A Texas man who smashed Taylor Swift's guitar with a hammer
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The Texas man who smashed an allegedly “signed” Taylor Swift guitar after paying thousands at auction has spoken out.
In footage that went viral this week, a man identified by US media as Gary Estes, 67, was seen approaching the stage where a member of the auction staff was waiting with the instrument, which was covered with images of Swift from her record-breaking era. tour
He then proceeded to pick up the guitar, for which he had bid $4,000, and smashed the surface of the instrument with a hammer to cheers from the audience.
The event, held in Ellis County, Texas, was a fundraiser to support agricultural education for local youth. The guitar, which came with a “certificate of authenticity,” was one of several items auctioned off, along with tickets to see artists including Chris Stapleton and George Strait and a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Speaking to NBC News on Tuesday (Oct. 1), Estes said there was “nothing malicious” about the stunt and that he intended it as “a joke,” while confirming that he is a Trump supporter.
“It was a joke at an auction we had to raise money for the kids, wasn't it?” He said “And that was all. There was nothing mean about it, nothing bad about it. It was a joke that they were making on stage, and we were making a joke.”
Auctioneer Craig Meyer, a spokesman for the event, initially backed Estes' comments: “It was a fun, light-hearted thing,” he said. “I know it might sound malicious, but everyone was laughing. There were people there [who] Joked that he was crazy because he couldn't play the guitar.
However, Meyer told the news website that, after speaking with Estes, he believed it was an obvious political statement.
“Taylor Swift, it became a political issue, and that was the essence of it, a lighthearted jab at Taylor for coming out politically and for entertainers using their influence to influence politics,” he said.
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In September, Swift shared a lengthy endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz, while Republican candidate Donald Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, seemingly took flak for his infamous “childless cat lady” comment.
Days after Swift's post, Trump tweeted “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” in an all-caps message from his Truth social account.
In her endorsement, Swift said fake AI-generated images suggesting she was endorsing Trump, shared by the former president, influenced her decision to speak out.
“Recently I was made aware that an AI of 'I' falsely endorsing Donald Trump's presidential run was posted on his site,” he wrote.
“It really raised my fears about AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation.
“This brings me to the conclusion that as a voter I need to be very transparent about my real plans for this election. The easiest way to combat misinformation is with truth.”
Estes told NBC that she is a Trump supporter and was displeased by Swift's support of Harris: “Yeah, you can connect the dots there,” she said.
Ever since the incident, the authenticity of the guitar has been questioned. Sources close to Swift's merchandising company confirmed the fact despite the supposed certificate diversity The instrument was not signed by Swift.
TMZ Reports say the guitar is now being listed on eBay for a starting bid of $100 (£75), with proceeds from the sale going towards the same cause of supporting agricultural education for local youth.
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