New York Daily News

YULE HEROES

Tyler, Kid Rock cover holiday layaway costs

- BY RACHEL DESANTIS

Tyler Perry and Kid Rock have ensured their names are headed for the nice list this year after covering the costs of layaway accounts at their local Walmart stores.

Perry (left photo) kicked off the trend Thursday, telling his Twitter followers that, while he’d hoped to keep his good deed anonymous, he paid for all items on layaway at two Atlanta-area stores.

“I know it’s hard times, people are struggling, and I’m just really, really grateful to be able to be in a position to do this,” he said in a video shared to the platform. “So God bless you, go get your stuff. Merry Christmas.”

The producer – who spent $432,635 on the act of kindness – later wrote on Facebook that he felt compelled to act in honor of his mother, who died nine years ago Saturday.

“You remember when you would put our Christmas toys on layaway and worry about getting them paid off in time?” he wrote. “Well, because of you, a lot of folks don’t have to worry about that this year. This would have made you so happy and proud.”

Perry’s plan caught the attention of Rock (right photo), who responded to Perry’s Twitter video and said he’d do the same in Nashville.

“Great idea! I followed your lead and paid off the layaway at my local Walmart in Nashville,” he wrote. “Merry Christmas and God bless you!”

The store’s manager Tom Meyer told USA Today that Rock paid off the balances of 350 customers, totaling about $81,000.

The musician also handed out signed cards wishing customers a Merry Christmas and informing them that their bills had been paid by their “neighbor,” Rock.

“We were gonna have to give up our kids’ Christmas this year because we needed to pay rent but now, because of you, our babies will have a good Christmas! So thank you so much!!” customer Autumn Nuccio wrote to Rock on Twitter.

The gesture has helped put Rock back in Nashville’s good graces after he was ousted earlier this month as grand marshal of the Nashville Christmas Parade.

Rock got the boot after a controvers­ial appearance on “Fox & Friends” in which he called “The View” co-host Joy Behar a b---h. He was later replaced with James Shaw, a local man who helped stop a shooting at a Waffle House in April.

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