Kylie Jenner has defended her decision to ask her fans to support her friend's GoFundMe appeal following their surgery.
According to Page Six, the 23-year-old reality TV star and makeup mogul sparked outrage on social media over the weekend after taking to her Instagram Stories to ask her 222 million followers to visit a GoFundMe attempting to raise funds for the medical expenses of celebrity makeup artist Samuel Rauda.
Take a look at this video of Kylie and another friend having fun together:
In a post made on Thursday, 18 March, Jenner uploaded a picture of Rauda, and captioned the post: "May God watch over you and protect you @makeupbysamuel."
"Everyone take a moment to say a prayer for Sam who got into an accident this past weekend. And swipe up to visit his families go fund me. [sic]"
Kylie herself paid $5,000 to the fund in question, which has thus far raised $100,031 of its target of $120,000 as of the time of writing.
However, Kylie's appeal to the public provoked dismay among some critics, particularly as Forbes estimated her net worth at approximately $700 million as of October 2020.
Credit: Instagram/@kyliejenner
A number of these critics have since taken to social media to express their indignance over the appeal.
For instance, one Twitter user wrote: "Why is kylie jenner asking for donations to fund her makeup artist’s surgery when she’s a billionaire? [sic]"
Meanwhile, someone else commented: "If I was as rich as Kylie Jenner I simply wouldn’t ask ppl on the internet to donate for my best friend’s brain surgery but we all built different i guess! [sic]"
Of course, many of these criticisms were far from the truth, and Jenner has now addressed the controversial appeal in a separate post made on her InstagramSstories, where she wrote:
"I feel it's important for me to clear up this false narrative that I've asked fans for money and am not paying for my makeup artist's medical bills.
"Sam isn't my makeup artist and unfortunately we don't have a personal relationship anymore but I have worked with him a few years ago and think he's the sweetest.
"I saw my current makeup artist and friend Ariel post about Sam's accident and his family's GoFundMe and I called Ariel immediately to see what happened to Sam."
Credit: Instagram/@kyliejenner
She added: "After learning in more detail about the accident it compelled me to visit his GoFundMe which was set at 10K. They had already raised 6K so I put in 5K to reach their original goal and thought I'd post on my stories to gain more awareness if anyone also felt compelled to share or donate.
"I don't know how all of this got so twisted but his family has reached out through Ariel and are very appreciative of all the donations, prayers and love towards Sam. [sic]"
A very good explanation from Kylie, if I do say so myself. She was only trying to do the right thing and spread some kindness.
Thanks to crowdfunding websites, it's never been easier to raise money for various causes. You can help someone pay for their exorbitant medical bills, or fund creating a giant Baby Trump blimp. Sure, some crowdfunding campaigns are silly - remember the guy who raised $55,000 for a potato salad? But hey, people are free to do what they want with their money. We all spend cash on frivolous things, instead of giving that amount to charity.
But it's hard to think of a bigger waste of money than donating to Kylie Jenner. This week Forbes announced that the 20-year-old beauty mogul has a net worth of $900 million, meaning she's close to becoming the world's youngest "self-made" female billionaire. According to the magazine, her company, Kylie Cosmetics, is worth $800 million, with product endorsements and reality show cash bringing her up to $900 million.
That's a pretty impressive achievement, although a lot of people argued Kylie is not "self-made." As Dictionary.com tweeted, "Self-made means having succeeded in life unaided." Considering her privileged upbringing and the enormous Kardashian-Jenner marketing machine, Kylie's had just a little bit of help, don't you think?
But despite the "self-made" controversy, fans are excited to see Kylie achieve the title of "world's youngest female billionaire." In fact, one man, Josh Ostrovsky, who goes by the colorful handle "The Fat Jew," started a GoFundMe campaign to speed up the process. The goal is to raise the final $100 million, and so far 44 people have donated $486. Only $999,514 to go!
In the campaign description, the creator of the fundraiser explais why this cause is so important:
"Kylie Jenner was on the cover of Forbes Magazine today for having a net worth of 900 million dollars, which is heartbreaking. I don't want to live in a world where Kylie Jenner doesn't have a billion dollars. WE MUST RAISE 100 MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP HER GET TO A BILLION, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD, THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT."
