As one of the most popular and wholesome celebrities around, you’d think Dwayne Johnson launching a $10 million relief fund to help the people of Maui would be greeted with open-armed enthusiasm.
However, The Rock’s partnership with Oprah Winfrey hasn’t generated the reaction you might expect, with many flooding social media to lambast the inordinately wealthy duo despite the A-list pair putting their money where their mouths are. Of course, Oprah has come under fire for treating it as a publicity opportunity, never mind the vast swathes of land she owns in Hawaii.
Johnson has strong ties to the islands, though, so maybe he’s just guilty by association. Either way, the fact the top-voted comment on his Instagram post says “Wow so surprised the rock is backing her… lost all respect for him” might sum up the negativity, never mind one just below that opines how “the inability for the ultra rich and famous to read the room makes me sick.”
The People’s Fund of Maui will distribute cash directly to the families and individuals affected by the wildfires, with Johnson and Winfrey getting the ball rolling with their $10 million contribution. Every adult aged 18 and over who lives in affected areas in Lahaina and Kulu is eligible for $1200 per month during the recovery period.
Their hearts are in the right place, but given the backlash that’s been swirling around Oprah since the initial disaster that struck Hawaii, it would appear that not even the latest act of generosity from Johnson is enough to grant him immunity from second-hand scorn.
