Since the devastating fires broke out in LA, with many celebrities losing their homes along with their properties, I've come to realise (or perhaps it was already obvious) that some of these stars aren’t as wealthy as we often think, or as Google might suggest, unless you're someone like Kevin Costner, Brad Pitt, or Taylor Swift.
Take Mandy Moore, for example. Last week, she faced backlash after asking her followers to donate to a GoFundMe page for her brother-in-law, whose family had lost their home in the fires. People criticised her for asking for help, telling her she should be financially supporting him herself because, after all, she's got money. Mandy responded by pointing out that, while she’s helping, people shouldn't assume that just because they see celebrities’ "estimated net worths" online, they can afford to give. She also mentioned that she herself had lost her home or at least part of it in the fire.
At the same time, there's been a push to stream Heidi Montag’s music so she can earn royalties, and now people are doing the same for Leighton Meester. While Leighton hasn’t said anything, Heidi and Spencer are documenting their loss quite publicly on social media.
It seems to me that the celebrity community is caught between a rock and a hard place — they're either criticised for asking for help, or expected to just go out and buy another house because of their perceived wealth. The real discussion here is that many of these celebrities aren’t as rich as they’re made out to be. Sure, they may own a $6 million home, but I think a lot of that is invested in their living space. After all, they live in their homes day in, day out, and many of their other luxuries are either freebies or sponsored items.
Am I off the mark with this? What’s everyone’s take on celebrities asking for support through platforms like GoFundMe?