Dave Portnoy Says Swifties Are 'On The Right Side of History' After Kanye West Rant

🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.

Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors

By the early morning of February 7, social media was on fire talking about Kanye West's all-night rant on X (formerly Twitter). But Dave Portnoy had his own take. Ignoring the content of the sordid posts — some of which topped 10 million views each — Portnoy instead took to X and Facebook with a message to Taylor Swift.

"Great morning for the Swifties," the Bar Stools Sports owner posted to his social media followers. "Never gets old being on the right side of history."

Dave Portnoy
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, looks on during Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on May 1, 2022 in Boston. Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Since Portnoy was coy about what he was referring to, his comments quickly piled up with fans guessing he was referencing backlash to West's posts. Although West's 13-hour X rant never mentions Swift, 35, the rapper, 47, had engaged in a 10-year, one-sided feud with the pop star.

Portnoy, meanwhile, has called himself "King of the Swifties." On October 21, 2024, he posted a video of himself reading a personal thank you note Swift had her brother, Austin, hand-deliver him in the VIP tent of a Miami concert. This caused a stir since Portnoy endorsed Donald Trump, and Swift was an outspoken supporter of opposing candidate Kamala Harris. He first went viral as a Swiftie in October 2023, when he said on his BFFs podcast, "I've never seen anybody try to suck up like she is to Taylor Swift." He was referring to Kim Kardashian, who was married to West when he started his feud with the Tortured Poets Department singer.

West and Taylor's rivalry started in 2009, when West took to the MTV VMAs stage to interrupt Swift, who was accepting her award for Best Female Video. West took the microphone away from her to express that he thought Beyoncé should have won. Over the next few years, West continued to poke the star, often with the support of his then-wife Kardashian. For her part, Swift's only possible engagement was a song she released the year after the MTV Awards called "Innocent."

Is This Article Trustworthy?

Newsweek Logo

Is This Article Trustworthy?

Newsweek Logo

Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair

We value your input and encourage you to rate this article.

Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair

We value your input and encourage you to rate this article.

Slide Circle to Vote

Reader Avg.
No Moderately Yes
VOTE

About the writer

Abby Tegnelia is a Newsweek writer based in New York. Her focus is reporting on the fast-paced world of celebrity, and she has in-depth knowledge of all things arts & entertainment, including Hollywood, reality TV and the performing arts. She joined Newsweek in 2024, having served as News Director at In Touch, reporter/writer at Us Weekly, reporter at New York magazine, and editor in chief of Vegas magazine; she has written for national and international magazines including Robb Report, MaximMarie Claire, Glamour, Women's Wear Daily, Grazia, and Voici. She is a graduate of University of Miami and has a masters in journalism from Columbia University. You can get in touch with Abby by emailing [email protected]. You can find her on X and Instagram at @abbytegnelia. Languages: English and conversational Spanish


Abby Tegnelia is a Newsweek writer based in New York. Her focus is reporting on the fast-paced world of celebrity, ... Read more