Swift and DeGeneres (The Ellen DeGeneres Show)There's plenty of fodder for discussion regarding Taylor Swift this week--after all, the country/pop cutie has just released her fourth album, Red, which has already spawned several rapid-fire hits and is anticipated to crack 1 million in first-week sales. However, when the superstar appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show Thursday, DeGeneres just skipped to what fans really want to talk about: Boys, of course.
In fact, DeGeneres teased Swift so mercilessly about the subject--to the point of playing a slideshow of the singer's past flames--that Swift actually had a mini-breakdown on air.
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" she screamed. "This makes me feel so bad about myself. Every time I come up here, you put a different dude up on the screen. It just makes me really question what I stand for as a human being."
One can hardly blame poor Swift for reaching the breaking point. DeGeneres started off the interview by repeatedly insisting Swift and her Lorax co-star Zac Efron were an item at one point. ("We never dated," protested Swift. "Yes you did," fired back DeGeneres. "Why do you deny it?")
Then, DeGeneres offered to discuss Swift's new album--and, by "discuss," we mean she attempted to get Swift to disclose which ex-boyfriend the hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is about.
"Here's what I'll do. You don't have to say," DeGeneres offered, handing a baffled Swift a large bell and indicating a screen behind the pair. "I'm gonna show you pictures, here's a bell, and you ring it when..."
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Swift. "I don't know if I'm going to do this. This is the one shred of dignity that I have."
DeGeneres, undaunted, started a slideshow showing Swift posing with various men--including everyone from John Mayer to Danny DeVito. After DeGeneres gleefully rang the bell herself a few times, Swift finally put her head in her hands and cried for mercy.
"There's never been two guys on the screen two visits in a row," she pleaded with DeGeneres. "It's sad."
"Well, you have to come more often," quipped DeGeneres. "Just so you can say 'He's still there!'"
DeGeneres didn't just torture her celeb guest about romantic issues. She also pranked Swift, who confessed earlier to a fear of earwigs, by having a production member dressed up as a giant bug sneak up on the singer--causing her to jump and squeal, much to the delight of the audience.
Related:
Exclusive interview with Taylor Swift
Teen Choice 2012 Red Carpet
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