A Texas man who went viral after he purchased a Taylor Swift-themed guitar at public sale for US$4,000, solely to destroy it with a hammer seconds later, says he pulled off the stunt for amusing and claims there’s no sick will supposed.
Gary Estes, 67, garnered the ire of many Swifties over the weekend when video was posted to social media that confirmed him smashing by a Swift-branded guitar at a charity occasion.
He’d gained the coveted instrument, emblazoned with pictures of the pop celebrity, on the Ellis County Wild Recreation Dinner in Waxahachie, Texas. Seconds after approaching the stage to retrieve the merchandise, he smashed it with a hammer 17 occasions.
“Guess we don’t want the wall hanger,” the auctioneer joked earlier than saying, “Hey, Gary, now take that and cling up that busted factor.”
The video, uploaded to TikTok by occasion attendee JD Cobb, instantly went viral. Many noticed it as an act of debasement associated to Swift’s current endorsement of Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris.
“We’re in an space (Ellis County) the place Trump is fairly prevalent,” Cobb instructed USA Right this moment, confirming he additionally thought it was meant as a slight towards Swift. “Particularly amongst nation kind folks, not lots of people right here like Taylor Swift.”
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However Estes insists it was only a joke and “nothing imply about it.”
“There was nothing malicious or something about it,” he instructed NBC Information on Tuesday. “It was only a joke at an public sale that we needed to increase cash for youths, proper? And that’s all it was. There was nothing imply about it, nothing dangerous about it. It was only a joke that they have been making up on the stage, and we simply adopted by with a joke.”
Nevertheless, he did say that he’s a Donald Trump supporter and hasn’t been eager on Swift’s help for Harris.
“Sure, you’ll be able to join the dots there,” Estes mentioned.
Auctioneer Craig Meier, a spokesperson for the occasion, instructed USA Right this moment he’s been greatly surprised by the net response.
“It has been shocking to me how large of a deal individuals are making it out to be. It wasn’t meant to be imply or malicious,” he mentioned in a press release. “He was simply making a lighthearted assertion displaying disapproval of individuals within the leisure business making an attempt to affect politics…. It was only a humorous factor that occurred at our annual occasion. The gang thought it was hilarious.”
Swift’s followers, nevertheless, don’t appear to agree.
“These outdated boys positive are setting an unbelievable instance for his or her kids,” one fan commented below Cobb’s video. “Desecrating a girls’s value. Their wives should be so proud.”
“Bunch of outdated males mocking a younger achieved girl – compensating for his or her inadequacy,” wrote one other.
Swift followers, nevertheless, may get the final snigger within the saga – whereas preliminary experiences mentioned that the guitar was signed by Swift, sources near her merch firm instructed Selection the instrument didn’t bear her signature, nor was it ever utilized by her.
It seems that the guitar is as soon as once more being auctioned off, however this time on eBay. An inventory reveals a guitar coated in smashed-in holes and guarantees all proceeds will go to serving to native children take part in agriculture education schemes. As of publication, bids for the smashed-up guitar have reached $4,400.
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