Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, according to head coach Billy Donovan, will again ramp up his rehab after he arthroscopic knee surgery in January. The news also comes after Ball had to roll back his rehab 10 days ago and stop running for a period of time, delaying his possible return to the court.
Donovan emphasized this will be a gradual process. Ball won’t go from “0 to 60.” https://t.co/5uH3ZJqvHa
Per Donovan, Ball’s ramping up process will not be “zero to 60,” perhaps indicating that a return is not imminent. Ball has not played since Jan. 14 and was sidelined with what the team originally described as a bone bruise. When treatment did not help Ball recover, he had to undergo surgery for a partially torn meniscus.
Chicago plays on Thursday against the Clippers and, after that game, will have five games left in the regular season. Three of those games — April 2 vs. the Miami Heat, April 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks and April 6 against the Boston Celtics — are against teams above the Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings. Currently, the Bulls are in a battle to remain in the top-six of the Eastern Conference, as they are jockeying for position with the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers to remain above the play-in tournament. Entering Thursday’s game, the fifth-place Bulls have a two-game lead on the seventh-place Cavaliers.
If Ball can come back at some point and contribute, it would give Chicago a needed shot in the arm if they hope to make any noise in the playoffs. How realistic that is, however, remains unclear even as he begins to ramp up his rehab again and theoretically get closer to a return.
Daniel Radcliffe declared that he was “dramatically bored” with hearing about Will Smith smacked Chris Rock at the Oscars, and he does have a point. That doesn’t mean, however, that people will stop talking about it anytime soon. We’ve heard countless celebrity/artist weigh-ins, including the strange take of noted hothead Alec Baldwin likening the incident to the Jerry Springer Show. And more takes are coming for sure, as people (including Rock) continue to process the very unordinary Oscars incident.
A notable reaction follows how Smith, who may or may not have been asked by the Academy to leave the premises, went on to accept the Best Actor award for King Richard. He then proceeded to give a weepy speech in which he referenced the act of defending his family out of love. And that doesn’t sit too well with Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory, Talk to Her, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), who’s notched a few Oscar wins over the years. Almodóvar wrote an essay for IndieWire about his experiences at Sunday night’s ceremony. And he’s not thrilled with Will’s speech, which he thought felt cult-like in its phrasing:
What I saw and heard produced a feeling of absolute rejection in me. Not only during the episode, but afterward, too, in the acceptance speech — a speech that seemed more like that of a cult leader. You don’t defend or protect the family with your fists, and no, the devil doesn’t take advantage of key moments to do his work.
Almodóvar went on to call Will’s speech “fundamentalist” and of a nature that “we should neither hear nor see.” He laments that this event has overshadowed the winners of the night, and he then characterizes social media as “the faceless monster” for embracing the discussion and being “avid for carrion.” Of course, Almodóvar himself is contributing to the discussion as well, so this is all very circular. And he expresses a wish that people will go back to movies, which (of course) would include the approximately 550,000 people who tuned into the broadcast as soon as the smack happened. The dilemmas, they just won’t stop, and nor will the Smith-Rock discussion.
Forgiveness is about seeing through wrongdoing and—with mercy and inner strength—getting back in touch with our own heart, our goodness and our humanity. It’s rarely easy. But it’s well worth the effort.
Most of us on some level understand the importance of forgiveness, but what exactly does this look like?
During a town hall meeting for Doha Debates, Malala Yousafzai was asked if she would ever speak to the Taliban gunmen who made an attack on her life in 2012, after she publicly spoke out for women’s educational rights.
Malala is already a hero to millions for her courage and resilience, but her response to this question is the epitome of showing grace … even after the unthinkable. Plus, it’s a beautiful reminder that forgiveness is an incredibly powerful tool for healing.
“Actually, I did,” she disclosed, to the interviewer’s surprise.
Malala explained that her colleagues organized a call with the men who had shot her all those years ago. After the young men tried to apologize for their brutal actions, this is what she had to say:
“All I had was sympathy. All I had was empathy. Because you wonder … what are the reasons that lead to these actions?”
Malala showed genuine compassion and understanding as she described the incident from the attacker’s perspective, who were handed a picture of Malala and told “this is a girl and she is against Islam. Go and shoot her.” For them, it was about loyalty, purpose and fulfilling a job.
As she continued, Malala chose to focus on solutions, rather than placing blame.
