Monday, December 21, 2009

A Kindess By Keith

Keith Urban gets the festive spirit

Article from: The Courier-Mail

December 22, 2009 12:00am

HERE'S a heart-warming Yuletide tale that shows Caboolture lad Keith Urban really is a top guy.

The Nashville-based superstar played secret Santa to an awestruck youth in a Fortitude Valley guitar shop on Saturday.

The young punter was in Tym Guitars trying out a fuzz pedal (a guitar effects device) when Urban, in between Boondall shows, walked in with his band.

Owner Tym Brennan says Keef and co were "genuinely very nice" and spent half an hour trying out a bevy of guitars (with the youngster messing around on the pedal all the while).

After settling on a $1400 Maton (a good Australian-made guitar), Urban leans over and whispers, "How much is the pedal that kid's playing?"

"$450," Brennan says.

Urban: "Put it on my card with the guitar."

Tym: "Do you want me to tell the kid?"

Urban: "Wait till I leave."

Brennan recounts: "Keith pays, then on the way out, shakes the youth's hand and says, "Merry Christmas".

"Was that Keith Urban? He said 'Merry Christmas' to me," the kid beams.

"Yeah," says Brennan, "He just bought you that pedal."

The kid was so "blown away" he was shaking, Brennan tells us.

17 comments:

maclen said...

Funny...seems since kidman returned to a flurry of Oz photo ops...the orb felt a need for a little pre-arranged PR of his own! An entire "scripted" description even! Its like...YOU ARE THERE! "Yeah...who was that masked man? We didnt even get a chance to thank him!"

maclen said...

...PS...

...so, not to change the topic of the latest blog...do, please discuss "Santa cletus"...but I have an update on my previous comments on the "did director alfredson "dump" kidman's Danish Girl?"

There is this just now...

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/articles/2009/12/21/20091221kidman.html

"Nicole Kidman hopes to play transsexual"

"She hopes her next movie will be the drama The Danish Girl, starring Kidman as a post-op transsexual, married to Gwyneth Paltrow. "We're in the process of putting that together. If that story comes together, I will definitely make that story. It's an unusual story and it's a love story that needs to be told," Kidman tells USA TODAY."

Recall, in this article announcing alfredson's involvment...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008616.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Alfredson right helmer for 'Danish'

""We have been in talks for close to a year, and we are soon going into production," Alfredson told Daily Variety."

...so, kidman hopes to make the film? She says they are "in the process of putting that together?" But didnt alfredson say a few months ago "we are soon going into production? Well, it's looking more and more like alfredson did dump the film...and kidman is just HOPING...PRAYING that she can get this off the ground! But do not miss the "her baby makes it hard for her to want to work"...clearly an "excuse" to be used if this does not get made! Yes, she "decided" not to make the film...because she would miss her baby too much! NO, I would say the film does not get made because her career is dead...and Nine, a critical bomb, will not help!

joy said...

Well that seems to be Keith as he always is:ready to give, help others & just be a sweet, kind, sharing person. Pretty sure he didn't do it for attention or media publicity. He doesn't need to pat himself on the back or even have others pat him on the back for what he does. I think personally he does a LOT of this kind of thing that we never hear about & that's how he wants it. Keith is a good guy & I'm glad his celebrity status hasn't made him into a snob. No matter what criticism I'll get for saying this I truly think Keith did that for that boy with a kind open heart NOT wanting any publicity for it. I also think that whatever goes on good or bad in his marriage as well as his life that he is ready, willing & able to deal with it lovingly & he is just very grateful to be healthy, happy and not under a cold stone counted as another tragic story. Others were there for him at his most down times and he I'm sure is more than willing to do for others as much as possible. He loves Nicole & Nicole loves Keith. Are they perfect---heck no. Are they absolutley without problems--no. But can they have a loving marriage, a happy family and a great life absolutely. It's a work in progress. Just glad they are working on it together.

Tara said...

While a nice guy this story sure did move around fast in the last few hours. Too Bad Kidman couldn't find it in her heart to have joined Keith for his final show in Brisbane but his family was there which says a lot.

notachance said...

Geez maclen, can you not even once think goodwill of anything? Not every move is "scripted" or "by design" from Keith, and yes, even Nicole. Sometimes things just need to be taken at face value and appreciated.

Unknown said...

"shell shocked", "blown away", "shaking"



WTF??

maclen said...

Lisa said...
"shell shocked", "blown away", "shaking"...

HA! yes, this story was truly EPIC...wasnt it? So, after the photos of orb arriving in oz almost 2 weeks ago...outside of the usual orb live gigs reviews and live show photos...it's been pretty quiet "otherwise" on the cletus "buzz" news front...then after a flurry, of photos of kidman's grand arrival at the airport to a "touching" family reunion...and then instant photo ops of kidman and baby visiting grandad...and the instant photo ops of kidman and baby visiting sis...suddenly there's this epic "story"...of a solo orb...making an "anonymous" holiday "feel good" gesture...which actually doesnt remain "anonymous"...it's all over the papers, dont you know?! Evidently the orb was "jonesing" for a little PR coverage all his own! And of course the sheep...or more to the holiday season...this tripe can be hand fed to the "fawners"...like so much "corn feed" to petting zoo reindeer!

LoriAnn said...

Why are we so surprised by this story? Keith has always been a truly wonderful and awesome giver!! Not because of who he is now but who he has always been!! He supports many things like St. Jude's and he does many things under the radar! He does not need his wife to help him.

maclen said...

LoriAnn said...
"He supports many things like St. Jude's and he does many things under the radar!"

