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Do Taylor Swift's Teen Fans Know What 'Smelly Cat' Is?

Most of Taylor Swift's fans were born in 1999. Do they really know "Smelly Cat", Alanis Morissette, or Beck? We went to an outdoor mall and interviewed teens to find out.
Still via YouTube user Shine On Media

This summer walking, breathing Mic article Taylor Swift has "welcomed to the stage" every celebrity from Beck to Kendall Jenner to the US Women's soccer team. Most virally, as shown in the photo above, she invited Lisa Kudrow to sing the "Smelly Cat" song from Friends. In the image Swift looks welcoming, like she wants you to know you're really one of her BFFs too, although you've never fucking met her and paid hundreds of dollar to sit in the last row of a football stadium to see her sing, "You Belong with Me."

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Swift has labeled her guests her "closest friends," but it's impossible for one person to have over 20 best friends. Her version of the Pussy Posse defies her previous persona. For her first four albums publicity tours, the media portrayed her as a psychotic ex-girlfriend who writes vengeful songs about her exes. (See "Better Than Revenge" from Speak Now.) Presenting herself as America's BFF during her 1989 era has diverted the public from realizing the album also, for the most part, revolves around pridefully attacking her exes.

Is Swift's publicity gimmick working? The blogosphere has started to mock her again, but it's unclear what her fans think. If a teen was born after Britney Spears shimmied in a school girl outfit, does she even know Alanis Morissette, Lisa Kudrow, St Vincent, Julia Roberts, or Beck? I headed to Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, an outdoor mall that blasts classics music and attracts homeless people and teenage Kylie fans, to ask teens and find out.

Katie and Claire, 16

Broadly: Do you listen to Taylor Swift?
Katie: Ish. Sometimes if it's on the radio.

Have you heard of Lisa Kudrow?
Katie: Yes.

How?
Katie: Her children go to our school.
Claire: She's our friends' mom.

Do you know the "Smelly Cat" song?
Claire: No.

Ashley and Aubrey, 15

What's your take on the ending of Julia Robert's Pretty Woman?
Ashley: I think it's a good ending.

What do you think of Runaway Bride?
Aubrey: I haven't seen it.

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Have you seen any Julia Roberts movies?
Aubrey: No.
Ashley: Um… you've seen Notting Hill!

Elijah, 13

Do you like Saint Vincent?
Elijah: I've never heard of him.

Milena, 14, and Louise, 16

What's your favorite Alanis Morissette breakup song?
Milena: Never heard of [it].
Louise: I've never heard of her.

Tina, 16

Do you know who Beck is?
Tina: No.