A man in Ellis County, Texas, has gone viral for buying a Taylor Swift- autographed guitar at an auction for $4,000 (Rs 3,35,215), only to destroy it right after. The shocking incident took place outside Dallas, Texas, at the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner, a non-profit event supporting agricultural education for local youth. According to Newsweek, the guitar, which came with a certificate of authenticity, was donated to the auction by a third party. In a video of the incident that has gone viral, the white-haired man can be seen grabbing the guitar and repeatedly hitting it with a hammer while the crowd cheered. He even seemed about to smash it on the ground before the host intervened.
Watch the video here:
Some speculated that the destruction was a protest against Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. However, the buyer's true motives remain unclear.
The man's bizarre stunt has ignited a fiery online debate, with opinions sharply divided between those applauding his audacity and others condemning his actions as reckless and wasteful. One user wrote, ''People like this live to hate. Trump brought these people out in the open. Who wants to see MAGA morons like this disappear from our society. This kind of hate needs to stop. The people who celebrate hate are sick!''
Another wrote, ''Taylor Swift is worth $1 billion. This doesn't affect her. He just set $4000 on fire. He must be struggling in this economy.'' A third said, ''That $4,000 could have bought lunch for four people at McDonald's, as any Trump supporter with an advanced math degree will tell you.''
A spokesperson for Ellis County Wild Game told WFAA told the man's actions weren't ''meant to be mean or malicious. He was just making a lighthearted statement showing disapproval of people in the entertainment industry trying to influence politics.”
''It was just a funny thing that happened at our annual event. The crowd thought it was hilarious,'' the spokesperson added. “The important thing is that 100% of the money raised goes directly to local youth and agricultural education programs. At the end of the day, the kids win and will benefit from this.''
Last month, Swift, 34, told her 283 million followers that Harris and running mate Tim Walz would get her vote in the November 5 election. "I'm voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. " Swift wrote on Instagram, urging her followers to register to vote and make their own choice.