On Instgram, Ostrovsky's post got over 200,000 likes and some pretty amusing comments. One Instagram user wrote, "There are children starving, animals dying and humans getting diseases due to lacking hygiene and facilities. I really hope this is a joke." Meanwhile, on Twitter, one woman joked, "Skipping my child support payments to help this fierce female become an iconic billionaire! I believe my daughters would support this if I were allowed contact with them!!!!"
Obviously, this is a facetious campaign, created by a notorious social media troll. If you're upset about the fools that donated, you'll be happy to know that the money is not actually going to Kylie Jenner. Page Six reported that Ostrovsky intends to give the money to people in need. He told the outlet, "All money will be donated to something awesome, like a charity that feeds people who don’t have food."
Well, isn't helping Kylie become a billionaire also awesome? If you see her on the street, give her some change. It's for a good cause.
Kylie Jenner is 20 years old, and worth $900 million. Forbes reported that she is likely to become the world's youngest self-made female billionaire. A lot of people scoffed at the "self-made" part, since she's from an extremely wealthy family with their own TV show. But no one can deny the beauty mogul has built a fortune. Fans are so excited for Kylie to enter the billionaire's club that they're even donating money to cover the last $100 million. Sorry, victims of Hurricane Maria - they're giving their cash to Kylie Jenner.
This month GQ magazine featured Kylie on their cover, even though Kylie's fans are way too young to know what a "magazine" is. The soon-to-be billionaire posed with her boyfriend, rapper Travis Scott. Together, they have a baby daughter Stormi, who I assume has the finest Gucci diapers and Prada bibs. In the sultry cover photo, Kylie wears a black bodysuit that shows off her legs - and prominently displays a huge scar.
In the behind-the-scenes video for the cover shoot, the scar comes up in conversation. Kylie quizzes Travis to see how well he knows her, a game that every boyfriend totally loves. Luckily, she starts with an easy question: What's the biggest scar on her body? "Biggest scar? On your leg," says Travis. "Which leg?" asks Kylie. "It's a bonus question." "Left," replies Travis. "He really knows my body," Kylie remarks.
Some fans hadn't noticed Kylie's scar before, and wondered how she got it. Did Kim Kardashian try to attack her, after getting jealous she's about to become a billionaire? That would make for an exciting episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but Kylie's actually had the scar since she was a kid. In a 2011 Q&A, she told the painful story behind the accident:
"When I was about 5 my sister and I were playing hide and seek and I hid inside this really tall-enclosed gate. After a while when my sister didn’t find me I had to climb up on this sharp pole sticking out from the gate. I slipped and the pole went into my leg. I tried pulling away to get the pole out but it just tore through my whole leg. It’s smaller now though because I grew!"
That sounds like a pretty traumatic experience. To some people, scars are cool, badass badges of honor you can't wait to show off. To other people, scars are embarrassing, ugly marks of imperfection that remind you of something you want to forget.
It's possible to cover up scars with makeup or get rid of them completely with cosmetic surgery. But Kylie's decided to embrace it. In 2015, she wrote "I love my scar" on Instagram, sharing a photo of the blemish, arcing upward like a white smiley-face.
It's nice to know that even someone who's about to become a billionaire isn't perfect.
Kylie Jenner is the latest celebrity to donate $1 million to Australian firefighting efforts, People has confirmed.
The gesture comes after the Keeping Up With Kardashians star was slammed for showing little sensitivity in terms of the sort of posts she was sharing amid the devastating crisis.
While Jenner shared several posts to raise awareness of the rising animal death toll in the country, she then went on to post an Instagram story of herself wearing mink fur slippers and a photo with the caption: "Find ur fire."
When a fan responded to the photo writing: "If anyone needs fire… you can have ours – Australia" Jenner immediately deleted the post.
“That post was completely unintentional,” the insider says. “Kylie stands behind her desire to want to help provide relief towards the devastation the fires have caused.”
Kylie becomes the latest high profile celebrity in the long line of stars who have donated considerable donations to help the firefighters and victims affected by the blazes.
Yesterday, during a concert in Sydney, Elton John revealed that he would be donating $1,000,000 to the firefighters battling the fires and the victims affected by the blazes. In the video below, recorded by a fan at the concert, Elton John emotionally revealed how much he "loves" Australia in a heartfelt speech.