“Whatever hatred you have against this person, it’s not going to solve any of the problems … There is a system in there that will create more terrorists. It’s the narrative that is wrong … It’s the ideology that we need to challenge.”
Her stance was clear: The problem isn’t people, it’s what people are taught. It takes getting deeper insight into how history has shaped us, so that we can take new steps toward a better society. That is what can be gained by letting go of anger and resentment in favor of progress.
As for revenge? Malala told the audience, “I can take my revenge by educating girls. That’s the best way to fight back.”
Despite receiving such hatred, Malala’s vision remains fueled by hope.
“There can be a society where we can live together. We can know what it means to be just. What it means to be fair. I think as individuals, we can use reason. We can have good emotions and powerful emotions that can really guide us in creating a better society.”
Malala is now a household name as an advocate for women’s education, wrote a bestselling book and heads a highly successful platform “working for a world where every girl can learn and lead.” She took what was arguably the most horrific experience of her lifetime and made the conscious choice to transform it into a force for good.
Forgiveness often comes down to one simple question, “How will I use this moment to become a better person?” The choice is ours.
Plastic Lego bricks are so durable they can be played with forever. But eventually, most kids grow out of their Lego phase and parents are stuck with a big bucket of bricks that eventually makes its way to the garbage.
Studies show that it can take up to 1,300 years for a Lego brick to decompose.
However, most people don’t know that when their kids outgrow their Legos, the company will gladly take them back and send them to needy children who can’t wait to play with them. This amazing gesture took actress Kristen Bell by surprise and she had to tell the world about it on Instagram.
“I just figured out that you can donate Legos, back to Lego,” “The Good Place” actress told her 15.2 followers on Instagram. Then she showed how easy it is to print a free shipping label on Lego’s website and send the bricks to kids who really want them.
“We work closely with multiple donation partners who proudly give your much-loved LEGO bricks new life,” the toymaker said on its website. “The children who receive the bricks continue to play with them, creating endlessly.”
The program is a win-win-win for everyone involved. Parents get rid of their boxes of toys, kids in need have something to play with and the planet gets a break from all the plastic.
“I am obsessed with recycling. I’m always looking for some new way to reuse anything and everything around my house,” Bell wrote in her post. “I do love when companies make it really easy. Nice work, @lego!”
Paul Rudd is a prolific and perseverant prankster. Just ask Conan O’Brien.
In 2004, Rudd was a guest on Conan O’Brien’s talk show and he told O’Brien he’d brought a clip of the finale of “Friends” to share with him and the audience. He set up what the clip would be, but when O’Brien cut to it, what played was a scene from the cheesy 1988 film “Mac and Me.”
Paul Rudd’s First “Mac And Me” Prank | Late Night with Conan O’Brien
It was cute and silly and the beginning of a nearly two-decade-long running gag.
In the years since, Rudd has pulled the “Mac and Me” clip out around a dozen times on Conan O’Brien’s show while promoting various projects, from “Anchorman 2” to “Ant-Man.” Sometimes he starts to show a clip from an actual film he’s in, which then suddenly switches to the “Mac and Me” scene. And Paul Rudd has remained deadpan, every time.
After so many years of Rudd pulling this prank, you’d think Conan O’Brien would anticipate it. And indeed, he does know to expect it on his talk show. But Rudd managed to surprise O’Brien this week by pulling the gag with a twist—playing the audio of the clip on O’Brien’s podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.”
Rudd told O’Brien that he’d been working on a podcast project of his own, a four-episode narrative on Audible. He described how excited he was to get to record it with some of his friends, including Adam Scott and Ken Marino. He explained the basic premise of the series, with the characters and background story. He said he brought a clip from the series to share—and this time, O’Brien really didn’t see the prank coming.
Watch:
Damn you, Paul Rudd.https://twitter.com/TeamCoco/status/1508886962660274176u00a0u2026
O’Brien’s repeated “You can’t do that on a podcast!” is hilarious. He genuinely wasn’t expecting it this time, which makes it all the more delightful.
How dedicated do you have to be to keep a gag going for 18 years? And to make up an entire series just to get O’Brien to fall for it? The guy is a legend.
Watch the supercut of all the times Rudd has pranked O’Brien’s audience with “Mac and Me” to see how he’s managed to keep it going for so long:
Totally predictable after a while, but honestly? It’s Paul Rudd. Even when you know it’s coming, it’s still great. Moving the gag to the podcast realm was just extra next level. We wouldn’t expect anything less.
