Expert Reveals How to Tell if Taylor Swift's 'Generous' Tipping at Grammys Was All for Show
A body language expert has analyzed Taylor Swift's video and is pointing out how you can tell if the singer was being fake or not.
Celebrity
A video of Taylor Swift's "generous" act is going viral but some are questioning if it was all for the cameras. Here's what an expert noticed.
by Michelle Kapusta
Published on February 12, 2025
Taylor Swift has gone viral recently for a couple of reasons. One was for her reaction after hearing boos when she was shown on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl LIX. And the other was one week prior to the NFL game when she was seen on video handing out money as she left the Grammys.
The latter video has people talking about whether she was being nice or just playing things up for the camera. Well now, a body language expert is weighing in and laying out how to tell if Swift is being genuine or not.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 02, 2025, and now a clip from that evening showing Swift leaving the venue is making the rounds online.
The video shows the âFortnightâ artist briefly stopping as sheâs headed out with her entourage to thank some arena staffers for their work that evening. Swift is then seen handing each of them money as a tip.
The billionaire pop star is known for her generosity but some people still thought she was being fake and took to social media with their opinions.
One person wrote: âSheâs always looking for that pat on the back.â
A second commented: âHer PR team works a lot.â
Another person on Reddit posted: âI know people might think this is performative but good for her. Too many wealthy celebrities are known for not tipping or barely tipping at all (I understand theyâre for the event, and itâs not obligatory, but still).â
But how do we know if sheâs being performative or not? Well, a body language expert can answer that.
Taylor Swift walks the red carpet at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards | Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Inbaal Honigman is a body language expert and celebrity psychic who has been reading Tarot since the â90s. She has appeared in media for more than 20 years giving her predictions for Big Brotherâs Little Brother, Elle Magazine, and talkSPORT radio to name a few. She recently analyzed the video of Swift tipping and says she can that the âShake It Offâ artist was being genuine.
Speaking on behalf of Fruity Slots Honigman explained: âTaylorâs tipping is 100% genuine and not for show. She turns her head to thank the staff as she leaves, which isnât too controversial, and then she moves her hands very quickly and spontaneously stops, sheâs had an idea. This shows us that the tipping wasnât a pre-planned photo op. Taylor asks the workers quietly if theyâre allowed to receive gratuities, so her primary concern is that she doesnât get anyone in trouble, her gesture is selfless, not selfish.â
Taylor Swift attends the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
The expert continued: âAt the moment of tipping, we can see that Taylor does her best to keep it secret. First of all, she turns her back to the camera. If she knows that thereâs a camera there at all, turning her back will not get her the press attention, therefore sheâs not trying to get attention.
âSecondly, her moves are speedy and exact, she doesnât use excessively large gestures to create flair, and thereâs no âlook at meâ element to her moves. Thirdly, she hunches her shoulders, which is a subconscious way of trying to hide, keeping a low profile. Sheâs moving as if she doesnât want to get caught. And finally, we can see that Swift makes eye contact with each staff member that sheâs tipping, without breaking eye contact to check if anyone has noticed.â
Honigman concluded: âShe walks away really happy. We can spot a little spring in her step, her ponytail is bouncing, and sheâs delighted that she got to thank the hardworking staff. Taylor rejoins her group as if she never left. The fact that those actions are so smooth and quick suggests that sheâs done this before. That we have no footage of previous times, is a testament to her discretion and selflessness. This is not performative.â