Overview
- Gomez left a one-word comment, “lol,” under an MTV Instagram carousel showing Taylor Swift at the NBA Finals during Game 4 on June 10, which many fans interpreted as a jab.
- On Instagram Stories early June 12, Gomez said the “lol” was a reaction to the carousel’s first slide showing Mariska Hargitay and not aimed at Swift.
- Gomez added that she had bet friends on the Spurs, lost the wager, and was poking those friends in a group chat rather than attacking anyone at the game.
- Cropped screenshots and the carousel order on Instagram helped create the misreading, and media and social posts amplified the false feud before Gomez clarified her intent.
- The episode underscores how brief social posts can be misinterpreted, pressures public figures to explain private jokes, and will likely keep attention on celebrity courtside moments and online framing.