“Why NOT?”- Andy Cohen addresses backlash over asking Matty Healy’s mom about Taylor Swift

American tv show host Andy Cohen has opened up about the online chatter that started after he asked Denise Welch about Taylor Swift. This happened during a July 24 episode of Watch What Happens Live. Welch, who is the mom of singer Matty Healy, was questioned by Cohen about Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. Fans think the album might hint at Swift and Healy's previous relationship.

After the broadcast, someone asked Cohen why he mentioned Swift. The person posted on X:

“Oh no! @Andy why ask this?”

Cohen gave a short and clear reply,

“why NOT?”

The person responded again, saying it's hard to handle social media as a fan of both The 1975 and Swift. Cohen ended the conversation with a smiley face emoji.

During the talk, Welch answered Cohen’s question with some humor and a bit of uncertainty. She avoided going into specifics, but her comment drew a noticeable response from the crowd.

“Obviously on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but not being her mother-in-law is a role that I’m glad that I lost,” Welch said.

Matty Healy’s mother, Denise Welch, on his relationship with Taylor Swift:

“Not being her mother-in-law is a role I’m glad that I lost. Not that I have anything against her, at all. It was just, you know, it was tricky. Listen, you’re not allowed to say anything, and then she… pic.twitter.com/p9rsx6zRyh

— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 25, 2025

Welch made it clear she did not have anything bad to say about the singer.

“Listen, you’re not allowed to say anything, and then she writes a whole album, you know, about it,” she said.

She also shared that her son has moved on in a great way.

“He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée, Gabriella, Gabbriette [Bechtel], who is gorgeous,” she said.

Healy and Swift’s past draws renewed attention amid interview remarks

People linked Matty Healy and Taylor Swift at different points, with rumors about their connection going back as far as 2014. In 2023, they appeared together several times, but neither shared any details about their relationship. By June of that year, reports confirmed that they had gone their separate ways.

Healy talked before about the attention tied to him and Swift. In 2016, he spoke in an interview about how people were fascinated by the idea. He also rejected claims that his comments about dating someone famous were misunderstood. Later, in another interview with Elle, Healy explained that he had “a lot of respect and admiration” for Swift. He denied any misogyny in his earlier statements, saying they were taken out of context.

“I have said on countless occasions that I found her to be one of the most gracious, hard-working, creatively gifted and beautiful women that I have had the pleasure to meet. I personally have a lot of respect and admiration for her. Why would I not?” he said.

Swift started dating NFL star Travis Kelce during the summer of 2023. News about their relationship went public a few months later.

Talking with Welch has sparked more media attention on Swift’s songwriting and how interviewers often bring her up when speaking with people linked to her.