Last week, Soccer Mommy announced a new record, Sometimes, Forever. Produced by Oneohtrix Point Never, the LP is the follow-up to 2020’s Color Theory and came with a typically evocative new single, “Shotgun.” However, the Color Theory era isn’t over quite yet. Lordess Foudre and Christopher Leckie, the art directors responsible for the album’s deluxe packaging, are up for a Grammy Award this weekend in the category of Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package.
Neither were expecting the nod. In fact, Foudre says when the nominations came out, she was in a place with “absolutely ghastly internet” and so her phone had dodgy service. She saw that Soccer Mommy had received a nomination — but didn’t realize right away it was for her own work. “I was telling people, ‘Congratulations!’ and then, an hour later, they were like, ‘No, it’s Chris and you.’” Leckie happened to be at home watching the nominations reveal, but he too was also surprised. “It’s very exciting, but also shocking, because you don’t expect it. It’s such a wonderful thing, and it’s so nice to be recognized by your peers as well in that way.”
The Color Theory deluxe packaging is indeed Grammy-worthy. On the front is the dreamy photo of Soccer Mommy’s Sophia Allison found on the regular version of the album, along with the band’s name in a similarly space-age font. However, the package design is meant to resemble a Trapper Keeper, the school binder popular in the ’80s and ’90s. Open up the binder and you’ll find a pouch with Soccer Mommy-branded pencils, a ruler, stickers and an eraser; flexi-discs in a rainbow of colors featuring song demos; lyrics handwritten on notebook paper; and Color Theory itself on translucent pale blue vinyl, tucked into a pouch in the back. For any kid who grew up loving school supplies, it’s a perfect blast of nostalgia.
thank u grammys for the best packaging nom! and thanks to all the wonderful people who worked on the deluxe set for color theory @RecordingAcadpic.twitter.com/AZmyA3NEbD
“We really wanted to do something fun and retro for the deluxe Color Theory set,” Allison says. “Everyone had a lot of cool ideas to choose from for different inserts and parts [and it ended] up looking really cool together.”
Foudre — who was hired to work on the Soccer Mommy single and album artwork during the Color Theory era (“It’s sort of creating the entire world that all the products would swim in”) — says “nostalgia” was the vibe she and Allison hit upon when dreaming up the idea for this packaging, the idea of rediscovering something from a previous era.
“Sophie made it easy,” Foudre says. “She’s great at writing lyrics and is a fantastic musician. [And] she speaks very evocatively. When I talked to her, it was very easy for me, on an emotional level — [ideas] easily popped into my mind after talking to her.”
A brainstorming session with Soccer Mommy’s label, Loma Vista Recordings, was even more fruitful. “We were thinking of different ways to convey that [nostalgic] feeling, not just through the artwork, but through the packaging. And so the Trapper Keeper was something that hit me like a lightning bolt,” Foudre says, referencing as other touchstones the colorful ’80s stickers produced by Lisa Frank. “Because when you think about coming of age, [your mind] automatically [goes] to school. And so that was something that popped in my mind. They were all for it.”
Foudre initially wasn’t sure if her ideas were physically feasible to even produce, but Leckie said the production side of things was a breeze. “There weren’t a huge amount of hurdles,” he explains. “There are technical things that were different about it, like the custom dyes for the Flexidisc pieces. They are custom shapes that fit into the binder. [But] we’d done some stickers already for the standard version, so that was included in there. And then everything else was totally organic — [like] the writing, the doodling of the lyrics and stuff. We knew we wanted it to feel like you’d been at school taking notes. That was the idea. And it came together quite organically.”
Leckie is also currently working on the Sometimes, Forever artwork, although fans shouldn’t expect a redux of the binder when the album is released in June. “When you start a project again, even if you’ve worked with the artist many times, you want to start with a blank slate and never want to come in and do something similar,” he says. “I never want to do the same idea twice. I want to tease out something you’ve never seen before.” This idea is often in sync with where the artist is going next, he adds. “Every time you get a new thing, you have to approach it with whatever the person’s trying to say the next time around,” he says. “Obviously they’re not trying to regurgitate anything on their end anything. They have a new idea of what they’re trying to communicate.”
