Featured Image Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards
Topics: Celebrity, Music, Billie Eilish, Money, Social Media
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Celebrity, Music, Billie Eilish, Money, Social Media
Mark Zuckerberg shared his awkward 'response' to Billie Eilish after she called out billionaires in front of him.
During the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards, which took place in New York City earlier this week, the 23-year-old 'Ocean Eyes' singer gave a speech in which she called out members of the audience for hoarding their wealth.
Eilish, who recently donated $11.5 million of her own money to charity, said: "We're in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark and people need empathy and help more than, kind of, ever, especially in our country.
"I'd say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it."
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The Grammy award-winning artist, who accepted the outlet’s Music Innovator Award, then took it one step further and directly addressed the billionaires in the room, adding: "Love you all, but there's a few people in here that have a lot more money than me. If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?
"No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties."
Many members of the audience echoed into a chorus of laughs and claps.
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Meanwhile, Zuckerberg, who currently holds the title of world's third-richest person, reportedly snubbed Eilish by not joining in, a source told People on Thursday (29 October).
The Facebook founder is behind only Elon Musk and Larry Ellison in terms of wealth.
It's clear that Eilish, who is estimated to have a net worth of around $50 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, with half of that coming from Apple paying to make a documentary about her life, is quite literally putting her money where her mouth is.
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Stephen Colbert announced during the event that she made the hefty donation to support organisations focused on social initiatives such as climate control and food equity.
"I also have the privilege of breaking a little news tonight. Thank you, Billie, for allowing me to do this. It’s extraordinary," the talk show host, who introduced the singer, shared.
He added: "Billie Eilish will be donating proceeds from her 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' tour to support organisations, projects and voices dedicated to food equity, climate justice, reducing carbon pollution and combating the climate crisis.
"That donation, ladies and gentlemen, will be $11.5 million. That’s wonderful. Billie, on behalf of humans everywhere, thank you."
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Tyla has reached out to Billie Eilish's representatives for comment.
A spokesperson from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative told Tyla: "Regarding Mark Zuckerberg, as you know, he and Dr. Priscilla Chan recently attended the WSJ Innovator event.
"Dr. Chan was honored for her leadership in science philanthropy at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) – where she and Mark are co-CEOs and co-Founders.
"Through CZI, they have already contributed more than $7 billion to various causes and have pledged to donate 99 percent of their Meta shares to philanthropy over their lifetime."