Is Taylor Swift’s love life literally emptying out NYC bars? Well, buckle up buttercup, because one Manhattan bar owner just served some piping hot tea about America’s favorite couple, and honey, it’s SPICY.
Michael O’Brien, the owner of O’Briens Bar & Grill—which just so happens to be RIGHT ACROSS from Madison Square Garden—is absolutely NOT happy. According to an exclusive chat with Us Weekly on Thursday, July 2, this man is blaming none other than Tay-Tay and her NFL-loving beau Travis Kelce for his establishment being ghostlier than a Taylor Swift album vault. “You’ve wronged us, make it right,” O’Brien told the outlet, and girl, the SHADE of it all!
Let’s break this down, because the logic here is absolutely hilarious. So apparently, when Taylor and Travis were supposedly avoiding being seen together (before they went full red-carpet official), fans and curious onlookers stopped flocking to the bar hoping for a celebrity sighting. I guess when you’re trying to keep your relationship on the down-low, you don’t exactly advertise your favorite pre-game spots, and innocent bar owners just happen to suffer the consequences. The irony? It’s absolutely THICC.
Now, we’re not saying this bar owner’s accusation is entirely unfounded—MSG is a hotbed of celebrity activity, and yes, Taylor has become somewhat of a fixture at Eras Tour when she’s stateside. But blaming two people for your slow night? That’s giving “I need someone to blame” energy, and honestly, we’re living for the pettiness of it all.
The internet has naturally EXPLODED over this revelation. Swifties are defending their queen like she personally wronged them, while others are taking O’Brien’s side, saying it’s not Taylor’s job to keep his bar packed. Some are even making jokes about Taylor literally controlling the NYC economy at this point, which let’s be real—icon behavior.
The best part? Neither Taylor nor Travis have responded, because they’re too busy being unbothered and absolutely adorable at every public appearance. Meanwhile, this poor man is out here making headlines by calling out the couple, which is honestly the most NYC thing ever. Only in New York would a bar owner go on record to shade a celebrity couple to a national publication.
What do you think? A) Taylor and Travis should support local NYC businesses by frequenting this bar B) The bar owner is reaching and needs to get over it