'Toxic, false clickbait garbage': Dwayne Johnson responds to booing allegations
What's the story
Hollywood actor and wrestler Dwayne Johnson, aka "The Rock" in wrestling, has addressed the alleged booing he faced at a recent WWE event in Las Vegas.
The controversy erupted when fans accused Johnson of taking wrestler-actor Cody Rhodes's main-event spot against WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
Adding fuel to the fire, an X user claimed Johnson failed to support Maui residents affected by wildfires last year, which led to booing.
However, on Sunday, he addressed the accusations.
Remarks
Here's what the original post said
On Saturday (local time), the X/Twitter user named Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) claimed, "[Johnson] promised TENS OF MILLIONS to the victims of the Maui fires, but many victims still have not seen a dime."
"It looks like the audience is fully AMERICA FIRST and is demanding The Rock and Oprah follow through with their commitment to take care of the people of Lahaina," he said.
"The crowd started booing and chanting 'MAUI! MAUI! MAUI!' MAKE IT HAPPEN!" he added.
Statement
'The Rock' reacted to Sortor's accusations
Taking to X/Twitter, Johnson called Sortor's accusations "toxic, false clickbait garbage."
He stated, "I hate dignifying bullshit with a response, but when you use Hawaii's tragic events to draw attention to yourself I won't stay quiet."
He explained the booing was from a WWE press conference where he "turned 'heel' - wrestling parlance for a bad guy."
Johnson also highlighted his contributions to Maui, asserting that his People's Fund of Maui has delivered over $50 million to over 8,000 survivors.
Wildfires
Context: Hawaii wildfire tragedy mentioned in Johnson's post
In August 2023, the American state of Hawaii faced one of the deadliest wildfire incidents in over a century, predominantly on the island of Maui.
The tragedy resulted in the loss of art least 100 lives, while three people were missing in Lahaina on Maui's northwest coast.
Thousands of structures were consumed by the flames.
In September 2023, the United States (US) Department of Commerce released an official damage estimate, putting the financial toll at $5.5 billion.
Support for cause
Johnson called for positivity and support for Hawaii
In his response, emphasizing his commitment to helping the people of Hawaii, Johnson added, "Hawaii is where I grew up, where I raise my children throughout the year, and where my ancestors are buried."
"You can't imagine how much they are still struggling daily to put their lives back together and take care of each other," he said.
Johnson concluded by urging users to focus on positivity and invited them to Hawaii to make a difference in people's lives there.
Twitter Post
Take a look at DJ's full post
I typically refrain from responding to toxic, false clickbait garbage like this because I hate dignifying bullshit with a response, but when you use Hawaii’s tragic events to draw attention to yourself I won’t stay quiet.
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 11, 2024
This moment you’re referring to is from our @WWE press… https://t.co/z76m1Q7w1N