Oprah and The Rock face backlash over modest $10M Maui wildfire relief donation

Hollywood icons Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Oprah Winfrey have ignited a firestorm of controversy with their recent plea for wildfire relief donations in Maui, Hawaii. The power duo took to Instagram last Thursday to announce their combined contribution of $10 million to the cause and urged their followers to chip in. However, it wasn't long before the public responded with skepticism, questioning why such wealthy individuals didn't donate more of their substantial fortunes.

Forbes' eye-popping wealth estimates added fuel to the fire. Oprah's net worth was reportedly over $2 billion, while The Rock's stood at $250 million as of February 2022. The $10 million donation, in this context, represented a meager 0.5% of their combined estimated wealth.

The joint Instagram post read, "We are honored to start this campaign with $10 million dollars and ask for your help in donating to those who have lost their homes." Johnson separately revealed his $5 million contribution, indicating that Oprah matched it, despite her net worth being ten times greater.

Johnson vowed to "raise and donate much more" but even his $5 million amounted to just 1.8% of his Forbes-assessed net worth. To put it in perspective, an American with a $150,000 net worth making an equivalent gift would part with $2,700. Oprah, on the other hand, gave approximately 0.2% of her estimated $2.5 billion wealth, akin to a person with a $150,000 net worth donating $300.

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Together, their $10 million donation accounted for a mere 0.36% of their combined estimated net worth of $2.77 billion.

The wildfires that devastated Maui in August took a tragic toll, claiming 115 lives and leaving dozens missing, according to CNN. Johnson and Winfrey's call for donations directed supporters to the People's Fund of Maui, promising to put money "directly in the pockets" of those affected.

The Instagram post garnered over 60,000 comments, many expressing disbelief that some of America's wealthiest figures were seeking contributions from those grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. One comment summed it up, saying, "Math ain't mathing with this one. You guys literally have so much money… You can donate it and make it back within a year."

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