The video, which was shared by Instagram user chipsareready, was captioned: "At [tonight's] concert, @eltonjohn pledged $1M to the bushfire appeal. A great gesture from a great performer."
In his speech, Elton says: "You should all be in awe of the work the firefighters are doing. This is a magnificent country. To see what is happening here breaks my heart, so we have to come together, we have to fight. I love Australia so much.
"There are people out there who have lost their lives, trying to save homes. There are people who have lost their lives, and their homes."
As the crowd started to applaud the 'Candle In The Wind' singer, he added: "Therefore tonight, I will be pledging $1million."
In addition, Chris Hemsworth revealed on Tuesday that he and his family would be donating $1 million to help support the "firefighters, the people on the front line, the people who have suffered, the communities that have taken a hit and who are in desperate need of our support."
Watch Chris Hemsworth discuss Austalia's 'challenging time' below:
"Hi everyone. Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contributing a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated. In my bio I’ve added links to support the fire fighters, organisations and charities who are working flat out to provide support and relief during this devastating and challenging time. Beyond appreciative to everyone around the world for their well wishes and donations. It really does make a difference, so dig deep! Love ya."
And on Monday, Wolf Of Wall Street actress Margot Robbie held back tears as she pleaded with the public to donate what they can.
"I’m sure you’re all aware of what is happening in Australia at the moment with the fires… I wanted you to see how beautiful our country is, because it is so beautiful and it’s really hurting right now. It really, really needs you so please, please donate anything you can.
"Whatever you would have spent on your next cup of coffee, even one dollar would help. It’s so needed right now.
"Please, please if you haven’t already donated, please do and let’s give future generations the childhood I was so lucky to have.
Chris and his family become the latest in a long line of celebrities who have donated considerable sums of money to help the Australian fire services tackling the wildfires.
Australian singer Kylie Minogue also revealed earlier this week that she would be pledging $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts tackling the resilient blazes. Writing on an Instagram post, the 51-year-old singer said:
"Last year I had the incredible opportunity of visiting some of the many beautiful places in my homeland for the first time. Returning home to such devastation throughout much of the country is heartbreaking. As a family, we’ve donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required. Big or small, from near or far, any support will help those affected by the devastating bushfires. With love, The Minogue Family."
And this weekend, actress Nicole Kidman also pledged $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services, writing on her social media accounts: "Our family's support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia. We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now."
The 'Just Like A Pill' singer wrote to her followers: "I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz."
If you would like to donate to the brave services fighting these bushfires, please find the necessary information below...
How you can donate:
The NSW Rural Fire Service has multiple options for direct donations. You can donate to the RFS as a whole, or to specific brigades. You can donate through bank transfer, credit card or cheque.
For bank transfers, there is a set bank account (Account Name: NSW Rural Fire Service, BSB: 032-001, Account No: 171051). This account is for the RFS as a whole.
This link will take you to the landing page for credit card donations. You can donate to the RFS general fund or choose specific brigades from the dropdown box.
In Queensland, Fire and Rescue advise that you can donate both money and items through the website givit.org.au. The website allows fire-affected communities to list what they specifically need, from water tanks in Yeppoon to school uniforms in Zillmere.
In Victoria, the Country Fire Authority has two bank accounts - one for specific brigades and one for the general fund.
In South Australia, the Country Fire Service accepts donations through the CFS Foundation. You can donate to them here. You can also leave a bequest.
If you cannot find the particular brigade you are looking for, you can contact them directly.
Kylie Jenner has been on the receiving end of backlash after she reposted a controversial post to her social media.
The 26-year-old, who boasts a whopping 400 million followers on Instagram, sparked a debate online after she took to her Instagram Stories to repost a solidarity message in favor of Israel.
The post in question, which was originally posted by the account @standwithus, included the flag of Israel a caption that read: "Now and always, we stand with the people of Israel."
While fans couldn't respond to Jenner's post directly on IG, they took to Twitter, better known now as X, to slam the beauty mogul for reposting such a "divisive" message.
And let's just say they were not holding back.
