Looks like NBC's Steve Kornacki has a Blank Space in his pop culture education. The famed analyst appeared on the Today Show on Friday September 29 – and shocked co-anchors Jacob Soboroff and Sheinelle Jones when he admitted he didn't know the name Taylor Swift.
"NBC News national political correspondent, Steve Kornacki joins us and here's the deal," began Jacob. "Steve just said he didn't know before this week who Taylor Swift was because he said, 'Is she an actress? Was she a musician?'"
To laughs, Jacob and Sheinelle then said that if anyone had taken a look at Steve's Instagram it may make more sense, with Sheinelle quipping: "I may live under a rock but you're like [under a] rock rock."
"I knew she was prominent," Steve replied, adding: "I'll put it that way but I didn't know the name."
Steve became a household name during the 2020 United States presidential election, with his unique analytical style enticing new fans into political math, and his clothing fashion kicking off a new trend for khakis.
He appeared on the Today Show to discuss Taylor and rumored new beau Travis Kelce's relationship, and matched up their stats; they were both born in 1989 and while Taylor has been in the industry for 17 years, Travis – a two-time Super Bowl champion – has been with the Kansas City Chiefs for 11 years.
The pair have been getting closer, and her appearance at the Chiefs vs Chicago Bears game on Sunday September 24 left the sports world and entertainment worlds in meltdown.
Later that night video footage obtained by Daily Mail revealed that Taylor had departed Travis's upscale mansion in Kansas City with a group of his friends and family. The entourage then boarded a party bus destined for Arrowhead Stadium where they watched the game, and saw Travis score a touchdown to help his team win 41-10.
A visibly excited Taylor was seen cheering, seemingly yelling "let's [expletive] go," celebrating Travis’s third-quarter touchdown reception, and chest bumping with Travis' pals.
Travis and his brother Jason, a Philadelphia Eagles player, host a podcast 'New Heights' and in this week's episode Travis labeled her decision to attend the game as “ballsy”.
"I just thought it was awesome how everybody in the suite had nothing but great things to say about her — the friends and family. She looked amazing and everybody was talking about her in great light," he said.
Taylor is a long-time fan of NFL team the Eagles, having grown up outside the city as a child before she moved to Nashville as a young teen.
During her Eras Tour concert in the city, she also confirmed that the lyrics, "With my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door" – from her song 'Gold Rush,' off of 2020 album Evermore – is about the football team and not the band.
"I did see the debate about, I have a lyric that says, 'With my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door,' and I saw people wondering if it was the band Eagles or the team the Eagles, and I love the band but, come on, I am from Philly of course it's the team," she told screaming fans.