The start of an age: Taylor’s Thanksgiving Special and the CMT Artists of the Year!

Seems Christmas is around the corner, but let’s be honest for a second. We’re all waiting for Thanksgiving, or to be exact, Taylor’s Speak Now Thanksgiving special on November 25.

We here at the Swift Agency, where we’re really only one guy who can’t seem to make the DVR work, are really looking forward to it. No, the guys in the ninja department seem only to be good at not been seen.

NBC released a new promotion picture for the special along with this text:

“Taylor Swift – Speak Now,” on Thursday, November 25 (8-9 p.m. ET) brings fans on a whirlwind trip from New York City to Los Angeles with multiple one-of-a-kind performances. The special also features behind-the-scenes access to the recording studio, autograph signings, appearances, paparazzi dodging — and all the mayhem viewers expect surrounding the Grammy-winning superstar.

– NBC

You can read more about it at Just Jared Jr. and Deadbolt News.

The other major event is the CMT Artists of the Year special, which is an idea that we love. Rather than voting or tiptoeing about it, CMT just picked out the five artists who everybody agrees have featured majorly in the media by entertaining and working their butts off and honor them. The event happens on December 3, and it’s a 90 minute affair hosted by Kevin Costner to be broadcast on CMT of course.

Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift (yeah I know you were holding your breath for her name too), and the Zac Brown Band are the honorees. I’d also want to add, about darn time someone gave Jason Aldean an award already! The evening will include performances by the artists and their peers. It’s an invitation-only event. Why is Kevin Costner hosting? Well… he plays country music. Apparently, he’s got a band called Modern West and an album out there. I must confess I had no clue.

You might want to register for the Taylor Swift Speak Now Sweepstakes sponsored by Taylor Guitars, Sony and CMT. You get an autographed Taylor Swift Signature Model Baby Taylor guitar, plus airfare, accommodations, and a special V.I.P. concert pass for you and a guest to meet Taylor and you get to see her perform.Register here. The prizes also include a Sony TX9 digital camera with a photography lesson. The prize package includes access to the photo pit during the concert to shoot Taylor for a song. And that’s just a portion of the prizing. You also get a signed copy of Speak Now and a Taylor Guitars prize pack. The three runners-up will receive a Taylor Swift Baby Taylor guitar, a signed copy of Speak Now, and a Taylor Guitars prize pack.

If you recruit three friends and win the grand prize, your three friends will win a Taylor Guitars prize pack that includes a Taylor Swift Baby Taylor, guitar strap, T-shirt & hat. For more information, read the Taylor Swift Speak Now Sweepstakes promotion page.

If you’re a Swiftie in the Philippines you should head to Taylor Swift Philippines, they’ve got news on tickets for the Manila concert 🙂

Coming up in the Calendar!

• November 17: TV appearance on Fuji TV/SmapXSmap Japan TV.
• November 18: TV appearance on Nippon TV/Zoom In Japan TV.
• November 21: The American Music Awards are broadcast live on ABC at 8pm Eastern time. The winners will be decided via online voting through ABC.com and AMAvote.com. Taylor Swift is nominated for Favorite Female Country Artist. Update! Voting is now closed.
• November 22: Taylor Swift will appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Check your local TV listings.
• November 25: “Taylor Swift – Speak Now” will document the days of the Speak Now album release including a trip from New York City to Los Angeles, her multiple performances, behind the scenes footage and her concert 30,000 feet in the air on a plane ride across the country. The special airs on NBC at 8PM Eastern Time.

Update! The Thanksgiving special is on November 25, the Calendar had the wrong date. Thanks to @DTaylorEvoX for noticing.

(Sources: NBC, Just Jared Jr, Deadbolt News, CMT Artists of the Year, Taylor Swift Speak Now Sweepstakes)