When Taylor Swift is a 'hey joe' activist

America, the land of the free - and conspiracy theory. Ploughing through reports from the Whatsitsname of America, one would think that there is a Taylor Swiftbhoomi movement in full swing. The zeitgeisting performer-singer is namechecked and used as a filter in every topic. Including one where she is not the long-limbed, flaxen-haired cultural phenom, but a potent device in the lib-dem, specifically geriatric-GI Joe (Biden), toolkit. A Monmouth University Polling Institute survey found 18% of respondents believe that Swift is part of a conspiracy to help Biden win the November election race to that white house in DC. That may seem like a small number - just under a fifth. But what a minority in a Democrat state like New Jersey thinks may well be larger groupthink in Rep-Trump-toting ilakas.

So, why Swift as a Biden weapon? Because her boyfriend, American footballer Travis Kelce, has endorsed Bud Light Beer ('Real Republicans don't touch light stuff'). Because he is pro-vaccination. And, oh, because Swift did what Indian celebrities - at least the super-celebs - smartly avoid: endorse one candidate. Which in the case of Swift she did in favour of Joe in 2020. She has enough of a fan base not to bother about the rumour. But just goes to show, if you want to hear a particular tune when there is none, you can hear it in any song.