Leckie too can’t say enough good things about Allison, and her role in helping the deluxe Color Theory packaging come alive. “She knows exactly what she wants to do,” he says. “And when artists come in and have such great vision, you’re there to help them execute that and make it be as good as it can be. And have fun, too. If you’re not having fun, it’s no good — especially with something like this, in terms of the nostalgia and everything. If you’re not having fun making it, how are you going to make anybody else have fun experiencing on the other end?”
Win or lose at the Grammys, Foudre is certainly proud of the packaging and the collaborative process that brought it to life. “Even though I came up with the Trapper Keeper idea, the whole thing came from them,” she says. “Yes, we did that thing. But if not for Sophie, none of it would have happened.”
Donald Trump’s post-White House tenure still never shows a shortage of dull moments. From him putting out an actual press release about hitting a hole in one to sending out self-interested suggestions to Putin, it’s all Donald Trump looking out for himself. That’s nothing new, but hey, a faux-billionaire also has to make a buck. And since his social network is flopping, he’s decided to cash in by ripping someone else off.
That person would be his chief White House photographer, Shealah Craighead, who duly followed him around for four years, which really couldn’t have been the most leisurely gig in the world. And when she planned to do what is customary for White House photographers to do — compile the best images for a coffee-table book — Trump was like nah, hold off. As the New York Times reports, Trump first asked Craighead to pay him (with a chunk of her advance book payment) to write the (again customary) forward for the book. Then Trump decided to circumvent the whole subject by taking Craighead’s photos and publishing his own book (which he supplement with other White House photographers’ snaps), selling it for up to $230 per copy, and pocketing the dough.
Not only that, but Trump was apparently a major pain in the butt to Craighead over the course of four years, frequently belittling her and (unsurprisingly) acting obsessed with pictures of himself:
Mr. Trump at times would say insulting things about Ms. Craighead, telling other White House guests that he questioned her skills as a photographer, surprising other White House officials and photographers present.
Mr. Trump, former White House aides said, was intensely involved in selecting photos of himself that would be released to the public, with Ms. Grisham recalling how during long flights on Air Force One, he often set aside time to review folders of photographs, after demanding that they be first printed so he could hold them, and pick winners one at a time.
As the New York Times points out, there’s unfortunately no law that explicitly prevents Trump from taking the photos, assembling them, and publishing them, but it’s something that most presidents haven’t chosen to do, especially after asking the photographer to not publish her own book and cutting in line to do so himself. Craighead, for her part, declined to talk politics but indicated that she’s shut down the idea of going forth with a followup book of her own. And the Trump monetizing train keeps on going.
Our bodies are so amazing and weird. The fact that human beings have gone from banging rocks together to creating the most intricately detailed works of art is a testament to what our bodies can do. Just think about the kinds of physical feats we (well, some of us, anyway) have mastered, from brain surgery to playing musical instruments to Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics.
Humans are marvels. Through coordination and balance and muscle training and practice, there are so many incredible things our bodies can do.
But honest to goodness, I cannot make my foot not change direction while doing this stupid physical trick.
It goes like this:
Sitting in a chair, lift your right foot off the ground a few inches and rotate your foot to the right (clockwise), making a circle in the air. While making that circle, use your right finger and draw the number “6” in the air.
I tried this a dozen times. A full 12 in a row. And every single time, no matter how hard I would concentrate, my foot would change direction as soon as I started to draw the “6.” I tried it fast. I tried it slow. I tried concentrating only on my foot or only on the “6.” It didn’t matter. My finger influenced what my foot was doing no matter what.
It’s not a new trick, but it was new to me and to the people who responded to a tweet sharing the trick with various iterations of “What is this sorcery?!?”
Mind. Blown. I may need to stay off twitter for the rest of the day.pic.twitter.com/vTAOetW7Uk
If you are one of those people who were able to do it without any problem, congrats. You have some kind of superhuman coordination.
That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway. My teen and young adult children were somehow able to keep their foot going clockwise. One of them is a musician and one is left-handed, so maybe that’s why? Drummers and ballet dancers in the comments said they didn’t have any problem with it.
As it turns out, there is a scientific explanation for why it’s pretty much impossible for most of us.
