A man shares the reasons behind his decision to spend $4,000 on a ‘signed’ Taylor Swift guitar before ultimately destroying it.
A viral video showing a man smashing a $4,000 Taylor Swift guitar has left fans furious.
The incident, which occurred during a charity auction, sparked outrage across social media, especially among Swift’s loyal followers, known as “Swifties.”
The auction event at Texas
The event took place at the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner in Waxahachie, Texas.
The auction aimed to raise funds for youth programs. This is one of the featured items was a guitar adorned with pictures of Taylor Swift from her Eras Tour.
Swift’s fans would have been eager to own such a prized item, especially if it had been signed by the star.
Man destroyed autographed Taylor Swift guitar
The guitar caught the attention of 67-year-old Gary Estes, who spent $4,000 to win the auction.
Instead of keeping it, however, Estes shocked the crowd by smashing the guitar with a hammer.
Footage of him destroying the guitar spread quickly online, and many people speculated that it was a political statement.
This fueled further debate, as Swift has previously endorsed Kamala Harris ahead of the presidential election.
Gary Estes speaks out the incident
After facing backlash, Estes explained his actions, insisting it was all a joke.
In an interview with NBC News, he stated, “It was just a joke at an auction that we had to raise money for kids, right? And that’s all it was.”
He emphasized there was no malicious intent behind the act, despite the strong reactions online.
Craig Meier, a spokesperson for the event, supported Estes’ explanation, describing the moment as “light-hearted.” Meier acknowledged that while the video may appear shocking, the mood at the event was more playful. He added, “Everyone was laughing at the time. Some people joked that Gary didn’t know how to play the guitar.”
Despite Estes’ insistence that it was all in good fun, the auctioneer suggested the incident might have had political undertones.
He claimed the destruction of the guitar was a subtle dig at Swift for her political stance.
The auctioneer added, “It became a political thing, just a light-hearted bit of a dig at Taylor for using her influence in politics.”
The truth about Taylor Swift’s guitar
Although the man paid $4,000 for the guitar, a source close to Swift’s merchandise company confirmed it was not signed by the singer.
The guitar also lacked an official certificate of authenticity.
Variety reported that while the auction included a signed CD insert, the guitar itself was not signed.
Reactions to the incident have been mixed on social media.
Some Swift supporters condemned the man’s actions, suggesting they were aimed at impressing Trump.
One person said: Owning the libs by dropping 4 racks on a guitar just to smash it like a child.
A second wrote: He behaved poorly …. this is the problem with our youth today. Poor examples of adults.
While a third commented: Probably treats his wife that way. Of course it’s a leap to assume he’s married.
Another added: Don’t judge him, he is looking for a spot in trump’s cabinet.
While the viral video of Estes smashing the Taylor Swift guitar sparked widespread outrage, those at the event insist it was just a joke.
The incident continues to stir conversation online, with fans debating whether the act was harmless fun or a pointed political statement.