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Oprah and The Rock Getting Dragged Online For ‘Tone Deaf’ Maui Relief Video

It’s been a little over a month since the devastating Maui wildfires, with much of the once beautiful and prosperous land still coated in ash and rubble. Amidst the devastation,…

Oprah and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Oprah and The Rock have gotten into some online hot water, after starting a fund to raise money for Maui relief.

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Oprah

It's been a little over a month since the devastating Maui wildfires, with much of the once beautiful and prosperous land still coated in ash and rubble. Amidst the devastation, some celebrities are pledging to help. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson recently posted a video alongside Oprah Winfrey on his TikTok asking people to donate money to help those affected by the wildfires. And while it may have started with good intentions, many online are criticizing the video as tone deaf given their combined wealth.

The People's Fund of Maui was created by Dwayne and Oprah as a way of helping Lahaina residents who were displaced by the wildfires. The two then announced the charity's creation on TikTok, along with the news that they were pledging a combined $10 million to get things started.

While this gesture seems generous from the outset, many in the comments are calling them out for asking the normal denizens of society for donations when Rock and Oprah combined are worth over $3 billion. One commenter notes, "You and Oprah have enough money to build a whole new maui from scratch, you got this." Another displeased comment states that "you [Rock] are worth 820 MILLION dollars. Oprah BILLIONS. You guys have got this."

People also seem to be taking issue with Oprah citing Dolly Parton's past philanthropic ventures as inspiration behind the organization. In 2016 Dolly set up a similar charity to raise money for the victims of wildfires that devastated eastern Tennessee. From this, many of Oprah and Rock's critics have argued that Dolly donated her own money without asking regular people for help. But according to this Snopes article, that may not be the case. Despite what's being spread online, the country icon with a net worth of $650 million did in fact ask normal people to donate their hard-earned money. So it could be argued that both Oprah and The Rock are following the same social media plan with People's Fund of Maui.

https://twitter.com/DollyParton/status/804172581150527488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E804172581150527488%7Ctwgr%5E99aee51f606e56bf1f8a918cdaf07c64ce0b4e90%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.snopes.com%2Ffact-check%2Fdolly-parton-fire-donations%2F

There's certainly a critique to be made about celebrities - who have more money than I'll ever see in three lifetimes - asking people living paycheck-to-paycheck to give money when they themselves could give so much more. However, the optimist in me wants to believe that Rock and Oprah are coming from a place of genuine concern and a desire to help those devastated by the wildfires. If you'd like to donate to those affected by the Maui wildfires, click here.

Celebrity Breakups and Divorces of 2023

2023 has seen a lot of celebrity deaths -- and deaths in love due to breakups. Some couples have called it quits after years of being together. New relationships formed that looked as though they were meant for each other.

We've all wished for some relationships to have stayed together, despite not knowing what goes on behind closed doors. Celebrities are a prime example of not knowing what they are like in real life versus the facade of a perfect relationship they put out there.

Sometimes, fans are more upset than the celebrities who are going through the breakup! When Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn called it quits after 5 years together and a rumored secret marriage, fans professed they gave up on love entirely. Others used the breakups as a way to bash celebrities. Ariana Grande's divorce announcement to Dalton Gomez caused viral videos of her alleged years of cheating on partners. As for the couples who share children together, our hearts broke for the ones we thought were happily ever afters.

Take a look below at all the major celebrity relationships that have come to an end in 2023.

Billie Eilish & Jesse Rutherford

After less than a year of dating 31-year-old The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, [inlink id="billie-eilish-jesse-rutherford-breakup" text="the pair decided to break up"]. A rep for Eilish confirmed in May that the two "split amicably and remain good friends. All cheating rumors are false. Both are currently single." Fans have criticized the pair's 11-year age gap.

Ariana Grande & Dalton Gomez

After [inlink id="ariana-grande-separated-from-husband" text="two years of marriage"], Grande and Gomez called it quits. They have apparently been separated since January and are heading toward divorce, with Grande dating her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater. Slater is also married to Lilly Jay with a son, whom he welcomed last August. Ariana and Ethan apparently didn’t start dating until after he separated from his wife.

Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello

After seven years of marriage, the pair [inlink id="sofia-vergara-joe-manganiello-divorce" text="announced in July that they were divorcing"]. Sofia and Joe have apparently been “growing apart for a while" and "living separate lives.” The two began dating in 2014 and got engaged six months later. They tied the knot on November 22, 2015.

Taylor Swift & Joe Alwyn

Swift and longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn announced their [inlink id="taylor-swift-joe-alwyn-reportedly-split-after-6-years-of-dating" text="split after 6 years of dating"] in April. Their breakup was supposedly “amicable” and “not dramatic.” The relationship has just “run its course.” Neither parties have opened up about the breakup, but as we know Swift's songwriting inspiration, we might hear about it in a song in the near future.