“The cerebellum part of the brain manages body movements, like the circling of the foot or the drawing of the number 6. However, the nerve fibers from the right side of the body cross the brain stem and connect with the left side of the brain, just as the fibers on the left side of the body connect with the right side of the brain. When you try to draw the number 6 with your right hand, those signals are coming from the left side of the brain. Even though circling your foot is easy to do in either direction, you cannot rotate your foot in the opposite motion of the drawn six at the same moment. The left side of the brain cannot manage two opposite movements in the same moment, so the brain combines the movement to a similar motion. When you switch to the left foot, there is no problem because the right side of the brain controls your foot movement, while the left side can focus on drawing the number 6.”
So there you have it. The old brain controlling the two sides of your body thing. Clearly, there must be a way to train yourself to not have your foot wig out when making the “6” in the air, so pardon me while I spend the next six hours trying to make my body do my bidding.
The term “imposter syndrome” is pretty commonplace in mental health circles. At first glance, the concept is simple: it’s that super fun (not) anxiety you get when success knocks at your door. You know, when someone tells you “good job!” and what you somehow hear instead is “you’re a fraud and I see right through you!” Just a bout of low self esteem, right? Eh, not so much.
As it turns out, imposter syndrome is a lot more complex and nuanced than that.
While it might be overwhelming to discover your “competence type,” as Dr. Young calls them—or hey, maybe you’ll be like me and realize you’re a bit of all five—recognizing it can be really helpful for identifying what’s holding your mojo back. As they say, knowing is half the battle.
Something worth noting: Despite the (very long) title suggesting that this is primarily a female issue, the author herself notes that men also come up against imposter syndrome. In fact, though experts formerly believed it was experienced mostly by women, that has proven to not be the case. In fact, under some circumstances, men might be more likely to feel it. Long story short: Everyone can benefit from this information.
Can the Type A, Overachiever, Micromanager Control Freaks please raise their hand? It’s OK, you’re welcome here.
For the Perfectionist, life is about setting excessively high, next-to-impossible standards for themselves. And then when inevitable failure comes along (again, impossible goals), that leaves the Perfectionist beating themselves up. Even the smallest error in a performance can suddenly morph into something huge. And from that point on, it’s the only thing that matters.
Perfectionism is its own brand of double-edged sword, as the fear of failure causes a hyperfocus on what might just be small details. And that can go one of two ways: overworking or procrastinating. Neither are very fun. And neither build confidence.
Just listen to the lyrics of Encanto’s “Surface Pressure” and you’ll get a quick understanding of what this one means.
To be a Superwoman/man means feeling like you must excel in every role of your life. Having to be the best spouse, the best parent and the best worker—all at the same time. Cause, who needs a healthy work-life balance? Not Superhumans!
People pleasing and Superhumaning go hand in hand, because the need to impress and “do good” is of the utmost priority. A day in the life of a Superwoman/man might involve saying yes to every request, neglecting hobbies and juggling plates to the point of burnout. But, of course, this comes at a cost, because at the end of the day no matter how super we are, we are still undeniably human.
If at first you don’t succeed … then don’t bother trying again because clearly you don’t have a natural gift for it.
Those who believe in Natural Genius subscribe to the idea that if something isn’t easy, then it isn’t a natural talent. And therefore, if you must work hard at something, you must not be very good at it. People must be born talented or skilled. Setbacks aren’t just setbacks, they’re bona fide stop signs. This can make life very frustrating, as hobbies keep getting switched, a scroll through social media thwarts all hope and opportunities for growth are missed simply because they are challenging.
The Natural Genius type might look like a symptom of laziness at first glance, but really, it’s another form of judging ourselves harshly. With such ridiculously high expectations, our confidence has nowhere to go but down.
There’s no “I” in “TEAM,” but that’s OK because you don’t need a team anyway. You’ve got it all covered and don’t need any help. After all, needing others is clearly a sign of weakness … right?
Where independence is a valuable strength, the Soloist takes it to the nth degree. When you turn down assistance as a means to prove your worth and refuse to take any credit if you did receive any assistance … then you, my friend, might be a Soloist.
To the Expert, there is no greater defeat than having to utter those three little words.
I. Don’t. Know.
Because to this type, self-worth is directly linked with having as much knowledge and as many skills as possible. Learning as you go? Nah. Feeling ashamed when you come upon a question you can’t answer? Yes, please.
For the Expert, life is about striving for more. More courses, more training, more certifications. And yet still feeling like you just don’t quite have a handle on it all yet. Often Experts are held back from going after jobs they are already well qualified for, simply because they’re convinced they haven’t learned enough.
