12 Answers

+11 votes
by Apprentice (1.5k points)
selected by
 
Best answer
So it does look like she gave $55 million in bonuses according to quite a few sources including Fox Business, Rollingstone and People (I've linked them below). There have been quite a few stories specifically of her giving $100,000 to each bus driver and those have quotes from the bus company as well. So it is safe to say that she did indeed give $55 million total in bonuses to her Eras Tour staff!

https://www.foxbusiness.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-gifts-eras-tour-staff-over-55-million-bonuses

https://people.com/taylor-swift-gives-bonuses-totaling-55-million-every-person-working-eras-tour-7568556

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-55-million-bonuses-eras-tour-1234799207/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/02/business/taylor-swift-100000-life-changing-bonus-truck-crew/index.html
by Apprentice (1.1k points)
Appreciate the multiple sources, it really solidifies your fact check
by Novice (720 points)
Yes the multiple sources show credibility. Nice job!
by Novice (600 points)
The multiple sources do strengthen the argument.
by Genius (41.3k points)
Nice job putting together a solid fact-check and for including multiple reputable sources.
by Apprentice (1.6k points)
These multiple articles definitely support your Claim!
by Journeyman (2.1k points)
This is a good fact check because you included various sources to back up the claim and mentioned some of the information you pulled out from these sources.
by Apprentice (1.7k points)
I appreciate the multitude and variety of sources mentioned here. They really pull the fact-check together.
–2 votes
by Apprentice (1.5k points)
This appears to be true! People magazine kept their sources anonymous, but are generally considered to be reliable as they have a reputation for not publishing baseless rumors.

https://people.com/taylor-swift-gives-bonuses-totaling-55-million-every-person-working-eras-tour-7568556
by Novice (860 points)
While the source is anonymous and are considered to be reliable there is still no proof in this article that it is true.
by Novice (860 points)
While it is true, you could've added a bit more detail.
by Novice (520 points)
I agree this is true. I think that you could have chosen a more liable source, maybe the primary source. You can also elaborate a little more on how you know its true other than just magazines are reliable although they usually are.
by Novice (720 points)
This is True! I believe you can add a little more detail, and incorporate the 5W's
by Master (4.2k points)
I think your factcheck could benefit from more detail and more sources. I think your case would be strengthened if you specifically referenced the evidence you got from People. Additionally, since People did not name their sources, if you included multiple sources stating that the claim was true, your argument would be stronger.
by Newbie (380 points)
This is correct, but more sources and detail could be beneficial to strengthen your response.
+4 votes
by Apprentice (1.0k points)

According to Quartz's article, "Taylor Swift gave six-figure bonuses to the Eras Tour workers in the US", the claim appears to be true!

Eras Tour is expected to make $1.4 billion dollars by the time the national and international leagues end, leaving Swift with a projected net worth of $780 million.  The article also notes the typical gratuity an artist would offer truck drivers for driving their set and equipment would be between $5000 and $10,000.  Therefore Swift's contribution is even more astounding.  

The article writes, "the bonuses Swift doled out totaled about $55 million, and they included dancers, riggers, sound technicians, catering, video, audio and lighting—everyone who played a part in taking the show across the country...  truck drivers got $100,000 each. Between the two companies, 50 workers got the hefty payout," (Bhattacharya 2023).

https://qz.com/taylor-swift-bonuses-eras-tour-workers-us-1850702921

True
by Novice (860 points)
This is a thorough and well fact check!
by Apprentice (1.5k points)
Love how detailed your answer is! THank you for fact-checking this claim.
by Apprentice (1.1k points)
Nice fact check, thorough and engaging!
by Novice (860 points)
Amazing check, love all the detail!
by Novice (700 points)
Great fact checking!
by Novice (600 points)
Great detail!
by Apprentice (1.3k points)
Very well fact-checked! I was easily able to follow along as to why you made claims and your article clearly outlines how Taylor Swift gave her employees such an incredible raise due to the success of The Eras tour.
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
I really liked how you included all of the workers, technicians, and dancers, it really solidified your answer and fact-checking. Overall it was thorough, concise, and flowed great!
by Legend (6.2k points)
This is a great fact check and in-depth research on the prompt given, great job!
+2 votes
by Newbie (440 points)

It's True. The article confirmed that Taylor Swift gave $55 million in bonuses to her Eras tour crew through multiple sources: TMZ first broke the news, which was then confirmed by multiple media outlets. Mike Scherkenbach, the CEO of one of the trucking companies working the tour, further affirmed this by sharing that each of the 50 truck drivers received a check for $100,000, along with a personalized letter from Swift, and a source inside the tour revealed that everyone on her team received a "very generous amount."

https://www.ktvq.com/taylor-swift-gives-55-million-in-bonuses-to-her-eras-tour-crew#:~:text=That's%20why%20the%20%E2%80%9CShake%20It,dancers%2C%20sound%20technicians%20and%20more.

