Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Oprah Hit With Criticism For 'Stealing Land' On Maui After She Commits To Help Amid Wildfires

Oprah Winfrey
Earl Gibson III/WireImage/Getty Images

The famed talk show host has come under fire for her purchase of over 2,000 acres on the island as native Hawaiians continue to be priced out of their homes.

Oprah Winfrey has sparked controversy with her recent visit to the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku, which is currently functioning as an emergency shelter for survivors of the devastating Maui Fires.

The media mogul's visit generated headlines after reports emerged that she was denied entry along with a CBS News crew.


While the incident itself reflects Oprah's attempt to help those affected by the fires, it has also amplified an ongoing debate about her presence and actions in Maui in light of her purchases of over 2,000 acres as natives continue to be priced out of their ancestral home.

The Maui Fires have caused significant destruction, claiming the lives of more than 110 people so far and leaving 2,200 structures damaged or destroyed. The tragedy has led to the displacement of approximately 4,500 individuals from their homes.

Oprah's initial visit was met with restrictions imposed by the shelter management. According to reports, the TV mogul was informed that no camera crews or journalists would be allowed inside the shelter to respect the privacy and dignity of those seeking refuge.

Oprah decided to proceed without her CBS News crew and personally engaged with survivors. She gathered information about their needs and subsequently visited local stores to purchase essential supplies, such as pillows, shampoo and diapers, which she distributed to those affected.

While the county of Maui acknowledged Oprah's visit and her understanding of media limitations, her presence on the island has ignited a broader discussion about the impact of her real estate acquisitions and her relationship with the local community.

Oprah has owned over 2,000 acres of land on Maui since the early 2000s, including a recent purchase of 870 acres earlier this year.

Following her visit, Oprah took to Instagram to share a video discussing her interactions with survivors at the shelter and said she "will make a major donation after all of the smoke and ash have settled here and we figure out what the rebuilding is going to look like."

You can see her video below.

Oprah's statement went viral and was criticized by activists who've called on her to address the larger systemic challenges affecting Maui's native population.



Hawaii is grappling with the aftermath of historic wildfires that have left over 1,000 individuals still unaccounted for a week after the blazes ravaged the island. State officials are issuing cautionary warnings that the death toll is expected to rise as search and recovery operations persist.

The fires have already marked their place as among the most deadly wildfires in recent U.S. history. However, the true extent of the destruction remains uncertain and may take time to fully comprehend.

On Tuesday night, Maui County officials disclosed that the fire that consumed a significant portion of Lahaina had scorched an estimated 2,170 acres. Progress in containment efforts was reported at 85% for this blaze.

Another fire, spanning around 678 acres and located on the western slope of Maui, was reported to be 75% contained. Two other fires on the island have been successfully contained.

More from Trending

Alex Cooper singing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
@MBDChicago/Twitter (X)

'Call Her Daddy' Host Alex Cooper Gets Brutally Booed At Wrigley Field After Painfully Off-Key Singing

If there's one thing that all baseball fans can come together about, it's the importance of their traditions—and songs.

In the seventh inning at Wrigley Field during a match between the Cubs and the Cardinals, popular Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper was invited to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and brought two backup dancers with her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Linda Yaccarino
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

X CEO Resigns Day After AI Chatbot Grok Praised Hitler In Alarming Series Of Antisemitic Tweets

Linda Yaccarino—the former NBC Universal executive who later took the reins at X—stepped down as CEO of billionaire Elon Musk's platform after two years on the job just a day after Grok, the platform's AI chatbot, went on antisemitic rants and openly praised Adolf Hitler.

Grok issued deeply antisemitic responses on Tuesday following a reported software update that encouraged the bot to embrace what developers described as the “politically incorrect.” Taking that directive to heart, Grok responded with a series of disturbing posts that included praise for Hitler and even a statement expressing its aspiration to become a “digital version” of the Nazi leader.

Keep ReadingShow less
Black and white photo of a falling spider.
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

People Divulge Their 'Rare' Phobias That People Refuse To Believe

I am a SEVERE claustrophobic.

I have struggled with this issue for decades.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

'The Onion' Rips Ted Cruz With Brutal Headline After Yet Another Vacation During Texas Disaster

The satirical news site The Onion had social media users cackling with its brutal headline mocking Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz for once again being out of the country when Texas was hit by another deadly natural disaster.

Cruz faced considerable national backlash after he flew to Cancún while millions of people went without food and water as a result of the February 2021 Texas power disaster. At least 246 people were killed directly or indirectly; some estimates suggested as many as 702 people were killed as a result of the crisis.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk and Grimes
Kevin Tachman/Getty Images for Vogue

Elon Musk's Ex Grimes Calls X Platform A 'Poison' And 'Theatre' After Social Media Hiatus

Claire Boucher—who performs and creates under her stage name Grimes, but prefers her birth name or just "C" offstage—recently returned to her musical persona's social media accounts after taking a hiatus for her own well-being.

Once extremely active, she noted on X in April:

Keep ReadingShow less