How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
If imposter syndrome comes in many shapes and sizes, then it’s no surprise there’s no be-all-end-all solution for it. A lot of it comes down to directly facing your fears and taking small steps (baby steps, even) toward a different outcome.
Here are a few ideas:
Celebrate any and all wins. Even the small ones.
Take a piece of paper and write it all out. Did you move at all today? Check. Brushed your teeth twice? Gold star for you. Writing out small successes might give you the validation kick that your little heart has been seeking.
Use your words.
Are you a perfectionist? Try the affirmation “Done is better than perfect.” A Soloist? How about “Receiving help allows me to be the best version of myself?” It’s a small gesture of self-love that really can help reframe our thoughts over time.
Stop scrolling.
If you find yourself looking at influencers, celebrities and teenagers showcasing their best moments and suddenly feeling inferior, then give yourself a digital detox. You might find a lot of extra time on your hands to put directly into building yourself up.
Seek the help of an expert.
This could be a mastermind group, a career coach or a therapist. Or, it could be delegating a certain task to a professional, such as hiring a housekeeper or accountant. This is a great way to ask for help (you’re welcome, Soloists) in a way that’s constructive.
At the end of the day, it’s understandable that many of us feel like frauds. But this feeling can be alleviated through a little honesty, some self-care and allowing ourselves to be both flawed and deserving all at the same time.
If you’re interested in taking a quiz to further dive into which type best fits you, you can check that out here.
It’s no secret that the Recording Academy looks favorable on Taylor Swift. Is it because she deserves it? Absolutely yes. But let’s be honest, the Grammys are so fickle, and have such a strange track record when it comes to their winner picks that fans can have quite a discussion reflecting on back on wins and losses, with the test of time as a barometer for their fairness. Since she came onto the scene back in 2006 with Taylor Swift, the singer-songwriter has been nominated a whopping 42 times (!) Out of those nominations, she’s won 11 Grammys so far, including three for the coveted Album Of The Year award, becoming the only woman who has ever done that in 2021.
So, since Taylor’s only won about 1/4th of her nominations (keeping in mind the potential 2022 wins haven’t been added yet), which of those losses were justifiable, where she was beaten out by another strong contender, and which were outright snubs that Swiftian scholars all sagely agree she should’ve won? That’s exactly what this list is going to set the record straight on, going through every single nomination from each year one by one. Read on, Swiftie, and see whether you agree or disagree with my judgments.
2008: One nomination for Best New Artist
Verdict: Lost to Amy Winehouse Snub or Justified: Justified
While the Recording Academy might’ve ignored Taylor’s debut self-titled, two years later, they were definitely aware of her growing potential. Taylor was nominated in this category along with future powerhouses like Amy Winehouse, Feist, and Paramore. Amy winning is a justified victory, though, and not a snub of Taylor at all. Actually, in retrospect, it’s nice that Winehouse earned this honor before her untimely death.
2010: A whopping eight nominations, most notably for Album Of The Year, which she won, along with Best Country Album, Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song (“White Horse” winning in both those song categories).
Nomination: “You Belong With Me” for Record Of The Year Verdict: Lost to “Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon Snub or Justified: Justified
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think “Use Somebody” is absolutely an all-time banger. It’s hard for me to ride for “You Belong With Me” over this tune, though I’m very tempted to suggest that “Love Story” or even “White Horse” would’ve had a much better shot.
Nomination: “You Belong With Me” for Song Of The Year Verdict: Lost to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” Snub or Justified: Justified
After Kanye’s mind-boggled response to Taylor besting Beyonce in a battle between these two songs at the 2009 VMAs, it was probably the safer choice for the Grammys to pick Bey. And let’s face it, “Single Ladies” is an iconic bit of pop culture that will be enshrined forever because of the dance alone, and “You Belong With Me” has become one of the far lesser songs in the Taylor canon. The Grammys got this right.
Nomination: “You Belong With Me” for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Verdict: Lost to “Halo” by Beyonce Snub or Justified: Justified
Well, “Halo” is just a better song in this case. And since Beyonce lost out on the Album Of The Year award — an honor she’s still never won — this feels something like a consolation prize.
Nomination: “Breathe” (with Colbie Caillat) for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals Verdict: Lost to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat Snub or Justified: Justified
Colbie Caillat was having a massive moment at that time, so she deserved to win off one of her nominations, and “Lucky” deserved the nod over her song with Tay.
