he regretted the most.
He remembered, "I think it was when the Taylor one was just a little flat. It was a strange joke, I suppose. It was more of a dig at the NFL, using cutaways, and how the Globes didn't need to do that. So it was really aimed at the NFL. But it just didn't come across that way."
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In an interview with the Los Angeles Times several days later, Koy admitted that he was unsure why the joke about Swift didn't land. He also claimed to be a big fan of the pop star.
It's most painful to me that I'm just showing my support for Taylor, I love and admire her work. I even bought tickets for my nieces to see her. There was no malicious intent behind that joke," he explained to the outlet. "The joke was about the NFL and their consistent use of cutaways to [her]. And the reason for this is obvious. I'm not saying anything that others aren't already saying, and the meaning behind that joke is clear. It's directed at the NFL. With everything else that's been going on, this is the one thing you decide to attack."
