Billy Joel Calls Taylor Swift Haters "Snoots," Takes a Swing at Sexism While He's At It

By Rebecca Pahle | Celebrity | November 17, 2014 |

By Rebecca Pahle | Celebrity | November 17, 2014 |

Taylor Swift’s received some blowback from being named New York City’s “Global Welcome [aka tourism] Ambassador,” because if there’s one thing we New Yorkers like, it’s proving that we “know” New York better than other New Yorkers. To test this assertion, simply hop on a subway, ask “How do I get to Columbus Circle?,” and watch at least six people get into a fist fight over who can give you better directions. New Yorkers aren’t rude. We’re just A) disinclined to empty pleasantries, and B) obsessed with the idea that being New Yorkers somehow makes us impressive, because otherwise why am I paying more than my little brother does in rent for an apartment half the size of his on a shitty block in Brooklyn?

Anyway, if you’re one of those people taking to the tweet machine to give Taylor Swift shit for not being “New York” enough, none other than Billy Joel thinks you need to get the fuck over yourself, and pronto. Via USA TODAY:

“I see the New York press going, ‘Taylor Swift is going to be the new New York representative?’” Joel tells USA TODAY, affecting a tone of mock indignation. “You snoots. Let her in. That’s what New York is all about. I say, ‘Welcome.’”

But the piano man wasn’t ready to put out the fire quite yet:

“I think she’s a talented songwriter,” Joel says of Swift. “She catches a lot of junk, maybe because she’s so popular with young girls. But I like what she’s projecting. I respect what she’s doing.”

Let me just say up front: I think I’ve heard maybe… one Taylor Swift song. I’m not saying I’ll never ever ever listen to any others, but I don’t listen to a lot of music, too be honest. There are bad superhero movies I haven’t watched yet. And Swift seems… nice? I guess? She seems like she’d be fun to hang out with for like 30 minutes, and then you’d need to sit in a dark room and decompress for a while. I don’t know. I don’t care! But it sucks when people shit all over something just because it’s teenage girls who made that thing popular, while nobody blinks an eye at teenage boys for having ushered Bayformers to success to the tune of gajillions of dollars. Ah, that’s just stupid entertainment, let them have their fun. Twilight and One Direction? IT’S AN EPIDEMIC! WHY ARE TEENAGE GIRLS SUCH BUBBLEHEADED MORONS?!