Tina Knowles & Richard Lawson

Beyonce's mama filed for divorce from her husband Richard Lawson after eight years of marriage in July. She cited the cause of the split as "irreconcilable differences" and is asking the court to terminate the ability to award spousal support to her or Lawson.

Justin Trudeau & Sophie Grégoire

The Canadian prime minister announced his separation from wife Sophie Grégoire after a whopping 18 years of marriage and three children together. He and his wife shared the same announcement on their social media accounts in English and in French.

Hunter Schafer & Dominic Fike

Dominic Fike and Hunter Schafer attend the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

The Euphoria castmates went public with their romance last February. In a July interview, Fike said that he's "done being in relationships right now" due to his struggle with codependency. He went on to speak optimistically about filming the third season with Schafer: "I think it'll be fine. We're all adults, kind of. I'm trying."

Ricky Martin & Jwan Yosef

In July, the couple announced their [inlink id="ricky-martin-jwan-yosef-divorcing" text="divorce after six years of marriage"]. They said in a joint statement: “We have decided to end our marriage with love, respect and dignity for our children and honoring what we have experienced as a couple all these wonderful years.” They share two 4-year-old children born nine months apart via surrogate: daughter Lucia, and son Renn. Martin also has twin teenage sons, Matteo and Valentino, born from surrogate as well.

Billy Porter & Adam Smith

Also in July, the Pose actor and his husband Adam Smith announced their "sad decision" to end their marriage after six years. "The decision was an amicable and mutual one and was made after much consideration. They continue to love and support each other as they embark on this next chapter," said Porter's rep. Porter and Smith met in 2009 at a dinner party, but broke up after dating for about a year. Five years later, they rekindled their romance and got married in 2017.

Reese Witherspoon & Jim Toth

After 12 years of marriage, the pair [inlink id="reese-witherspoon-jim-toth-filing-for-divorce" text="announced they were divorcing in March"]. They share one child together, 10-year-old son, Tennessee. Toth was Reese’s second husband; she was married to Ryan Phillippe from 1999 to 2008. She shares two children with Phillippe, daughter Ava, 23, and son Deacon, 19.

Bebe Rexha & Keyan Sayfari

The "I'm Good" singer [inlink id="bebe-rexha-confirms-breakup-after-weight-gain-text" text="broke up with her boyfriend of three years"] following Bebe sharing texts from Sayfari discussing her weight gain over the last few years. His message, according to Bebe, read in part: "Because I care, would you rather I lied to you? You gained 35 pounds obviously you gained weight and your face changes? Should I just pretend it didn’t happen and that it’s ok? Come on I gain 3 pounds and you called me chubbs and fat. Doesn’t mean you don’t love me."

Avril Lavigne & Tyga

The unusual couple [inlink id="avril-lavigne-tyga-breakup" text="broke up after three-and-a-half months of dating"], but are apparently on good terms. The punk rock princess and the rapper were first spotted together in February when they were seen hugging after having dinner with friends at Nobu. After that, they traveled to Paris together for Fashion Week.

Taylor Swift & Matty Healy

As Swift's rebound from Alwyn, she dated The 1975's frontman for only a [inlink id="taylor-swift-matty-healy-breakup" text="short time before she pulled the plug"].

Halsey & Alev Aydin

The “Bad At Love” singer and the screenwriter "amicably split" after three years of dating in April. They share son, Ender Ridley, whom they welcomed in July 2021. According to court documents filed by Halsey, she filed a petition to determine the parental relationship and asked the court for full physical custody of Ender. Additionally, she requests that “reasonable visitation” be awarded to her former partner and joint legal custody.

Kylie Jenner & Travis Scott

Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner attend the Travis Scott: "Look Mom I Can Fly" Los Angeles Premiere

The on-and-off couple [inlink id="kylie-jenner-travis-scott-break-up" text="called it quits for good"] (we think) in January. They share two children together: daughter Stormi, and son Aire. Though they have this turbulent relationship, the two "always remain friends and great co-parents."

Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner

The Jonas Brother [inlink id="joe-jonas-files-for-divorce-from-sophie-turner" text="filed divorce papers"] from the Game of Thrones alum in September after four years of marriage. The couple, who met after Joe slid into Sophie's Instagram DMs, began dating in 2016 and got engaged a year later. Jonas and Turner tied the knot in a Vegas ceremony in 2019 and share two daughters together.

Kendall Jenner & Bad Bunny

After less than a year of dating, the Puerto Rican superstar and the model called it quits. The "MONACO" artist, whose real name is Benito Martínez Ocasio, and the reality star first sparked romance rumors in February, when they were spotted joining Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber on a double date.

Mariah Carey & Bryan Tanaka

After seven years of dating, the "All I Want For Christmas" singer and the dancer have "amicably" called it quits. Tanaka [inlink id="mariah-carey-ex-confirms-split" text="confirmed the split"] after rumors of their breakup were due to Tanaka wanting kids and Carey not wanting to have any more. Despite the rumors, Tanaka had nothing but nice things to say about Carey and her children and the time they spent together.