Photo Credit: George Apodaca
Billionaire record industry mogul David Geffen has made his Instagram account private after a massive backlash.
Geffen posted pictures of his 454-foot superyacht on Instagram, bragging about his isolation technique. “Sunset last night… isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I’m hoping everybody is staying safe,” the billionaire wrote.
David Geffen is referring to a 600-island chain in the Caribbean officially known as St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A night at a resort there starts at around $1,100 for two people.
When people saw the humblebragging on social media, they had fun lambasting the billionaire.
“He could have kept silent and enjoyed his life of privilege and luxurious security, but he had to rub it in,” one post on Twitter reads. “This is why people hate fucking billionaires,” another says.
It’s a stark contrast to other celebrities who have used Instagram for good. John Legend, Justin Bieber, Cardi B, Demi Lovato, and more are all streaming to entertain. Others, including Rihanna and Taylor Swift, are donating large sums to coronavirus relief efforts.
The chorus of mocking became too rough for David Geffen to bear – by Saturday night, his Instagram was private. But not before some screenshots of his wealthy friends responding were captured, celebrating the view.
Tom Hanks’ wife – who recently contracted coronavirus – responded, “What a shot!” to the picture below. You can also see Wendi Murdoch’s heart eyes response to the same photo.
As the rest of us hole up and shelter-in-place following state guidance, the super-rich don’t have to worry about it. “Where’s a Somali pirate when you need them?” jokes one person on Twitter. “I’m surprised he didn’t take a photo of his ‘just-in-case’ ventilator,” another opines.
Meanwhile, other billionaires are setting a different tone: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, for example, is busy making sure his employees get paid while the NBA shuts down. He’s even helping to influence much-needed federal assistance to distressed businesses, while footing the bill anytime an employee buys breakfast or lunch from a locally-owned restaurant.
The latest guidelines from the White House suggest up to 100,000 people could die from coronavirus “if we do everything perfectly.” Upper estimates of models say deaths could be as high as 2.2 million.
Shamed? Sounds more like jealousy to me. The guy took risks and worked hard to become successful and wealthy. There’s no need to bash him because of this. So what he’s on a boat? People are so childish sometimes.
Looks like a hospital ship to me, and that’s what it should be. Quarantine that ship!
Please stop praising Mark Cuban. He owns Landmark theaters and paid them the lowest wages and benefits allowed by law. He’s no friend to his workers.
Nope. Cuban used to own it. He is a good guy, but you don’t know him yet choose to pass judgement. Read about how he is paying the arena workers who are out of work due to this virus.
Stop hating people. Focus on your own success stop bashing others who have worked tirelessly to get theirs. Most people have no clue what it takes to make it, they just think they do.
It is not about hating. It’s about being so out of touch, selfish, and ignorant to show off one’s wealth, while millions of people have lost their livelihoods and are in dire straits. It is impossible to be any tackier.
Cuban is not only paying his workers while games are canceled, he’s also reimbursing employees for supporting local businesses (specifically breakfast and lunch). He’s also trying to help legislators introduce policies that make sense, despite their endless missteps, and I think it’s working.