Trevor Noah Jokes About Taylor Swift in His Grammys Monologue and, for Once, Fans Aren't Mad About It

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 01: Trevor Noah attends the WSJ Magazine 2023 Innovator Awards at Museum of Modern Art on November 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Trevor Noah kicked off the 2024 Grammy Awards with a particularly memorable joke about Taylor Swift, and, for once, it's not because it was heinous.

The "Anti-Hero" songstress, who is nominated for six awards at this year's ceremony, entered the arena a few minutes late after posing for a series of photos in her elegant black and white 'fit, heading to her table at the perfect time as the former host of The Daily Show mentioned that she could make Grammys history this year if she takes home her fourth Album of the Year honor for Midnights.

He stayed on the topic of the Eras Tour superstar, joking that each table she passed was immediately enjoying an improved economy—a reference to the incredible impact her ongoing tour has had in each town she performs in.

He also dove into her NFL infamy ever since going public with beau Travis Kelce. But, instead of cringing and rolling their eyes, like when Jo Koy made a dig about Swift's game camera time during the Golden Globes, fans were delighted by Noah's commentary as he called it unfair for fans to be annoyed by the NFL's coverage of the singer.

“Let her live,” he demanded, going on to joke, “Every time they mention Taylor Swift, I’m gonna cut to someone who played football,” before the cameras panned to Terry Crews in the audience.

Several others merited smaller mentions throughout the evening, including Meryl Streep and Kelly Clarkson, who found it hysterical when he later threatened to "get [her] to cover one of [their] songs better than [they] ever good" as a punishment for anyone who went over their acceptance speech times.

Fans were delighted by the overt support that radiated from his monologues, with one tweeting, "now THIS is how you make a funny joke while also being respectful, in trevor noah we trust."

This is Noah’s fourth consecutive year hosting the Grammys. The comedian announced last December that he was invited back to guide the 66th annual awards show as its host, a task he described at the time as “a lot of fun.”

During the 2023 Grammys, Noah delivered a light and playful opening monologue while walking through the audience. As he passed performers like Lizzo, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, Noah made amusing comments about their public personalities while sprinkling in jokes about then-relevant news topics, such as China’s suspected spy balloons and Southwest Airlines’ flight delays.

In one memorable moment last year, Noah used his hosting powers to facilitate an on-camera introduction between Adele and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whom Noah explained the “Rolling in the Deep” singer had always wanted to meet.

The Recording Academy announced late last year that Noah would be resuming his hosting duties. In a press release announcing Noah’s return, the organization acknowledged Noah’s “ability to blend humor with a deep appreciation for music” in past years. “His return for the 2024 GRAMMYs is a testament to his impact and popularity in the role,” the release said.

This year, the 39-year-old snagged a nod for best comedy album for "I Wish You Would,' which could make him only the second Grammy host to win a Grammy that same evening, next to Kenny Rogers, who pulled off double duty by hosting and taking home Best Country Vocal Performance for The Gambler in 1980.

Next: Golden Globes Host Jo Koy Dragged for His 'Painful' Opening Monologue