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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 7 March 2020
AP Exclusive: NRA firearms auction at country museum nixed

By KRISTIN M. HALL Blake Shelton and included
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — artists like Luke Bryan, Mont-
For weeks the National Rifle gomery Gentry and Justin
Association has been publi- Moore. In 2015, when the
cizing plans to hold a fund- NRA last held its conven-
raising dinner at the Coun- tion in Nashville, the orga-
try Music Hall of Fame and nization sponsored an Alan
Museum where it planned Jackson concert and held
to auction off firearms, NRA Country Jam, a free
even as many country mu- concert featuring Hank Wil-
sic artists have distanced liams Jr. and Colt Ford.
themselves from the gun "Part of it is buying friends.
rights organization. They are supporting artists,
But a spokesperson for the giving them money, tour
museum confirmed to The support, basically hiring
Associated Press that the them to play at events,"
April 17 event will not take said Don Cusic, a Belmont
place at the site after the University professor and
AP asked questions about country music historian.
the museum's no firearms Cusic said that in the wake
policy. The NRA's relation- of mass shootings, some
ship with country artists and country artists changed
music organizations has In this May 25, 2018 photo, visitors to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, their tune about teaming
fractured in recent years Tenn. view the the Outlaws & Armadillos exhibit. up with the NRA — privately
after several mass shoot- Associated Press and more publicly.
ings, including one at a Las "They went from seeing the
Vegas country music festi- pressors, knives, fine art, asked how the policy af- tion, but previously, the NRA as an opportunity in
val in 2017. hunts, optics and trips from fected the NRA's plans for NRA's website for the fund- terms of marketing, public-
The NRA is holding its an- around the globe." an auction that included raiser had an image of a ity and tour support mon-
nual convention this April in The museum, which calls firearms, McGlumphy, said woman displaying a rifle in ey to a big liability," Cusic
downtown Nashville. Tout- itself "the Smithsonian of that the museum was talk- a crowded room. said. "And they are going
ed as one of the premiere country music," is one of the ing to the NRA about the For years, the NRA part- to avoid that. They aren't
events of the convention, Nashville's biggest tourist auction. Nearly a week nered with and publicized going to say it out loud, but
the $500-per ticket NRA- draws, bringing in a record later, on Thursday evening, country artists as a part of they're gonna have a pri-
ILA dinner and auction 1.3 million visitors last year. McGlumphy told the AP a lifestyle marketing cam- vate meeting."
at the museum promised The museum also rents out that "following those discus- paign called NRA Country. Certain country artists have
"celebrities, industry execu- private event spaces. sions, the organization will They promoted country art- been vocal on gun control.
tives and a host of Second On Feb. 28, Kelly Mc- not be holding their event ists on their website, paid Tyler Hubbard of Florida
Amendment supporters Glumphy, the museum's di- at the museum." for advertising for the art- Georgia Line, the hit duo
from around the country." rector of communications, It's not clear which side ists and hired them to per- that NRA Country once
The Institute for Legislative confirmed to the AP that made the decision. The form at NRA events. NRA publicized on its website,
Action is the NRA's lobby- the museum's policy pro- convention will still be held partnered with the Acad- called for universal back-
ing arm. Last week, the hibits firearms, loaded or at the Music City Center, emy of Country Music in ground checks on firearm
NRA publicized that auc- unloaded, or other weap- a nearby convention site. 2011 and 2012 to put on a sales in 2018 and faced a
tion items would include ons, in the building whether The NRA did not return calls celebrity shooting compe- backlash from gun rights
"engraved firearms, sup- visible or concealed. When from the AP about the auc- tition that was hosted by supporters. q

Trebek reaches 1-year mark in cancer fight with hope, candor

By LYNN ELBER could continue the fight, the "Jeopardy!" quiz show
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alex he said. despite his cancer and
Trebek marked his one-year "But I brushed that aside even a nagging cold that
battle against pancreatic quickly, because that was noticeable in recent
cancer with candor about would have been a mas- episodes. His only on-air
how hard it's been and a sive betrayal, a betrayal concession to the illness
vow to keep going. of my wife and soul mate has been the wig that he
"I'd be lying if I said the Jean, who has given her all acknowledged covers his
journey had been an easy to help me survive," Trebek treatment-induced hair
one. There have been said. "It would have been loss.
some good days, but a lot a betrayal of other cancer Trebek, 79, recounted a re-
of not-so-good days," the patients who have looked cent, upbeat conversation
longtime "Jeopardy!" host to me as an inspiration, with his oncologist. He said
said in a video message and a cheerleader of sorts, he was certain that "one
posted online Wednesday. for the value of living and year from now, the two of
He's joked with friends that hope. And it would certain- us would be sitting in his of-
"the cancer won't kill me, ly have been a betrayal of fice celebrating my second In this April 30, 2017, file photo, Alex Trebek speaks at the 44th
annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center in
the chemo treatments will," my faith in God and the mil- anniversary of survival." Pasadena, Calif.
Trebek said. lions of prayers that have He offered advice and Associated Press
Moments of pain and at- been said on my behalf." encouragement to others
tacks of "great depression" He hasn't faltered in his fighting the disease. a time with a positive atti- Trebek said. "I'll keep you
caused him to wonder if he work, continuing to host "If we take it just one day at tude, anything is possible," posted."q