The Tennessean
December 7, 2000
Brad About You

If you've ever gone to an Amy Grant (pictured) Christmas show at the arena, you know it's like a giant Bluebird Cafe: No talking, no smoking.

That's why folks sitting near the RJ Young suite were plenty peeved when the ladies in that company's suite were talking loudly.

"They were very belligerent, very rude," said Kathy Woodward of Madison, who sat by the RJ Young suite. "Everybody was like 'Shhh! Shhh!' And they just got louder."

I had several phone calls saying the rowdies in that suite ruined the show for them on Tuesday night.

The folks at RJ Young, a 300-employee office equipment company in town, called me to say they were very embarrassed by the behavior of guests in their suite. (No company managers or employees were in the suite, but rather they were all guests, clients and friends of company employees.)

To that end, the company, in a brilliant PR move, is donating $11,000 to the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. The amount, $11,000, is the company's best guess of the total ticket prices paid by the dozens and dozens of folks near the suite who were offended and/or annoyed.

Sure, it stinks to have your concert experience ruined by a bunch of loud folks. But hey, you rarely get a refund for that. Nice to know during a holiday season that this "refund" will go to kids who need it.

"We are truly sorry for any disruption or behavior that was unbecoming of our guests and a negative reflection on our company," Chip Crunk, president and CEO, said in a statement.

"On behalf of the RJ Young Company we would hope that the community will accept our apology."

Company officials also said that, from now on, there will be a company manager in the suite for every arena event.

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