Taylor Swift, 24, who has become a role model to young girls everywhere, revealed to Barbara Walters, 85, on the two-hour special Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014 on Dec. 14, that she doesn’t always live up to her squeaky clean image — and even enjoys drinking beer. Gasp!
Barbara, clearly a fan of how Taylor conducts herself, started off the interview by pointing out her perfect public image.
“You have such a good reputation. You have never been ‘the bad girl’… You don’t drink. You don’t smoke.”
But the “Shake It Off” singer, who celebrated her 25th birthday just one day earlier on Dec. 13, admitted she does have a wild side. “I mean, I do drink, I am 25. So it’s not like, I mean… Yeah, I was at a Knicks game and I had a beer and everybody was like, ‘Ohhh!’ I was like, ‘Tsk.’” Taylor shared with a laugh.
Still, Taylor admitted she hasn’t stepped out of character too far because she fears she could let her young fans down.
“I did wait until I was 21 to drink,” she explained. “I was so paranoid about getting in trouble or setting the wrong example or sending the wrong message.”
Taylor should be proud of herself for sticking to her good morals. Not many pop stars can say the same for themselves. One thing is for sure, Taylor has a very level head on her shoulders.
For instance, she knows that everything she does is and will continue to be watched — especially by her fans.
“That’s the reality. If I do something reckless or thoughtless or careless, or I treat someone badly, that doesn’t just affect me; it affects that person. Then, if that story gets out, or some 10-year-old sees that I did that in a news article… my actions do have ripples.”
Despite the pressure of being a role model, Taylor told Barbara that her fans faith in her keeps her walking the straight line.
“It’s kind of nice thing to keep you in check to live a good life,” she said. “It’s not like some gilded golden cage that people make it out to be. Living your life the ‘right way’ and trying to make ‘good decisions’ is not necessarily some horrible penalty.”