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When Dwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson<\/strong> and Oprah Winfrey<\/strong> announced a fund<\/a> to support people impacted by the deadly fires in Maui, it’s clear they didn’t expect any backlash for what they viewed as a good deed. But lashed they were, as many argued that by asking the public to contribute to the organization, the monied pair were ducking their own social responsibilities. Over six weeks later, Johnson has addressed the controversy, telling his 389 million-plus Instagram following that he understood why they were angry.<\/p>\n Winfrey and Johnson launched the People’s Fund of Maui<\/a> in August with $5 million, each, from their own bankrolls. In a video posted to Instagram<\/a>, they asked for donations from others concerned about the plight of the fire-torn island’s residents, with Winfrey saying “We appreciate all the support that you can give. All these people who were calling me and texting me and messaging me and saying, \u2018What do I do? What do I do?\u2019 This is what you do.\u201d<\/p>\n Winfrey, who has an estimated net worth<\/a> of $2.5 billion, was surprised by what came next, she told CBS a few weeks later<\/a>. Social media users shot back at the stars<\/a> almost instantaneously, with scores asking why these extremely wealthy celebrities were asking for donations when they could likely fund the operation out of their own pockets.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMath ain’t mathing with this one,\u201d one comment beneath their announcement read. \u201cYou guys literally have so much money\u2026. You can donate it and make it back within a year.\u201d That remark received 10,000 \u201clikes,\u201d with other critical remarks racking up similar approval.<\/p>\n Speaking with CBS, Winfrey said that Johnson and she \u201cthought, because both of us have given to charities our whole lives, that starting the fund with $10 million would be a great idea. We’ll do what Dolly did,\u201d she said, referring to Dolly Parton<\/strong>‘s donor-backed My People Fund<\/a> to support those suffering losses in Gatlinburg, Tenn.’s 2017 fires. The pair hoped to \u201cget other people to give money and then we’ll put it directly into people’s bank accounts,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many people were calling, asking, \u2018Where do we give our money to?\u2019 So I thought, I’m going to give people a place to give it,\u201d Winfrey said. \u201cAnd then I got up the next morning, and I saw all of this vitriol, and I was, like, \u2018Whoa, what happened here?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Johnson, however, remained silent on the backlash, but that changed Saturday. In a video<\/a> that appears to have been shot poolside by Johnson, himself, the wrestler turned action star (with an estimated net worth<\/a> of $800 million) first gives an update on the payouts, saying, \u201cThe thousands and thousands of survivors, the families, they have now, over the past couple of weeks, started to receive their first round of funds.\u201d<\/p>\n He then turned to the controversy, saying, \u201cWhen we first launched the fund, there was some backlash \u2026 I want to say that I get it, and I completely understand.\u201d<\/p>\n “I could have 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.”<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when you are living paycheck to paycheck\u2014I don’t wanna speak for everybody. I’ll speak for myself, but I feel it’s connected. When you’re living paycheck to paycheck…I was easily pissed off, and I was frustrated. And 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo I get it. I understand. I’d never launched a fund before, but I’m a quick study and lesson learned.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking in September, Winfrey said that \u201c2,200 people have been cleared and verified\u201d to receive money from the fund, and that number is expected to grow. \u201cI still think it\u2019s a really strong idea,\u201d Winfrey said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDolly Parton was right. Putting money directly in the hands of the people is a significant thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n