Selena Gomez's Stank Face at the VMAs during Taylor Swift's speech... you good? A Taylena Update! Is Pop Culture finally back?
Would you believe me if I told you that that was Selena Gomez’s face during Taylor Swift’s speech?
What happened to the forced puppy dog eyes Taylena gives us at every award show?
Ever since sweet Sel got her viral moment at the Lionel Messi soccer game, it seems like the only thing on her mind tonight at the VMAs… was to catch another viral moment.
That or she was just angry the whole night.
We already talked about how she was the only one not cheering or clapping for Demi Lovato while her master Taylor was.
Selena Gomez was the only person who wasn’t cheering — as she posed for a photographer — during that Demi Lovato performance at the #VMAs. pic.twitter.com/qk2ukUqMzZ
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 13, 2023
But what I found the most interesting was how the mask dropped during Taylor Swift’s speech.
It went from Selena going out of her way to get up for Taylor when she won her award—always gotta play nice in public after all…
📹 | Selena Gomez standing for Taylor Swift’s Best Pop acceptance speech 💞 #VMA
— Taylor Swift News 🩵 (@TSwiftNZ) September 13, 2023
pic.twitter.com/jtwc7zn59c
To this face as Taylor talks about touring stadiums and says “we all have the same issues”
Minute 1:40
Taylor Swift accepts the #VMA for Song of the Year with "Anti-Hero" from Midnights pic.twitter.com/uekuh4huCf
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 13, 2023
I cover a lot of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry on my YouTube channel and we talk a lot about body language and when the mask drops in regards to them. You can see the moment a person’s true colors are revealed before they quickly mask it.
For example, Meghan’s smile dropping and turning into an aggressive “how dare you” when her mother starts talking
And that’s exactly what happened with Selena. She knew the cameras were gonna be on her the whole night just like they’ve been on Taylor the whole night… and yet she couldn’t fake it for a little longer. Or maybe it’s not that deep?
The thing about Taylor and Selena is that they will always play nice in public because, at the end of the day, they do truly care about each other, BUT they have a friendship to sell.
And little by little, they continue to drift away aside from the usual 3 hangouts a year. I went into this in detail in my deep dive on them so check that out for more info:
They usually sit together at award shows and give us cute Taylena moments
But as the years go by and they live their own SEPARATE LIVES, that doesn’t happen.
The first time this was significant was at the 2019 AMAs when Selena was a stumbling drunk and Taylor refused to talk to her the whole night.
But no one remembers how Selena couldn’t speak therefore she didn’t get interviewed or her stumbling on the red carpet and Taylor ignoring her during the show.
They remember the over-the-top facial expressions and the “singing to each other” on stage all for the cameras.
Same story for tonight.
They avoided each other the whole night, sat with other people when the “besties” could have very well sat next to each other, but made sure to give her us their usual photo together.
I mean the photo ate don’t get me wrong.
As well as the usual over-the-top support from afar:
taylor getting everyone around her to stand up to cheer for selena’s win😭💗i love her sm pic.twitter.com/buo5Zv9O2d
— dom ☆ (@ev3rhaze) September 13, 2023
taylor cheering for selena from the audience😭 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/aKwhEmRuPD
— Ron🩵 (@midnightstrack2) September 13, 2023
taylor watching selena give her speech i’m SOBBING 😭 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/hC3N9rDveY
— karen🩵1989tv era (@picturetokurn) September 13, 2023
Now let’s talk about Taylor…
Taylor is known for her over-the-top reactions at award shows. It’s something that people also look forward to which is why a cameraman is always on her ass to give us the latest reactions:
How important is Taylor Swift to the #VMAs? There is a camera operator tasked with filming her continuously during the live performances onstage. pic.twitter.com/ukSvGhqsUd
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) September 13, 2023
We talk about this in the Olivia/Taylor post from tonight, but I’ll add it here as well.
Taylor is that person who will smile for the cameras and plan your downfall behind the scenes. And that is scary because imagine you’re feuding with someone, but they still go out of their way to show face in public? And then IF you are rightfully upset or shady in an interview, you’re painted as the bitter wench?
That’s what happening with Taylor & Olivia.
Taylor is also mad extra. Of course, she’s in the first row jumping up and down as if this is her first award show. Listen, I appreciate the fact that after 65 years in the industry, she’s not burned out.
Selena on the other hand was less than amused with EVERYTHING.
This was her face while Nicki Minaj was talking
what’s her issue? pic.twitter.com/EPYSDOZ8dC
— JA (@sleezyjamie) September 13, 2023
Also, Selena doesn’t really like Nicki. I don’t remember why, but this is something that I heard from a source and this was confirmed when a fan met Selena earlier this year and they asked her “Cardi or Nicki” and she made a face and said “Cardi!”
I don’t really blame Selena since Nicki is a menace and is not that nice. She shoots down anyone who dares make a name for themselves in the industry and gets angry if a newcomer doesn’t lick her ass in public. She’s literally insane. I’ve heard the worst stories about Nicki for years.
Do I still bop to her hits? Oh yeah, she’s iconic for sure but she does TOO much. I was gonna make a post about her tonight but I swear I got bored from her performance and her obsession with living in the past where she was the only #1 female rapper as opposed to now where female rap is QUITE COMMON.
Something Nicki doesn’t like.
This was also Selena’s face during Demi’s performance while in the same second, Taylor is literally about to give her heart to Demi
the difference between selena and taylor is sending me pic.twitter.com/EKnfKyf9yH
— lovatostan (@lovatostan) September 13, 2023
I gotta say… Taylor shocked me with her fan behavior toward Demi considering they had animosity throughout the years… but then again, it is on brand for someone who drifts away from Selena, to become extra supportive of the people who fell out with Selena. It’s literally a theme…
And then Selena’s face during Olivia’s performance
Not Selena Gomez covering her ears during Olivia Rodrigo performance 😭 pic.twitter.com/aeXjQ8tl2e
— annoyed (@cyberbei) September 13, 2023
However, this was during the part of Olivia’s set where there was a “stage malfunction/explosion” and everyone seemed confused as if that was planned or the stage was actually on fire.
For the majority of the night, Selena looked irritated or over it. But when it was time to win the award with Rema, she was all modest and shy.
Taylor cheering the cute Selena while her and Rema gave their acceptance speech is the cutest thing at the #VMAs 🥹😍 pic.twitter.com/A6zaZ4tpRY
— A Toxic Mercenary ᴹᴹ 🛡️ (@AnnabelDust) September 13, 2023
Ah Selena you crack me up.
However I gotta say, if it was anyone else with those judgemental ass stares and bitterness the whole night, they would have gotten dragged. But because it’s Selena, it’s “mood” or “relatable.”
selena is me in any social events pic.twitter.com/mizDdoHMFb
— ✧.* (@SLAYLLENA) September 13, 2023
Like if you’re gonna be bitter then uhh idk stay home???
Anyway, it was a great night for pop culture. Awards are usually boring so it was nice to see some entertainment.
Whether that was Selena’s stank faces, Taylor’s usual newbie ways, Megan The Stallion yelling at Justin Timberlake, or Demi Lovato rocking her pop hits, it was a great night for music.
Don’t know what’s going on but pop culture is back alive omg https://t.co/KGYXUhdLIS
— HOOD VOGUE is tired of poverty (@keyon) September 13, 2023
What did you guys think of the VMAs? Hope you guys enjoyed our live coverage on this blog!