is concerned that may be “messing” with karma.
The former View cohost delved into the latest pop culture news stories on the Monday, June 24, episode of her podcast, “Citizen McCain,” including unsubstantiated social media speculation that Swift, 34, has intentionally blocked fellow pop stars from the No. 1 spot.
Earlier this month, Swift dropped three new variants of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, in the U.K., which helped secure the record a sixth week atop the U.K. albums chart. The limited-time deal helped secure enough sales to stave off competition from ’s new album, Brat, which debuted at No. 2 on the chart dated June 14. Swift was accused of using similar tactics in the U.S. last month to keep ’s new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, from the top of the Billboard 200.
“You are Taylor Swift, you are -level, one of the greatest of all time,” McCain said on her podcast. “There are people coming up who could have their first No. 1 and you have the power to let them have No. 1 or not. … I just don’t know how classy it is.”
McCain continued to ponder, “I also think that, karmically, you’re messing with some stuff. I get that The Tortured Poets Department is doing this well … but I do think maybe more focus on music and art instead of, like, checks on a scoreboard.”
McCain, who clarified she’s “not not a fan” of the singer but doesn’t consider herself a “Swiftie,” went on to question whether the public is tired of Swift, who is also in the midst of her global Eras Tour and is in a high-profile relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end .
“She has, respectfully, nowhere else to go but down at this point,” said McCain. “She has TIME magazine’s person of the year, this tour’s so big … I do think when she’s done touring, giving us a mild break from being in the news cycle as much as she is would be helpful for her, and us as commentators.”
McCain also said she finds it a “little weird” that fellow pop star said she spoke to Swift — whom Carpenter has opened for on the Eras Tour — about appearing in a recent campaign for ’s SKIMS shapewear line. Swift and Kardashian, 43, have notoriously had bad blood in the past.
“I’ve been very, very communicative with her about that situation, and I just love her so much and support her till the end,” Carpenter, 25, told Rolling Stone in an interview published on June 17.
“Was she scared of retribution from Taylor Swift or Taylor Swift’s fans?” McCain questioned on Monday’s podcast. “I think we’re treading into weird territory — we’re river-rafting down and there’s some weird rapids coming in this Taylor Swift territory. I think that’s kind of weird … otherwise, what would Taylor Swift do? Hurt her in the middle of the night? Put her fans on her?”
