13 ways to avoid seeing Taylor Swift on screen during the Super Bowl game
If laying eyes on Travis Kelce's uber-famous girlfriend during the game bothers you, here are some helpful hacks for avoiding it.
We've solved the "problem" of the cameras panning to Taylor Swift during NFL games.
Super Bowl LVIII (that's 58 for those who've forgotten their Roman numerals) is set to take place on Sunday, Feb 11th between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
Or, according to some folks, between Taylor Swift fans and Taylor Swift anti-fans.
Since the relationship between the pop star and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce became public, Swift has been coming to his games to cheer him on. And because Taylor Swift is, in fact, a global megastar, she's gotten a bit more screen time than other players' loved ones.
Some folks have had a hard time coping with this fact, however, loudly expressing their displeasure at having the cameras "constantly" pan to Taylor Swift during NFL games. Technically, she's only been on screen for an average of 25 seconds during each of the last four Chiefs games with an average camera shot being less than 8 seconds, but for some, that's still too much.
As we all know, it's an all-American right to watch football without seeing anything we don't want to see, so in the name of freedom and liberty, here are 13 hacks for avoiding Taylor Swift during the Super Bowl.
Simply pick any of the following as soon as the camera pans to TS:
1. Close your eyes and yell "Football is liiiife!" three times.
This is from "Ted Lasso" and it's referring to soccer, not American football, but it's still fun to say. (Plus it'll get some of that angst at seeing TS's face for a split second out of you.)
2. Turn off your TV and immediately turn it back on again.
That should be just enough time for the camera to move on to someone else.
3. Move your eyeballs to the right or left—take your pick—until she disappears.
Just like when you see a woman breastfeeding in public, you can simply choose not to look at Taylor Swift.
(See, our eyeballs have this awesome feature where they swivel in their sockets, and we have total control over them! You don't even have to shift them very far to stop seeing whatever don't want to see. Super nifty.)
4. Take a really, really, really fast bathroom break.
You'll probably only have time to get to the bathroom door before the camera moves again, but if you're swift about it (ba dum pum) maybe you can get in a tinkle, too.
5. Text your mom and thank her.
You know you've been meaning to. Now's the opportune time. (If not your mom, pick someone else you owe some gratitude to.)
6. Think about the Roman Empire.
Thinking about the Roman Empire is like second nature anyway, isn't it? Indulge whatever that impulse is and zone out with Marcus Aurelius for a few seconds.
7. Take your empty can to the recycling bin.
Clean as you go, as they say. It'll get you off the couch and save you a little time at the end of the game. Win win.
8. Go put a dish in the dishwasher.
Just one. That's all you're going to have time for before TS is gone.
9. Do a few pushups.
Maybe if you get Travis Kelce's physique, you could land someone like…nevermind.
10. Google "Taylor Swift net worth"
Just for funsies. (Spoiler: She is very, very successful.)
11. Google "Taylor Swift charity"
In case you want to feel better about her connection to the NFL, which none of us have any control over. (Spoiler: She is very, very wealthy but also very generous.)
12. Go outside and touch grass.
Isn't that what perpetually online folks tell other perpetually online folks? Just step away from the screen for a sec. You'll feel better and you won't have to see Taylor. Win win, again.
13. Go give your wife/kid/sibling/friend a hug.
Tell them it's your Taylor Swift avoidance tactic. See if they laugh, either with you or at you.
There, that takes care of the 0.3% of the game that Taylor Swift's face might have ruined for some folks. Phew!
Regardless of who's there and who the camera shows for however long, this year's Super Bowl should be an exciting game, so let's all enjoy the matchup between two impressive teams, the Usher-led halftime show that people will inevitably find a way to complain about and the egregiously overpriced commercials that may or may not hit the mark. God bless America!
- Philadelphia Eagles player is bringing his pregnant wife’s OBGYN to the Super Bowl, just in case ›
- Taylor Swift changed 'Karma' lyrics to shout out her new boyfriend and people are loving it ›
- Man has a 'word of advice' for all the dads mad about Taylor Swift being at NFL games ›
- Michael Cera's CeraVe as dubbed best Super Bowl commercial - Upworthy ›
- Tech expert reveals how to reduce teen screentime - Upworthy ›
Millennial mom struggles to organize her son's room.Image via Canva/fotostorm
Boomer grandparents have a video call with grandkids.Image via Canva/Tima Miroshnichenko
Information from the NICABM website regarding the "Window of Tolerance."Photo Credit: The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine 
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Gen Xers and Millennials share 17 of the strangest things their Baby Boomer parents do
"My mom writes her emails in MS Word, then attaches the Word document to the email."
A Baby Boomer couple.
Generational fights have raged since the dawn of time, and a recent spat between Millennials and Baby Boomers is no exception. Baby Boomers, who raised Millennials, accuse the younger generation of being entitled and irresponsible with money. At the same time, Millennials accuse Boomers of having it easier economically while making it harder for those who came after them.
Where is Gen X in the battle? Probably off in the corner somewhere, saying, "Whatever." Aside from the generational sniping, there are some things the older generation does that are just plain baffling to younger people. Whether it's outdated worldviews, a refusal to adapt to modern technology, or a lack of self-awareness, Baby Boomers can do some strange things.
