Nick Cannon Slams Oprah Winfrey & Dwayne Johnson For Seeking Donations For Maui: 'Poor Taste'
By Fiyin Olowokandi on September 7, 2023 at 10:15 PM EDT
Nick Cannon has joined the list of critics to challenge media mogul Oprah Winfrey and movie star Dwayne ''The Rock'' Johnson for seeking donations to help those affected by the devastating wildfires in Hawaii.
The TV host, who enjoys excellent media influence, recently addressed the news about Winfrey and Johnson, soliciting funds for the wildfire victims in the county of Maui in Hawaii.
Nick Cannon Insists It 'Makes Perfect Sense' That People Are Calling Out Oprah Winfrey & Dwayne Johnson
On a recent episode of ''The Daily Cannon Show,'' featuring Cannon, his baby mama Abby De La Rosa, Mason Moussette, and Courtney Bee Bledsoe, the entertainers tackled the issue surrounding Winfrey and Johnson seeking funds to help those affected by the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
As fans may know, Winfrey and Johnson, a billionaire and a multi-millionaire, respectively, joined forces to help the victims of the wildfire by establishing the People's Fund of Maui with $10 million of their own money donated for the purpose.
Aside from carrying out this thoughtful gesture, they also put out a call to action for others to contribute to the meaningful relief effort.
However, it appears their appeal for help did not sit well with Cannon. Speaking about the issue on the talk show, Moussette stated, ''people are blasting them [Oprah and The Rock] both for asking to donate to Maui relief even though they have so much money themselves.''
Supporting the backlash, Cannon remarked, ''That makes perfect sense.'' Meanwhile, Bledsoe disagreed, saying, ''It does not.'' Still maintaining his argument, the Nickelodeon alum continued, ''They are the richest people in the world.''
Bledsoe then countered his point, stating, ''Just because you're a millionaire or billionaire or whatever the situation is, that does not mean that you have to help. You know how many calamities there are that rich people could throw money at?"
Moussette, agreeing with Cannon, pointed out that Winfrey and Johnson were obligated to donate a huge amount of money to the cause. She added, ''I think it's a part of your responsibility to give back.''
De La Rosa, in stating her opinion, mentioned that Winfrey and Johnson's friends could help in that regard given that they "have the friends circle to do that.''
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Although Bledsoe affirmed her argument that Winfrey was doing more than enough for the victims by being present and sharing relief provisions with them, Cannon contended Winfrey and Johnson's declaration for assistance from the public. The ''Gigolo'' rapper stated, ''It's in poor taste for a billionaire to ask anyone for money. I don't care what the situation is.''
As expected, fans took to the comments section to drop their opinions. A follower wrote, ''Instead of asking the general public, they should be asking their millionaire friends. Us normal folks struggle enough on our own in this economy.''
Meanwhile, another commended the celebrities, writing, ''I knew it. They donated time & money themselves but it's always some criticism. They're just using their platforms to spread information! They aren't forcing you to bruh, just not donate.''
A third fan declared, ''I'm not giving ANY billionaires money PERIOD ‼️.'' A fourth commenter added, ''It would've been better that they just ignored the entire situation right? Y'all ain't never satisfied.''
Another user clarified, ''Just because they're successful doesn't mean they're obligated to save the world. If that's the case everybody could donate a dollar or so forth. I get tired of everybody expecting these rich ass celebrities to handle and pay for everything when we can all do our part. They don't have to do shit so at least they're trying to do something SMH 🙄.''
We're honored to announce the People’s Fund of Maui, a fund putting money directly in the pockets of those who were affected by the recent wildfires.
As @Oprah and I have seen firsthand, the impacts of these wildfires have been devastating, and we’re here to ensure with 100%… pic.twitter.com/iH6cPwbQ3k
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 31, 2023
Jeff Bezos And His Fiancée Lauren Sanchez Kickstarted The Monetary Donation To The Victims In Maui
Before Winfrey and Johnson poured in their support to aid the victims who lived in the affected area, Jeff Bezos and his sweetheart Lauren Sanchez made a significant contribution to the cause.
Earlier in August, the Amazon founder and his fiancée pledged to assist the natives that dwelled on the island of Maui, ravaged by wildfire. Sanchez took to her Instagram page to announce that they were ''heartbroken by what's happening in Maui'' and that they were going to donate $100 million towards relief efforts on the island.
''We are thinking of all the families that have lost so much and a community that has been left devastated. The immediate needs are important, and so is the longer-term rebuilding that will have to happen – even after much of the attention has subsided,'' she declared.
Sanchez added, ''Jeff and I are creating a Maui Fund and are dedicating $100 million to help Maui get back on its feet now and over the coming year as the continuing needs reveal themselves.''