Dwayne Johnson and Oprah Winfrey joined hands late in August to help survivors after deadly wildfires tore through the Hawaiian island of Maui. The tragedy burned much of the community of Lahaina (Maui County), where thousands of structures were damaged or destroyed.
The Rock and the Queen of Daytime TV launched The People’s Fund of Maui with an initial $10 million donation from their own pockets. However, their plan to help those affected also accompanied a message for the public which wasn’t received well by many.
Dwayne Johnson Shares His Thoughts on the Criticism Over the Idea of His Fund
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most powerful and richest figures in the entertainment industry, boasting an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion. Meanwhile, Dwayne Johnson is among the highest-earning actors in Hollywood at present and has amassed a reported net worth of $800 million.
As wildfires in Hawaii killed over 100 people and forced thousands to evacuate in August, the pair committed to donating $5 million each from their pocket and asked the public to contribute as well. Their request was met with criticism with many highlighting that they are, in all likelihood, wealthy enough to do more on their own without needing help from the public.
This past Sunday, the former WWE star took to Instagram to address the criticism in front of his 389 million-plus Instagram followers. He said:
“When we first launched the fund, there was some backlash. I get it and I completely understand, and I could’ve been better — and next time I will be better. I understand money ain’t falling out of the sky, and it’s not growing on trees, and there’s a lot of people out there who’s living paycheck to paycheck. And I get it, and I know what that’s like. I’ve lived paycheck to paycheck, seven bucks. I know.”
Johnson addressed the same concerns in the caption, insisting he appreciates that his social media community always tells him the truth – good or bad.
Oprah Winfrey’s Reaction to Backlash Over the Fund
Winfrey, who has co-authored the book Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, appeared on CBS Mornings recently and addressed criticism from fans that she and Johnson were dodging their social responsibilities and putting individuals who live paycheck to paycheck in a tough position through their request to contribute to their fund.
The 69-year-old insisted all the online conversations took the focus off of what was the most important thing, the people of Maui, adding she was on the ground talking to many individuals to figure out the best ways to help. Winfrey said:
“I was so excited about it. Then, I got up the next morning, and I saw all of this vitriol, and I was like, ‘Whoa, what happened here?’”
In the same interview, she also noted that the fundamental idea of the fund, which was inspired by a similar effort made by Dolly Parton – who raised $12.5 million and then directly gave it to the people – is strong.
