WAXAHACHIE, Texas — A North Texas man is going viral for taking a hammer to a guitar signed by Taylor Swift.
A video that's now been reposted across several social media platforms shows a North Texas man grabbing a guitar decorated in the style of the superstar's Eras Tour and smashing it with a hammer that was handed to him by one of the men helping the auctioneer.
"I see the guy grab a hammer off the stage," JD Cobb, who shot the video, told WFAA. "When I started video-ing it, I thought it was a joke."
Cobb shot the video at the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner in Waxahachie, Texas, Saturday night. A spokesperson with the event confirmed to WFAA that the guitar was signed by Swift, and the man bought the guitar for around $4,000.
The spokesperson claimed there was no malice behind the smashing, though he did hint at the fact it had something to do with Swift's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. They also confirmed that Taylor Swift has never used the guitar.
“It has been surprising to me how big of a deal people are making it out to be. It wasn’t meant to be mean or malicious," Ellis County Wild Game spokesperson Craig Meier told WFAA. "He was just making a lighthearted statement showing disapproval of people in the entertainment industry trying to influence politics."
Swifties online were critical of the decision to smash the guitar.
Some claimed it was immature, others used much harsher words. Many, though, cited the fact the $4,000 he spent could have gone to charity, and, in the end, it did. The proceeds for the dinner went to the Future Farmers of America.
"It was just a funny thing that happened at our annual event. The crowd thought it was hilarious," Meier said in a statement. "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.”