Credit: Instagram
"Kylie Jenner wouldn’t know where the Middle East is on a map but is letting her 400 million Instagram followers know she stands with Israel. I fear the silicone has leaked into her brain!!" one user wrote.
"Why people are so shocked to see Kylie Jenner supporting Israel? I mean do you really expect something good from her like seriously bruh," another added.
A third also slammed her, writing: "Kylie Jenner reaction after realising she posted 'I SUPPORT ISRAEL' story assuming it new IG trend. Even without understanding the conflict dumbo prefer to stand in wrong side as usual."
Not only that, but some pointed out that the influencer was close friends with the Hadid sisters, Bella and Gigi, who are notoriously known for supporting the Palestinian cause against Zionism.
"Absolutely crazy to see Kylie Jenner supporting Israel while her friend Bella Hadid has been advocating for Palestine for YEARS like I'd be sick to my stomach," this user tweeted.
Kylie Jenner reposted a message showing her support for Israel. Credit: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty
In response to the overwhelming amount of backlash, Jenner ended up removing the post as if it didn't happen. But one thing's for sure - the internet always remembers.
A new debate was ignited after the post was removed, with many speculating whether it was Jenner or members of her team that decided to delete it to save her reputation.
After the popular news accounts Pop Base and Daily Loud posted that the reality TV star had now deleted her post, others chimed into the conversation.
"Girl, if that’s what you support. Then stand by it. Or was it just more performative activism? Don’t double back now that you’re getting backlash. Smh," wrote one user while another added: "She never speaks up about such things and decided to share that. Too late Kylie, we’ve seen it."
The news comes after it was reported that Hamas launched a series of attacks on outside of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, in the biggest escalation in the region in decades as per the BBC.
Israel launched devastating "retaliatory strikes" in the area after the Prime Minister of Israel said that the country is now at war with Hamas and vowing to inflict an "unprecedented price.
As per reports by Palestinian officials, Israeli air strikes have killed at least 313 people in the Gaza Strip, with almost 2,000 wounded.
In Israel, 300 civilians have also been killed, and dozens of Israeli milliant officers, who have been accused of war crimes, have been taken hostage.
Much has been said of Kylie Jenner's look, whether it's complimentary, inspiring, or the opposite. She's definitely undergone a complete transformation over the years, with the 21-year-old looking considerably different to how she did when she first started appearing in episodes of Keeping Up With The Kardashians as a teenager - but how much of it is natural?
Given the fact that Kylie Jenner has one of the most popular Instagram accounts in the world, and makes a serious amount of money on makeup products or otherwise advertising through sponsorships, she has a great deal of sway in what her millions of fans spend their money on or how they think of themselves. Because of this, the question of whether or not she has had plastic surgery has come up again and again - and it's a question that the reality star wants to put to bed.
In the latest issue of Paper Magazine, which has previously spoken to Amanda Bynes in detail about her comeback after years out of the spotlight, Kylie wanted to set a few things straight. During the interview, she spoke about everything from her business to her look, to her family - explaining how motherhood has been a positive change in her life.
"It's genuinely what I wanted... to be a young mom," she said. "I thought, This I what I want to do, and if people accept it or don't accept it then I'm okay with every outcome."
She also used the interview to clear the air on the rumours that have circulated about her having plastic surgery. While she admits that not every part of her look comes from her routine and standard makeup, she feels offended that people would assume she's had any surgery.
"People think I fully went under the knife and completely reconstructed my face, which is completely false. I'm terrified! I would never. They don't understand what good hair and makeup and, like, fillers, can really do. I mean, no. It's fillers. I'm not denying that."
"Makeup is something that makes me feel empowered, makes me feel good, and I think it's such a positive thing. There's no harm in playing around with it and feeling good about yourself."
During the interview, she also spoke about her status as an entrepreneur. There are plenty of people out there that call her self-made, while others point out that coming from a place of wealth and privilege doesn't really qualify her as such.
"My parents told me I needed to make my own money. 'It's time to learn how to save and spend your own money,' stuff like that," she explained. "What I'm trying to say is I did have a platform, but none of my money is inherited."
While she's insistent that she hasn't inherited the considerable amount of money she's made, she does make sure to acknowledge that she did have a platform from which she could launch her products and online persona - which does make a difference.
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
