American comedian Kevin T Porter has put out a controversial appeal on Twitter, encouraging his followers to share stories about popular TV host Ellen DeGeneres in exchange for charitable donations.
The Texas-born comic shared a Twitter post on Friday, writing:
“Right now we all need a little kindness. You know, like Ellen Degeneres always talks about! She’s also notoriously one of the meanest people alive. Respond to this with the most insane stories you’ve heard about Ellen being mean & I’ll match every one w/ $2 to @LAFoodBank”
He also added a second Tweet, clarifying:
“Oh and the caveat is yes they have to be real! Cause we need some REAL kindness right now”
Since it was posted, Porter’s tweet has been liked almost 37,000 times, with hundreds of commenters eager to share their stories. Several alluded to anecdotes about the 62-year-old DeGeneres’ supposedly demanding nature behind the scenes and her allegedly questionable treatment of crew members during her career.
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However, in addition to those relaying their experiences, several Twitter users decided to question the justification of raising money for a good cause by encouraging a pile on. One user sarcastically commented, “Wow this is real productive and super kind. Good job.” Another responded with a lengthier response, adding:
“Why would you encourage negativity, especially at such a trying time?! Just do the positive thing you have suggested, which is support the food bank. Important to remember that no one is perfect. Not even you. Why encourage others to criticize another, and so publicly?”
Despite the ongoing popularity of the thread, there has as yet been no direct comment from either the Los Angeles Food Bank or Degeneres herself.