2012: Three nominations, but all within the Country genre and no Big Four looks. Two wins for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song (“Mean” winning in both those song categories).
Nomination: Speak Now for Best Country Album Verdict: Lost to Uncaged by Zac Brown Band Snub or Justified: MASSIVE SNUB
There’s a large faction of Swifites who swear up and down that Speak Now is Taylor’s best album, and honestly, I really see their point. We have “Sparks Fly,” “Back To December,” “Speak Now,” “Mean,” “The Story Of Us,” “Enchanted,” “Long Live” — the list goes on. So many absolute classics that illustrate Taylor’s songwriting at the top of her craft. And can anyone name a single song off this random Zac Brown album? This isn’t even the one with “Chicken Fried.” The only thing I will say in defense of the Recording Academy is that Speak Now definitely doesn’t feel very country, so maybe that was part of it. Still, we need justice for Speak Now when Taylor’s Version comes out!
2013: Three nominations, since some of Red’s singles fall into an earlier eligibility period. One win for Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Safe & Sound” (with The Civil Wars).
Nomination: “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” for Record of the Year Verdict: Lost to “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye and Kimbra Snub or Justified: Justified
That song was everywhere in 2013. It’s fine, this loss was nothing personal.
Nomination: “Safe & Sound” (with The Civil Wars) for Best Country Duo/Group Performance Verdict: Lost to “Pontoon” by Little Big Town Snub or Justified: Justified
Little Big Town is one of the best modern country groups on the planet, and “Pontoon” is a little down-home fun. Clearly, Taylor didn’t take this one personally, because she later gave this group “Better Man,” an unreleased song from the Red era, that won the group yet another Grammy.
2014: Four nominations, zero wins. It was a Very Bad Year for the Swifties and their fearless (heh) leader
Nomination: Red for Album Of The Year Verdict: Lost to Random Access Memories by Daft Punk Snub or Justified: SNUB
You know that phrase about Helen Of Troy, “the face that launched a thousand ships” aka caused a war? That’s essentially what happened here. Taylor losing this massive award for what is the best album in her discography — folklore would like a word, but Red lasted in that position for almost a decade — essentially fueled her writing sessions for 1989. It drove her to seek out Jack Antonoff and go full-blown stadium pop, a totally different direction for her. And in the end, as it always is with the Grammys, it didn’t really matter if they gave Tay an award or not. Red was the Album Of The Year that year. The winner was a late-career album from a waning musical duo who had to tap a huge host of collaborators to even be relevant, and the hype around Random Access Memories quickly turned a few years later. Meanwhile, Red lives on.
2015: Three nominations, another strange year with zero wins
Nomination: “Shake It Off” for Record Of The Year Verdict: Lost to “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith Snub or Justified: Justified
This year felt like the Grammys trying very hard to support a queer artist, which is definitely not a bad thing. What can you say? When someone has such a ubiquitous hit, the Grammy’s commercial performance reward system kicks in. Sam deserved this, even if their career fell off hard later.
Nomination: “Shake It Off” for Song Of The Year Verdict: Lost to “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith Snub or Justified: Snub
A treacle-y ballad begging someone not to leave you shouldn’t best a peppy empowerment anthem in my book. Let Sam have a few and Taylor have a few… the commercial success of 1989 was pretty significant, and partially due to lead singles like this one. Since this award is about the writing and less about the performance, I think Taylor would’ve made way more sense here.
Nomination: “Shake It Off” for Best Pop Solo Performance Verdict: Lost to “Happy (Live)” by Pharrell Williams Snub or Justified: Definitely a snub
At this point Tay is losing to elevator music. I mean, “Shake It Off” isn’t my favorite hit from her ever, but it’s definitely better than “Happy.”
2016: Seven nominations, three wins, including 1989 for Album Of The Year. 1989 also won for Best Pop Vocal Album and her “Bad Blood” remix featuring Kendrick Lamar won for Best Music Video. Arguably, this was the year that changed everything.
Nomination:”Blank Space” for Record of the Year Verdict: Lost to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars Snub or Justified: Justified
This was a tough call, but Mark Ronson is a true genius and deserved the look.
Nomination:”Blank Space” for Song of the Year Verdict: Lost to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran Snub or Justified: Snub
While Ed is deep inner circle when it comes to Taylor Bestie Rankings, I find it hard to argue his song was better than “Blank Space” in any conceivable way. But then again, it’s not fully a snub, because Taylor and Ed would always be happy for each other winning.
