Many news outlets reported that Taylor Swift decided not to attend the VMAs due to the fact that Kanye West was going to be given free reign to rant about whatever he wanted. 

However she may have had another reason for not being there. She needed to get her beauty sleep before starting jury duty. 

One of Swift's fans took to Twitter to express her shock at the news that her mother had met the pop princess. 

She immediately questioned how that was even possible.

However when presented with the photographic evidence, she was convinced.

So there you have it folks. Taylor skipped the VMAs so she could perform her civic duty. Not because she didn't want to have to listen to yet another Kanye rant.