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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 7 december 2019
2-year old Arthur becomes star in UK Christmas ad tradition

By DANICA KIRKA the very real challenges
Associated Press that smaller firms through-
LONDON (AP) — Little Ar- out the U.K. are actually
thur crawls out of bed in his facing,’’ said Mike Cherry,
red Marvel Comics paja- the national chairman of
mas, brushes his teeth and the Federation of Small
strolls outside after break- Businesses. “They are fac-
fast to his day job: helping ing spiraling business rates,
out at the family hardware high rents and online com-
store in Rhayader, Wales. petition, expensive town
It’s Christmas and Arthur, center parking and the
nearly 3, has his work cut loss of bank branches and
out for him wrapping pres- ATMs. All of these issues
ents, hanging ornaments make for a perfect storm
and helping customers. that is putting many small
But the cute video with 1.3 businesses at risk.”
million views on YouTube - Jones, who runs Hafod
and counting - comes with Hardware, simply made
a larger larger message. Arthur his go-to star to
Don’t forget the little guy. promote the store. Ar-
“The small little family thur’s supporting cast is
owned businesses still ex- his grandfather, John, his
ist out there,’’ said Arthur’s In this Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, photo a woman watches as a brightly lit float passes by during the great-grandfather Alan
dad, Thomas Lewis Jones, Christmas parade Thursday night in downtown Bristol, Va. Associated Press and his great-grandmoth-
30. ‘’If you can afford to er Pauline. The filmmaker,
shop locally, do so. If you ies, similar to Super Bowl ($130). constantly discussed. Josh Holdaway, is a family
can’t. I hope you just enjoy showstoppers in the United Yet this simple, day in the Despite initiatives, such as friend and has a cameo
the video.’’ States, that feature warm life of Arthur promotional Small Business Saturday, appearance.
Big Christmas ads have be- and fuzzy characters like video has drawn attention small stores really are fac- Since being posted Mon-
come a tradition in Britain lovestruck penguins and to much larger problems of ing challenges. They are of- day, Jones’ phone has
an opportunity usually for mythical creatures who re- bricks and mortar U.K. re- ten dwarfed by the bigger not stopped ringing. At
much larger companies veal the true meaning of tailers this Christmas, strug- stores that can offer better the time he was speaking
to pull out all the stops to Christmas. gling as they do with issues prices and more selection. to The Associated Press on
woo holiday shoppers and The don’t normally origi- ranging from the steady Many have a tough time Friday, he noted with some
stamp their brands firmly nate in a town 200 miles losses to internet retailers getting through each year. degree of astonishment
on the consumer brain. from London and have to a controversial local “What this video has done that the video was popular
These are usually mini mov- a budget of 100 pounds tax system whose reform is is throw into the spotlight in Japan. q
In Musgraves’ Christmas special, her grandma steals the show

By ALICIA RANCILIO Filming took place during
Associated Press the summer in a hot Cali-
NEW YORK (AP) — Gram- fornia.
my winner Kacey Mus- “It was like, 90 degrees
graves knows who the real in LA in like this airplane
star is in her family — her hangar that we shot it
grandmother. That’s why in, didn’t have air condi-
the singer put the woman tioning. So, I was wearing
she calls Nana in her up- Christmas clothing, on
coming holiday special, my feet for like 16 hours a
“The Kacey Musgraves day, like just tryin’ to make
Christmas Show.” Christmas happen. And I
“Basically, this is just Nana’s think we did,” Musgraves
world. We’re just all livin’ in said. “It’s been Christmas
it. This is Nana’s Christmas for an entire year for me.
special if you hear from So, I can’t tell if I’m sick of
her. I’m just in it,” said Mus- it or if I’m really excited. I
graves on Tuesday at a think I’m really excited.”
special screening of the Last week, Musgraves
special in New York. took home female vocal-
Musgraves initially wor- Singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves attends the premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Kacey ist of the year and video
ried how her grandmother Musgraves Christmas Show,” at Metrograph, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in New York. of the year for “Rainbow’’
Associated Press
would handle being on at the Country Music As-
camera, but those fears not used to this,’” Mus- graves Christmas Show” dall Jenner. It’s narrated sociation Awards. The
quickly subsided. graves said. “She came debuts Nov. 29 on Ama- by Dan Levy of “Schitt’s show was hosted by Car-
“I was like, ‘OK, this is my in, she gave us ad-libs, she zon Prime Video. The spe- Creek.” rie Underwood, Dolly Par-
80-something-year old was like giving us different cial features a number of Musgraves got the idea ton and Reba McEntire
grandmother. Is she gon- inflections like she knew celebrities, including Fred for the special a year ago and was hyped as a night
na come in like, forget the what to do. It was really Armisen, Camila Cabello, and spent months com- dedicated to the women
lines, like, you know. She’s cute.” “The Kacey Mus- James Corden and Ken- ing up with the concept. of country music.q