To help the younger folks get over their frustrations with parents from the "Me Generation," a Redditor asked: "What is the most Boomer thing your parents still do?" The stories were pretty funny and relatable, showing that almost everyone with parents over 60 is dealing with the same thing.
Here are 17 of the "strangest" things people's Baby Boomer parents do:
1. Phones on full blast
"Play iPhone slot machine games at full volume in the doctor’s office."
"My dad pretty much exclusively has his phone on speaker, and just walks around in public talking with it at max volume (and talking really loud himself). I’m like 'Dad, the entire supermarket doesn’t want to listen to you, and Uncle Jim complains about how often you have to pee.'"
2. Still using checkbooks
"My mom balances her checkbook every week. They still have a landline."
"And she probably has way more money than you will until she dies!"
3. Email issues
"My mom writes her emails in MS Word, then attaches the Word document to the email."
"Like the email is just the virtual envelope for the digital letter."
4. Restaurant jokes
"All those little restaurant comments.
'Wow, they'll let anyone in here!' when seeing a friend at said restaurant.
'Thanks for having us, not everyone will' to the waiter at the end of the meal.
'As you can see, it was terrible' when the staff takes away the clearly entirely eaten plate.
'You're going to have me floating away in a minute' when more water is put into their glass"
5. Always have to mention race
"Constantly mentioning the race or ethnicity of everyone she mentions. Never with any negative connotation or comment, but usually, there is no reason for it to be relevant to the conversation."
"My Jewish mother will always whisper the word 'black' in case anyone hears her: 'So the nice black man at the hardware store helped me find the right garden hose.'"
6. Googling their Google
"Typing Google on Google before they Google the thing they’re looking for."
"In the Google search bar, they type Google? Lol."
7. Getting a job is a cinch
"Believing you can walk into a business and hand in a resume. If you have a college degree in any field, they'll hire you."
"Just physically hand over your resume to HR or the hiring manager. You'll make a mark and get hired!! Call the office and ask to speak to HR/Hiring Manager."
Any Millennial who argued with their Boomer parents about how hard it is to land a good job should feel vindicated by a 2022 study, which found that most older Millennials didn't secure good jobs until their early 30s, while most Boomers did so in their 20s. "To secure a good job, young adults need to acquire more education and high-quality work experience than was necessary for previous generations," the researchers wrote.
8. Why are they together?
"Stay married forever while they behave like neither one of them can stand each other."
"I'm on the other side of that. After my mom passed, my dad now acts like their marriage was picture perfect and they were the love of each other's lives, even though they couldn't stand each other for at the very least 40 of the 54 years they were married."
9. Collectables or hoarding?
"Think their 'collectibles' are truly valuable."
"My mom insists her Hummels are going to put my kids through college!"
"Mine are the Thomas Kincade paintings. She has a Victorian glass piece that might actually be worth something, but those damn paintings are the real investment."
10. Can you grab the mail?
"Ask me to bring in the mail when they go away for more than 24 hours."
"My parents think everybody is standing at the door waiting for the mailman every day, and don’t believe me when I tell them that some people go days without checking their mail. They think everybody is waiting for the mailman every day because 'somebody might send them a check.' Like, really?"
11. Zero responsibility
"'Well, I guess I was just a bad father.' Yeah. That attitude of anti-responsibility is exactly why 3 out of 4 of your children don't talk to you."
"Ha! Have the same dad, do we?"
12. Comment on people's appearance
"Comment on EVERYBODY’s body/appearance/weight. The first thing my dad does after not seeing me for a year is poke me in the gut and tell me how fat I am."
13. Boomer panic is real
"Literally throwing their hands up in a panic when they don't understand something. Where did they learn that?"
"Or just saying 'well, I don't know', especially when that comes right after you explaining it and showing them how to do something, with them nodding along and asking relevant questions all the way through."
In a video by YourTango, editor Brian Sundholm tried to explain Boomer panic in an empathetic way: "Most of us nowadays know the importance of recognizing and feeling our emotions." Sundholm then quoted therapist Mitzi Bachman, who explained that when people struggle to express their emotions, it can result in an "unhinged" reaction.
14. Annoying Facebook posts
"Post nonsensical rants on Facebook for other boomers to like, share, and comment. Often these rants are political, but not always. Basically cringe-fest."
"Most people won't do it, but share this post if you believe in god and freedom."
"I do NOT give Facebook permission to use my photos and personal information!"
15. Dinner pushers
"While we're eating breakfast. What do you want to do for supper?"
"Can't we enjoy this meal without worrying about the next?"
16. They print everything
"My boomer in-laws print EVERYTHING! The number of times I have said, 'quit wasting ink, email it to me, or text me the link. Or just text me the schedule, don't print it out.' GPS on their phones? Nope...print a map."
"Boomers and their paper man. My dad has finally started using the internet, but he still prints everything he likes. Like he'll see a boat listing on Craigslist and print the entire page, including a massive color photo of it, and he's definitely not going to be buying it either. He's got a stack of papers that is the internet that sits by his recliner. He just sits there with Fox News on (though it's usually muted for some reason, that's a plus) and looks at his papers."
17. Flirting with servers
"My dad is 77 still flirts with the young waitresses. It's f**king weird for everyone."
"He thinks he is in cute old man territory, but he is not."