Friendship bracelets have existed for decades — perhaps even centuries — but these days they’re strongly associated with one huge star: Taylor Swift.
That’s why her boyfriend Travis Kelce got a big laugh when he had to read out a math question about the beaded jewelry while hosting an episode of Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?
In a preview shared by Prime Video on Monday, January 27, Kansas City Chiefs star Kelce, 35, read: “Nicole has 98 beads to make six friendship bracelets. If each bracelet has an equal number of beads, what is the fewest number of leftover beads she can have?”. He then asked “What’s so funny?” as the studio audience laughed.
In response to the NFL player’s tricky problem, comedian Nicole Byer joked that the audience were laughing because she only has six friends, while Vanderpump Rules’s Lala Kent, also appearing on the show, oh-so-innocently questioned Kelce further.
“Travis, do you know anyone who likes friendship bracelets and things like that?” she asked, to which Kelce responded coyly: “I know a few. Might have converted them into a Chiefs fan. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
(We got as far as 16 beads per bracelet, so we’re thinking the accessories in question are likely spelling out some of Swift’s shorter song titles!)
Scholars in Swift lore will, of course, know that Kelce famously tried — but, initially, failed — to seduce Swift by way of friendship bracelet almost two years ago. On a July 2023 episode of his New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast, he revealed that he had planned to slip her a beaded creation backstage at one of her Eras shows. “I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he said. “I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.” He added that he was “a little butt hurt.”
He explained further: “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets, and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.”
Thankfully, he got to meet Swift in the end — and the rest is history: friendship bracelets at Swift’s shows are now as much of a staple as Swift cheering Kelce on in the stands at a Kansas City Chiefs game!
On Sunday, January 28, Swift supported Kelce as his team defeated the Buffalo Bills, earning their third consecutive spot at the Super Bowl.
