There are those among you who will read the above headline and groan/close tab/shut your eyes really tightly in protest, but Vulture begs you: Please watch this video of Taylor Swift and Zac Efron’s most recent Ellen appearance. Even if you are usually annoyed by Taylor’s preening, or if you are not convinced of Zac Efron’s star quality (for the record, it’s pretty real), the below three minutes are an excellent study in the art of being a celebrity, by which we mean the art of doing silly but endearing things on talk shows to sell Lorax tickets. More important: It’s enjoyable. Zac’s tiny guitar, Taylor’s whispered guitar chords, the winking acknowledgement that this appearance will inevitably start a flurry of relationship rumors — all cutely executed and genuinely likable. Plus, in case you had forgotten, Zac Efron can totally sing! Sure, we would have preferred it if they’d rewritten the lyrics to “Speak Now†or some other underrated Swift jam, but presumably they are saving their Original Duet for Taylor’s upcoming album. Lock him down, Taylor! Or make out, and then rope him in for a breakup song. We would rather listen to the Zac Efron version of “Dear John†most any day.
