Jack White has officially entered the 20th century.
The musician, who has famously banned cell phones from his shows, announced on Thursday that he is now the owner of a cell phone for the first time ever.
“Well y’all it’s either all over for me now or just the beginning,” he shared in an Instagram post on July 10, alongside photos of him holding his new phone. “I am now the reluctant owner of a cellular telephone for the first time in my life! A lovely 50th birthday present courtesy of my gorgeous and thoughtful wife Mrs. Olivia Jean (who took these photos as well.)”
The White Stripes singer shared, “I’ve been saying that my days were numbered for years, can’t listen to my music in my car, can’t park at a parking lot by myself because of QR codes, etc. etc. and I guess Olivia decided to be kind and put me (and all my loved ones) out of my misery!”
“I thought if I could make it to 50 years old at least without ever having one that I could be proud of myself, and I am,” White added. “Can’t wait to talk to you all soon. My phone number is the square root of all of our combined social interaction times Pi.”
White has spoken about the weirdness of not owning a phone before, especially when it seems like everyone else on the planet has one.
“I’ve never owned one, so when I’m out there I’m an anomaly and I’m looking at everybody,” White said in an interview with Channel 4 News in 2019.
“To me, everybody looks silly. And then you’re like, ‘Whatever, it’s their lives,’” he added. “Who knows? Maybe this is the way everything is going to be from now on. I have no idea and nobody really does.”
White was once a part of a group of celebrities who prefer not to use cell phones, which includes Woody Harrelson and Dolly Parton, who like to use a fax machine.
Parton once said it would “take up too much of” her time if she tried to respond to everyone who contacts her.
The country music legend said in an interview on “The View” in 2023, “So I just say, ‘Fax me. Fax me or call me and I’ll call you back.’”