But this "story" isnt St Jude's...and it isnt "under the radar". It smacks of simple "promotional" opportunism...a "$450 promotional buy. And recall the last very "public and charitable" PR the orb engaged in ...last Octobers "BENEFIT FOR KEITH URBAN...with friends"...the "all for the hall" concert...announced smack dabb in the middle of his music tour...and held in the heat of the CMA awards voting and with 3 whole weeks before the voting deadline. And then... take a gander at this...looky looky...lo and behold...this being just recently shilled over at the cletus fansie monkeylander site...

http://www.keithurban.net/news.html?n_id=13229

KEITH WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME'S NEW EXHIBIT, OPENING IN MAY 2010

...my my my... gosh, I wonder how that got all "arranged"...is there maybe a little "back scratching" involved here whatsoever? I mean the "orb" did in fact just recently so "highly and publicly" raised funds for the Hall...no doubt for the Hall's exec's to recieve a little extra "special Xmas bonus"... this yearend! It's all the rage right now! And, FYI, the overused, "Well, they all do it" is not a very convincing argument...it's just an addmitance that the orb is now just as obvious and as blatantly calculating and manipulative of a shameless shill as kidman!

Unknown said...

Keith is KNOWN for being a cheapskate. Dont even bother trying that generosity BS with us.

When NK announced live that they were going to donate 500k to the fund for AUS, Keith's reaction almost turned him from a rooster to a hen. I LOVED it! He came SO close to dropping his butch!

He considers money he gives as "investments". He will put money in things that he knows will benefit him in the end. Always has.

Unknown said...

If anyone cares:

"Dear Amazon.com Customer,

We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated Fortunate Son: The Unlikely Rise of Keith Urban by Jeff Apter have also purchased Keith Urban (Country Music Stars) by Ruben Hakit. For this reason, you might like to know that Keith Urban (Country Music Stars) will be released on January 1, 2010."

maclen said...

So, in this "E- o' " "LAte Night MUsings"...seeing that it is the eve of Xmas eve...which would still make today Dec. 23...I'd like to extend a very cheery...

"Happy Festivus! everyone! (A festivus...for the rest of us!)

It is now time for the ritual airing of the grievances!...and Ive got a problem with you people!...(well, actually these people) So it seems orb finished off his 5 WHOLE gigs in OZ...which no doubt leaves him totally free now to partake in the ritual parade of "family down under" photo ops kidman certainly has lined up! Also just noticed that the orb picks up his "tour" once again this upcoming April...and it continues till at least Sept. Well, of course, in his current state, "desperation" is the father of this nessesity! With such a poorly selling album, it's not surprising he'll be touring most of next year as well. Now as for kidman...her upcoming movie has basically fizzled...since it's official screenings...and the hubbub of PR, interviews and premieres has ended...it has seen it's stock and status erode significantly. And just as I surmissed, that reviews would probably be 50-50..."give or take"...and in Nine's precise case take away 7%, as it's current rating over at Rotten Tomatoes is at 43% rotten. And for an "oscar" hopeful, that aint gonna cut it! In fact I saw this note over at MCN and their oscar pundits...

http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2010/top_ten/critics_01.html

...Nine has made it to NOT one of the major critics or awards boards top 10 movies of the year. And, hilariously and very revealing, this questionaire to that sites awards "guru of gold" panelists this question...

http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2010/top_ten/critics_01.html

Is Nine still a legit possibility to win Best Picture?

...and the answer from 13 of its responding pundits...a unanimous NO! In fact, that is the only unanimous answer to any of the 11 questions. The box office estimates are that Nine may gross about $8mil on about 1400 to 1500 screens this xmas weekend. So it seems Weinco not only has a critical flop, but also a potential finacial flop as well. But, I tried to warn weinstein...going back to 2003's Human Stain and Cold mountain, kidman is the box office kiss of death! And the "kidman kurse" has struck again!

Unknown said...

They will have another baby to get them through yet another year.

Imahick said...

I think that Keith saw the kid in the store and could relate to him. That was Keith 25-30 yr ago - not any money and a huge desire to have every gadget for his music. I think it's quite feasible to think he bought the pedal for the kid out of the goodness of his heart, and never expected to get any press for it. Not everything he does is for PR.

If he wanted PR for it, he'd have presented it to the kid and had his picture taken with him. Instead, he put it on his card and left the store, before the kid even knew what had happened.

It was a generous and kind gesture...and why not? Keith is wealthy beyond his own dreams and so $450 is nothing to him.

rememberwhen said...

If money didn't matter to Keith then why did he ask how much it was? Keith cares a lot more about money than you know.

abc said...

I do think had that sweetness in his nature and believe it was a spntaneous act of kindness, and yes, probably made him nostalgic for when he was burning to play! (which seems was always!) ... it also matches the sentiment of 'start a band'... I love that kind of thing ... however, times have changes and he needs to think a bit further in terms of where he now sits in the media .. what I would have done had it been me, I would have told the salesman that I'll buy the pedal on condition that you tell no-one about it ... except for theboy ... who may well then have tweetered it out to the world, but it smacks also of spontaneous opportunism on the part perhaps of the store. But it is a nice story ... from the boy's perspective especially ... and that is who it was for ultimately! That pedal will be so treasured by that boy. It will be interesting to see how Sunday turns out musically ... if she is musical, that is.

A440 said...

If money didn't matter to Keith then why did he ask how much it was?

Because if it's 45 bucks, let the kid get it himself. He may be futzing around with it just to see if it's what he needs, with no regard for cost--if it's inexpensive.

But 450 is a serious chunk of change, so Keith, rather kindly, dug into his own pocket. Because he's got a rep for being a cheapskate, I'm gonna give the man props for this one.