Brother of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend sparks controversy by calling Welsh people ‘posh’
Jason Kelce, a recently retired top American footballer whose brother dates the singer Taylor Swift, has sparked controversy by declaring in a podcast that Wales is “posh” and filled with “rich, upper class, just beautiful white people”.
The former Philadelphia Eagles player’s comments earned a Hollywood rebuke from Rob McElhenney, who along with his fellow star actor Ryan Reynolds, bought Wrexham football club, transforming the north Wales football team from also-rans to back-to-back promotion winners.
McElhenney suggested that Kelce should visit the Principality, telling him on X, formerly Twitter: “I should show you around someday.”
The comments were made by Kelce in a podcast called New Heights, which he hosts with his brother Travis Kelce, a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs and Swift’s current love interest.
The brothers were discussing the decision made by Louis Rees-Zammit to switch sports from rugby union to American football.
The former Wales and Gloucester winger, 23, has joined the Chiefs, who are the current Super Bowl champions, as a running back on a three-year contract reportedly worth about £3 million.
Jason Kelce, 36, demonstrated why he is unlikely to move into international diplomacy for his next career move, saying: “When I think of Welsh – I think British people call it ‘posh’ – I think of these rich, upper class, just beautiful white people.
“[Rees-Zammit] is the running stereotype of what I would think of with a Welsh person. I don’t know if that’s an accurate stereotype but that’s certainly what I think of and he’s helping continue that trend in my mind.”
His brother chimed in, describing Rees-Zammit as “debonair” and “as suave as it gets”.
The backlash started faster than Rees-Zammit could run 100m, led by McElhenney, a Philadelphia-born actor and comedian – and Eagles fan – who has transformed Wrexham’s fortunes while creating a highly successful television series on the club.
“Incredibly wrong. I should show you around someday. I might know a few people. See for yourself,” McElhenney posted on X.
Mike Poland, a podcast host, wrote: “Life after football… And geography seems to have a steep learning curve for Jason Kelce.”
Nathen Amin, an historian and author, who describes himself on X as “Welsh-Kashmiri”, posted: “I’ve grown to really like Jason Kelce in recent months, he’s such a character, but what’s [he] on about? Granted, Rees-Zammit is a well-brought-up Vale of Glamorgan boy, but I’m not sure the Welsh are considered posh.”
Releasing the error of his ways, Jason Kelce was suitably apologetic, writing on X: “I’ve come to understand, I was very incorrect on this. Based on further assessment since these incorrect statements, not sure why I had these preconceptions in my mind, but I have found that the Welsh seem exactly like my kind of people. Happy to be incredibly wrong.”