The grandparent is implying that "Taylor Swift" and the "Evil Manager" are two sides of the same coin; they don't need to even be different people. The system lets a (big) artist extract value while keeping their public image clean. It's a shell game, and Ticketmaster plays the role of bad-guy-as-a-service.

Of course, their insane monopoly means they also get to take advantage of smaller artists, venues etc. None of this is good.

Hey now, it's 2024, anyone can twirl their evil mustache if they want to sport one. Just wash your hands afterwards.

If Britney Spears's book is to be believed, the talent can be kept in the dark.

Britney Spears ended up forced into a conservancy. Taylor Swift is much more savvy (gets songwriter credit on everything, successfully rereleased her early tracks to get better royalties from her back catalog, manages her fanbase really well in general). She definitely knows the game with Ticketmaster.

Britney Spears is not your typical situation. She was legally incompetent and in a conservatorship control by her dad until very recently.