True
by Novice (520 points)
I like that you used evidence from one of the actual trucking companies instead of just a tabloid. Great evidence selected, and good fact check!
+1 vote
by Newbie (400 points)

This is true it is reported by one of the truck companies that worked with the tour that she gave the truckers a handwritten letter with the bonus. It is reported that the tour earned more than 300,000 million dollars with 1.1 million tickets sold. It is also shown that the tour even gains some tourism for some states like Philadelphia which praised the tour since it got them an economic boost in their region. 

Taylor Swift gave $100,000 bonuses to about 50 truck drivers who worked on Eras Tour

True
by Novice (700 points)
Great sourcing!
+3 votes
by Novice (860 points)

True! https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/08/02/taylor-swift-gives-bonuses-eras-tour-truck-drivers/70513182007/

According to this article by USA today, Taylor swift has given her truckers a bonus of 100 thousand USD each for hauling her tour equipment. This totals up to nearly 55 millions USD. All 50 of her employees were set to make around 5000 to 10000 dollars, but this bonus surely helped them out! Not to mention each received  a handwritten letter as well!

Then, each driver was given a letter that the singer had handwritten and addressed to the individual thanking them for their service during the tour. The amount of the bonus was included at the bottom of the letter, but some drivers didn't pay it much attention, Scherkenbach said.

"The funny part is, they just glanced at the letter quickly and didn't look at the amount, so one driver read it as $1,000, another driver read it as $10,000. And then another driver said, 'Oh, this has to be a joke. $100,000?' which then made the other ones reopen their letters," he said.

True
+3 votes
by Novice (720 points)
This is True!

According to People magazine, " Swift's gift amounted to approximately $55 million and was extended to all members of her crew, including technicians, riggers, caterers and dancers." According to Rolling Stone, Eras Tour Truck Driver reacted very happily to Taylors generosity. A lot of these drivers are not homeowners, and a lump sum like this gives you the ability to put a down payment on a home. "That's what makes me really happy. That generosity is a game changer for these people."

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/taylor-swift-bonuses-life-changing-truck-driver-1234799876/

https://people.com/taylor-swift-gives-bonuses-totaling-55-million-every-person-working-eras-tour-7568556
True
+1 vote
by Novice (700 points)

This may be true. TMZ previously reported that inside sources from Taylor's team confirm that "Our Taylor sources tell us she gifted each trucker working her tour $100,000 ... handing out the bonus checks before her Saturday show in Santa Clara, CA." 

Since the sources cannot be named specifically, there is a chance that this information is not entirely true. 

https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/01/taylor-swift-gifts-bonus-eras-tour-truckers/

Can't be true or false (Opinion, poem, etc.)
+1 vote
by Novice (520 points)

Throughout my search I have found multiple articles that have applaud and stated that it is in fact true that Taylor swift did give a total o $55million to the eras tour crew.

https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/01/taylor-swift-gifts-bonus-eras-tour-truckers/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/taylor-swift-eras-tour-bonuses-truckers-dancers-millions-1235550574/

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/06/27/taylor-swifts-the-eras-tour-is-the-biggest-tour-of-2023-so-far-and-its-not-even-close/?sh=ac2ea64c6d5e

"Taylor Swift — currently on the road with her blockbuster, record-breaking Eras Tour — is spreading the wealth from a successful, sold-out run by offering bonuses to those who worked on the show. The gifts total more than $55 million and were recently doled out to crew and collaborators including truckers, dancers, riggers, sound technicians, catering staff and more. The news was first reported by TMZ, which revealed that truckers received $100,000 ahead of last week’s concert stop in Santa Clara, California. People followed it up with a report that the extra cash went to all the key Eras Tour staffers."

The evidence above was reported from the Hollywood reporters, who got their information from tax, and tmp got their information from the people who received the money themselves. This included dancers band member, light crew, and others

True

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