Dwayne Johnson is addressing the backlash he and Oprah Winfrey received after launching a fund for the Maui wildfires. In an Instagram video, he shared positive news about the People’s Fund of Maui’s impact on families affected by the wildfire and acknowledged the frustration over celebrities asking working-class people for money.
Johnson began by addressing the initial backlash: “When we first launched the fund, there was some backlash… And I want to address and acknowledge that backlash right now, and here’s what I have to say about that.”
He empathized with those living paycheck to paycheck and facing financial struggles, emphasizing his own experiences: “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.”
Acknowledging the irritation of being asked for money when facing financial challenges, he said, “I don’t wanna speak for everybody I’ll speak for myself, but I feel it’s connected.” Johnson added, “So I get it, I understand, I never launched a fund before but I’m a quick study, and lesson learned.”
Oprah Winfrey also responded to the backlash during an appearance on CBS Mornings. She expressed her surprise at the negative reaction and shared her frustration that it diverted attention from the fund’s main purpose: helping the people of Maui.
Winfrey explained that her idea for the fund came after speaking with people on the ground who expressed a desire for more agency in their assistance. She mentioned learning about how Dolly Parton had helped wildfire victims in Gatlinburg, TN, in 2017, directly providing money to affected families.
Partnering with Johnson, they decided to follow Parton’s lead and start the fund with $10 million, with the goal of putting money directly into people’s bank accounts. Oprah expressed her initial excitement about the idea but said she was taken aback by the backlash.
Despite the negativity, the fund persisted, and Oprah revealed that they have verified 2,200 people to directly receive assistance. She remains enthusiastic about the fund’s mission but expressed sadness about the current state of discourse in the country.
The August wildfires in Maui, particularly in the community of Lahaina, caused significant destruction, with FEMA estimating that 2,200 buildings were destroyed, and there were confirmed fatalities and missing individuals. The People’s Fund of Maui aimed to provide support to those affected by this devastating event.