Nomination:”Blank Space” for Best Pop Solo Performance Verdict: Lost to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran Snub or Justified: Snub
If Ed is going to win in the Big Four, give someone else a chance in the genre-specific category. This is a general rule I tend to stand by, but the Recording Academy hasn’t consulted me about it yet. Clearly. And, “Blank Space” is way more traditional pop than “Thinking Out Loud” which is like… almost adult contemporary. With that 1989 win this doesn’t sting as much though.
2018: Three nominations, zero wins
Nomination: ”Better Man” for Best Country Song Verdict: Lost to “Broken Halos” by Chris Stapleton Snub or Justified: Justified
Considering this wasn’t Taylor’s Version (yet!) and Chris Stapleton was Having A Moment, this genre loss for a song she’d written and given to another band didn’t sting at all. Plus, Little Big Town would go on to pick up a win anyway that night, just for Best Country Duo/Group Performance instead.
Nomination: ”I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” for Best Song Written for Visual Media Verdict: Lost to “How Far I’ll Go” by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Auli’i Cravalho from Moana Snub or Justified: Justified
Taylor, I love you so much that when we met my mouth couldn’t form any words… but this song sucks. Moana got some shine it rightly deserved.
2019: One nomination, zero wins
Nomination: Reputation for Best Pop Vocal Album Verdict: Lost to Sweetener by Ariana Grande Snub or Justified: Justified
Though I ride a lot harder for Reputation than plenty of other fans, Sweetener is an all-time classic. And, Ariana doesn’t tend to get all the Grammy looks the way Taylor has, even nominations-wise, so it was nice to see her get honored. Not to mention, after the year she’d had, Ari really needed the pick-me-up.
2020: Three nominations, zero wins
Nomination: ”Lover” for Song of the Year Verdict: Lost to “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and Finneas Snub or Justified: Justified
There was only Billie, and she was everything. *Billie Voice* DUH.
Nomination: Lover for Best Pop Vocal Album Verdict: Lost to When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish Snub or Justified: “Justified”
Considering Billie was breaking records previously set by Taylor when she became the youngest female artist to hit certain milestones at the Grammys, you have to imagine Taylor was pretty proud of her. A mid-career album from Taylor losing to a rising star’s debut record, it’s not a snub, it’s just how the industry works.
Nomination: ”You Need To Calm Down” for Best Pop Solo Performance Verdict: Lost to “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo Snub or Justified: Justified
Once again, unlike many detractors I absolutely loved Taylor going balls-to-the-wall for the queer community as she grew past her fear of openly speaking on political issues. But “Truth Hurts” beats “Calm Down” handily. No snub here.
2021: Six nominations, only one win, but it’s her third Album Of The Year award for folklore, which puts Taylor in a category unto herself
Nomination: “Cardigan” for Song Of The Year Verdict: Lost to H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe” Snub or Justified: Justified
This song was part of an important moment of racial reckoning in American history. It absolutely deserved the nod.
Nomination: Folklore for Best Pop Vocal Album Verdict: Lost to Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia Snub or Justified: Justified
All of Taylor’s losses this year were to emerging new voices in pop who were doing something completely new, while Lover tended to rehash old ground for her. Dua earned this win fair and square.
Nomination: ”Cardigan” for Best Pop Solo Performance Verdict: Lost to “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles Snub or Justified: Justified
C’mon, I mean, “Watermelon Sugar”? It’s a banger and a half. Harry wins, no hard feelings.
Nomination: “Exile” with Bon Iver for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Verdict: Lost to “Rain On Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande Snub or Justified: Justified
“Rain On Me” is perfect, and we needed an anthem like this in the early days of lockdown more than a sad sack ballad from Tay and Justin.
Nomination: “Beautiful Ghosts” from Cats was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media Verdict: Lost to “No Time To Die” by Billie Eilish and Finneas Snub or Justified: Justified
Do I even need to explain this one?
So in reality, Taylor’s Grammy career only has six major snubs. That’s really not that many, considering how artists like Beyonce, Jay-Z and Kendrick have been treated. Here’s the Grammys Taylor’s nominated for this year: Album Of The Year for Evermore, and as a writer on Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour, which is also nominated for Album Of The Year. So if either of those two wins, she’ll be picking up another hefty award this year.
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