Artist Anna Marie Tendler, who was previously married to comedian John Mulaney, is backtracking on a joke that she made where she claimed that singer Taylor Swift stole her artwork.
The artist has now made her TikTok account private to avoid the backlash she received from Swifties, who were not happy with Tendler’s “joke” that the “Cruel Summer” singer lifted her artwork for her Eras Tour.
Anna Marie Tendler Claims She Was Joking When She Accused Taylor Swift Of Art Theft
Swifties know “All Too Well” that Taylor Swift kicked off her highly publicized Eras Tour last week, despite the Tickermaster scandal. Although most fans were there for the music, Anna Marie Tendler was paying attention to the art pieces for her set designs.
In a since-deleted TikTok video, Tendler came after Swift and those that created her art designs, claiming that it was lifted from one of her photographs. “Uh, Taylor, my girl, people who designed Taylor’s tour, uh, this ‘Tolerated’ set-up looks strikingly like one of my photographs in tone and in aesthetics.”
“Um, it doesn’t totally feel like parallel thinking to me,” she continued. “I’m a small artist, uh, independent artist who is trying to make money and live off of my artwork. Uh, I don’t know what to do about this and maybe somebody can help me.”
Even people who weren’t fans of Taylor Swift felt that Anna Marie Tendler was reaching. “I’m crying. It doesn’t even look the same. ‘Tolerate It’ literally has lyrics about setting the table. So she set the table in her show,” one fan explained. “Taylor breathes oxygen and people will accuse her of breathing the same thing,” another user joked.
Anna Marie Tendler Claims That Her Video Was ‘Meant To Be A Joke’
Tendler later took to TikTok to comment on a reuploaded video where she claimed that she was only jokingly accusing the “Bad Blood” singer of lifting her “Tolerate It” set piece from her photograph, which she is selling for $5,000.
“Hi! This was meant to be a joke,” she wrote on the platform. “Most of my videos are jokes or satire! When I realized it wasn’t landing as a joke I deleted it. Didn’t mean offense.” However, fans didn’t buy it. “Girl bffr, you reached and you missed,” one follower wrote.
“Ahhh the ‘it was just a joke’ defense when the thing you meant seriously turned out to be horribly out of touch!” another user chimed in. “She deleted then turned off all her comments. Big fan of her work; however, this was such a stretch,” another follower agreed.
Some follower did attempt to defend Anna Marie Tendler. “IT WAS SATIRE!!! She had cleared it up, saying that she was joking. I’m so sad that she went private because everyone took it seriously,” one fan commented. “Doesn’t feel like joking to me lol she was just trying to get attention or maybe get some coin from Taylor,” another user replied.
“Respectfully, I think she was being fr then changed the narrative once she received backlash. Either way, they’re both great in their own right though,” another fan shared. “I’m wondering if it actually might have been a joke because she thought it might bring attention to her work. It seems so outlandish. Backfired either way,” another follower pointed out.
Fortunately, it seems that Swifties have been enjoying the start of her Eras Tour, which kicked off in “Swift City,” Arizona, last week.
Check Out More Photos From The Start Of The Eras Tour!
I miss you like it was the very first night. Good thing we’re about to go onstage and do the whole thing again tonight. See you 🔜 Glendale, Erazona☺️
📷: @ShearerPhoto, Kevin Winter, @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/i8FfeuG1B2
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) March 19, 2023
Taylor hasn’t been shy about sharing her favorite photos from The Eras Tour on Twitter.
On March 19, she shared several photos of the night, writing, “I miss you like it was the very first night. Good thing we’re about to go onstage and do the whole thing again tonight. See you 🔜 Glendale, Erazona.”
WELL. Last night was a rush. Thank you to everyone in that glorious Glendale night 2 crowd for giving us all you had and more. Counting down the hours til we get to play again. See you in Vegas 😆
IG 📷 @ShearerPhoto @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/dsG4197X0L
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) March 20, 2023
The following day, she followed it up with a few more photos, writing, “WELL. Last night was a rush. Thank you to everyone in that glorious Glendale night 2 crowd for giving us all you had and more. Counting down the hours til we get to play again. See you in Vegas.”
It remains to be seen if Anna Marie Tendler, who lives in New York, will be in attendance at any of Taylor’s shows in the northeast.
