A few weeks ago, John Oliver of HBO's Last Week Tonight purchased a jockstrap owned by actor Russell Crowe as part of a charity auction set up by the veteran performer.
Oliver paid $7,000 for the item and then donated it to the last remaining Blockbuster video store in Anchorage, Alaska, along with some other silver screen memorabilia. It is now on display in a small shrine dedicated to Crowe.
After receiving the news, Crowe tweeted that he was touched by the donation and subsequent mini-monument in his honor and that he was in the process of deciding how the funds raised would be used.
"I think this is such a wonderful random act of kindness that I am planning now on how to best use the @iamjohnoliver money he spent on groin protectors and such. Given his often shown genuine love for Australians and Australia, it’s got to be something special."
I think this is such a wonderful random act of kindness that I am planning now on how to best use the @iamjohnoliver money he spent on groin protectors and such .
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) April 17, 2018
Given his often shown genuine love for Australians and Australia , it’s got to be something special . https://t.co/NcziHy5A2H
Later that same day, Crowe announced, again via Twitter, that he would be donating the $7,000 to support wildlife in his native Australia. Specifically, Crowe is donating to research on koala chlamydia.
"I’ve had a eureka moment on how to use @iamjohnoliver from @LastWeekTonight auction money. His random act of kindness is going to be honored in such a cool way. Yes, no surprise, it will involve wildlife. @rickygervais@jimjefferies@jimmycarr@edsheeran@edwina_b
I’ve had a eureka moment on how to use @iamjohnoliver from @LastWeekTonight auction money . His random act of kindness is going to be honoured in such a cool way .
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) April 18, 2018
Yes, no surprise, it will involve wildlife . @rickygervais @jimjefferies @jimmycarr @edsheeran @edwina_b
On Sunday night, Oliver announced that the koala chlamydia award had been renamed after him and that he was so touched that "there is nothing left for us to accomplish."
We’ve achieved a koala chlamydia ward, so there’s nothing left for us to accomplish. pic.twitter.com/wll7kQwaF0
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) May 7, 2018