Todrick Hall Responds To Backlash Over GoFundMe Drama
Artist and singer Todrick Hall has once again found himself on the pointy end of controversy after his GoFundMe page to help his family rebuild their home went viral.
Hall took to social media to defend his decision to start the fund after critics accused him of using his fans for money instead of contributing his own.
A polarising figure
Hall came from humble beginnings and worked hard to achieve mainstream success. His work on early YouTube and social media helped establish him as a creative force in the industry leading him to rise to become an international artist.
Despite his success, Hall has faced numerous public controversies which have plagued his career. The most recent to come to light is the GoFundMe page he created to help his family rebuild their home after it was destroyed in a fire.
The goal set for the page was initially USD10,000 which was exceeded by fans who contributed donations. Following this GoFundMe success, Hall hosted a lavish birthday party which included catering, large-scale decorations and a petting zoo.
Hall took to social media to defend himself saying: “I just want to be crystal clear, I would NEVER spend money that my fans raised during a traumatic time for my family on a birthday party… Everything at my party was either gifted or sponsored and it was organised by someone very close to me who knows I’ve been going through a rough time…”
The statement Hall made was accompanied by nasty messages that he received following his birthday party. As hinted to above, this is not the first instance that Hall has found himself facing allegations of problematic behaviour.
These allegations range from rudeness or entitlement towards service workers to more serious accusations like alleged failure to reimburse his dancers and alleged involvement with problematic figures.
In his post on Instagram defending the GoFundMe and birthday party mixup, Hall also addresses these past accusations. “No black queer person has the power to not pay 80 dancers and not face legal ramifications. My powerful friends defend me because they know the truth, something you and so many others choose to not seek because you’d like to believe that I’m the person you’re describing but I’m just not.”
