A new Channel 4 documentary is ready to show just how close Taylor Swift got to being cancelled after becoming a target of Kim Kardashian.
The US singer, 35, became the target of the 44-year-old reality TV star in 2016. Kim labelled Taylor a “snake” on social media. Taking to Twitter, Kim wrote: “Wait it’s legit National Snake Day?!?!? They have holidays for everybody, I mean everything these days!” She followed it up with a number of snake emojis.
It came years after Kim’s ex Kanye West interrupted the singer on the stage of the 2009 VMAS. A stunned Taylor, then just 19, stood aside as Kanye ranted: “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.
As the feud brewed, an online backlash following Kim’s tweet saw Taylor step back from social media and out of the spotlight all together.
In a sneak peek clip from the documentary, online content creator, Nina, and fellow Swiftie Holly are seen discussing the snake narrative that was forced upon Taylor.
They chat about how the targeted online abuse exploded overnight, spiralling into death threats towards the singer and clearing the path for marked cancellation that Taylor was helpless against and unable to withstand.
“She could have saved a million babies and solved world hunger and it wouldn’t have mattered,” the fans said.
“To have something of that magnitude just go completely off the rails and there was no stopping it no matter what she did,” they went on.
The two-part documentary says it will “dig deep” into Taylor’s 20-year career through interviews with high-profile commentators, industry insiders, and fans.
It will also “examine the forces that have shaped her trajectory and the devoted community she has inspired”. And “rare archive will reveal fresh insights into Taylor and her story as the series charts her journey from ambitious teen with towering dreams to one of the most influential and scrutinised figures of our time”.
Speaking of the documentary, director Guy King said: “Taylor Swift is an unprecedentedly powerful 21st Century voice for women and young people.
“Under the microscope of social media since the earliest days of MySpace and Tumblr, she came of age during a new feminist wave. With her fame came controversy, which she so skilfully wrestled to the floor. We’re excited to tell her story.”
And Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual at Channel 4 and Commissioning Editor added: “We’re thrilled that Sandpaper and director Guy King will be bringing their calibre of storytelling to chart the impact of Taylor Swift on today’s culture.
“Her journey has been nothing short of epic, and we’re keen for this series to reflect all the joy and artistry, the heartbreaks and high stakes, of her stunning career, while also showing viewers sides of Taylor Swift that they might not know or expect.”
