Perhaps I’m a Swiftie First, Comedian Second

It’s no secret that Nikki Glaser is a certified Swiftie. The 40-year-old comedian has been extremely vocal about her admiration for Taylor Swift.

Glaser has attended several stops of Swift’s Eras Tour. Last month, she posted videos on TikTok featuring her parents at two shows, including an adorable video of her dad crying during the performance.

“He’s finally a Swiftie,” Glaser tells The Hollywood Reporter about her father’s reaction. Asked if Swift reached out to her after posting the video, Glaser mentioned she hadn’t heard from the pop star. “Honestly, I don’t even expect it,” she said. “I don’t think about it. I am so purely a Swiftie with no agenda to be in her life or get any status from being in a certain tent.”

She added that she had second thoughts about posting content related to Swift. “I never want to monetize my love for her or ever think that she thinks I’m trying to get a headline by talking about her.” Glaser points out that just mentioning Swift tends to make headlines, saying, “It’s a tool that I’m sure she’s aware people are using to… even though they have nothing to do with her, they sound off about her, and suddenly they’re in an article.”

Glaser admitted feeling embarrassed, fearing comedians might make fun of her, likening it to kids at the cool table calling her a dork. She was concerned people would say, “She’s doing this to get Taylor’s attention, or she’s doing this for some other reason than just genuinely loving something.”

She confessed to being partially “embarrassed to love something so much” when most of her friends felt that way about their kids. “I really do want to talk about Taylor Swift as much as my friends want to talk about their kids,” Glaser said.

The FBoy Island host considered putting Swift content behind a paywall to weed out trolls but decided against it. “I didn’t want to make money off it,” she explained, adding that any money made could be donated to a cause Swift was passionate about. Ultimately, she chose not to overthink and started posting the content anyway.

“I don’t read comments, and I just send a video to someone who posts for me because I just don’t want to see if I’m being made fun of,” she admitted. “It’s my biggest fear, but I just love Taylor Swift, and I can’t hide it.”

Glaser believes Swifties will understand her hesitation about looking insincere. “They know that it’s just this unbridled love that doesn’t really make sense but makes total sense,” she said. “I’m maybe a Swiftie before I’m a comedian. That’s how strongly it resonates in my bones.”

She’s built a fan community online, sharing a story about upcoming plans to see an 8-year-old perform the Eras Tour at home. After posting or commenting on a clip of the boy, his parents reached out to invite her to see their son’s show for the neighborhood. “I think he’s amazing, and I honestly want to get another Era show in,” she laughed.

The stand-up comedian loves attending Swift’s Eras Tour. She was among the fans who traveled to Vienna for the now-canceled shows. (This conversation took place before news of the cancellation).

“When I go to Eras Tour, I get to put on makeup. I’m putting on the eyelashes, I’m putting on a fun little outfit. I’m dancing all night, and I’m watching someone perform,” she said. Glaser mentioned it makes her feel as though she’s part of something big and spreading joy. “I’ve always been a really emotional young girl that freaked people out with my feelings, and my opinions and my questions, and I just feel seen by Taylor Swift in that way,” she noted.

“I really don’t know what I’m going to do with my life when Eras Tour is over,” Glaser admitted. “I really think I will end up flying to different cities to go to Taylor Swift sing-along nights because it’s something that… I won’t say I’m addicted to, but it’s a joy. I just want to chase joy.”