The internet was abuzz Wednesday after actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, who will host the upcoming 75th Emmy Awards, made a humorous joke hinting at possible host swaps.

Anderson said while winning the Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Actor, “It’s an honor to host this historic telecast! I was over the moon when Taylor Swift was unavailable, and now I can’t wait to be part of the biggest night in television!”

Is it true that the pop icon turned down the prestigious gig? While the prospect of Taylor Swift hosting the Emmys would have thrown fans into a frenzy, a deeper look shows Anderson’s remark was more tongue-in-cheek than factual.

Several factors call the rumor into question. To begin, both the Emmys and Fox Entertainment have kept mute on any earlier host considerations.

Furthermore, Fox’s head of unscripted programming, Allison Wallach, recently remarked that giving Anderson the hosting reigns was a “no-brainer” because of his success on “We Are Family.”

However, dismissing the concept completely would be ignoring Swift’s apparent appeal as a prospective host. The multi-award winner already has Emmy experience, having won one in 2015 for her interactive “AMEX Unstaged: Taylor Swift Experience.”

Furthermore, her enormous cultural influence and charming personality could have attracted a record-breaking audience to the ceremony.

In the end, the truth underlying Anderson’s remark is buried in lighthearted ambiguity.

Whether it was a lighthearted joke or a hint of a behind-the-scenes offer, one thing is certain: the internet’s appetite for Swift-hosted awards show conjecture has been unmistakably whet.