According to The Gothamist, and the NYPL’s own own tumblr account, Keith Richards visit to the NY Public Library included some ‘backstage’ time in the Cullman Center’s Deputy Director Marie d’Origny’s office. This is what went on:
While Keef was waiting in the center before his talk at the library, he unexpectedly lit up a cigarette in Marie’s office, and grabbed the clay saucer underneath a potted orchid for a makeshift ash tray. He then asked for the window to be open, sending a chill through the office. Between the cold and the smoke, the little orchid never stood a chance. RIP, sweet flower. The good news is Keith felt sort of bad about smoking in the first place and signed the “ash tray” without anyone asking (see image). So c’mon – you have to have sympathy for the devil.
overprivileged, greedy twit
Both he and Mick Jagger are good examples of what’s wrong with the baby boom generation. Their aura of rebelliousness dates from the music and antics of their twenties, which they’ve exploited for all it’s worth. I can’t blame them for wanting to enrich themselves, but it bothers me that no one cares that they dodge taxes as carefully as any multinational corporation, according to the recent New Yorker review of Richards’ book.
I’ll bet that most readers of this site despise large companies that exploit every legal loophole to screw their home countries out of tax revenue. Does the same standard apply to cultural darlings who have avoided paying tens, if not hundreds, of millions of tax dollars to either the U.K. or the U.S. through devices such as rehearsing outside of either country? The less they pay, the more everyone has to.
Please spare me any sob stories about emotional distress in Keith’s past that are supposed to explain his life and evoke my sympathy. He’s been filthy rich for quite some time now, and has had many years to get his act together. I also don’t think being a “genius” in any field gives someone the right to act without regard for others.
Ride your hobby horse, cowboy
What the heck did the post have to do with tax evasion?
a mocking remark makes all the world’s troubles go away
I suppose that by your standards anyone who cares about social responsibility is a wet blanket who needs mocking. I’ll also guess that an attitude of detached irony is your defense against anything that might evoke cognitive dissonance. Keith Richard’s gesture shows the spontaneity and thoughtfulness that I would expect of a 5-year-old, and reminds me of his general attitude to social norms, including paying taxes.
hate the game
You are entitled to your opinion, but you will certainly be mocked for it, and your tone. They earned every penny; why shouldn’t they keep it when it’s legal? They’re smart enough to manage their money by choosing to rehearse in Canada.
“The whole business thing is predicated a lot on the tax laws. It’s why we rehearse in Canada and not in the U.S. A lot of our astute moves have been basically keeping up with tax laws, where to go, where not to put it. Whether to sit on it or not. We left England because we’d be paying 98 cents on the dollar. We left, and they lost out. No taxes at all. I don’t want to screw anybody out of anything, least of all the governments that I work with. We put 30% in holding until we sort it out.” –Keith Richards
Lighten up
C’mon. Lighten up. I didn’t say “Light up!”
Can you see why librarians are accused of not having any sense of humor?
How did this site become another toxic stop for the ugly right?
Ugh.
Just think…
he probably makes up for any lost tax revenue in cigarette taxes.
crappy musician
that flower was more useful than his music
Prickly
Good thing he didn’t mention the peyote cactus…
I’m a little annoyed, just
I’m a little annoyed, just because the flower fell off the orchid doesn’t mean that it’s dead. Orchids drop and regrow flowers cyclically.