Dwayne Johnson breaks silence on Maui wildfire fund backlash

nypost.com:

affected by the Maui wildfires — despite having a combined net worth of more than $2.8 billion.The Hollywood pair collectively chipped in $10 million to kickstart the People’s Fund of Maui, but then, they also put out a call asking their fans on Instagram and TikTok to donate the rest.Fans didn’t react to this with enthusiasm.

Many complained they were already living “paycheck-to-paycheck,” and that the uber-rich celebrities should dole out more of their own money toward relief efforts.“I would but I’m broke…you two got this though!” Carolina Moreno wrote in the comment section on TikTok under the August 31 video.“Billionaire asking for money from the poor, what a joke,” Cary Jacobs added on Winfrey’s follow-up video on Instagram.In a new Instagram video posted on Sunday, Johnson broke his silence to his 392 million followers, and said that he “understood” why fans were angry. “The last thing you want to hear when you are living from paycheck to paycheck is someone asking you for money, especially when the person asking you for money already has a lot of money,” he said. “I get it, and I completely understand, and I could’ve been better.

And next time, I will be better.”In a long caption on the video, he also wrote, “I’m so grateful and moved by all the messages I’m receiving out of Maui from the survivors of the devastating wildfires who are now getting their personal funding from The People’s Fund of Maui…And to everyone in my social media community right here.

Our connection is everything because we only know how to be REAL with each other. You always tell me the truth – good or bad – I’ll always appreciate and protect that straight talk between us – you have my word to always listen, learn, grow and do better.