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Author Anne Lamott receives backlash from Taylor Swift fans for bashing artist on X

In the since-deleted post, the author welcomed a new year of reading less about Swift

Senior Culture Editor

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Author Anne Lamott poses for a portrait with her book "Help Thanks Wow." (Gary Leonard/Getty Images)
Author Anne Lamott poses for a portrait with her book "Help Thanks Wow." (Gary Leonard/Getty Images)

In a statement made to X (formerly Twitter) at the start of the weekend, author Anne Lamott expressed looking forward to a new year where she would, hopefully, be able to read less about Taylor Swift. She has since learned a hard lesson on what can come from making derogatory remarks about the world-famous artist, deleting the post and issuing an apology after being pummeled with a steady string of angry replies from Swifties overnight and into Saturday morning.

"Very sorry for snarky Taylor Swift comment," Lamott writes in her walk-back of the statement that sent fans of Swift up in arms and even caused fans of her own writing to comment that the post was unlike her. "I probably got more angry response to this than for anything I’ve tweeted in the ten years I’ve been here. Note to self: try to do better."

While some of Swift's fans, as well as her own, accepted this apology, others were quick to point out that a number of the author's equally snarky replies to Swifties were still visible, having been shared by Lamott to her social media feed.

In response to one Swiftie replying to Lamott's original post with, "Hate on another successful woman that cares about other humans??? Shame on you!! So disappointed at you Anne Lamott," the author fired back with, "Goodbye, think you will be more comfortable somewhere else."

The author also shared an angry reply still visible on her feed from a Swift fan who wrote, "She’s a more talented writer than you are. More commercially successful, too. I can see why you would resent her."

In the early hours of Saturday morning, the back and forth between Lamott and angry Swift fans was still going, with the author replying "You take care, now" to yet another fan expressing disappointment in the author for "hating another's talents" while "expecting praise" for her own. But she now seems to be attempting to shake it off, so to say, so that she may better enjoy that peaceful New Year she initially mentioned looking forward to.

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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